I was talking to my good friend Corde Wager (ITIL 4 Managing Professional and all around good guy) today about how to explain the significance of the ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Program and he said:

“ITIL V3 showed us how to manage processes.   With the growth of digital technology throughout the corporation and the advent of ITIL 4, organizations have to grow beyond processes and learn how to create successful digital direction for the entire organization and their customer base.  To do this IT Leaders need to learn how to create and integrate a digital strategy.   In addition, key managers and executives throughout the corporation need to be a part of this process.  Technology is everywhere and this is just the beginning.  Without an organizationally created and endorsed digital strategy, organizations will not see the future or be prepared for opportunities it offers.”

After I spoke to Corde, I received my weekly newsletter from Ian Sachs of Rick Resource that gives us the icing on the cake so to speak on the importance of becoming an ITIL 4 Strategic Leader.  Make sure you don’t get left behind.  I couldn’t have said it better (see below).  Thank you Ian Sachs of Risk Resource.

Food for Thought: Projecting the Future

Many of the world’s most influential businesspeople and industry leaders failed to fully appreciate the capabilities of their own work while underestimating or misinterpreting the future. There is no better way to point this out than to consider some of the past century’s most prominent examples.

• 1893 – Postmaster General John Wanamaker stated that the U.S. mail would be delivered by stagecoach and horseback, even 100 years in the future.

• 1899 – Charles H. Duell, commissioner of the U.S. Office of Patents, said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”

• 1903 – The New York Times declared that flying machines were a waste of time just a week before the Wright brothers successfully flew their airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

• 1927 – Harry M. Warner, one of the founders of Warner Brothers, remarked during the era of silent movies, “Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?”

• 1943 – Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, said “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

• 2000 – John Antioco, CEO of Blockbuster, overlooked the capabilities of internet “streaming” and turned down an offer to buy Netflix for $50M. Blockbuster, the company that pioneered movie rentals, filed for bankruptcy in 2010.

As our society continues to course through exponential growth in technology, innovation, living standards, and of course, a pandemic, it’s important to remain prudent and to think through all possible outcomes and scenarios before turning down opportunities or accepting new ones. Leave your ego and stubbornness at the door and make room for more thoughts and opinions. Don’t be too quick to stick with comfortable decisions. History rewards those who were bold – the gamblers that bet on the future and not against it.

Don’t get left behind.  To Learn More about the GogoTraining ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Program, Click Here.

To ready the full article by Ian Sachs, Click here  

The ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Designation is an exciting Senior, Leader-Level, Certification.  It is designed for professionals across all organizations who are involved in crafting digital vision and shaping IT and business strategy.  When you achieve the Strategic Leader designation you will be a part of an exclusive group of professionals who hold the most valued ITIL 4 Leadership Certification.

Strategic Leader Requirements

The ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Certification is a true Leader-Level Certification.  In order to achieve the Strategic Leader Certification candidates must:

1. Have 3 or more years of Management Experience
2. Have the required course prerequisites described below
3. Receive a passing mark on the 4 Digital and IT Strategy Course Assignments
4. Complete the Accredited Digital and IT Strategy Course.
5. Take and pass the ITIL 4 Leader:  Digital and IT Strategy Exam given by PeopleCert

Strategic Leader Courses

This program consists of 2 courses:

• ITIL 4 Strategist:  Direct, Plan and Improve (DPI):  Providing practical and strategic methods for delivering Continual Service Improvement.
• ITIL 4 Leader:  Digital & IT Strategy (DITS): Creating digital strategy that enables success across departments and organizations.

Strategic Leader Pathways

There are 3 ways to qualify to take the Digital & IT Strategy course which is required to become an ITIL 4 Strategic Leader.

1. Shortest Way – 1 Course Required

Everyone who holds the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition Certification or who holds the ITIL Strategist Direct, Plan and Control Certification, may go straight to the Strategic Leader Course.

If this is you, then Click Here to take advantage of a Very Special LIFETIME Access Offer – Valid September 2020. 

2. Next Shortest – 2 Courses Required

If you hold the ITIL 4 Foundation Certification you qualify to take the Direct, Plan and Improve course followed by the ITIL 4 Leader, Digital and IT Strategy.

If this is you, then Click Here to take advantage of a Very Special LIFETIME Access Offer – Valid September 2020.

3. Need It All – 3 Courses Required

If you hold the ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate or are NEW to ITIL, then you need to start with the ITIL 4 Foundation Course followed by DPI and DITS.

If this is you, then Click Here to take advantage of a Very Special LIFETIME Access Offer – Valid September 2020.

Need Help?

