What is ITIL?

ITIL® is the only consistent and comprehensive documentation of best practice for IT Service Management. Used by
thousands of organisations around the world, a whole ITIL philosophy has grown up around the guidance contained within the
ITIL books and the supporting professional qualification scheme.

ITIL consists of a series of books giving guidance on the provision of quality IT services, and on the accommodation and
environmental facilities needed to support IT. ITIL has been developed in recognition of organisations' growing dependency on
IT and embodies best practices for IT Service Management.

The ethos behind the development of ITIL is the recognition that organisations are becoming increasingly dependent on IT in
order to satisfy their corporate aims and meet their business needs. This leads to an increased requirement for high quality IT
services.

ITIL: Overview and Benefits

ITIL provides a systematic and professional approach to the management of IT service provision. Adopting its guidance offers
users a huge range of benefits that include:

• reduced costs
• improved IT services through the use of proven best practice processes
• improved customer satisfaction through a more professional approach to service delivery
• standards and guidance
• improved productivity
• improved use of skills and experience
• improved delivery of third party services through the specification of ITIL or ISO 20000 as the standard for service
delivery in services procurements.

ITIL Users

ITIL has been adopted by hundreds of organisations worldwide. For testimonials and case studies from organisations who
have adopted ITIL visit OGC's Best Practice Users: Testimonials and Case Studies in the Best Management Practice
Knowledge Centre.

ITIL White Papers

Best Management Practice have also commissioned White Papers and studies, which may be of interest to those who are
looking for additional information on ITIL and its practical application and benefits.
ITIL V3 Qualification Scheme

The ITIL Version 3 (V3) Qualifications scheme provides a modular approach to ITIL
certification, and is comprised of a series of certifications focused on different aspects of
ITIL Best Practice, to various degrees of depth and detail.

There are four levels of certification within the V3 scheme:

• ITIL V3 Foundation in IT Service Management

• ITIL Intermediate Level - Service Lifecycle & Service Capability Streams
• ITIL V3 Expert Certificate
• ITIL V3 Master Qualification

The modular, tiered approach to certification not only offers increased flexibility to candidates relating to the disciplines or
areas of ITIL that they are able to study, but generally makes ITIL certification more accessible and achievable.

Foundation Level

The entry level for the scheme is the ITIL V3 Foundation in IT Service Management, and upon successful completion a
candidate becomes eligible to take further V3 certifications within the scheme.

Intermediate Level

The ITIL Intermediate Level is the core of the qualifications scheme, and the modular construct allows candidates to select
specific Intermediate certifications which are of interest to them, based on their own individual educational or career-driven
requirements.

The Intermediate level provides two specific streams of education – the Service Lifecycle "Management" focused stream, and
the Service Capability "Process" focused stream.

Candidates can choose to take as few or as many ITIL Intermediate modules as they require over time and at their own pace,
building a portfolio of certifications tailored to their own individual requirements.

ITIL Expert Certificate

The ITIL V3 Expert Certificate is awarded to candidates in recognition of their achievement of ITIL V3 certifications. This level
of certification also recognizes qualifications from earlier ITIL versions and through endorsed Complementary Qualifications.

The Expert level is supported by the ITIL V3 Credit System which explains how credits are awarded to
candidates for successful completion of modules of ITIL study.

ITIL Master Qualification

The final level of the scheme, the ITIL V3 Master Qualification, is the highest qualification available within the V3 program. This
particular qualification is reserved for those individuals who can demonstrate and provide evidence of their ability to implement
defined ITIL disciplines and IT Service Management Best Practices within the real world working environment.

This level of the scheme is currently in pilot phase and more information will be available early in 2010

ITIL V3 Certification Path

Tbe picture below presents the current certification path in the newest, 3rd version of IT Infrastructure Library.

The starting point is ITIL Foundation for Service Management which is worth 2 points. There are 5 modules

discussed during this training which are Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and

Continual Service Improvement. The exam focues on these 5 modules, and comprises of 40 questions. There are no

tricky questions so once you learnt the subject you shouldn't have any problems to pass the exam. There are 60

mins. available to anwer all the questions. The exam is multiple choice exam with only one correct answer. Please

explore the sections with example questions and answers. Everybody who managed to pass the ITIL Foundation Exam (2

points) is allowed to move forward to get more points from either Lifecycle or Capability Modules. Depending on your

choice you can receive 3 points for each exam in Lifecycle path (left side of the picture), or 4 points from Capability

Path (right side).

