By Jim Ragle

When preparing to take an IT-related certification exam, one needs to decide whether to self-study using free content found online or to pay for an accredited, on-demand training course specifically designed to prepare you for the relevant certification exam.

I’ve had to make this choice several times.  And while I like to think of myself as resourceful and adept at filtering through online nonsense to find the good stuff, when it comes to certification exam prep it’s not worth the effort and risk to go it alone with free online content.

Choose the accredited training.  You’ll get certified much easier and faster.  Why?

First, let’s talk about the certification program content – the stuff that you will be tested on.  For most certification programs, that content is copyrighted by the owner of the certification program.  ITIL certification content, for example, is developed and maintained by Axelos, which is owned by PeopleCert.  Axelos/PeopleCert protect their copyright, as any commercial company developing content would do.  They make money by licensing that content to accredited training organizations and selling the certification (via an exam) to would-be practitioners like us.  As such, non-accredited training programs that do not license the ITIL content from Axelos/PeopleCert are prohibited from using the copyrighted content in their training offerings.

So, how can a free, unaccredited ITIL training program do a good job of training you for the exam if they aren’t allowed to share with you the copyrighted ITIL principles, practices, and methodologies?

One way they try to get around this is to simply provide free (or even paid) “practice exams” or sets of test questions you can review.  Just test questions and answers – no theory, no context, nothing taken from the copyrighted material (or not enough to raise any copyright issues). I’ve seen plenty of these free exam prep questions and they are often terribly written.  Here are some issues I’ve repeatedly seen in free exam prep questions:

• Only basic knowledge of English grammar is needed to select the right answer.  The question asks you to select the “action” that is most important in….whatever.  Of the four answer choices, only one of them (the right answer) is an action.  The other choices are simply not actions at all.  Trust me, your actual certification exam will NOT pull this trick on you.
• Only a basic ability to count is needed to select the right answer.  The question asks you to select the three elements of…whatever.  Each available choice is a list of items, but only one of the choices lists three things.  Again, you won’t see anything sloppy like this on a certification exam.
• Harder to spot are just wrong answers, where the available choices don’t contain the correct answer or the answer marked as correct is, in fact, not the correct one.  If you’ve not been exposed to the program content through training, how would you know that the answer is not D, but is actually C?  You are putting blind trust in these free test questions.
• Also hard to spot are questions that are simply irrelevant, off-topic, and thus highly unlikely to be on the exam.  Again, if you’ve not been trained, how would you even know that the question was irrelevant?  Why waste your time on this?

I’m not saying all the free exam prep content out there is bad.  It probably isn’t.  But how do you know if it’s good or bad if you don’t know the subject matter?  After all, you are admittedly a beginner if you are seeking a training course in ITIL Foundation V4, for example.

• As a beginner, can you spot training content that is wrong, misleading, or irrelevant and thus highly likely to not be on the test?
• Can you spot test questions that don’t include the correct answer in the available choices?  How would you know?

If you have a lot of time and are willing to wade through an abundance of ad-supported sites offering free sample test questions and can spot the red-flag test questions as described earlier, then maybe it will work for you.  However, you still have to pay for the certification exam, and there is a risk that you fail the exam and have to pay to retake it.  Are you willing to take that risk?

I’d rather pay for an accredited training program and save the time, hassle, and significantly reduce the risk of failing the test.  What you get when you select an accredited training program is the following:

• Actual content from the certification owner’s materials, which is what the test will be based upon.
• If the training program is specifically for certification exam prep, then it will be targeted to exactly what will be on the exam, nothing less, not much more.
• If the training program is good, it will likely be developed and presented by someone who is expert in the field and who can provide context, real-world anecdotes, and other supplementary information to help build a fuller understanding of the content, but still within the bounds of what will be covered on the exam.  This never hurts, as the test questions can and do change and sometimes they are situational and require more than just memorizing definitions.
• In addition to training content, good training programs include practice quizzes and practice tests, to help you gauge whether you are assimilating the content well enough to tackle the certification exam.

