News

2019 is marked by the update of ITIL, the de facto international Service Management guidance. ITIL 4 will play a role in supporting individuals and organizations to navigate the Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by emerging technologies including robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, autonomous vehicles and much more. ITIL 4 will provide a practical and flexible basis to support organizations on their journey into the new world of digital transformation by helping them align their human, digital and physical resources to compete within the modern complex landscape. The context of ITIL, with the release of ITIL 4 is now much bigger, with an emphasis on the business and technology world, how it works today, and how it will work in the future with Agile, DevOps, Lean, IT governance, leadership and digital transformation.  

ITIL 4 Certification Scheme

The New ITIL 4 Certification Scheme is composed by two streams, ITIL Managing Professional (ITIL MP) and ITIL Strategic Leader (ITIL SL) and it is connected to the previous ITIL version, ITIL v3, by a transition module called ITIL Managing Professional (MP) Transition (see image below: ITIL MP Transition is on the left and coloured in brown).    

ITIL 4 Managing Professional

ITIL 4 Managing Professional (ITIL MP) stream provides practical and technical knowledge about how to run successful IT-enabled services, teams, and workflows. A Managing Professional transition module has been designed to allow ITIL v3 Experts or professionals who have a minimum of 17 v3 credits to easily transition across to ITIL 4 and gain the designation of ITIL 4 Managing Professional via one course and one exam. The transition module enables candidates to recognize their previous achievements while still gaining the up-to-date skills and knowledge needed to navigate the digital service economy. The module will provide information on the key elements of the following modules from ITIL 4 Managing Professional:

• ITIL 4 Specialist Create, Deliver and Support.
• ITIL 4 Specialist Drive Stakeholder Value.
• ITIL 4 Specialist High Velocity IT.
• ITIL 4 Strategist Direct Plan and Improve.

The course will also provide an introduction and cover the key concepts found in ITIL 4 Foundation. The ITIL 4 Managing Professional transition module will be live on the 3rd of October 2019 and will remain valid for at least one year after its launch. QRP International provides ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition 5 days training course, delivered as a classroom event or in-house. The course includes the exam to obtain the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Qualification.   Take the chance to success your straightforward ITIL 4 transition with QRP International! Discover our next ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition session!

The PRINCE2 Foundation qualification is a professional qualification in the field of Project Management. This qualification provides you with an understanding of the PRINCE2 2017 project management method. There are no mandatory prerequisites. Work experience in project management is recommended.

 

Examination Target

• Project Managers and aspiring Project Managers
• Other key staff involved in the design, development and delivery of projects, including: Project Board members (e.g. Senior Responsible Owners), Team Managers (e.g. Product Delivery Managers), Project Assurance (e.g. Business Change Analysts), Project Support (e.g. Project and Programme Office personnel), and operational line managers/staff.

 

Exam Format

• Language: Dutch, English, French
• Duration: 60 minutes 25% extra time if you take the exam in a language that is not your native language
• Materials: No materials
  • Closed book exam: books or notes are not permitted
• Questions: 60
  • All 60 questions are Objective Test Questions (OTQs)
• Pass Mark: 33 marks or above
• Level of Thinking: Bloom’s levels 1 & 2
  • There are 7 questions at Bloom’s Level 1 = approx. 12%
  • There are 53 questions at Bloom’s Level 2 = approx. 78%
• Exam Format: Online or Paper
• Certificate Format: Online
  • The online certificate is usually included in the exam fee, you could ask for a paper certificate to the Exam institute after your exam.

 

PRINCE2 Foundation Exam Sample Questions

The questions are all ‘multiple-choice’. Standard, List, Missing word, Negative

Example ‘standard’ OTQ:

What is the purpose of the quality theme?

a) Q b) P c) R d) S

 

Example ‘list’ OTQ:

Which statements about product-based planning are CORRECT?

1. It does Q 2. It does P 3. It does R 4. It does S

a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 3 and 4 d) 1 and 4

NOTE: Two of the list items are correct. List style questions are never negative.

 

Example ‘missing word’ OTQ

Identify the missing word(s) in the following sentence.

