Reflections on ITIL: From Fundamental Ideas to Modern Practices
As the COO of a construction company and an ITIL4 Practitioner, I’ve experienced how foundational ITIL concepts shape daily operations and the overall business framework, particularly in a dynamic and high-stakes industry like construction. Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), which originated in the 1980s, began as a method for bringing consistency to IT management. Today, ITIL4 focuses on flexibility, incorporating Agile and DevOps principles, making it applicable beyond traditional IT environments. ITIL began with a focus on control. The structured approach emphasised documentation, standardisation, and repeatability, all of which are necessary for consistent IT service management. Back then, it was all about minimising risk through rigid processes, and it was heavily centralised. While that approach was effective at the time, it was often slow and rigid, particularly when applied outside of IT. The most recent ITIL4 framework, however, emphasises collaboration and ...