We all know that getting an ITIL project off the ground is difficult to say the least. Key to making anything happen is, of course, senior management sponsorship and support (in terms of time and dollars). A significant trend we feel worth noting is that we see an ITIL approach where the primary focus is on an integrated Change and Configuration Management (CCM) Solution is the most successful in terms of securing support and funding. Why? Well, a number of factors play in but it basically comes down to the fact that the value proposition associated with an integrated CCM approach is believable and easy to understand.

For Senior Management to support (thus attaching their name to) a project, the value must be easy for them to understand and easy for them to explain to their peers and executives. In addition, the project must make good business sense and hopefully appeal (provide value) to a wide audience. What we are seeing is that Change and Configuration Management, more than any of the other ITIL processes, meets these objectives and is being recognized by Senior Management as being a worthy endeavor.

In short, the value of an integrated Change and Configuration Management (CCM) system lies in understanding the value of knowing and effectively controlling key components of your IT environment. If you can manage your IT environment better through a CMM approach, you can achieve benefits such as:

• Improve your planning and budgeting effectiveness
• Better management of corporate and organization risk
• Ensure security requirements are followed/enforced
• Meet audit and compliance requirements
• Reduce the number of self-inflicted problems
• Reduce waste and redundancy
• Identify trends and patterns to improve service
• Improve services through more consistent, reliable outcomes

the list goes on??..

What?s more important is that it is a relatively straightforward discussion to explain how better CCM processes can achieve these benefits. It is logical, it makes sense, it?s easy to explain, and most important of all, it seems like something the organization should do. The same can not be said of several other of the ITIL processes because they are either poorly understood or the benefits are more difficult to articulate.

Speaking of benefits?who benefits from an effective CCM solution? Well? pretty much everyone inside and outside of IT. From a support and sponsorship perspective, a CCM approach appeals to a wide base of IT constituents because it provides value to a number of different IT departments, including:

• Architecture and Engineering
• Data Center Operations
• Business Continuity and DR
• Applications
• Infrastructure
• Asset Management
• Network Operations
• Client Services

The bottom line here is if you want to get your ITIL project off the ground, you have to focus and sell it in a way that Senior Management can buy in. Give them an approach that makes sense, gives them confidence in a successful outcome, and is something they can easily articulate to the rest of the organization, and you will have a funded project! Chances are, if you focus on Change and Configuration Management as your end, you will find the support you are looking for.

Part 2 - Who’s the boss?

Also, don’t forget to register for Evergreen’s change management webinar and learn how to Take Change Management from Firefighting to Fire Prevention

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