Foundation Certificate in IT

Service Management

Guidelines & Syllabus for

Prospective Candidates
CONTENTS

PREFACE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. ENTRY TO THE COURSE
3. SYLLABUS
4. THE HOLDER OF THE CERTIFICATE
5. THE COURSE
6. THE EXAMINATION
7. ENTRY TO THE EXAMINATION
8. EXAMINATION RESULTS
9. EXAMINATION ENTRY FEES:
10. SYLLABUS CONTENTS
11. CONTACT DETAILS

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PREFACE

The Information Systems Examinations Board (ISEB) is a division

of the British Computer Society. ISEB was created in 1990 from
the Systems Analysis Examinations Board (which was set up in
1967). ISEB administers examinations and issues certificates in a
variety of subjects in the field of information systems engineering.
A list of qualifications can be obtained from ISEB

The supervision of each Certificate is delegated to a certificate

board and the chairman of each board is a member of the ISEB
Executive Committee.

For all certificates, the emphasis is on providing a professional

qualification. To achieve this, ISEB adopts a two-fold approach to
quality: accreditation and examination.

Examinations enable candidates to demonstrate their individual

competence. The precise form of examination varies from
certificate to certificate, and may comprise a written examination,
course assessment and oral examinations.

Organisations wishing to offer courses leading to certificates have

to be accredited by ISEB. There are no restrictions as to the
nature of establishments which may apply for accreditation:
education and training bodies, public and private, large or small
are all eligible. Once accredited, course providers are monitored
in a variety of ways to ensure standards are maintained.

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1. Introduction

This Certificate is designed as an IT Service Management

foundation qualification. It is aimed at all personnel who wish to
become familiar with the best practices for IT Service
Management, as defined in the OGC IT Infrastructure Library
guidelines.

2. Entry to the Course

There are no formal entry requirements for the course or

examination, but it is assumed that all delegates will have a basic
level of IT literacy. The course will be suitable for:

• Staff entering an IT environment who might have day-to-day

responsibilities within one or more of the service management
disciplines;

• Staff working in an IT service management discipline who wish

to broaden their understanding of how their role fits into the
wider service management framework;

• Other staff whose effectiveness would be enhanced by a

greater awareness and understanding of best practices in IT
service management.

It is strongly recommended that delegates attend an accredited

training course.

The Certificate is also a prerequisite for the ISEB Manager’s

Certificate in IT Service Management.

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3. Syllabus

The Syllabus for the Certificate is based upon two volumes of the
IT Infrastructure Library and covers the areas of Service Delivery
and Service Support. The IT Infrastructure gives guidance on the
provision of quality IT services. It is divided into two books each
covering a number of closely related topics.

The Library was developed in recognition of organisations’

growing dependency on IT. Without IT, most businesses cannot
function; without quality IT, they cannot function well.
Organisations therefore need quality IT services. These services
must, of course, be matched to business needs and customer
requirements as they evolve, and they must be provided
economically which implies making optimum use of scarce IT
skills.

The IT Infrastructure Library embodies good practice for IT service

management. It provides a documented, systematic approach
that will help organisations to deliver well managed IT services in
the face of such difficulties.

4. The Holder of the Certificate

The holder of the Foundation Certificate in IT Service

Management should be aware of the techniques involved across
the range of service delivery and service support activities. S/he
should be able to relate these activities to each other and to wider
IT issues, and should be competent to participate in service
delivery/support functions, or to apply this knowledge to their own
work environment.

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5. The Training

The training will be of a minimum of 18 hours duration, normally

spread over three days. Course providers wishing to hold
examinations at the end of their training course must first be
accredited by ISEB. Details of the requirements for accreditation
are given in a separate leaflet “Regulations and Guidelines for
Course providers”.

A list of accredited course providers is available on the ISEB web

site.

6. The Examination

The examination will consist of a one-hour “closed book” multiple-

choice paper, containing 40 questions.

In most cases, the examination will be held on site at the

conclusion of the course. However, ISEB will normally also
arrange four central examinations per year, in March, June,
September and December; please contact ISEB for further details.

7. Entry to the Examination

Candidates taking the examination immediately following a course

will be entered for the examination by the course provider. Those
wishing to take the central examination should register direct with
ISEB, from whom the entry form may be obtained.

8. Examination Results

Examination results will be sent direct to candidates within 14

days of the date of the examination. Under no circumstances will
results be given over the telephone or by facsimile. A copy of the
relevant results will also be sent to course providers.

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9. Examination Entry Fees:

A schedule of current fees may be obtained from ISEB.

