The ITIL® certification scheme
The ITIL® certification scheme provides a modular approach to the ITIL framework and is comprised of a series of qualifications focused on different aspects of ITIL best practice to various degrees of depth and detail.
The tiered structure of the qualification offers candidates flexibility relating to the different disciplines and areas of ITIL and the ability to focus their studies on key areas of interest.
Outlined in a series of five core publications - Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Transition, Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement - each covering an ITSM lifecycle stage, ITIL describes procedures, tasks and checklists that are not organization-specific and are used to establish a minimum level of competency, providing a baseline from which to plan, implement and measure.
There are five certification levels within the ITIL® certification scheme:
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ITIL Foundation
The Foundation level is the 'entry level' qualification and offers basic knowledge of the key elements, concepts and terminology used in the ITIL service lifecycle, including the links between the lifecycle stages, the processes used, and their contribution to Service Management practices.
ITIL certification is an essential requirement for professionals who need to learn the fundamentals of ITIL frameworks and how they may be used to enhance the quality of IT service management. The ITIL Foundation certification can benefit anyone who has an interest in IT service management. The certification can help:
- Those who require a basic understanding of the ITIL framework
- Those who need knowledge of how ITIL can be used to enhance IT service management (ITSM) within an organization
- IT professionals or others working within an organization that has adopted and adapted ITIL and who need to be informed about, or contribute to, ongoing service improvement.
Who should take the ITIL Foundation Certification course?
This course is suitable for all IT and business professionals who want to understand how ITSM can improve the delivery of IT services. Staff in Support Teams, IT operations and development teams. Process Owners and IT Management.
ITIL Foundation Examination Format is as follows:
- Type: Multiple choices
- No of Questions: 40 questions
- Examination duration: 60 minutes (1 hour)
- Result: 26 marks required to pass (out of 40 available), equivalent to 65%
What after ITIL V3 Foundation?
ITIL provides a phased approach to enhance your skills. Based on your interest, you can choose the next level of certifications.
What are the other ITIL Certification Levels?
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Practitioner Level
The Practitioner level has been developed to provide a step between Foundation and the Intermediate Level. It aims to improve an individual's capacity to adopt and adapt ITIL in their organization. It enables practitioners to be able to translate it and use it in practice.
- ITIL Practitioner covers the Continual Service Improvement (CSI) approach as the way to structure any improvement initiatives.
- ITIL Practitioner also covers three key areas crucial for the success of any improvement initiatives:
- Organizational Change Management
- Communication
- Measurement and Metrics.
Who should take the Practitioner Certification course?
This course is suitable for IT and business professionals who want to gain practical knowledge, and also to maximize the investment you made in taking the ITIL Foundation Certification.
ITIL Practitioner Certificate Examination Format is as follows:
- Type: Multiple choices
- No of Questions: 40 questions per paper
- Examination duration: 135 minutes (2 hour 15-minutes)
- Result: 28 marks required to pass (out of 40 available), equivalent to 70%
- Open book.
The ITIL Intermediate level qualifications have a modular structure and offer two education paths: service lifecycle, which is management focused, and service capability, which is practitioner focused.
The ITIL Intermediate certifications are available to anyone that has passed their ITIL Foundation exam. It is recommended that you have prior exposure to basic concepts in IT and at least two years’ professional experience working in IT Service Management before undertaking any of the ITIL Intermediary modules.
- Service Lifecycle Path
Service Lifecycle path suitable for those intending to focus on the process and practice elements used, and the management capabilities needed to deliver quality Service Management practices.
The Service Lifecycle modules are:
- Service Strategy (SS)
- Service Design (SD)
- Service Transition (ST)
- Service Operation (SO)
- Continual Service Improvement (CSI).
The ITIL Intermediate Service Strategy certification course will give you a comprehensive overview of service strategy, including its design, development, and implementation.