Click Here and share your ITIL training and certification experience with us and we will get back to you within 48 hours with a custom training plan.  For everything else, contact us by email at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at 877.546.4446.  We are standing by to help.

Are you planning on becoming an ITIL 4 Strategic Leader?  If yes, read on…The ITIL 4 Strategic Leader Designation consists of 2 courses, however, depending on your background you may only have to take one of them.  Here is how it works:

There are two courses in the Strategic Leader Path:

• ITIL Strategist: Direct, Plan and Improve (DPI)
• ITIL Leader: Digital and IT Strategy (DITS)

Now here is where it gets tricky:

1. If you took the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition course, then you only have to take the Digital and IT Strategy course to become a Strategic Leader.
2. If you took Direct, Plan and Improve as part of your Managing Professional series of courses, then you only have to take the Digital and IT Strategy course to become a Strategic Leader.
3. If you are new to ITIL 4, then you need to take the ITIL 4 Foundation course before you can take either DPI or DITS.

Exclusive Pre-Release Offer

GogoTraining is very excited to announce that Dr. Suzanne Van Hove’s ITIL Leader: Digital and IT Strategy course will release late September when PeopleCert launches the course.  In honor of the release we are offering are offering an EXCLUSIVE Pre-Sale Offer that gives you a $400 Discount and reduces the course to $895.

 Do you  Qualify to take the Digital and IT Strategy Course?

 In order to take the course you must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience as a Manager and have taken either the ITIL 4 Foundation course or the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition course.

How Does This Course Differ From All Other ITIL Courses?

• You have to be a manager with a minimum of 3 years experience to take the course
• You have to complete 4 class assignments with a pass mark to take the exam
• The exam focuses on the application of the knowledge you have learned

Who Grades your Assignments?

Dr. Van Hove personally grades your assignments and answers your questions.

What is Included in this Great Package?

This package sells for $1,295 and is available on this pre-release special offer for only $895:  When you purchase this bundle you receive:

• The Digital and IT Strategy Video Course
• 4 Case Studies with instructor review and assessment
• The Official AXELOS DITS Publication, PDF Version
• 1 PeopleCert Exam Voucher
• 1 Free PeopleCert Exam Retake
• Q&A with Dr. Van Hove

Save $400 on this EXCLUSIVE Pre-Sale Offer Today!

In terms of differences, the main thing that I see is that the Tesla hit the market fully ready to drive whereas the  AXELOS release of ITIL 4 is taking more than a year.  The Foundation course was released and then Managing Professional Transition for people with a strong ITIL V3 background.  However, for others wanting more information to understand how to adopt and adapt ITIL 4 into their organizations, we are just now getting the details and it will not be fully released until the second half of 2020.

ITIL 4 Tracks

ITIL 4 has two tracks:  Managing Professional and Strategic Leader.  The full four Managing Professional courses are now released, and we expect the standard updates to the syllabuses to take place over the next several months.  This is a common practice.  Can you take the MP courses now?  Sure.  Will there be changes that take place over the next few months?  Almost certainly.  The Managing Professional Transition course has been available for six months and we received several syllabus updates over that time.  The four full Managing Professional courses are new and for sure, will receive syllabus updates over the next several months.  Can you get started now?  Absolutely.  Make sure you stay on top of the syllabus updates.  The other path is Strategic Leader and it is expected to be released second half of 2020.

Where to Begin

Both tracks begin with ITIL 4 Foundation which is designed as an introduction to ITIL 4. If you are new to ITIL or interested in taking your organization from V3 to 4, then ITIL 4 sets a good foundation. The Managing Professional track is designed for IT Practitioner and provides the knowledge needed for individuals running IT projects, teams and workflows.  The Strategic Leader track takes ITIL beyond IT operations into digitally enabled services across the organization.  The class is currently under development.  As soon as we know more, we will let you know.

Why Get Started Now?

All updates have features that are designed to enhance performance so now is a good time to explore how to improve organizational performance.  A good way to do that is the ITIL 4 Foundation course and the Managing Professional Transition course.  Foundation is perfect if you are new to ITIL or just want to get an overview.  Managing Professional Transition is designed for the more experienced ITIL V3 professional. If you have 15 or more ITIL V3 credits, this is the way to go.  If you are somewhere between Foundation and 15 V3 credits, you have several options:

• Achieve 15 ITIL V3 credits, take ITIL 4 Foundation and then become an ITIL 4 Managing Professional by taking 1 course, the Managing Professional Transition course.
• Achieve 17 ITIL V3 credits and jump straight into ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition to become an ITIL 4 Managing Professional.
• Go straight to ITIL 4.  Take Foundation and then the 4 Managing Professional courses.

Which path makes the most sense?