When I was preparing to take the ITIL Foundation V4 exam, I reviewed some of the free content (mostly free mini quizzes) and quickly realized this was a minefield.  After some research into accredited training programs, I chose the ITIL Foundation V4 training program offered by GogoTraining.  The course is structured as a series of modules (all on-demand) that include video presentations with accompanying slides, delivered by Dr. Suzanne Van Hove, who is a seasoned expert in IT Service Management and ITIL.  She brings vast, real-world Service Management experience to the training and does a fantastic job of adding context to the sometimes seemingly abstract concepts in ITIL.  Even with this additional context, the presentations were quickly paced – fast enough that I didn’t feel like I was wasting time but slow enough to follow (also, you can always pause and go back). Dr. Hove’s delivery is enthusiastic and animated, which helped make the training interesting and engaging.  Also, after every couple of modules, there are quizzes to gauge your progress and two full practice exams to take after finishing the course.  All helpful.  Most importantly, after taking the training, I immediately took the ITIL Foundation V4 certification exam and passed quite easily.

Accredited is the way to go, in my opinion.  And GogoTraining worked great for me.

If you were wondering, it’s true.  Project Managers can benefit directly from three of the new ITIL 4 courses.  If you are interested in benefiting from this intersection and advancing your career this article is here to help guide your path.

Background

ITIL 4 starts with Foundation and then branches into advanced 2 paths:  (1) The Managing Professional Path and (2) The Strategic Leader Path.  Both paths have courses that map to the Project Managers Mission.

#1 ITIL 4 Strategic Leader

The course with the highest level of intersection, where Project Management is “testable” is found in the Strategic Leader Path.  The course, Digital & IT Strategy (DITS), is the Strategic Leader capstone course.  It is designed for Managers and requires a minimum of 3 years management experience.

• DITS focuses on the importance and challenges of creating an appropriate digital strategy to enable success across departments and organizations.
• It also looks at how the digital business strategy can (and should) be integrated into the IT strategy and aligned with the wider organization’s goals.
• Students apply the concepts via 4 graded assignments which are required in order to take the certification exam.

How to Become an ITIL 4 Strategic Leader

In order to achieve the Digital & IT Strategy Certification (DITS), candidates need to have achieved the ITIL 4 Foundation and ITIL 4 Direct, Plan & Improve Certifications and have a minimum of 3-year management experience.  Prerequisite classes include:  ITIL 4 Foundation and ITIL 4 Direct, Plan and Improve (DPI).

#2 ITIL 4 Managing Professional

The other two courses are found in the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Track.  This track consists of 4 courses of which 2 of them are highly recommended for Project Managers:

• Direct, Plan & Improve (DPI) – This class as it focuses on the governance and strategy requirements necessary to deliver improved/new/changed services, etc. It’s one that is most like some of the context of Project Management.
• Drive Stakeholder Value (DSV) – This class discusses the stages of the customer journey and how to manage each stage.

What’s Left?

The other two courses in the Managing Professional track include Create, Deliver & Support (CDS) and High Velocity IT (HVIT).  These classes are more IT specific and look at how to manage service design and support, and how to exploit the various disruptive technologies.  The intersection is not as strong for Project Managers, but just in case you are interested, here are the details:

• Create, Deliver & Support (CDS) – This course talks about the creation of services using the service value chain and operational support.
• High Velocity IT (HVIT) – This course is the most technical (digital technology), and focuses on the five objectives of HVIT (valuable investments, fast development, resilient operations, co-creating value, and assured conformance) and the methods to fulfill these objectives.

If you have any questions or we can help in any way – Contact US or Call US at 877.546.4446

YES, ITIL V3 exams are available in many languages.

PeopleCert ITIL V3 Exams Available in 2022:

Hope you find this helpful and we are here to answer any questions you may have.  Contact us.

Get a bundle with ALL four ITIL 4 Managing Professional courses for one low price!