ITIL Intermediate Service Design focuses on designing the IT services and covers the main architectures, policies, processes, and documentation associated with this task. Knowledge of ITIL Service Design enables ITSM professionals to design appropriate services that meet the organizational needs.
The ITIL Intermediate Service Transition certification course will take you through the principles and processes of service transition. The course offers guidelines for managing people, organizing resources and evaluating technology, among other aspects of management.
You will also learn how to implement and improve service transition, and cope with any challenges and risks. The Service Transition module offers an overview of service transition and its associated activities.
The ITIL Intermediate Service Operation certification course will train you in the principles, processes, common activities and functions that help organize IT service operation in a company. You will learn how to consider technology in your decisions and about the factors that are critical for success in service operation.
Service Operation module's core focus lies in the principles, processes, operational activities and functions that help organizations and individuals to manage how their products and services perform successfully.
Continual Service Improvement (CSI).
Continual Service Improvement (CSI) focuses on how organizations and individuals can strategically review the products and services they have produced following the strategy, design, transition and operation stages of the ITIL Service Lifecycle.
CSI also focuses on aligning and re-aligning of IT services to the ever-changing business needs by identifying and implementing improvements to IT services that support business processes.
Who should take the Service Lifecycle Certification courses?
Service Lifecycle modules are most relevant to those who have or are looking for, a management or team leader role that requires management of different areas or work across different teams.
ITIL Intermediate Service Lifecycle Modules Exam Format
- Type: Multiple choices
- No of Questions: Eight scenario-based and gradient-scored questions
- Examination duration: 90 minutes
- Result: 28 marks required to pass (out of 40 available), equivalent to 70%
- Service Capability Path
Service Capability path applicable to those who are looking to gain specialized, knowledge in one or more processes, with focus on the day-to-day execution of ITIL practices and how they interact.
The Service Capability modules are:
- Operational Support and Analysis (OSA)
- Planning, Protection and Optimization (PPO)
- Release, Control and Validation (RCV)
- Service Offerings and Agreements (SOA).
The Intermediate modules go into more detail than the Foundation level and Practitioner, and provide an industry-recognized qualification. You can take as few or as many Intermediate qualifications as you need.
Operational Support and Analysis (OSA)
Operational Support and Analysis (OSA) is a part of the ITIL Intermediate Service Capability stream and is a module that offers four credits for leading up to the ITIL Expert certification.
The ITIL Operation Support and Analysis certification training program will give you the knowledge and skills to apply and implement OSA practices in resolution and support of the IT service management lifecycle for critical ITIL processes, roles, and functional areas. The course also covers issues relating to people, procedures, relationships and infrastructure technology required by the organization to provide cost-effective IT services which are in line with organizational strategy.
Planning, Protection and Optimization (PPO)
Planning, Protection and Optimization (PPO) is one of the four modules offered in the ITIL Intermediate Service Capability stream. The ITIL Intermediate Planning, Protection, and Optimization certification training program will impart valuable knowledge about: capacity management; availability management; IT service continuity management; information security management; demand management; and the critical success factors, challenges and risks for planning, protection, and optimization.
Release, Control and Validation (RCV)
Release, Control, and Validation (RCV) certification enables you to build the required knowledge and skills for execution of specific ITIL processes. These include: change management; service asset and configuration management; service validation and testing; release and deployment management; request fulfillment; change evaluation; and knowledge management.
Service Offerings and Agreements (SOA).
ITIL Intermediate Service Offerings and Agreements (SOA) is one of the modules in ITIL Intermediate Service Capability stream and an optional certification that leads up to the ITIL Expert credential. The ITIL Intermediate Service Offerings and Agreements certification training program offers an in-depth understanding of the implementation of SOA processes and practices, as well as the technical considerations that need to be taken into account for effective IT service management in an organization.
Who should take the Service Capability Certification courses?