If you work for an organization that has adopted and adapted ITIL V3, then that is the route to go.  If you are new to ITIL and want to get a good foundation in ITIL, then taking both V3 and the ITIL 4 Foundation certifications makes sense.  If you have some V3 credits and want the most cost effective solution, then getting your 15 to 17 V3 credits is most economical.

Would you like some help determining which path is best?

As ITIL 4 comes into full swing you may be asking yourself – it is time to get started and if so, what path should I take?  At GogoTraining we offer a free training plans service for individuals and organizations.  If you are wondering what the best path is for you or how to get your organization up to speed flexibly and cost effectively, Contact Us and Tell Us Where You Are At.  Our experts have over 30 years of experience in all training methodologies (classroom, live online and eLearning) and are here to help you.  EXTRA Bonus:  Everyone who contacts us will receive a $100 off one ITIL Exam.

We are standing by to help.  Contact us by email or call us at, 877.546.4446

ITIL migrated from version 3 to version 4 in 2019 with the release of the Foundation course and the Managing Professional Transition course. The subsequent courses will be released throughout 2020 so if you are in service management, involved in ITIL v3 or looking to get into the area, now is a good time to understand what it’s all about.

Quick Refresher:

ITIL V3 is alive and well for at least a year and 60 to 70% of ITIL 4 comes from ITILV3. In ITIL 4 there are two tracks, Managing Professional and Digital Leader. The first path to be developed by AXELOS is Managing Professional. It consists of 4 courses and AXELOS created a bridge course for V3 certification holders with 17 or more credits called the Managing Professional Transition course. It allows V3 credit holders to take 1 course instead of 4 to receive the Managing Professional certification.

If you are ready to dip your feet into the ITIL 4 world, there are several ways to start depending on your position. Here is a quick look at the best way to get started. If you don’t see a category that fits your background, Contact Us.

• I am a Manager/Executive

The ITIL 4 Executive Review Course is the one for you. It is a 3 hour video course by Dr. Suzanne Van Hove and Doug Tedder. Quick and easy and the price is right – Only $95 Buy Now – (List Price $495/You Save $400)

• I am an ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate Holder

We recommend the full ITIL 4 Foundation Course. Complete with the fully Accredited Video course by Dr. Suzanne Van Hove and all official courseware including the student guide, candidate syllabus, recommended reading, exam guide and tips, glossary, training plan and two (2) AXELOS Sample Exams, 1 exam voucher and this month only + 1 Free Exam Re-Take – Only $495 Buy Now – (List Price $783/You Save $288)

• I hold the ITIL V3 Foundation + 1 or more ITIL Intermediate Certifications

Axelos is giving everyone who holds 17 or more ITIL V3 credits the opportunity to take just 1 course and become an ITIL 4 Managing Professional. Why is this good? Because…

• • 60 to 70% of ITIL 4 content comes from ITIL V3
  • ITIL V3 Intermediate exams are $73 less than ITIL 4 exams – so you can save up to $292 on exam fees when you complete the V3 path
  • You only have to take 1 ITIL 4 course to become an ITIL 4 Managing Professional
  • ITIL V3 courses are $400 less expensive than ITIL 4 courses – so you can save up to $1,600 on course fees
  • Click HERE to tell us how many Accredited ITIL V3 course/exam packages you need and we will get a customized savings package

• I have 17 ITIL V3 Credits or More

Then you can go straight to the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition course. 1 course, 1 exam and you are an ITIL 4 Managing Professional. This package includes the PeopleCert Accredited course, 1 Exam Voucher AND 1 Free Exam Retake for only $865 – (List Price is $1,353/You Save $488)

NOTE: These offers are valid January 2020 only and may not be combined with other offers. Have questions? Email us or call us at 877.546.4446.

At GogoTraining our students get to ask the instructor’s questions while they train, and we wanted to share a great student question on ITIL 4 Foundation and the caliber of answer students can expect to receive.  Suzanne brings the classroom to life online by going the extra mile and fully and completely answering their questions just as though they were in the classroom.  Kudos, Suzanne!

 The student asked: 

Hello Suzanne, Many thanks your great and easy to follow class. I have a question in ITIL 4 Foundation course module “Start Where You Are”.  You have a great example of the check-out person who took a personal interest in your discussion while she was checking out your items but received a bad score because the system graded her on speed of checking out. Your last bullet states “good measurements shouldn’t influence behavior”. If that is the case, what should it influence? I’ve studied all types of businesses that say you should inspect what you expect. Tying bonuses and commissions to behavior based outcomes is what I’ve been trained to do, so this concept is a very new one for me. Can you please elaborate? Thanks.

