This article is for those of you that are NOT steeped in the geekery that is ITIL. Human resources experts, financial experts, and developers for all of the above - you know, the cool people.
I'm an IT geek - and I always get asked by non IT geeks - what exactly is it that you do? What the heck is ITSM? ITIL?
OK, here's my shortest answer - gimee 10 floors and start the elevator:
I help people create, manage, maintain, fix, and retire of any and all of the technologies that deal with information - The the information can be as simple as your shopping list, and the technology can be as simple as a pen and paper.
There I did it - less than 50 words. Think of me as a facilities guy for your information - from maintenance to set up to tearing down old buildings - I do that for technologies that house your Information, rather than your person. Now, if you want a more fun and funny history - check here
(5 years old and still the best summary of IT evolution I can find…)
Now, you might think something as simple as your shopping list doesn't need much management, but have you ever gone shopping and left it at home? Or brought it, and found out the information on it was outdated, and your partner had already bought some of the things on the list, or forgotten to update it?
And just like your field (be it Accounting and the FASB, or Human Resources and SHRM, or others) we have an organization (itSMF) that has some broad process guidelines for strategizing, designing, transitioning, operating, and continually improving these technologies - only we like to see them as Services (because really, a technology is kind of a waste of time unless it's performing some sort of service for you, right?). We stuff all these processes and practices into a library - that's the "L" in ITIL.
- DING! -
But what if I wanted to find out more?
So much to say, and so much right here in our community that I think it may be time for me to stop harping on it. Check out posts from gaiatri like this hi level overview. Or, maybe if youhave more of a healthcare background, a video that explains ITIL from a healthcare perspective. Or, even better, this eminently readable overview of each of the ITIL books
Well, on that note, time to let you off the elevator - looks like someone new is coming on board for me to try my elevator pitch again...
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