Let's Stop Calling ITIL "the IT Infrastructure Library"

[stephenmann]

"It's ITIL, the IT Infrastructure Library, right?"

"Um, no."

IMO it's ITIL, the IT service management (ITSM) best practice framework, and has been since the introduction of ITIL v3 in 2007 (as far as I know, evidence is scarce). However, I continue to see too many people continuing to refer to ITIL as "the IT Infrastructure Library." Whether it be ITSM tool vendors (I imagine all of us are guilty), consultants, trainers, or industry analysts; but hopefully not publishers.

Does calling ITIL the IT Infrastructure Library really matter?

Yes. I'm a recovering analyst and can be overly anal, but IMO how we describe and therefore position ITIL does matter. Look at the phrase "IT Infrastructure Library" and break it down:

• IT — It's not just about IT as in the technology and the business function (and in fact ITIL has been successfully used outside of IT for shared services by organizations such as CERN);
• Infrastructure — It's definitely not just about IT infrastructure (from both an ITSM and modern IT service delivery perspective)
• Library — Is "Library" a good descriptor for anything other than a library? This suggests that ITIL is about the books (whether paper, PDF, or online). It definitely isn't.

The phrase isn't fit for what ITIL is or at least what it should be. So why are we still using it?

The ITIL books …

If one looks at the ITIL books there's no reference to "the IT Infrastructure Library" and picking the Service Transition book at random the introduction states:

"ITIL is part of a suite of best-practice publications for IT service management (ITSM). ITIL provides guidance to service providers on the provision of quality IT services, and on the processes, functions and other capabilities needed to support them. ITIL is used by many hundreds of organizations around the world and offers best-practice guidance applicable to all types of organization that provide services. ITIL is not a standard that has to be followed; it is guidance that should be read and understood, and used to create value for the service provider and its customers. Organizations are encouraged to adopt ITIL best practices and to adapt them to work in their specific environments in ways that meet their needs.

ITIL is the most widely recognized framework for ITSM in the world."

Not a single reference to a "library" in sight. The same is true for Best Management Practice's official ITIL site. Thanks to Stuart Rance for pointing this out on Twitter earlier today.

Why are people still calling ITIL "the IT Infrastructure Library"?

IMO in some instances it is probably because people are still making a living on what they learnt 10 years ago. A little harsh I know but having listened to and read certain parties talking about ITIL they really aren't at the cutting edge of modern IT service delivery. For instance, if I read an analyst-created vendor white paper that opens with the phrase "ITIL, the IT Infrastructure Library" I'm already wondering how useful the white paper will actually be. Unfortunately even Wikipedia's ITIL page starts with the phrase.

But surely some of the blame has to sit with the OGC and APMG as-and-when the decision/change was made in 2007/8 — thankfully I was informed of the change by my ex-Ovum colleague Alan Rodger in 2009 (I think) but up till then I was none-the-wiser. Since which I've had numerous battles with editors that insisted on adding replacing my initial mentions of ITIL with "the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)."

Enter Capita and the future of ITIL …

We are where we are but it will be interesting to see what Capita, the new "part-owners" of ITIL, will do as they set about addressing many of the issues associated the ITIL of old. Given the positive steps they have already taken I expect some clarity soon.

As always your thoughts and comments are encouraged.