Dr. Van Hove Answered:

Thank you for your kind words. You have a great question — good measures should measure the qualities the organization has deemed important, and in the case of this check-out person, she demonstrated “intelligent disobedience” (a new term in the Managing Professional materials). It was appropriate that she ignore the metrics because she improved the customer experience. What annoyed me in this scenario, was that there wasn’t a compensation for that action. The other side of the coin is when workers only work to achieve the metrics (resolve calls in 90 seconds) and they don’t do their job but rather perform to the metric because it is tied to pay/rewards, etc… That is a BAD metric and that is what we are trying to avoid. So, the point is that metrics should reflect the business and consumer requirements, they should be known to the staff as targets to be achieved, but they shouldn’t be written where common sense, customer experience (and for that matter, employee experience) be ignored, frivolously attended to, etc. Bonuses and commissions are directly tied to individual performance to the OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT of the organization and I believe that is a bit different that my example. The bullet, to be clear, means we don’t want the metric to **become the behavior** but rather the metric measures the desired service component. I hope that makes more sense. Thanks for the question — enjoy the rest of the course and good luck on the exam! Cheers! Suzanne

by Nikola Gaydarov

I am an ITIL v3 Expert and I have been teaching ITIL for the last 5 years. During this time, I had many discussions with my students on how ITIL can be improved. We went up and down the phases and the process and as a result I have written some articles with ideas that came up. I even wrote an article called ITIL v4 well over a year before the official announcement was done. You can imagine the enthusiasm and the feelings I had, when the real work on the new update started. I have been even part of the whole discussion about the name – would it be v4, v3 2019 or just 4. It was great fun.

Leaving some time for the dust to settle, I decided to go for ITIL 4 Foundation certification few weeks ago. I got the book, I got access to a training and started reading.

It quickly became obvious that ITIL 4 would change the game. We are now ready to talk about value, value system and value streams. The best side of it, is that ITIL 4 is written in such a way that everyone can understand and relate to it.

In this article I will try to show you some great ideas laid down from ITIL 4 and why you might want to certify yourself on the Foundation level. Ultimately, I want to prove that ITIL 4 is good for every one of you.

So, let’s start with ITIL 4.

Why ITIL 4

The first thing that struck me was… We now have a definition of Value. Though it may seem funny, in v3 Value there was no such definition.

The next big thing is, of course, the Service Value System (SVS). There are a few other frameworks that have defined similar models, but here we can see the legacy and the new ideas in one model. ITIL 4 has kept and even promoted to the highest possible level the Guiding Principles.

Source: AXELOS, “ITIL Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition” (2019)

We can see how Governance and Continual Improvement fit as well.

Major change in this version are the Practices and the Service Value Chain. The first will extend our process driven model by focusing more on the Why, and the latest define the so called Value Streams.

Value Streams are a big improvement over what we had as a delivery model in v3. They mix activities and practices to deliver value. How great is that?

Source: AXELOS, “ITIL Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition” (2019)

And the good ideas go even further. We now have six activities: Plan, Improve, Engage, Design and Transition, Deliver and Support and Obtain and Build. Why is this a good thing? It is good because we now have focus. Is what I am doing an Engagement or Design and Transition activity? Are there any related best practices to how we engage with our customers? Do we have predefined procedures and guidelines? The list can go on. In short, we are given a high-level system, which can be split into activities and practices with a focus on value. It looks a lot better and a lot more up-to-date, doesn’t it?

I will go into detail, but we now have 34 Practices split into three groups. I think these are plenty of practices 😊 Major point is that we now have Business Analysis, Risk Management, Portfolio and Project Management, Deployment and Software Management. It looks sound from a practical perspective.

The 4 Dimensions of Service Management

Source: AXELOS, “ITIL Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition” (2019)

Last, but not least are the 4 dimensions of service management. They were always there, but we somehow always forgot about them. Something like the pink elephant in the room – it is there but it seems no one is paying enough attention. Emphasizing the importance of People, Information, Partners and Value Streams is a great way to deliver better and better services.

The more you read, the more you think ”Hey, this looks cool, I should certify”, don’t you?

Well, I thought the same, so I did it 😊

Why ITIL 4 Foundation

I have taken an online prerecorded training with a great quality. I read the book several times and done the mockup exams. The practical example about Axle Car Hire was a great help. You can easily understand and relate to theory, if you are given a practical example. The exam was straightforward, not easy, not hard. Well, I am an Expert, so I was close to perfection 😊

Source: AXELOS

Why do you need to certify? The main reason, of course, is that ITIL 4 will follow up on the steps of ITIL v3 2011 and become a well known and well used best practice framework. The certificate will be valid at least for several years and will be known throughout the globe. So, don’t wait, just go for it…