Introducing the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Pass.  Everything you need to fast-track and achieve the highly regarded ITIL 4 Managing Professional designation at the best possible price, in the easiest possible way.

How the Pass Works:

The pass give you lifetime access to the online self-paced courses and full instructor support.  Just like in the classroom, only better!  Courses are very comprehensive and detailed and can be taken online, anywhere, anytime.

• The cost is $2,495 for all four courses – that’s a savings of 38% off regular fees!
• Lifetime Access – to all 4 Accredited, comprehensive & detailed courses
• Official AXELOS Textbook – comes with every course
• PeopleCert Exam Voucher included – one per course
• Instructor Q&A – Ask the instructor questions while you take the classes

The Pass Includes:

• ITIL 4 Specialist – Create, Deliver & Support
• ITIL 4 Specialist – Drive, Stakeholder Value
• ITIL 4 Specialist – High Velocity IT
• ITIL 4 Strategist – Direct, Plan & Improve

Click on the course title to get full course details.

Prerequisites

The ITIL 4 Foundation exam is a prerequisite for all Managing Professional courses.  There is no prerequisite for the ITIL 4 Foundation course/exam.  Need Foundation certification?  Select the package Foundation + MP package below.

Exam & Certifications

One PeopleCert Exam Voucher is included with every course in the package.  You can add a Take2, PeopleCert Retake to the MP Package for $356.

Shopping Cart

Select the Purchase Option that’s right for you.  If you would like to have a second exam option, then be sure to add the PeopleCert Retake package to your shopping cart. 

ITIL 4 Managing Professional Pass – $2,495

ITIL 4 Foundation & Managing Professional Pass – $2,995

Add PeopleCert Retake Package – $356

 If you have any questions, or we can help in any way, Contact Us by Email or call us at 877.546.4446.

The IT Service Management Success Program (ITSMS) is Here!

Valentine’s Day Special Offer – $597 (List Price $1,997)

With the increase in PeopleCert exam prices that took effect February 1, 2022, and our mission to deliver the highest quality courses at an affordable price, we worked very hard over the last several months to create a program design to give you access to the highest quality training at a price you can afford.  When you join the ITSMS you will receive 20 courses valued at over $4,500 with Instructor Q&A Support included for a onetime membership fee of $597 and that’s not all.

Join the Program Today and Receive:

• Lifetime Access
• 20 courses/100+ hours of content valued at over $4,500
• $150 off every PeopleCert exam voucher purchase
• Free Take2 with every PeopleCert exam voucher purchase (List Price $89 each)
• Unlimited Instructor Support to answer your questions – Priceless

 What Courses are Included?

• ITIL 4 Foundation*
• ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition*
• ITIL 4 Control, Deliver & Support*
• ITIL 4 Drive Stakeholder Value*
• ITIL 4 High-Velocity IT*
• ITIL 4 Direct, Plan & Improve*
• VeriSM Foundation
• Introduction to Project Management
• Project Management Integration
• Project Scope Management
• Project Schedule Management
• Project Cost Management
• Project Quality Management
• Project Physical and Human Resource Management
• Project Communications Management
• Project Risk Management
• Project Procurement Management
• Project Stakeholder Management
• Agile Project Management and Latest on PMBOK 7th Edition 
• Project Management Processes Illustrated and Explained

Club Benefits

• Lifetime Access
• Receive 20 courses/over 100+ hours of training valued at over $4.500
• Save $150 every time you purchase a PeopleCert Exam
• Receive a Free Take2 with every PeopleCert Exam Purchase
• Over 100 PDUs Available
• Unlimited Instructor Support to Answer Your Questions

Join the Club Today

If you have questions about the club or would like to learn about Team Discounts,  contact CustomerService@GogoTraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446 Today!

*Offer Rules:  This offer is valid for the first 100 people to join or until February 29^th – whichever comes first.  This offer may not be combined with other offers.

