ITIL Maturity Model SA User Guide v1 2W
ITIL Maturity Model SA User Guide v1 2W
ITIL Maturity Model SA User Guide v1 2W
Self-assessment Service
User Guide
AXELOS.com
October
2013
Contents
1 Introduction 3
2 Getting started 6
3 Information about process and function maturity 9
4 Appendix A: Process and function assessments 11
5 Appendix B: Maturity level definitions and characteristics 12
6 References 17
7 Authoring team 18
8 Acknowledgements 19
9 Trade marks and statements 20
1 Introduction
1.1 TERMINOLOGY
This user guide makes use of certain words and terms specific to the ITIL Maturity Model and Self-
assessment Service. Here are a few common terms used in this guide:
● The terms ‘process’ and ‘function’ refer to the ITIL processes and functions listed at
Appendix A.
● The term ‘benchmarking facility’ refers to the use of the full self-assessment service to compare
process or function maturity values with those of other organizations. (This functionality will
become available to subscribers of the full self-assessment service once we have gathered
enough data – we estimate that this will be between three and six months after launch.)
● A ‘site’ is the location or instance of an IT operation for which the maturity of one or more
processes or functions is assessed. An organization may have one or more sites within its overall
structure, and users of the full self-assessment service will be able to add sites to their
organization profile.
2 Getting started
All users have access to 30 questionnaires. Users of the high-level self-assessment service can
access a reduced number of questions, whereas subscribers to the full self-assessment service can
access the full set of questions – in excess of 4,000. Subscribers to the full self-assessment service
can also use the service to assess (and optionally benchmark) the maturity of:
● A single process or function
● All processes and functions within one part of the service lifecycle or within one capability set
● All 26 processes and four functions of the service lifecycle.
2.1.1 Step 1
Complete the ‘organization profile’ by providing information about your organization demographics
and IT demographics. Once you have submitted this information, go to ‘assessments’ and you will
be able to select the process/function assessments that you wish to complete for your site by
selecting the relevant tick boxes.
Full self-assessment only
It’s not possible to add additional assessments once you have made your selection, so we
recommend that you select all the available assessments at this step. When returning to the
service after your first visit, go to the ‘organization profile’ and select the site you wish to assess.
This is where you can also add an additional site.
2.1.2 Step 2
In the ‘assessments’ area of the service, you can access the questionnaires that you selected at
Step 1. To begin an assessment, click on the process or function questionnaire that you wish to
complete.
2.1.3 Step 3
The process/function questionnaires are made up of five parts:
● Process/function demographic questions
● Process/function-generic attributes
● Process/function-specific attributes
● Process/function outcomes and outputs
● Interfaces and inputs.
Users of the high-level self-assessment service will have access to a reduced set of questions across
these five areas; subscribers to the full self-assessment service will have access to the full set.
Complete the first set of questions that relate to the demographics of your organization. This
information allows the service to recognize the structure of your organization and how your result
data may be used in benchmarks.
For the other pages, select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ against the attribute to indicate whether it exists in your
organization. Respond to the attributes as comprehensively as you can and only answer ‘Yes’ if you
can satisfy all the requirements of the statement. You must select ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ against all the
attributes in order to submit the questionnaire. If you try to submit a questionnaire without having
done this, the service will inform you that you must answer all the questions. You can scroll
backwards and forwards through the assessment pages and the unanswered attributes will be
flagged in pink. Answered attributes will show as blue.
If you wish to leave a questionnaire at any time, then don’t forget to click ‘Save and finish later’
to ensure that your answers are not lost.
Full self-assessment only
Please note that, once you submit your questionnaire, you will be unable to re-take that particular
assessment for three calendar months.
● What should the maturity value be for this process in our organization at this point in time?
● What return would we gain by improving the maturity of this process?
● If we should be aiming at a higher maturity value, how do we achieve it?
● Should we improve maturity levels one process at a time or all at once or by groups
of processes?