Once you receive 22 points you can attend Managing through the Tifecycle training and recive ITIL Expert

certification

ITIL Service Lifecycle Modules are:

1. Service Strategy (SS)

2. Service Design (SD)

3. Service Transition (ST)

4. Service Operation (SO)

5. Continual Service Improvement (CSI)

ITIL Service Capability Modules are:

1. Planning, Protection and Optimization (PP & A)

2. Service Offerings and Agreements (SO & A)

3. Release, Control and Validation (RC & V)

4. Operational Support and Analysis (OS & A)

FAQ

• What exams can be taken in ITIL V3? What are the entry requirements?

For more information on the qualifications available in Version 3 please see the following web page:

www.itil-officialsite.com/Qualifications/ITILV3QualificationScheme.asp

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• ITIL V3 exam translation

For more information on the available examination languages, please see the following pages of the ITIL official Site:
www.itil-officialsite.com/InternationalActivities/ExaminationLanguages.asp

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• What are the pass marks for the ITIL V3 examinations?

The ITIL V3 examination pass marks are as follows: Foundation Examination: You will need to score 26 out of 40
(65%) to pass the Foundation exam.

Foundation Bridge: You will need to score 13 out of 20 (65%) to pass the Foundation bridge exam.
 V3 Intermediate Examination: You will need to score 28 out of 40 (70%) to pass an Intermediate exam.

V3 Managers Bridge: You need to score 16 out of 20 to pass the Managers bridge exam.

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• When will the ITIL V3 Intermediate exams be available?

The following qualifications were released on 1st October 2008:

Service Lifecycle modules:

o Service Transition
o Service Operation

Service Capability modules:

o Service Offerings & Agreements

o Operational Support & Analysis
o Release, Control & Validation

The following qualifications are scheduled for release on 1st January 2009:

Service Lifecycle modules:

o Service Strategy
o Service Design
o Continual Service Improvement
o Managing Across the Lifecycle

Service Capability modules:

o Planning, Protection & Optimization

Please note that currently there are no plans to create further intermediate qualifications, however these may be
developed at a later date. We recommend that you continue to check the ITIL Official Website which will feature the
most up to date information on the qualifications scheme.

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• What book should I use to study for the ITIL V3 Foundation exam?

For the ITIL Foundation version 3 exam, the recommended text is Passing your ITIL Foundation Exam -The ITIL
Foundation Study Aid. This book can be purchased online:
 www.best-management-practice.com/Publications-Library/IT-Service-Management-ITIL/ITIL-Version-3/Passing-Your-
ITIL-Foundation-Exam/

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• What books should I use to study for the ITIL V3 Intermediate exams?

For Intermediate level exams please refer to the following webpage which has details of the qualification schemes
and books needed:

www.itil-officialsite.com/Qualifications/ITILV3QualificationScheme.asp

These books can be purchased online at:

www.best-management-practice.com/Portfolio-Library/IT-Service-Management-ITIL/ITIL-Version-3

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• What is the structure of the ITIL Foundation Bridge exam?

The ITIL V3 Foundation Bridge examination is 30 minutes long and has 20 multiple choice questions. The pass mark
for this exam is 65% (13 correct answers out of 20).

The syllabus for the ITIL V3 Foundation bridging course can be found at www.itil-
officialsite.com/Qualifications/ITILV3QualificationScheme.asp

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• What is the structure of the ITIL V3 Managers Bridge exam?

The ITIL V3 Managers Bridge exam is 90 minutes long and has 20 complex multiple choice questions. The pass
mark for this exam is 80% (16 out of 20).

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• What will be the format of the ITIL V3 Intermediate exams?

All Service Lifecycle and Service Capability Intermediate module examinations require mandatory accredited course
attendance. The examinations will be 90 minutes long and will have 8 scenario based gradient style questions, based
on anywhere between 4 to 8 individual scenarios. The exams will focus on a candidatures ability to analyze and apply
ITIL Best Practice theory (Blooms level 3 and 4) when answering the questions, and the pass mark is 70% or 28 out
of a possible 40 marks.
 The Managing Across the Lifecycle examination similarly requires mandatory course attendance and follows the
same examination format (8 scenario based, gradient questions and a pass mark of 70%), however the examination
questions require candidates to analyze, apply and evaluate ITIL Best Practice theory (Blooms level 3 and 4) when
answering the questions.

