According to an advanced notification we received, AXELOS has officially announced the retirement of the ITILv3 certifications. How will this impact ITIL practitioners and certification candidates alike? What should you do if you are interested in ITIL but have not taken any courses? What is the path for candidates who have taken some ITILv3 courses and are on the path to becoming ITILv3 Experts? Read on to learn the answers to these questions and understand the timeline for the ITILv3 retirement.
Why is ITILv3 Being Retired?
ITILv3 was released in 2007 but had not undergone any significant updates in nearly a decade, a virtual eternity in the worlds of technology and service management. ITIL practitioners as well as the good folks at AXELOS realized that there was no future for a best practice that does not evolve. Thus, ITIL 4 was born.
The ITIL 4 library was started in 2017 and successfully launched in February 2019 with the release of the ITIL 4 Foundation certification. Over the course of the past two years, all five of the ITIL 4 Intermediate certifications (High-velocity IT; Create, Deliver, and Support; Direct, Plan, and Improve; Drive Stakeholder Value; and Digital and IT Strategy) have been released. The latest of the ITIL publications to be released is the Digital and IT Strategy book (lovingly referred to as “DITS”), which Beyond20’s two co-founders and myself had a major role in editing and authoring – along with industry-leading experts from around the world. Additionally, AXELOS has published guides for each of the 34 practices, available as part of their MyITIL program (which is free for one year after passing the ITIL 4 Foundation exam and $50 annually after the first year).
What was wrong with ITILv3 and is it still relevant?
A student asked me this question in a recent ITIL 4 Foundation course. He added, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Short answer: there’s nothing wrong with ITILv3. The advice in the ITILv3 library is still relevant, and more IT departments would be wise to learn the basics of service management, ITILv3-style. I often joke that a lot of organizations want ITIL 4, but they are still not up to speed on the basics of ITILv3. All of the information in ITILv3 is still valid, and the vast majority of processes in ITIL v3 were retained, refined, and expanded upon as part of ITIL 4.
ITIL 4, on the other hand, maintains all the sage advice about Service Management from ITILv3 but broadens the conversation. The ITILv3 processes are augmented by even more tools in the form of practices. Moreover, ITIL 4 recasts the relationship between IT and the business. In ITILv3, IT plays a supporting role with a goal of aligning with business strategy and supporting internal business customers. In ITIL 4, there is little to no boundary between IT and the business as they join together to enable an organization-wide digital transformation in support of the organization’s customers.
To use a metaphor, imagine going to your favorite big box store to buy a vacuum. You see two models from the same manufacturer – version 3 and version 4. The price for both of them is more or less the same. They both suck like no vacuum has sucked before. Version 3 does everything you need it to do and more. But version 4 is stronger, has some extra attachments, and is a wee bit lighter. All things being equal, which one would you buy?
What are some of the key new concepts in ITIL 4?
ITIL 4 elevates the role of IT within the organization. Instead of simply supporting the business and being yet another silo, IT becomes part of a single, seamless enterprise level “system” – integrating with the overall business – to make strategic decisions and use technology to enable new ways of working. ITIL 4 introduces several new concepts to help support IT’s ever-expanding role:
- The Service Value System – the new framework through which ITIL describes how an organization creates value.
- Service Value Chain – the service management operating model; all the high-level activities an organization needs to perform to create value.
- Service Value Streams – specific steps an organization takes to create value.
- High Velocity IT (HVIT) – IT teams that employ Agile and DevOps to accelerate the delivery of valuable products and services.
- Customer Journey Mapping – understanding the various touchpoints where the service provider and customer interact.
- Digital Transformation – learning how to leverage technology and IT practices to fundamentally change the way the organization interacts with consumers and operates internally.
If you were thinking that these topics are more business-oriented than in ITILv3, you got the point. IT can no longer afford to stay in the proverbial (or literal) basement.
When are the ITILv3 Courses Scheduled to Be Retired?
AXELOS has published the following schedule for ITILv3 course retirement:
- ITIL v3 Foundation (English) to be discontinued as of 1 July 2021
- ITIL v3 Intermediates (English) to be discontinued as of 1 January 2022
- ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition examination (English) to be discontinued as of 1 July 2022
- Translated guidance and examinations discontinuation dates will be announced on a case-by-case basis based on the corresponding product release dates for the ITIL 4 higher modules.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Retirement of ITILv3
I’m already an ITILv3 Expert. Is there any reason for me to take ITIL 4 training courses?
Yes. First of all, staying up to date with the latest in ITIL demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning. As previously mentioned, ITIL 4 expands knowledge of Service Management by discussing topics like digital transformation, the service value chain, value streams, and customer journey mapping – all needed in today’s organization. It also includes details around modern ways of working like Agile, Lean, and DevOps throughout the ITIL library.
I’m already an ITILv3 Expert. Does my credential expire?
No. Once an Expert, always an Expert. Continue using your ITILv3 post nominals after your signature. But realize that over time, some organizations will wonder why you did not “level-up” to ITIL 4.
I have taken enough ITIL Intermediate courses to sit for the Managing Across the Lifecyle (MALC) exam to become an ITILv3 Expert? Should I take the MALC exam?
Maybe. If you are dead set on earning the ITILv3 Expert certification and you can find a training organization that still offers the MALC course, it’s something to consider. However, most people we know in this situation opt to go directly for the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification. If you have accumulated 17 or more ITILv3 credits (or are already ITIL v3 Expert certified), you qualify to take the ITIL 4 MPT course and sit for the corresponding exam.
To be clear – An ITILv3 Expert certification is nothing to scoff at (I still proudly include my ITILv3 Expert credentials after my signature even though I earned ITIL 4 Managing Professional). But employers, government agencies, and many of our clients are laser-focused on ITIL 4 certifications as a prerequisite to doing business with them; and many of our clients are working to incorporate ITIL 4 concepts into their organization.
I have taken a few ITILv3 Intermediate courses but have fewer than 17 credits? Should I continue along the ITILv3 path?
For the most part, the answer to this question is “no.” Professionals who have taken just a couple of ITILv3 Intermediate courses would do better (both in terms of the knowledge gained and in terms of time and financial commitment) to take an ITIL 4 Foundation class and proceed with ITIL 4 intermediate courses.
I have taken a few ITILv3 Intermediate courses and passed the exams. Can I apply credits I earned in these courses to the ITIL 4 certification scheme?
No (but read above regarding the Managing Professional Transition Exam for those who have earned 17 ITILv3 credits). The ITIL 4 certification path is different than ITILv3 and the courses are not the same. There is sufficient new material in ITIL 4 that there is no “bridge” to ITIL 4 other than the MPT course.
I have taken an ITILv3 Foundation Course. Do I still need to take an ITIL 4 Foundation course?
Yes. Although some of the same information is covered in both ITILv3 and ITIL 4 Foundation courses, the ITIL 4 Foundation course provides some entirely new material such as the Service Value System, the Service Value Chain, and Service Value streams, to name a few.
I’m new to ITIL. Is there any reason to take existing ITILv3 courses?
No. Proceed directly to ITIL 4 by taking a 2-day ITIL 4 Foundation course.
Does Beyond20 still offer public ITILv3 Courses?
No. For our public courses, Beyond20 has transitioned exclusively to ITIL 4. If you are interested in private or group training in ITILv3, please contact us for more details.
Where can I learn more about the ITIL 4 courses offered by Beyond20?
Beyond20 offers the full range of ITIL 4 courses. Please visit our website to learn more about our ITIL 4 offerings and course schedule.