The ITIL v3 refresh project is expected to begin with the publication of five new core texts with delivery planned for late 2007. A key change to ITIL under version 3 has been a focus on the alignment of IT and 'the business' and on the management of IT throughout the complete lifecycle.

Version 3 structure

It is planned that ITIL v3 will be delivered as a set of core texts that will be supported by additional complementary and web based materials.

ITIL v3 Core Volumes

• Service Strategy
• Service Design
• Service Transition
• Service Operation
• Continual Service Improvement

ITIL v3 complementary material

While the new ITIL core will draw heavily on current industry practice in IT service management and relevant research. It will reflect the major changes in the way businesses buy and utilize IT services. The complementary material will make it easier for ITIL to address specific vertical markets and industries (e.g. Public Sector, Financial Services) and will provide a venue for more rapidly changing guidance around the application and implementation of the best practice described in the core works. It is likely that the complimentary material will include both a detailed glossary, process maps and mappings to governance and other frameworks (e.g. COBIT) and methodologies (e.g. Six Sigma). It is currently believed that the recently published ITIL Small-scale Implementation will be included as a part of the v3 complementary material and that the BSI involvement in the refresh will ensure that ISO 20000 is kept in sync with ITIL best practice as required.

ITIL v3 Key Elements

• ITIL is aligned exclusively towards business usage
• Focus is primarily placed on the Service Life Cycle - and only on the processes as a second priority
• ITIL is the basis, and is thereby a support for the fulfilment of the compliance requirements - (SOX, Basle II, etc.)
• The basis for a Balanced Scorecard is created with ITIL V3
• Quality management on the basis of the Deming Quality Cycle places the learning organisation at the centre of interest
• ITIL V3 has been coordinated with the ISO/IEC 20000 standard