The full format of the examinations is outlined below:

Question Type
Complex Multiple choice, scenario based questions

Number of Questions
8

Duration
90 minutes. Candidates sitting the examination in a language other than their native language have a maximum of
120 minutes and are allowed the use of a dictionary

Supervised
Yes

Open Book
No

Marking method
Gradient scoring. In this method, questions are graded as follows:

o One option is correct and will receive 5 marks

o One option is partially correct and will receive 3 marks
o One option is the least correct and will receive 1 mark
o One option is incorrect and will receive 0 (zero) marks

Pass Mark
28/40 (70% )

Distinction Mark
To be agreed following review of the results from the Second stage pilot exercise.

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• If I hold the ITIL V3 Managers Bridge certificate, do I need to take the V3 Foundation Bridge course and exam
in order to take a V3 Intermediate Module?
 If you are eligible for the V3 Managers Bridge (i.e. you hold a V1 or V2 Managers Certificate) and have taken the
course and successfully passed the examination, you DO NOT need to take the Foundation Bridge examination, in
order to take a V3 Intermediate module course and exam.

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• Please could you explain the credits system that will be introduced with V3?

Each V3 certification has been assigned a numerical credit value. Credit values across all levels can be accumulated
to achieve the required minimum 22 in order for a candidate to achieve the ITIL Expert Level.
Once the ITIL Expert Level is achieved, a candidate can pursue Master Level certification, which is currently in
development. Credits are assigned as follows:

ITIL Foundation Certificate: Credit Value - 2

ITIL Service Lifecyle stream

Service Strategy: Credit Value - 3
Service Design: Credit Value - 3
Service Transition: Credit Value - 3
Service Operation: Credit Value - 3
Continual Service Improvement: Credit Value - 3

ITIL Service Capability stream

Planning, Protection and Optimization: Credit Value - 4
Service Offerings and Agreements: Credit Value - 4
Release Control and Validation: Credit Value - 4
Operational Support and Analysis: Credit Value - 4

Managing Across the Lifecycle: Credit Value - 5

You can check your credit profile for the ITIL Expert Certification by clicking the V2 and V3 modules you have
successfully completed on the ITIL Credit Profiler via the link below:

http://www.itil-officialsite.com/itilservices/v1/map.asp

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• How do I attain ITIL V3 Expert Level Certification?

In order to reach the V3 Expert Level of certification, you will need to undertake a series of V3 examinations or
update existing V1 or V2 qualifications with the ITIL V3 Bridge courses and examinations which are available and in
doing so, achieve the pre-requisite number of credits through the credit system, which is 22.
 You can check your credit profile for the ITIL® Expert Certification by clicking the V2 and V3 modules you have
successfully completed on the ITIL® Credit Profiler via the link below:

http://www.itil-officialsite.com/itilservices/v1/map.asp

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• Is the ITIL Expert Level a higher or equivalent certification level to the Version 2 Service Manager
qualification?

The ITIL Expert is a higher level certification than the current V2 Manager qualification. It encompasses the current
V2 Manager knowledge base and also the V3 Lifecycle elements, and as such, it contains knowledge not currently
within the V2 spectrum.

In order to receive the ITIL Expert, V2 graduates are required to take a bridge qualification which is focused on the V3
depth and scope within the Lifecycle practice elements.

The V2 Service Manager syllabus was drawn from the Service Support and Service Delivery publications and covers
10 ITIL processes and one function. The V3 Expert signifies the achievement of a syllabus drawn from across the
Lifecycle and/or Capability streams and therefore represents a greater depth of achieved service management
knowledge and includes all Lifecycle elements, processes, functions, roles etc.

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• How can I appeal my ITIL V3 examination/accreditation decision?

All EIs will have their own individual processes for appeals against accreditation or certification decisions as well as
complaints against them or an ATO they accredit. Candidates should use this procedure in the first instance.

However, should a candidate be dissatisfied by the processing or result of an appeal or complaint they make through
their EI, they have the right to escalate this to OGC’s Official Accreditor The APM Group Ltd.

Candidates who wish to escalate a concern to the Official Accreditor should contact The APM Group for further
details. If necessary APM Group may take the appeal or complaint to the ITIL Qualifications Board for consideration
and resolution (APM Group co-ordinate and chair the ITIL Qualifications Board in their role as Official Accreditor). In
this instance APM Group will submit the issue or complaint to the next meeting of the ITIL Qualifications Board and
ensure feedback is provided in a timely fashion after the meeting.