It is apparent that many people find the ITIL® v3 qualification structure confusing.

This section tries to provide some clarification.

To try and be a clear as possible this is written as a series of Questions and Answers. If after reading this you are still  confused, or require any further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us at enquiries@e-quant.co.uk and we will try to answer your query as quickly as possible.

Question – So what exactly is the ITIL® v3 Qualification Structure?
Answer – Put simply the ITIL® v3 Qualification Structure is the range of ITIL® v3 courses (and the qualifications) that you can take.

Question – so why call it a structure?
Answer – Because they are essentially 3 levels of qualifications that you can attain, and these form a sort of pyramid – this is the structure. The pyramid or structure is shown below.




Question – This pyramid looks confusing – how many levels are there?
Answer - In reality there are 3 levels. The first level is the Foundation course. The next level up is the Intermediate Level (Lifecycle Modules and Capability Modules), and the 3rd level is the ITIL® Expert certification.

Question – what about that final level at the top of the Pyramid – the ITIL® Master Level?
Answer – this is still in development, so I have not included it in the 3 levels of qualification. In addition it is likely that there will be no formal course associated with this qualification. When the details are finalised I will include this in this section.

Question – What is all this talk about Credits or Points?
Answer – Credits. For every examination you pass you gain a certain number of credits. For the Foundation examination you gain 2 credits, for the Intermediate Lifecycle examinations you gain 3 credits, for the Intermediate Capability examinations you gain 4 credits etc.

Question – Yes – but what is the point of these Credits, what are they for?
Answer – You need them in order to be awarded the Expert certification. To get this level of certification you need to have gained 22 Credits through passing previous examinations.

Question – Can I take any combination of courses to get these 22 points?
Answer – No. To start with you must pass the Foundation before you can take any of the higher level examinations. You can then take any combination you like of the Intermediate qualifications to get you to a total of at least 17 Credits (remember that the Foundation is worth 2). When you have the 17 Credits you take the Managing Across the Lifecycle course and gain the final 5 credits to give you a total of 22.

Question – So to get the Expert certification I actually need 17 Credits and to take this Managing Across the Lifecycle course and pass that examination?
Answer – Yes.

Question – And I can take any combination of the Lifecycle and Capability courses to get me to 17 Credits?
Answer - Yes – Although you are not allowed to ‘repeat’ courses and examinations to get ‘double points’. So, for example no matter how many times you pass the Service Operations examination it will only count for 3 Credits.

Question – So, if my calculations are right I will have to take at least 6 courses in order to get the Expert Certification. I will need to take the Foundation (2 Credits) at least 4 Intermediate courses (16 Credits) and the Managing Across the Lifecycle (5 Credits). That is an awful lot of courses, an awful lot of money, and an awful lot of time away from work.
Answer – Yes it is.

Question – Is there no alternative – no quicker way?
Answer – Actually there is. The quicker way to achieve the ITIL® v3 Expert certification is to take the V2 Managers’ Course and then take a Bridging Course. Doing it this way you only need to take these two courses to get the v3 expert certification.

Question – How does that work, what about the Credits?
Answer – Well ITIL® v2 courses are worth Credits in the v3 Qualification scheme. The Managers’ course is worth 17 Credits in the v3 scheme! The Mangers’ Bridge course and examination is worth 5 Credits – and this gives you the 22 Credits required for the Expert certification.

Question – Are many people choosing this route?
Answer – Yes, it is a very, very popular option. You can see the immediate benefits in terms of less cost, less complexity, less time away from work etc, but there are other benefits to taking this route.

Question – Such as?
Answer – Well, it would be fair to say that ‘credibility’ and reputation are an issue. Many people do not view the ITIL® v3 Expert qualification as being equivalent to the v2 Mangers’ certificate. The v2 Mangers’ certificate (the Red Badge) is globally recognised as the highest level of form of IT Service Management qualification available. It is widely recognised and held in the highest regard. It is seen as a significant achievement to attain this certification, as in order to pass the examination you must not only know ITIL®, but you must also be able to understand it, and to demonstrate this understanding. To achieve the qualification you need to pass two 3 hour written examinations. The new v3 Expert Level is not viewed as having anywhere near the same value. To achieve this qualification you need a pass number of multiple-choice examinations. In the eyes of many people (including employers) it is simply not an equivalent.

Question – Yes but surely I am wasting my time taking a v2 Qualification. After all we now have v3 of ITIL® and the Manager certificate is a v2 qualification. Is it obsolete?
Answer - No – and it will probably never become obsolete. All the material covered in the v2 Manager Course is still 100% relevant to any organisation using ITIL® today. The basic principles, and even the basic processes, remain essentially the same. It will still remain the case that those who achieve the Manager Certificate are able to do far more than simply 'use' ITIL®. They will be the individuals in an organisation who can manage the implementation and drive forward. They will be the ‘thought leaders’, and the champions of change.

Also, anybody considering a career as an IT Service Management Consultant or trainer requires this qualification
.
Question – So you would recommend this route?
Answer – Yes, if you want to save time, money and gain a very worthwhile qualification!