The maturity value generated by the self-assessment service is derived only from the answers
provided to the questionnaires and the accuracy of the result is entirely dependent on the quality
of the answers to the questions. The answers should reflect the actual approach and practices
within the organization – i.e. not how they are documented or should operate but how they are
actually performed. Another limitation of self-assessment to consider is that of process
relationships. All ITIL processes interface with each other. The extent to which these interfaces
operate successfully for any specific organization can only be partially tested in a questionnaire,
particularly if an organization assesses only a sub-set of the processes. Process relationships and
inter-dependencies are an important aspect of the ITIL framework that can only be partially
evaluated in this way. Finally, there will be several perspectives on each process: that of the
process owner, the process manager(s), the process practitioners, and the customers and users of
the process. Unless all of these roles contribute to the self-assessment exercise and agree the
answers to the questions, then there is a risk that the maturity value will reflect only one of those
perspectives. The alternative to self-assessment is an assessment provided by an external
organization, usually on payment of a fee.
Service Strategy Service Design Service Transition Service Operation Continual Service
Improvement
Strategy Design coordination Transition planning Event management Seven-step
management for IT and support improvement
services process
Application
management
function
Table A.1 Processes and functions across the ITIL service lifecycle
5.1.1 Level 1
Processes or functions are ad hoc, disorganized or chaotic. There is evidence that the organization
has recognized that the issues exist and need to be addressed. There are, however, no
standardized procedures or process/function management activity, and the process/function is
regarded as of minor importance, with few resources allocated to it within the organization. There
are instead ad hoc approaches that tend to be applied on an individual or case-by-case basis. The
overall approach to management is disorganized.
5.1.2 Level 2
Processes or functions follow a regular pattern. They have developed to the stage where similar
procedures are followed by different people undertaking the same task. Training is informal, there
is no communication of standard procedures, and responsibility is left to the individual. There is a
high degree of reliance on the knowledge of individuals and therefore errors are likely. In general,
activities related to the process or function are uncoordinated, irregular and directed towards
process or function efficiency.
5.1.3 Level 3
The process or function has been recognized and procedures have been standardized, documented
and communicated through training. The procedures themselves are not sophisticated but are the
formalization of existing practices. It is, however, left to the individual to follow these procedures
and deviations may occur. The process has a process owner, formal objectives and targets with
allocated resources, and is focused on both efficiency and effectiveness. Activities are becoming
more proactive and less reactive.
5.1.4 Level 4
The process or function has now been fully recognized and accepted throughout IT. It is service-
focused and has objectives and targets that are based on business objectives and goals. It is fully
defined, managed and is becoming pre-emptive, with documented and established interfaces and
dependencies with other IT processes. Processes and functions are monitored and measured.
Procedures are monitored and measured for compliance and action taken where processes or
functions appear not to be working effectively. Processes or functions are under constant
improvement and demonstrate good practice. Automation and tools are increasingly used to
deliver efficient operations.
5.1.5 Level 5
Leading practices are followed and automated. A self-contained continuous process of
improvement is established, which has now resulted in a pre-emptive approach. IT is used in an
integrated way to automate the workflow, providing tools to improve quality and effectiveness,
making the organization quick to adapt. The process or function has strategic objectives and goals
aligned with overall strategic business and IT goals. These have now become ‘institutionalized’ as
part of the everyday activity for everyone involved with the process or function.
6 References
AXELOS (2011). ITIL Continual Service Improvement. The Stationery Office, London.
AXELOS (2011). ITIL Service Design. The Stationery Office, London.
AXELOS (2011). ITIL Service Operation. The Stationery Office, London.
AXELOS (2011). ITIL Service Strategy. The Stationery Office, London.
AXELOS (2011). ITIL Service Transition. The Stationery Office, London.
7 Authoring team
7.1 AUTHORS
Colin Rudd (IT Enterprise Management Services Ltd [ITEMS])
John Sansbury (Infrassistance)
7.3 REVIEWERS
Finbarr Callan (The Grey Matters), Dr Mauricio Corona (Best
Practices Gurus), Keith Reynolds (Quintica) and Richard
Webber (Best Practice Training Ltd)
8 Acknowledgements
Copyright © AXELOS Limited 2013. Updated 2018.
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