"We’re Not Ready for ITIL (Version 5). We’re Too Immature." It is a common reaction. When organizations hear about ITIL (Version 5), especially in the context of digital product and service management, AI governance, experience, and transformation, they may assume it is intended only for those with a mature ITSM program already in place. They think: We are still trying to get incident management under control. Our request process is inconsistent. We have too many silos. We are not ready for something more advanced. But that conclusion misses the point. You do not need to be mature to benefit from ITIL (Version 5). In many ways, less mature organizations may have the most to gain. ITIL Is Not a Reward for Maturity ITIL has never been something organizations earn the right to use once they have everything figured out. It is guidance that helps organizations improve how they create, deliver, and support value. That matters at every stage of maturity. For o...

I got asked the question, "How do you see the job market valuing ITIL certifications today - particularly Foundation vs higher-level?" That got me thinking, and I had many thoughts, so I wanted to get them all down "on paper".  When we talk about ITIL certifications today, the first thing we have to acknowledge is that the job market has changed. Twenty years ago, only cutting-edge teams were adding ITIL certifications to their job requirements, as they understood it was a competitive differentiator.  Ten years ago, ITIL Foundation was often a checkbox. It signaled that someone understood incident, change, problem - the basics. It was credibility currency. Today, Foundation still matters - but it plays a different role. Foundation demonstrates literacy. It tells an employer: You understand value. You understand service relationships. You understand structured operating models. You speak the language. In a market f...