During the ‘controlling a stage’ process, the team manager should update the [ ? ] to reflect the timing of the work packages that have been authorized.

a) Role Q b) Role P c) Role R d) Role S

 

Example ‘negative’ standard OTQ:

Which role should NOT be shared with the role of the project manager?

a) Q b) P c) R d) S

NOTE: Negative questions are only used, as an exception, where part of the learning outcome is to know that something is not done or should not occur.

   

PRINCE2 Foundation Objectives

This exam has been developed to assess whether the candidate can demonstrate sufficient recall and understanding of the PRINCE2 project management method. You need to pass the PRINCE2 Foundation examination to access the PRINCE2 Practitioner Examination.

As a candidate you need to demonstrate the achievement of these learning outcomes:

• Understand key concepts relating to projects and PRINCE2.
• Understand how the PRINCE2 principles underpin the PRINCE2 method.
• Understand the PRINCE2 themes and how they are applied throughout the project.
• Understand the PRINCE2 processes and how they are carried out throughout the project.

 

The PRINCE2 Foundation Certificate

The validity of the PRINCE2 Foundation certificate is a lifetime; This certificate will never expire.

QRP International is a PRINCE2 Accredited Training Organisation (ATO) by Peoplecert on behalf of Axelos, is authorised to deliver PRINCE2 Foundation courses and can prepare you for the examination leading to the PRINCE2 Foundation Certificate in Project Management.

Already ITIL v3 certified and interested in getting ITIL 4 certified? In this blog post, we will show you the new ITIL 4 certification scheme and we will give you some advice on what path fits the best your current situation. The New ITIL 4 Certification Scheme is composed by two streams, ITIL Managing Professional (ITIL MP) and ITIL Strategic Leader (ITIL SL) and it is connected to the previous ITIL version, ITIL v3, by a transition module called ITIL Managing Professional (MP) Transition (see image below: ITIL MP Transition is on the left and coloured in brown).       The image above represents the whole ITIL v4 certification path: there are two main certification streams represented in light blue, ITIL Managing Professionals (MP) and ITIL Strategic Leader (SL). To obtain the designation ITIL Managing Professional or ITIL Strategic Leader, the professional must complete the Foundation Module for both path plus all the four modules for ITIL MP or all the two modules for ITIL SL. The Module ITIL Strategist - Direct, Plan & Improve (in blue) is common to both streams. How many credits do you have in the ITIL v3 certification scheme? Find several tips depending on your achieved credits below:  

ITIL v3 Foundation (2 credits)

if you are already ITIL v3 Foundation certified, our advice is to follow the new ITIL 4 foundation training in order to achieve the ITIL 4 Foundation Certificate. ITIL 4 Foundation is completely renewed with lots of new content, that’s why a new exam to show your knowledge about the ITIL 4 Foundation guidance is required. After the achievement of the Foundation module, you will have the chance to follow the stream that fits better your needs upon the new ITIL Certification Scheme.  

ITIL v3 Foundation + ITIL Intermediate and / or Practitioner (up to 6 credits)

If you have reached the Foundation level and you have further 3-4 credits you have two options:

• achieving the ITIL 4 Foundation plus another module belonging to the stream of your choice in order to have the chance to become ITIL Specialist, Strategist or Leader. If you are not interested in pursuing the ITIL Managing Professional designation, there are still options to be offered among the ITIL Specialist modules and/or ITIL Strategist module. In the last case, the route we recommend you is to take the most relevant module in your area of practice/interest.
• Or you can choose to gain up to 17 credits in ITIL v3 to switch to the ITIL 4 scheme through the ITIL Managing Professional Transition Module. You have time to gain credits until June 2020, after this date, Axelos will dismiss all the ITIL v3 modules and taking further ITIL v3 exams won’t be possible.

Our advice: better to undertake directly the ITIL 4 Certification path by enrolling for the ITIL 4 Foundation exam.

 

ITIL v3 Intermediate/Practitioner (more than 6 credits)

if you already gained more than 6 credits we advise you to carry on obtaining credits within the ITIL v3 scheme to prepare the transition to ITIL 4 through the module ITIL Managing Professional Transition.  

