ITIL 4 - The 4 Four Dimensions Model and Service Value System

The ITIL 4 framework, the latest version of the ITIL framework, was released in Feb 2019.

The key concept in this model is the concept of services that are delivered by a service system.

So what does a service system contain?

A service system essentially contains the following elements:
  • Service relationships (the supply chain through which service is delivered)
  • Service offerings which constitutes of:
    • Goods
    • Access to resources
    • Service actions that provide the core, enabling and/or enhancing services,
  • Products (refers to the hardware and software used to deliver the service)
  • Resources (refers to other elements like people, knowledge repository, etc.
The ITIL 4 framework, broadly speaking, consists of the following key components:
  • The Four Dimensions Model
  •  Service Value System (SVS)
Here is a schematic representation of the ITIL 4 framework in a nutshell:


The ITIL 4 framework consists of the following key components:
  • The Four Dimensions Model
  •  Service Value System (SVS)
THE FOUR DIMENSIONS MODEL

The four dimensions include:
  • Organizations and people
  • Information and Technology
  • Partners and suppliers
  • Value streams and processes
The above four dimensions represent perspectives which are relevant to the whole SVS, including the Service Value Chain (SVC) and the ITIL Practices.

However, the PESTLE factors, as mentioned below, that are beyond the control of the SVS constrain and influence the four dimensions:
  • Political factors
  • Economical factors
  • Social factors
  • Technological factors
  • Legal factors
  • Environmental factors
The interplay of the four dimensions impacts the creation of products and services for the provisioning of the service offerings for creating value for the service consumers.

ITIL SERVICE VALUE SYSTEM (SVS)

The ITIL Service Value System (SVS) coverts the inputs in the form of Opportunity/demand into outputs in the form of Value.

The core components of the ITIL SVS include:
  • ITIL Guiding Principles
  • ITIL Service Value Chain (SVC)
  • Governance
  • Continual Improvement
  • ITIL Practices

The Seven ITIL Guiding Principles
  • Focus on value
  • Start where you are
  • Collaborate and promote visibility
  • Think and work holistically
  • Keep it simple and practical
  • Optimize and automate

ITIL Service Value Chain (SVC)

The service value system (SVC) is the central element of the SVS and is essentially the operating model which outlines the key Activities required to facilitate value creation through service provisioning.

The six SVC Activities are:
  • Engage
  • Plan
  • Obtain and Build
  • Design and Transition
  • Deliver and Support
  • Improve
For converting inputs to outputs the SVC Activities use different combinations of ITIL practices.

Governance

This provides the system for directing and controlling the organization and is realized through the following activities:
  • Evaluate - Assess the business needs, strategic priorities and current portfolio
  • Direct - Decide the strategic direction, future investments, organizational polices
  • Monitor - Appraise the performance of organizational outcomes and business benefits

Continual Improvement

Opportunities for continual improvement needs to be explored at all levels of the organization in all functional areas.

The continual improvements can range from strategic to tactical to operational  to the ones which are transaction-based in nature.

The continual improvement model involves use of the following steps:
  • What is the Vision? - Align with company mission, business goals and objectives
  • Where are we now? - Determine current performance baseline (KPIs and metrics)
  • Where do we want to be? - Define measurable targets that need to be achieved
  • How do we get there? - Define the improvement plan
  • Take action - Execute the improvement plan
  • Did we get there? - Evaluate improved performance baseline (KPIs and metrics)
  • How do we keep the momentum going? - Put in place measures for ongoing sustenance
The improvement ideas should be logged and tracked to closure using a structured system like a continual improvement register or log.

ITIL Practices

The practices essentially constitute a set of resources designed for performing work.

There are 34 ITIL Practices which are arranged in three broad categories:
  •  General Management Practices (14)
    • Architecture management
    • Continual improvement
    • Information security management
    • Knowledge management
    • Measurement and reporting
    • Portfolio management
    • Organizational change management
    • Project management
    • Relationship management
    • Risk management
    • Financial management
    • Strategy management
    • Supplier management
    • Workforce and talent management
  • Service Management Practices (17)
    • Availability management
    • Business analysis
    • Capacity and performance management
    • Change control
    • Incident management
    • IT asset management
    • Monitoring and event management
    • Problem management
    • Release management
    • Service catalogue management
    • Service configuration management
    • Service continuity management
    • Service design
    • Service desk
    • Service level management
    • Service request management
    • Service validation and testing
  • Technical Management Practices (3)
    • Deployment management
    • Infrastructure and platform management
    • Software development and management

When the Head of Operations in an Imbecile as well as a Dim-witted Nincompoop

The head of operations is a crucial role in any organization.

The person in this role needs to be not only smart and intelligent but also fair and highly professional.

However, in several organizations, the head of operations is effectively a joker.

He is there for one reason.

His loyalty to the top man.

When this person is an imbecile as well as dim-witted nincompoop it is very damaging to the professional fabric of the organization.


Several unfortunate things happen in such a company.

This person creates his favorites in the system.
  • The set of favorites are beyond the usual rules of business operations. 
  • The favorites are into R&D for the future, technology innovation, IP development, competency building, brand building and every such thing where they are not exposed to the pulls and pressures of corporate life. 
  • These special folks are basically living a retired life just like the head of operations himself. 
This person acts with a pronounced bias.
  • He needs to keep his favorites in good humor.
  • He also needs to keep those who he is loyal to happy and needs to prove his loyalty again and again.
  • He doesn't own up to the mess he ends up creating every time he does something due to lack of clarity and poor communication.
This person needs to be a "yes sir" barking dog
  • He needs to bark when told to bark and shut up when told to do so.
  • He has no mind of his own and needs to take orders.
  • He needs to oblige the different sirs in the organization who are letting him carry on with the nonsense and mess that he has created.
This person projects an image of exclusivity and seniority
  • He gets a bigger room similar to other imbeciles in the organization.
  • He goes for lunch with other jerks like him.
  • He is there for long time so has become a senior due to loyalty more than merit and leaves no opportunity to show a sick sense of exclusivity and seniority.
Such imbeciles and dim-witted nincompoops are usually hard to tackle.

They, however, do provide a comical, but not at all necessary, relief from the professional hassles.

In the long run, they end up making the organization sick.

Very sick.

Very very sick.