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!” moments in our classrooms, both physical and virtual. Those moments of clarity, when the dots connect and the sparks of innovation light up, are what fuel our passion for what we do.

At the core of it all are the people—our talented team, our dedicated instructors, and most importantly, our incredible alumni.

Our success isn’t just measured in years; it’s measured in the impact we’ve had. It’s in the emails about promotions earned because of new skills. It’s in the organizations that have transformed their ITSM practices—and cultures—after training with us. It’s in every “thank you” and every referral that fills our classrooms with energy and enthusiasm.

So, to each of you who has been part of our story—thank you. YOU are what makes ITSM Academy special. You are the reason we stand here, 21 years strong, looking ahead to a future filled with possibilities.

Stay curious, stay inspired, and always #JustKeepLearning!

With heartfelt gratitude,

Lisa Schwartz, Co-Founder & CXO, ITSM Academy
🦩 #21YearsStrong #ILoveMyTeam
👉 Read ITSM Academy's Leadership & Timeline

Comments

Four Service Characteristics

Recently I came across several articles by researchers and experts that laid out definitions and characteristics of services. ITIL provides us with a definition that can help drive the creation of value-laden services: A means of delivering value to customers by facilitating outcomes customers want to achieve without the ownership of specific costs and risks. An area that ITIL is not so clear is in terms of service characteristics. Several researchers and experts put forth that services have four basic characteristics (IHIP): Intangibility—Services are the results of actions not things. They have no physical presence and represent a logical set of elements. One way to think of service is “work done for others.” Heterogeneity—Also known as “variability”; services are unique items because of the mechanisms used to deliver services, which is people. Because the people element adds variability, the service is variable. This holds true, especially for the value proposition—not eve...

What Is A Service Offering?

The ITIL 4 Best Practice Guidance defines a “Service Offering” as a description of one or more services designed to address the needs of a target customer or group. As a service provider, we can’t stop there! We must know what the contracts of our service offering are and be able to put them into context as required by the customer. Let’s explore the three elements that comprise a Service Offering. A “Service Offering” may include: Goods, Access to Resources, and Service Actions 1. Goods – When we think of “Goods” within a service offering these are the items where ownership is transferred to the consumer and the consumer takes responsibility for the future use of these goods. Example of goods that are being provided in the offering – If this is a hotel service then toiletries or chocolates are yours to take with you. You the consumer own these and they are yours to take with you. ...

What is the difference between Process Owner, Process Manager and Process Practitioner?

This article was originally published in 2015. With the Introduction of ITIL 4, some of this best practice has changed. See ITIL 4 and the Evolving Role of Roles . Updated Definitions in ITIL 4: Process Owner: In ITIL 4, the concept of 'processes' has expanded into broader 'practices.' Consequently, the Process Owner is now often referred to as the 'Practice Owner.' This individual is accountable for the overall design, performance, integration, and improvement of a specific practice within the organization. They ensure that the practice achieves its intended outcomes and aligns with the organization's objectives. Process Manager: Now commonly known as the 'Practice Manager' in ITIL 4, this role is responsible for the day-to-day management of the practice. The Practice Manager ensures that activities are carried out as intended, manages resources assigned to the practice, and oversees the practitioners performing the work. Process Practit...

Search