The ITIL Capability Expert Program is particularly suitable for:
- Business Process Owners
- Business Managers
- Operational Staff in Service Portfolio Management
Professionals in Service Catalogue Management, Service Level Management, Demand Management, Supplier Management, Financial Management and Business Relationship Management teams can also benefit from this course.
If your job role involves several related ITIL processes or you need detailed process-level knowledge, the service capability qualifications are for you. They are also appropriate if you want to achieve ITIL Expert status to exhibit a balanced and well-rounded understanding of ITIL best practices.
ITIL Intermediate Service Capability Modules Exam Format
- Type: Multiple choices
- No of Questions: Eight scenario-based and gradient-scored questions
- Examination duration: 90 minutes
- Result: 28 marks required to pass (out of 40 available), equivalent to 70%
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ITIL Expert
The ITIL® Expert level certification can benefit you in both your personal and professional development, by helping you to advance your career and progress within the IT service management field.
It is aimed at those who wish to demonstrate knowledge of the ITIL scheme in its entirety and the certificate is awarded to candidates who have already attained a range of ITIL certifications and have a well-rounded knowledge and skills base in ITIL best practices.
You also need to achieve the ITIL Expert certificate if you want to reach the ITIL Master level, which is the highest and final certification within the ITIL scheme.
The route to ITIL Expert certification
There are many possible combinations of modules from the ITIL framework available to those wishing to attain the ITIL Expert certificate, but there are some key requirements:
- All candidates must hold the ITIL Foundation certificate or a Bridge certification equivalent
- Candidates must have earned a minimum total of 17 credits from the Foundation and Intermediate modules.
- The Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC) module must then be taken and passed to achieve a total of 22 credits, which is the minimum required for the ITIL Expert certificate.
Once you have completed all ITIL modules required and have earned sufficient credits, you will have achieved a balanced knowledge across the full ITIL service lifecycle and can be awarded the ITIL Expert certificate.
MALC Exam
The MALC module sits between the Intermediate and Expert certifications and is the final required certification gaining Expert status. It is intended to help you apply and integrate your knowledge of ITIL in real-world settings and in your own workplace.
MALC Examination Format
- Type: Multiple choices
- No of Questions: 50 questions per paper
- Examination duration: 120 minutes (2 hours)
- Result: 35 marks required to pass (out of 50 available), equivalent to 70%
- Closed book.
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Master Level
To achieve the ITIL Master certification, you must be able to explain and justify how you have personally selected and applied a range of knowledge, principles, methods and techniques from the ITIL Framework and supporting management techniques, achieving desired business outcomes in one or more practical assignments.
Every ITIL Master candidate will select a different range of experiences that are personal to them, so there is no fixed syllabus for this qualification.
There is also no prescribed training course since the theory being tested will vary depending on the nature of the situation each candidate will choose.
To be eligible for the ITIL Master certification, you must:
- have achieved the ITIL Expert certificate; and
- have worked in IT service management for at least five years in leadership, managerial, or higher management advisory levels.
ITIL Master Certification Exam Format
The master certification validates the ability of the candidate to apply the principles, methods and techniques of ITIL, practically in the organization.
There is no formal exam for this certification, and the candidate is assessed on several parameters. The exam will test the candidate’s ability to understand and apply the ITIL principles in a work environment using his prior experiences. Using this prior hands-on experience and knowledge, the candidate must submit a proposal with the following, to get certified at the Master Level.
- Proposal: The candidate needs to submit an idea for improving a business using ITIL principles.
- Work Package: The candidate needs to provide adequate information about how effective the idea is and the benefits it will provide.
- A real-world project of their preference must be submitted.
- This project must span across a wide variety of ITIL areas and expand on the knowledge which has been applied to implement actual solutions.
- The candidate should demonstrate the continued effectiveness of the solution implemented and showcase the benefits provided by it.
- Interview: The candidate needs to face the assessment panel for an interview. The certification will be awarded upon successful completion and positive assessment of the project and interview.
With these formats in mind, the preparation for the exam should be carried out accordingly.