All ITIL classes are Accredited by PeopleCert and PeopleCert requires that individuals purchase exam vouchers prior to training.  As a valued member of the ITSMS Program you will receive a $150 exam voucher discount and a free Take2 with every ITIL exam you purchase.  The discount is based on PeopleCert’s published pricing.  All program discounts and instructions will be sent to you in your welcome letter.

PeopleCert exam prices are going up effective February 1, 2022.  In addition to the price increases on the exam and exam proctoring, as of February 1, 2022 PeopleCert requires the Axelos book to be sold with all ITIL and Prince2 exam purchases.  In a nutshell:

• PeopleCert exam prices are increasing effective February 1, 2022
• The increase is expected to be $100/exam

Is There a Way to Save? 

Yes, GogoTraining has put together a program that allows organizations to purchase course and exam vouchers before February 1, 2022 and SAVE.

2 Ways to Save

We are offering course and exam vouchers.

#1 – Buy all the course vouchers you need – Lifetime Access.

Course vouchers act as a placeholder for a course.  You can buy the course vouchers in advance and release them as needed.  Course voucher come with lifetime access and are released when you purchase the required exam vouchers allowing for just-in-time training, budgeting and savings.

#2 – Save $100/Exam Voucher – Purchase January 28, 2022 to get 2021 Prices

If you know what exams you need for 2022 now, buy now and save $100 on every exam voucher or more…Buy in bulk and you will receive a bulk discount and save the additional $100/exam.  Exams are valid for 12 months and can be extended an additional 6 months for $45.

Need help?  Have Questions?

Ask us about our January Special Offers!

Contact GogoTraining.com to Lock In your 2022 Course & Exam Vouchers at 2021 Prices!

CustomerService@GogoTraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446

The quick answer is no.  ITIL Expert is available to achieve until December 31, 2021.

Why Now?

For this answer we went to ITIL Expert, Dr. Suzanne Van Hove:  Suzanne shared that if you have achieved 17 ITIL V3 credits, then there are four reasons to take MALC and achieve the ITIL Expert designation:

• Becoming an ITIL Experts puts you in a very elite group.
• Taking the MALC gives you a great understanding of the 2011 processes and how they interact; so important to have those thought processes when addressing ITIL 4.
• Taking MALC gives you a solid understanding of the service lifecycle and where it fits into the ITIL 4 schema, so you have a leg up when you go to adopt and adapt ITIL 4 into your organization.
• Taking MALC solidifies the concept of ‘process’ to a point where ITIL 4 practices and their application across the enterprise makes sense.

Do you have 17 ITIL V3 credits?  If yes, it’s not too late to become an ITIL EXPERT – but, time is running out.  The last MALC exam will be given on December 31, 2021.  The time to act is now.

SPECIAL OFFER

MALC Course & Exam Offer – $497 (List Price $995)

• Includes the Accredited Self-Paced Managing Across the Lifecycle Course taught by Dr. Suzanne Van Hove, access to Dr. Van Hove to ask questions, all course materials, 1 PeopleCert Exam Voucher and 1 exam retake if require
• This offer cannot be combined with other offers and is valid until November 30, 2021.
• Need help or have questions?  Contact Us.

By Dr. Suzanne Van Hove

Why Take DPI First?

DPI is the class that I would take first in order to understand the foundational elements of the Service Value Stream (SVS), and to prepare the environment for service creation and delivery, stakeholder management, and eventually looking at the high-velocity environment.

Focus On The Organization

Looking at the new ITIL® training schema and the importance of service value system, Governance and guiding principles are key to setting up a system that reflects the needs of the organization and consumer.  ITIL 4 Direct, Plan and Improve focuses on those aspects, ensuring the foundational principles are in place so that the approving of new/changed products and services is accurate and beneficial to the organization and consumer.

Factors Critical to Your Success

The principles of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) are the main topics of DPI as well as organizational change management (OCM), continual improvement, and measurement and reporting.  While these topics are may be a bit on the “non-exciting” side, they are crucial and fundamental to good service delivery.

Ready to Get Started?

Get the 90 Day Special Offer Today!