The IT Skeptic - itSMF

itSMF communications

skeptic — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 03:46:00 +0000

I wrote recently about how broken itSMF International is. Nothing personifies this so well as the total collapse of itSMF's communications to members and the public.

ISACA can rescue itSMF

skeptic — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 13:45:53 +0000

itSMF International is broken. At a chapter level itSMF is just fine in a number of countries. What we need is an international federation mechanism driven by a healthy organisation. Ooh wait, ISACA has one of those. And ISACA's problem is a failure to cater for general IT practitioners at a conference and local level. Sounds like a marriage made in heaven to me: could ISACA save itSMF?

Axelos and itSMF sign an ITIL agreement to nothing much

skeptic — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 04:14:44 +0000

Axelos and itSMF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding over ITIL. It took a while and it doesn't seem to say much (though who would know for sure as we don't actually get to see it). I guess this is a reflection of the strategic importance of itSMF to the business of ITIL, i.e. not much.

Where have itsmfi.org, itsmf.org and itsmf.com gone?

skeptic — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 08:04:12 +0000

[Updated:] ~~A lot of people are~~ Apparently nobody at all was wondering where the itSMF International website has gone (it took about 9 days for me to see a mention of it). There appears to be no announcement (Where would they announce it? here for a start and via local chapters woudl have been nice) but here is what i can work out so far. It is cause for concern, including a security concern.

[Update: the itsmfi.org website is back on 25th July. I guess they went through and removed all mentions of itsmf.org, which is still - and presumably will remain - a Japanese dating site].

How do we feel about ITIL being a commercial product?

skeptic — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:14:08 +0000

ITIL has been sold (and Prince2 - the following discussion applies just as much to all of the "Swirl" products sold). It is a commercial product. No more half-way house with OGC outsourcing publishing and accreditation: they've gone the whole hog and flogged the Swirl suite off for the corporate shilling. (First example of this in the UK Government apparently and supposedly a model for more.) How do we feel about this new situation?

Book review: IT That Matters. Business porn.

skeptic — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:24:36 +0000

itSMF have published another ITSM pocket-book in conjunction with TSO: IT That Matters: An Executive's Guide to maximising [with an "s"!] the strategic value of your IT investment by Dennis Ravenelle (ISBN 978-0117080614). I'm an intellectual fan-boy: I recognise and respect superior intellect. I'm also a writer, and respect fine writing. On both counts I liked IT That Matters. And quoting Nirvana is cool.

In the end though, this is "business porn" like almost all ITSM books. I crave something I can use.

itSMF Communications

skeptic — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:36:37 +0000

Whilst there are some promising signs, communications out of itSMF International to their constituent members are still limited and patchy.

COBIT 5 will be released in April

skeptic — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:28:34 +0000

ISACA have announced to members that COBIT 5 will be released in "mid-April".

The release includes three publications:

COBIT 5 (Framework)
COBIT 5: Enabling Processes
COBIT 5 Implementation

...and a "toolkit", an undefined "set of resources". I smell spreadsheets.

Cost to ISACA members for the pdf version? Nada. Free. Suck on that Cabinet Office/TSO/itSMF.

And ISACA is providing a separate download server for members so as not to have to compete for bandwidth with the great unwashed masses.

itSMF behaviour beyond the pale

skeptic — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:49:47 +0000

I'm all for a little infighting in itSMF: it keeps everyone on their toes and it keeps this blog entertained. But now somebody has gone way beyond the pale with behaviour that is utterly unacceptable in any civilised business community. In fact it is probably legally actionable. I call on ITSM community members to deal with it. This is a long post, but if you are involved in itSMF, please read it. We have a nasty problem in our midst.

Somebody spat the dummy at itSMF International

skeptic — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:43:24 +0000

Somebody somewhere is really unhappy with itSMF International. They have a childish way of dealing with it.

itSMF International Board announced

skeptic — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:40:43 +0000

The itSMF International Executive Board (IEB) announced Marianna Billington as chair for the coming year. Yay Marianna! Another high-flying Kiwi in ITSM. Congratulations.
Actually the news was on Twitter days ago, I think @servicesphere called it first.

A Brief Review of Creating and Driving Service Excellence

skeptic — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 00:13:04 +0000

Creating and Driving Service Excellence looks like a handy tool for selling ITSM to the bosses.

itSMF governance

skeptic — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:59:27 +0000

Perhaps a little itSMF governance might be in order over IT Governance

Rumblings at the BCS. itSMF take note.

skeptic — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:04:54 +0000

Rumblings of discontent rise again at the BCS (the society-formerly-known-as-British). A year ago 50 BCS members were sufficiently pissed off that they signed a statement calling for an Extraordinary General Meeting through lack of support for the trustees or executive. Now a senior member has written a scathing article in ComputerWeekly. I think itSMF should take note.

A hat-trick of itSMF conferences - it is all about the local level.

skeptic — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:58:52 +0000

I have recently returned from doing three keynotes back-to-back: at the itSMF Denmark Spring Conference in Copenhagen (they have another one in Autumn as well); at itSMF Canada's National Capital Region conference in Ottawa; and the itSMF New Zealand national conference here in Wellington. How lucky was that: to get to speak in three of the friendliest countries in the world? ( A BIG thank-you to all those who made it possible). Apart from the obvious conclusion that those three countries have some of the best airports, there is one other conclusion I draw from all three events: itSMF is primarily about the local level, and needs to start acting that way.

prISM

skeptic — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:00:39 +0000

The itSMF's prISM programme is rolling out worldwide. It seems to me to have a very limited market.

itSMF International Board portfolios announced

skeptic — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:52:00 +0000

The itSMF International Board has settled down for the year, after the departure of Michael Kum.

itSMF sponsored training

skeptic — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:10:44 +0000

There is an interesting thread on LinkedIn about itSMFUSA's offering of free Foundation training for new members. Readers are invited to comment on whether this is a good or bad thing. The IT Skeptic is not sure - certainly it stands up to scrutiny better than past arrangements at ISACA as I understand them.

Do you promise not to tell?

skeptic — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:05:37 +0000

Pssst, itSMF International is calling for nominations for the International Executive Board but it's a secret so don't tell anyone ok?

If your local chapter is on the ball they will have told you... or not. Since itSMF has no international means of communication other than the website, it's a bit disappointing it is not there.

Remarkably frank, but what are the benefits of the ITIL V3 Update?

skeptic — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:54:57 +0000

itSMF International have released a remarkably frank document describing the ITIL V3 Update. It's also a bit odd: it carries the banner of itSMFI but it is unsigned and undated. And it doesn't answer the question it poses: "ITIL® V3 Update, what are the benefits?"