10. Syllabus

'Within the 'Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management' there

will be no abbreviations and acronyms that are not included in the
itSMF's 'IT Service Management Pocket Guide'.

10.1. ORGANISATION, PLANNING AND CONTROL

The following topics should be dealt with in the context of the

service support and delivery modules 12.2.1 – 12.2.5 and 12.3.1 –
12.3.5 below: objectives, scope, relationships and interfaces
between the topics; terms of reference for feasibility studies;
planning, management and implementation procedures;
dependencies, staffing aspects and timing; post-implementation
and audit procedures; benefits, costs and common problem areas;
software tools; reporting for management control; mission
statements; management metrics and key performance indicators;
service sourcing issues. The role of the customer, Process
improvement.

10.2. SERVICE SUPPORT

10.2.1 Configuration Management

Configuration Items and their relationships; planning control,

levels, variants, models, versions and copies; naming
conventions; baselines. Building, implementing and managing a
configuration management database; using it to manage problems
and changes. Configuration audits. The Definitive Software
Library (DSL), Definitive Hardware Store (DHS) and Software
Licence Management. Change & Configuration Management
(C&CM) Plan.

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10.2.2 Service Desk

The Service Desk Function and role. Interface between IT and

users. Business Process Support. Local, central and virtual
Service Desks. Reporting IT Service Quality, Structuring the
Service Desk. Service Desk Education and Training. Use of
knowledge bases. Outsourcing the Service Desk.

10.2.3 Incident Management

The Incident Management Process. First line incident support.

Business Application Support. Designing the incident
management process. Coding systems and use of scripts.
Incident record content. Escalation.

10.2.4 Problem Management

Incidents, problems and known errors.

Problem control and prevention; error control procedures. Coding
systems for problem/error categorisation impact, urgency and
priority. Proactive Problem Management , Problem solving
techniques.

10.2.5 Change Management

Organisation of the Change Management function; role of the

Change Advisory Board. Procedures for handling requests for
change; priority levels and handling urgent changes; change
authorisation. Scheduling, testing, backout plans and
implementation of changes. Interface with project management.
Change & Configuration Management (C&CM) Plan, Change
Models.

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10.2.6 Release Management

Storage and protection of management-authorised software in

both centralised and distributed systems. The Definitive Software
Library. Release of software and/or hardware into the live
environment. Distribution of software. Implementation (bringing
into service) of software and/or hardware. Client-server and
Internet issues.

10.3. SERVICE DELIVERY

10.3.1 Service Level Management

Planning, negotiating and managing Service Level Requirements

and Agreements; structure and content of typical Service Level
Agreements; key service items. The SLM process; monitoring,
reporting & reviewing. Service Targets. Underpinning contracts
and OLAs. Service Improvement Programs (SIPs)

10.3.2 Capacity Management

Business Capacity Management, Service Capacity Management,

Resource Management. Modelling and simulation; building a
capacity management database; demand management,
application sizing, Capacity Planning.

10.3.3 IT Service Continuity Management

Loss of IT service. Risk analysis and management. IT recovery

options: Creating an ITSCM plan; implementing and testing the
plan. Links to Business Continuity Plans. Return to normal

10.3.4 Financial Management for IT Services

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Budgeting, IT Accounting & Charging. Building Cost Models. The
importance of money as a management metric. Investment
appraisal. Charging policy & pricing methods.

10.3.5 Availability Management

Planning and maintaining IT services. Recovery of failed

systems. Ensuring that the availability and reliability of IT services
to customers is in accordance with Service Level Agreements.
Availability plans. Vital Business Functions (VBF). Methods &
Techniques. Security.

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11. Contact Details

The main contact details for ISEB are shown on the back cover of
this booklet. The address of the ISEB web site is as follows:
www.bcs.org.uk/iseb

The IT Infrastructure Library can be obtained from the OGC, The

Stationery Office, or the itSMF. Details are shown below:

Office of Government Commerce The Stationery Office

Rosebery Court Publications Centre
St Andrews Business Park PO Box 276
Norwich London
NR7 0HS SW8 5DT

Email: info@ogc.gsi.gov.uk www.national-publishing.co.uk

Tel: (+44/0) 171 873 9090
Fax: (+44/0) 171 873 8200

itSMF – UK
Email: itSMF – UK
Webbs Court
8 Holmes Road
Earley
Reading, Berks
RG6 7BH

Tel: (+44/0) 118 926 0888

Fax: (+44/0) 118 926 3073
Email: service@itsmf.com

The IT Service Management Forum, the itSMF, is an independent

membership organisation with the aim of providing a forum for all
those with a professional interest in IT Service Management.
Contact details are as above. FCITSM 08/01

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