ITIL Bridging Courses Explained

Fast Track to IT Success

ITIL training underpins the world’s most successful framework for IT Service
Management. Pulling together the best practice methods from public and
private sectors ITIL is pivotal in ensuring efficient service delivery and in
meeting IT Governance objectives.

Re-launched in 2007 in the form of Version 3, ITIL now includes a host of new
training courses and qualifications, including various bridging courses which are
now available. For those with existing ITIL certifications a bridging course will
allow you to upgrade your knowledge and fast track your Version 3
qualifications. This article explains who these courses will benefit and how they
work.

About the Author: Rex Gibson

Rex Gibson leads the IT Service Management team at Focus. He has

successfully executed major business change and IT projects, and has managed
international engineering companies with significant IT dependency.

Focus on Training Tel: 0845 450 6130 Web: www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsmITIL and IT Infrastructure Library are Registered Trade Marks of
the Office of Government Commerce
© 2008 Focus on Training
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 1. ITIL Version 3 – What Makes it Different?
The latest version of ITIL builds on its existing well established approaches but
interprets them in the context of service lifecycle. It recognises the shift that
has occurred over the last few years as IT and IS operations have become
integral to all modern organisations, rather than existing as a bolt on function.

The earlier editions of ITIL were defined by a number of key processes and for
the most part, these remain important within the new structure. The new
aspects of ITIL V3 reflect a change in the role of IT within modern organisations:

• Service strategy as the central driver

• Emphasis on service rather than process

• Dynamic service portfolio rather than linear service catalogue

• Integration (not just alignment) of IT with the rest of the organisation

• The cycle of ‘Continuous Service Improvement’

2. The ITIL Qualification Structure

There are four levels within the new ITIL scheme comprising:
• Foundation
• Intermediate (Service Lifecycle & Service Capability)
• ITIL Expert
• Advanced Service Management Professional

The improved ITIL qualifications scheme introduces a new credit system. For
example, to achieve the ITIL Expert qualification, candidates must achieve at
least 22 credits, two of which can be gained at Foundation level. Credits are
awarded for both ITIL V2 and V3 training courses.

Those people with an existing ITIL certification can undertake a bridging course
which brings you up to date with the new aspects of ITIL.

More information about the new ITIL Qualification structure can be found at the
www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsm website.

Focus on Training Tel: 0845 450 6130 Web: www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsmITIL and IT Infrastructure Library are Registered Trade Marks of
the Office of Government Commerce
© 2008 Focus on Training
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 3. ITIL Foundation Bridge

The ITIL Foundation Bridge course is for anyone who holds an earlier version
ITIL Foundation certificate and who wants to obtain Version 3 certification. It
provides an intensive overview of the new and modified topics in ITIL Version 3.
Firstly, the Service Management Lifestyle is introduced (Strategy, Design,
Transition, Operation and Continual Improvement), followed by the contribution
of ITIL processes to each of the 5 elements.

The course assumes a level of knowledge of the basic ITIL concepts and
processes. If this is not the case then a 3 day ITIL Foundation V3 course should
be selected.

Acquiring the Version 3 Foundation via this route (or by taking the full
Foundation exam again) is mandatory for those seeking the new Intermediate
and ITIL Expert qualifications. It is not necessary for those eligible to bridge via
the Practitioner or Manager Bridge routes (as explained below).

Focus on Training Tel: 0845 450 6130 Web: www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsmITIL and IT Infrastructure Library are Registered Trade Marks of
the Office of Government Commerce
© 2008 Focus on Training
1
 The exam is a 20 question, closed book multiple choice paper which takes 30
minutes to complete. The pass mark is 65% and successful candidates are
awarded 0.5 credits under the ITIL qualification scheme bringing their
foundation credits to 2.0 (1.5 credits are given for the Version 1 or 2 certificate).

4. ITIL Manager’s Bridge

The ITIL Manager’s Bridge training course is for those who hold an earlier
version ITIL Manager’s certificate and who wish to pursue the Version 3 ITIL
Expert certificate.

This course also covers the new and modified topics in ITIL Version 3 and
explores the new elements under the following headings:

• Service Management as a Practice

• The Service Lifecycle
• Generic Concepts & Definitions
• Key principles and Models
• Processes
• Functions
• Roles & Organisation
• Technology & Architecture
• Implementation Considerations
• Complementary Industry Guidance (other frameworks)

Focus on Training Tel: 0845 450 6130 Web: www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsmITIL and IT Infrastructure Library are Registered Trade Marks of
the Office of Government Commerce
© 2008 Focus on Training
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 The course lasts between 4 and 5 days with the exam taken on the final day.
The exam itself comprises a 20 question closed book, scenario based, complex
multiple choice paper. It takes 90 minutes and the pass mark is 80%.

It isn’t necessary to upgrade your Foundation certificate before following this

route. Successful candidates achieve ITIL Expert certification without the need
for further study under the Version 3 scheme.

5. ITIL Practitioner Bridge

If you already have substantial certification under the ITIL Practitioner

certificate level there is a third bridging route. The pre-requisite is that you hold
a minimum of 12 credits from Version 1 or 2 certificates in non duplicated areas
(3.5 credits for ‘clustered’ practitioner certificates and 2 credits for ‘single’
practitioner certificates).

Candidates following this route first complete the Manager’s Bridge course
through an accredited training provider then undertake the new ‘Managing
through the Lifecycle’ course.

Focus on Training specialises in the provision of best practice training for the
Project Management and IT Service Management sectors. A comprehensive
range of ITIL, ISO/IEC20000 and related courses from leading accredited training
organisations can be booked at: www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsm . Focus is an
active member of the IT Service Management Forum which plays a central role
in updating and disseminating the ITIL framework through its international
network of 6000 organisations and 70,000 IT professionals.

Focus on Training Tel: 0845 450 6130 Web: www.focusprojects.co.uk/itsmITIL and IT Infrastructure Library are Registered Trade Marks of
the Office of Government Commerce
© 2008 Focus on Training
1