ITIL v3 Expert

If you are an ITIL Expert you can apply for the module ITIL Managing Professional when it turns available. Once obtained the certification ITIL Managing Professional, if interested in pursuing the ITIL Strategic Leader qualification, you will just achieve the ITIL Leader Digital & Strategy module. If you complete both streams (ITIL Managing Professionals and ITIL Strategic Leader) you can opt to carry on your ITIL path to achieve the ITIL Master level. Do you have further doubts or do you want to know more?     Download the brochure in German too! To find more information about the motivation behind the update, visit this informative page! Sources: Axelos, ITIL® Credit System; ITIL 4: all the answers to the most asked questions

Every month an interview with a professional within the Service, Portfolio, Program, IT, Agile, Change or Project Management sector. This month we asked  Younes Idrissi Kaitouni to talk about his role and the current challenges that the IT sector is facing.  

1. What's your current job title?

I am a Program Manager within IT Operations.  

2. What do you do?

Currently, I'm leading a transversal change project inside IT & Telecom departments of Infrabel, the organization I work for, to adopt a new way of working for all planned interventions, preventive maintenance as well as new projects. To do this, we are adopting new tools and adapting our processes. Currently, we are moving from a series of tools to SAP PM. As an IT Program Manager, the main activities I deal with are the follow-up of projects within the program as well as activities related to the business continuity of the portfolio of applications I manage. The difference between an IT Program Manager and a non-IT Program Manager inside the railway sector is that non-IT Program Managers manage programs related to the rail infrastructure or train signalling. It's more "core business" for a railway.  

3. How did you end up into a program management career?

I started my career as IT Consultant and had the opportunity to work for major projects across Europe. My technical skills and my multicultural background made the management to propose me to take the role of Project Manager for Europe. In parallel, I started my PMP® and ITIL certification and also an Executive Master in IT Management at Solvay Business School where I learned a lot about IT security and Audits exploring new frameworks such as COBIT and CMMI and IT management techniques. I ended up in Program and Portfolio Management Career since 2009.  

4. What's the biggest issue/change you see in your community at the moment?

The biggest issue/change at this moment is to adopt rapidly the new way of working while the teams are working with different technologies and also that the techniques are specific to each team. Also, using a data-driven approach can improve significantly our work and productivity. I think that the current approach is not enough data-driven at least for the field I work in and for the projects and programs I manage. That's why a unified tool (SAP PM) will bring the consolidation data and will improve the one truth approach in the overall organization.  

5. What are three things you’ve told yourself that you would like to learn in the next future to develop you as a professional?

I would like to improve my soft skills to conduct the change, for example, negotiation skills. The second thing is to participate more in conferences related to mobility and related innovations. The last thing is to stay updated about tools and techniques to coach and manage my teams with the rise of data-driven and all innovations around.  

Open up your search engine and type in Agile and the Future of Work. You may be surprised at how many reports and articles come up. Having started off as a process for developing software, Agile is now increasingly spoken of as being central to the very nature of the world of work. No longer is it being seen solely as a route to getting the right things done, but as a mindset that influences business models and working life as a whole. Gallup has published "The Real Future of Work: The Agility Issue"*, looking at what agility means for business leaders, agility in the workplace, and managing an Agile organisation. This research report positions business agility firmly as a way to navigate disruption, and it provides results that can guide leaders as they attempt to build greater agility within their organisations. It’s not surprising that many of the topics covered by this research are those to be explored at this year’s Agile Business Conference in London, 26 & 27 September.  

Agile Leadership – driving optimism

Gallup researchers spoke to employees in the UK, France, Spain and Germany:

• 20% of employees “strongly agree” that “The leadership of my company makes me enthusiastic about the future” — but that figure rises to 48% among employees who regard their companies as “agile.”

The report highlights that the command-and-control style of leadership needs to change if leaders are to bring about the empowerment and level of collaboration needed for business agility.    

Agile Communication and Collaboration – constant knowledge sharing

The nature of the workplace has changed so much in recent decades. No longer is it expected that conversation is kept to a minimum and that everyone’s head is down. An Agile culture encourages ongoing conversation, collaboration, and relationship building. With a reduced reliance on a command and control hierarchy, team members are accountable to each other and strong relationships strengthen that bond. Cross-functional knowledge-sharing and interdepartmental collaboration have the power to break down the silos that often obstruct the path of transformation and reduce the potential to pull together different perspectives around challenges. Gallup highlights that existing systems in organisations often create barriers to information flow. Researchers found that only:

• "About one in four overall “strongly agree” that they are satisfied with the cooperation between their department and other departments in their company".

