ITIL Analogies

Analogies is an important tool in the communications portfolio. They can help explain complex phenomena or can help manipulate the perception of your audience.

How good are you at reading analogies? And can you notice that subtle point when from being useful an analogy becomes misleading? Try yourself on this example. And don't hesitate to write your thoughts in the comments.

ITIL is like Windows OS. You install it to get some basics to be able to work with your PC or notebook (i.e. IT organization). It has some crappy features: mediaplayer which does not satisfy your demands to watching videos, paint or photoviewer which do not provide you functions you need to view your photos and add basic corrections, explorer showing you only one folder while you want to compare, copy or move the content between two or more different folders. Still, those functions can meet your basic needs "somehow".

It is incredibly complex and non-intuitive. In case you see Windows for the first time, you without any doubt need a qualified specialist (external consultant) to find your way around and make things start working. Even when you have learned about it a bit (or a lot), you still can manage only basic functions on your own. And the more complex tweaking remains a sacred domain of dedicated professionals.

At the same time the OS provides the inevitable basis to be able to work with your PC. And without that basic functionality it is difficult to go on. But once you get a basic grip on things, you can add different other applications (read methods and frameworks) that fulfill your needs much better, look more friendly and are understood more easily. You install Picasa or FastStone for viewing photos, add MS Office (from the same manufacturer - e.g. Prince2?), install Winamp and your favorite video player for music and videos, maybe some very specific applications are added as well... Together they create your portfolio which helps in your specific situation. And the operating system - if it is working and stable - goes to the background and becomes an invisible commodity. You notice its existence only when it is loading too long or when it crashes.

One major problem here is that not that many people can understand all pros and cons of different applications and make conscious choice for the better ones. Some find this too complex, others do not care. Take the basic example of the web-browser app (you can think of ITIL analogy yourself here). Look at the market shares distribution and you will understand how many people have never thought of trying any alternative to IE. Should you still be an IT professional to change your browser nowadays? Maybe.

But can you do without Windows (ITIL) at all? - yes, why not. Just install a linux-based system or buy the competely different equipment set from Apple.

Will it be better? - I doubt. No matter how many drawbacks the major standard might have, it is still the standard. And it means the support by all additional services (whether applications or experts, frameworks and good practices). And it is those additional services - not the basic standardized foundation - which in fact bring you some real added value.