Why you should use ITIL as a flexible framework, not a rigid set of rules

As we look toward the upcoming New Year, I’d like to talk about a trend, or should I say a resolution, that’s been on my mind. What if we stopped treating IT service management frameworks, such as ITIL, as a rigid set of rules and started using them as what they truly are: a framework — nothing more, nothing less?

You’ll never hear me argue that frameworks, such as ITIL, are of no use. On the contrary: they can be incredibly valuable in streamlining your processes and boosting productivity and customer satisfaction.

It’s not a rule book

The problem is that sometimes when organizations use frameworks such as ITIL to optimize their processes, they focus too much on the guidelines and not enough on how their organization actually works. But if no two organizations are alike, why should their processes be the same? My advice is simple: Stop reading frameworks as though they were rules!

Yet organizations continue to see ITIL and other IT management frameworks as a kind of rule book?— if they just follow the commandments to the letter, everything will work out fine.

But that’s now how it works in the real world. There are too many other variables to take into account, such as your corporate culture, staff knowledge and expertise, and even something as basic as the size of your organization. What if your service desk consisted of a single person, for instance? Would it be a good idea to double their workload simply to adhere to the ITIL guidelines?

Let common sense prevail

As a rule, a pragmatic mindset is what you need here. This pragmatic attitude is abundantly evident in service flux, our very own approach to service management. Service flux allows you to cherry-pick and combine the elements of best practices and frameworks, such as ITIL, so that you get something that really works for your organization.

ITIL certainly offers some great guidelines around IT service management, such as ensuring that your service desk resolves issues on time, communicates in a consistent manner, and regularly does customer satisfaction follow-ups. These are all great principles to base your service desk on as well as key metrics to measure it by.

The key takeaway is that frameworks can be a crucial support, as long as you realize that they’re not set in stone. There’s always room to improvise, improve, or invent without going totally off-piste — as long as you can mold the guidelines around the unique requirements of your organization.

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What’s your experience with ITIL or similar frameworks? Are there any best practices you’d like to share? How about your New Year’s resolutions? Let me know!