Understanding ITIL 5: What’s New and How It Builds on ITIL 4

[Prathmeshda]

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) has long been the cornerstone framework for IT Service Management (ITSM), evolving over decades to keep pace with technological and organizational change. With the official announcement and rollout of ITIL Version 5, the framework enters a new phase—one shaped by digital products, organizational transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI).

While ITIL 4 marked a major shift away from rigid processes toward value co-creation and flexibility, ITIL 5 builds on that foundation by strengthening the connection between strategy, transformation, products, services, and experience. This article provides a clear overview of ITIL 5 and a detailed analysis of how it differs from ITIL 4, based on the latest PeopleCert announcements and qualification structure.

A Quick Recap: What ITIL 4 Delivered
Released in 2019, ITIL 4 modernized ITSM by moving away from the traditional ITIL v3 service lifecycle model (Service Strategy, Design, Transition, Operation, CSI) and introducing the Service Value System (SVS).

Key characteristics of ITIL 4 included:
A strong focus on value co-creation
Integration with Agile, DevOps, and Lean
The Service Value Chain as an operating model
34 management practices instead of rigid processes
Emphasis on continual improvement and flexibility

ITIL 4 successfully repositioned ITSM for the digital era—but organizations increasingly needed more guidance around enterprise transformation, product thinking, experience design, and AI governance. This is where ITIL 5 comes in.

ITIL 5 introduces a clearer, more capability-based certification model:

ITIL Foundation (Version 5)
Entry point covering core concepts, value creation, roles, and continual improvement.

ITIL Practice Manager

Focused on operational excellence through three practice clusters:
Monitor, Support & Fulfil (MSF)
Plan, Implement & Control (PIC)
Collaborate, Assure & Improve (CAI)

ITIL Managing Professional

For leaders delivering digital products and services:
ITIL Product
ITIL Service
ITIL Experience
ITIL 5 is the next evolution of the ITIL framework, officially launching with ITIL 5 Foundation in February 2026, followed by a phased rollout of advanced modules.

ITIL 5 focuses on:
End-to-end digital product and service management
Stronger alignment between strategy, delivery, and outcomes
Organizational transformation as a core capability
Responsible and governed AI adoption
Experience-driven service management
Rather than replacing ITIL 4 outright, ITIL 5 extends and refines it, responding to how organizations actually operate in complex, AI-enabled digital ecosystems.
ITIL Strategic Leader

For senior professionals shaping digital strategy:
ITIL Strategy
ITIL Master
Achieved by completing all three designations, demonstrating advanced, adaptable expertise.

This structure is more practical, modular, and role-aligned than ITIL 4’s certification scheme.
ITIL 5 is not a radical reset—it is a strategic maturation of ITIL 4.

Organizations already using ITIL 4 will find continuity in principles, practices, and terminology, while gaining stronger guidance for:
Digital product management
Enterprise transformation
AI adoption and governance
Experience-driven service delivery
Clearer professional development paths
For IT leaders, ITIL 5 provides a framework that connects vision, strategy, delivery, and value realization more tightly than ever before

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