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Celebrating 21 Years of ITSM Academy

This January, ITSM Academy proudly celebrates 21 years, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this incredible milestone with our extended community of learners, partners, and ITSM professionals. When we launched in 2004, our vision was both simple and ambitious: to create a space where IT service management professionals could come together to learn, grow, and thrive. Over the years, that vision has transformed into a vibrant reality, made possible by the trust, support, and dedication of everyone who has been part of our journey. As we mark 21 extraordinary years, we take this moment to reflect on the milestones achieved, the memories created, and the magic that continues to inspire us. From the very beginning, ITSM Academy has been built on a people-first foundation. We’ve always believed in the transformative power of education—not just to advance individual careers but to drive organizational success and innovation. Along the way, we’ve been honored to witness countless “aha!” m...
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The Importance of an Education Strategy

An education strategy guides organizational learning and development, aligning training programs with business goals. By developing a structured approach to education, companies can improve employee performance, boost engagement, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. A well-designed education strategy also ensures that training investments yield measurable returns, enhancing both individual competencies and overall organizational capabilities. Step 1: Establish Competency Frameworks A core component of any effective education strategy is the competency framework. Competency frameworks provide a structure for identifying and developing the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary for success within an organization. By defining clear competencies across various roles, organizations can ensure that employees understand what is expected of them and can align their development accordingly. Competency frameworks should include: Role-Specific Competencies : Define the technical an...

The Elusive Case 📖 of Leadership Buy-In 🔎

For over 20 years, one question keeps resurfacing: How do we secure buy-in from senior management for our ITSM initiatives ? It’s a challenge that never seems to fade. Like any good mystery, just when you think you have it solved, a new player enters the scene and changes the game. In February 2024, we were delighted to have David Cannon and Ken Jarvis present our monthly webinar, on the topic  Getting and Keeping Executive Buy-in for your ITSM Program .  I personally find it difficult to revisit all the audio content on my wishlist, so I appreciate it when I can read a concise summary - like CliffsNotes for Webinar. Or in this case, LisaNotes, as I am building on some of the ideas presented.  In prepping for the webinar, Donna Knapp  postulated, "Are we even asking the right question? Should we be asking instead, What will make executives care about ITSM ?"   As Dr. Lanning says in the movie I, Robot, "That, detective, is the right question".  The ...

Putting AI in its Place

By Donna Knapp and Michael Cardinal Even prior to the First Industrial Revolution, someone who made their living as a stagecoach driver couldn't possibly imagine that one day people would use an app to arrange an Uber that could take them to the airport where they could get on a plane and fly across the world in a matter of hours. All that history is understood in hindsight, as is the case with any industrial revolution. Fast forward to today. We are in the throes of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and there is massive speculation about the impact of advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI). It’s tempting to think that the problems and challenges that organizations and individuals are currently facing are unique. In reality, as we explore in ‘What Would Deming Do’ , the past provides valuable lessons that we can use to navigate the present and leverage as guidance for the future. What history teaches us is that industrial revolutions have a lot in commo...

Why Many Organizations and Jobs Require ITIL Certification

I realized recently that while many organizations and jobs require ITIL certification, few say why. I've thought about it, and here is what I came up with... The reasons behind this requirement are multifaceted and deeply rooted in ITIL practices' benefits to an organization. Standardization and Best Practices ITIL provides a set of standardized best practices for IT service management (ITSM). This standardization ensures that all certified professionals have a consistent understanding of IT processes, leading to more efficient and predictable outcomes. By implementing ITIL, organizations can align their IT services with business needs, reducing waste and increasing value delivery. Enhanced Service Delivery One of the core objectives of ITIL is to improve service delivery. ITIL-certified professionals are trained to optimize IT services, ensuring they meet the expectations and requirements of customers. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and retention, as well as...

Unlock the Power of ITIL®: An Insightful Report on Its Impact on Enterprises Today

At ITSM Academy, we are always eager to share valuable insights and research that contribute to the advancement of IT service management practices. In their latest report, Unlock the Power of ITIL , Eveline Oehrlich and Alexander Bassett dive deep into ITIL's role in modern enterprises and how it significantly impacts IT service management.  Although we didn’t participate in the research or the creation of the paper, we are delighted to share it with our community. click to view the recap Drawing insights from a comprehensive survey conducted by Research In Action , which involved 1,500 IT managers with budget responsibilities from enterprises worldwide, this report highlights key trends and developments in ITIL adoption and its profound effects on business operations. The survey, conducted over six months from January to June 2023, provides a detailed analysis of how ITIL is being leveraged by enterprises to optimize IT service delivery, enhance operational efficiency, ...

Using ITIL's Concepts: Four Types of Organizational Structures

ITIL® 4: Create, Deliver and Support (CDS) is one of four managing professional modules, which provide practical advice building upon the concepts described in ITIL 4 Foundation. CDS explores the creation and delivery of service management, as well as the tools, technologies, and methods that support it. Originally posted on  The Axelos Blog , March 2021 and written by Solmaz Purser - Project Editor, Axelos The organizational structure determines how successful an organization will be in achieving its goals, as it regulates how individuals and teams within an organization interact with each other and with the organization. CDS explores the four main types of organizational structures. Of course, an organization can decide to forego any kind of structure, but that would be a very short-lived organization where nothing gets done! Functional A functional organizational structure is a typical hierarchal structure based on control, lines of authority, or technical domain. Basically, t...