| Aspect | ITIL v3 | ITIL 4 | |--------|---------|--------| | | Separate lifecycle stage (“Service Strategy”) | Embedded in SVS, continual | | Focus | Value, assets, markets, financial management | Co-creation of value, agile strategy, outcomes | | Key doc | Strategy plan (phase gate) | Strategic planning as an ongoing practice | | Link to biz | Through “business relationship management” | Explicitly required in guiding principles |
Instead of focusing on technical specifications, ITIL Strategy adopts a "commercial mindset," treating IT services as strategic assets rather than technical outputs. It asks critical questions: Who are our customers? What services do they need to succeed? How can we differentiate ourselves from competitors? How do we define and create value for our stakeholders? The 4 Ps of ITIL Service Strategy itil strategy
The ITIL strategy phase consists of several key components, including: | Aspect | ITIL v3 | ITIL 4
The SVS describes how all components and activities work together to create value. Strategy sits at the heart of: How can we differentiate ourselves from competitors
| Pitfall | Solution | |---------|----------| | Strategy not linked to business outcomes | Use value mapping & business KPI dashboards | | No governance or ownership | Assign strategy owners and review cycles (quarterly) | | Ignoring culture & people | Include change management and skills development | | Static strategy document | Use living strategy, revisit after major changes | | Too vague to execute | Define specific initiatives, budgets, and owners |
Creating a clear roadmap of how the organization will move from its current state to its desired future state.
A year later, Elena sat in the same boardroom. She placed another sheet of paper on the table. IT Change Failure Rate: 4%.
