In ITIL, management practices are defined as “set of organizational resources designed for performing work or accomplishing an objective.”. These Management practices are the core or main component of Service Value System (SVS).
In the Earlier ITIL versions the focus was on processes but with ITIL 4 there is more focus on practices and flexibility.
The New ITIL® 4 practices are as follows:
- General Management Practices (14) – They have been adopted and adapted for service management from general business management domains
- Service Management Practices (17) They have been developed in service management and ITSM industries
- Technical Management Practices (3) They have been adapted from technology management domains for service management purposes by expanding or shifting their focus from technology solutions to IT services
Here we try to explore General Management Practices adopted and adapted from general business management domains
- Architecture Management – The practice of providing an understanding of all the different elements that make up an organization and how those elements relate to one another.
- Continual Improvement – The practice of aligning an organization’s practices and services with changing business needs through the ongoing identification and improvement of all elements involved in the effective management of products and services.
- Information Security Management – The practice of protecting an organization by understanding and managing risks to the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.
- Knowledge Management – The practice of maintaining and improving the effective, efficient and convenient use of information and knowledge across an organization.
- Measurement and Reporting – The practice of supporting good decision making and continual improvement by decreasing levels of uncertainty.
- Organizational Change Management – The practice of ensuring that changes in an organization are smoothly and successfully implemented and that lasting benefits are achieved by managing the human aspects of the changes.
- Portfolio Management – The practice of ensuring that an organization has the right mix of programmes, projects, products and services to execute its strategy within its funding and resource constraints.
- Project Management – The practice of ensuring that all of an organization’s projects are successfully delivered.
- Relationship Management –The practice of establishing and nurturing links between an organization and its stakeholders at strategic and tactical levels.
- Risk Management – A possible event that could cause harm or loss, or make it more difficult to achieve objectives. Can also be defined as uncertainty of outcome and can be used in the context of measuring the probability of positive outcomes as well as negative outcomes.
- Service Financial Management – The practice of supporting an organization’s strategies and plans for service management by ensuring the organization’s financial resources and investments are being used effectively.
- Strategy Management – The practice of formulating the goals of an organization and adopting the courses of action and allocation of resources necessary for carrying out those goals.
- Supplier Management – The practice of ensuring that an organization’s suppliers and their performance are managed appropriately to support the provision of seamless, quality products and services.
- Workforce and Talent Management – The practice of ensuring an organization has the right people with the appropriate skills and knowledge and in the correct roles to support its business objectives.