Digital services are no longer “just an IT issue”; rather, they are closely linked to business models, customer experience, and competitiveness. With ITIL Version 5—often referred to as ITIL 5 or “the new ITIL” —provides executives with a modern framework for professionally managing precisely this connection.
But rather than diving straight into the details, it’s worth taking a step back first: What questions should leaders be asking themselves now if they want to use or implement ITIL Version 5 in their organization?
1. What role does service management play in our corporate strategy?
The first question is not directed at the IT department, but at the organization as a whole:
Is service management already an integral part of your strategy, or is it merely “implied”?
ITIL 5 no longer views service management as purely an IT operations issue, but rather as an organization-wide capability for making digital products and services manageable. For executives, this means:
- Specifically, which strategic goals should digital services support?
- Which services are particularly critical for customers, employees, and partners?
- To what extent is the contribution of these services to the company's success evident?
ITIL Version 5 helps answer these questions systematically and use service management as a strategic management tool.
2. Do we have clearly defined responsibilities for our digital products and services?
A recurring problem in organizations: There are services, but no clearly designated person in charge. ITIL 5 and the Digital Product & Service Lifecycle make it clear: Digital products require accountability throughout their entire lifecycle.
Managers should ask themselves:
- Are there clearly defined service owners or product owners?
- Do these individuals know what they are responsible for—in terms of content, structure, and finances?
- Are decision-making processes and escalation procedures clearly defined?
The new ITIL helps not only to define roles, but also to assign competencies and decision-making authority to them.
3. Do our skills and our culture align with our ambitions?
ITIL Version 5 is not just about processes, but explicitly also about capabilities and culture. When you, as a leader, set ambitious goals, the question arises:
- Do our teams have the necessary skills to achieve these goals?
- Does our culture promote accountability, feedback, and continuous improvement?
- Is there room for learning, training, and development, or does reactive day-to-day business take precedence?
ITIL 5 views service management as a combination of structure, capabilities, and active collaboration. In this context, leaders are the key architects of this framework.
4. How do we measure the success of our services?
Key metrics are not an end in themselves. Under ITIL 5, greater emphasis is placed on whether digital services truly deliver the expected value. For executives, the key question is:
- How can we tell if a service is successful?
Some of the things that help include:
- Service Quality from the Users' Perspective
- Contribution to Achieving Business or Project Goals
- Operational Stability, Availability, and Efficiency
- A positive experience for customers and employees
ITIL Version 5 helps you move from control metrics to management-relevant KPIs that make progress and impact visible.
5. How do we ensure that ITIL 5 fits our needs—and not the other way around?
Key for leaders: ITIL 5 is not a dogma, but a framework. It provides guidance, best practices, and structures that should be adapted to your organization—not the other way around.
Important Questions:
- In what specific ways does ITIL Version 5 support us—and where might we be “overengineering”?
- Which modules and topics are truly relevant to our role and our situation?
- How can we effectively integrate our existing strengths (such as agile teams, DevOps, and existing ITIL experience)?
The new ITIL delivers its added value precisely when it is carefully selected, tailored, and implemented.
Already have ITIL experience? Ensure you're up to speed with ITIL Version 5
Many executives already have a background in ITIL v3 or ITIL 4. For them, the question regarding ITIL 5 is less “Whether?” and more “How?”
This is where the ITIL 5 Transition training comes into play. It helps to:
- to transition to ITIL 5
- to categorize the new focus areas, such as skills, culture, and the digital lifecycle
- and to more clearly define the role of leaders in the context of the new ITIL
For IT and service managers in particular, this is the most efficient way to stay strategically up to date without having to start all over again.
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Would you like to gain a deeper understanding of why capabilities and culture play such a major role in ITIL Version 5?
Then be sure to read the previous post as well:
“More Than Just Processes: How ITIL Version 5 Puts Skills and Culture at the Center”
Training Tip: ITIL Version 5 Training for Executives at SERVIEW
If you are a manager looking to use ITIL 5 specifically for strategy, governance, and organizational development, SERVIEW’s ITIL Version 5 training courses are exactly the right approach.
In our training sessions, you'll learn:
- How to Use Service Management as a Management Tool
- Which ITIL 5 modules are relevant to your role?
- and how to effectively shape transition, roles, skills, and culture within your area of responsibility
Ideal for CIOs, IT leaders, service owners, product managers, and anyone involved in the strategic management of digital services.
Learn more now:
ITIL 5 Training Courses at SERVIEW