 

Agile Employee Attitudes

Agile HR is growing fast as a critical strategic core for any organisation. The changing role of HR has evolved with the increasing realisation that an organisation’s future relies on the adaptability of its workforce. Issues such as wellbeing and personal development have been identified by the work of the Consortium as one of seven essential elements of an Agile organisation’s DNA. The evidence is strong that if businesses focus on passion and purpose first, then profit will follow. Gallup reports that one of the most powerful advantages of agile companies is their ability to give employees a sense of optimism about the organisation’s capacity to survive — and thrive — amid disruptive marketplace conditions. * Gallup, The Real Future of Work: the Agility issue   Authored By Pam Ashby. First published in Agile Business Consortium Blog, September 2018 and reproduced with kind permission of “Agile Business Consortium”.

The ITIL 4 Foundation Qualification is a professional qualification in the field of IT Service Management. This qualification provides you with an understanding of service management concepts and the new ITIL framework, ITIL 4. There are no mandatory prerequisites. Work experience in IT services is recommended.

 

Examination Target

• Individuals working in the field of Service Management
• ITSM Managers and aspiring ITSM Managers
• ITIL V3- ITIL 2011 qualification holders wishing to update their knowledge.

 

Exam Format

• Language: English and French
• Duration: 60 minutes 25% extra time if you take the exam in a language that is not your native language
• Materials: No materials
  • Closed book exam: books or notes are not permitted
• Questions: 40
  • All 40 questions are Objective Test Questions (OTQs)
• Pass Mark: 26 marks or above
• Level of Thinking: Bloom’s levels 1 & 2
  • There are 9 questions at Bloom’s Level 1 = approx. 22.5%
  • There are 31 questions at Bloom’s Level 2 = approx. 77.5%
• Exam Format: Online or Paper
• Certificate Format: Online
  • The online certificate is usually included in the exam fee, you could ask for a paper certificate to the Exam institute after your exam.

   

ITIL 4 Foundation Exam Sample Questions

The questions are all ‘multiple-choice’: Standard, List, Missing word, Negative.

Example ‘standard’ OTQ:

Which is a source of best practice?

a) Q b) P c) R d) S

Example ‘list’ OTQ:

Which statement about service asset and configuration management is CORRECT?

1. It does Q 2. It does P 3. It does R 4. It does S

a) 1 and 2 b) 2 and 3 c) 3 and 4 d) 1 and 4

NOTE: Two of the list items are correct. List style questions are never negative.

Example ‘missing word’ OTQ

Identify the missing word(s) in the following sentence.

A [?] defines requirements for services and takes responsibility for outcomes from service consumption.

a) Role Q b) Role P c) Role R d) Role S

Example ‘negative’ standard OTQ:

Which is NOT a defined area of value?

a) Q b) P c) R d) S

NOTE: Negative questions are only used, as an exception, where part of the learning outcome is to know that something is not done or should not occur.

 

ITIL 4 Foundation Objectives

This exam has been developed to assess whether you as IT professional can demonstrate sufficient understanding of the ITIL 4 service management framework. You need to pass the ITIL 4 Foundation examination to access the ITIL v4 higher level qualifications.

A candidate you need to demonstrate the achievement of these learning outcomes:

• Understand the key concepts of service management.
• Understand how the ITIL guiding principles can help an organization to adopt and to adapt service management.
• Understand the four dimensions of service management.
• Understand the purpose and components of the ITIL service value system.
• Understand the activities of the service value chain, and how they interconnect.
• Know the purpose and key terms of 15 ITIL practices Understand 7 ITIL practices.

 

The ITIL 4 Foundation Certificate

The validity of ITIL 4 Foundation certificate is a lifetime; this certificate will never expire.

QRP International is an ITIL Accredited Training Organisation (ATO) by Peoplecert on behalf of Axelos, is authorised to deliver ITIL 4 Foundation courses and can prepare you for the examination leading to the ITIL 4 Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management.