Building the case for an ITIL project

That can be a real challenge. Here are the lessons I learned trying to get something started in the company where I work:

• Lesson #1) Do not build a case based solely on the fact that your IT is inefficient and that adhering to best practices will solve the problem.
  
  That does not work (I tried!) It is badly received by all managers that have patiently been trying to improve the support services in their group. Why would so-called best practices be any better than what they are doing? And these best practices are no different from what we already do anyway! We have more urgent matters...
  
  
• Lesson #2) Do not try to implement an ITIL discipline accross the organization without a project
  
  Implementing an ITIL discipline will change habits, organization, roles and responsibilities. In lack of a formally accepted project, the benefits of your initiative will be largely outweighted by the efforts you will invest in making these changes happen - you might even get nothing in the end!
  
  As most ITIL disciplines are cross-functional, you need strong support from top management to be able to implement real improvements. In lack of such a support, in lack of project supported by top management, the changes you can bring are limited to the groups which are under the control of the manager requesting the change. And even then, a project will help focusing, following up, controling we stay on track and get the right deliverables...
  
  I tried one year to bring improvements without a project. I will not brag about the results!
  
  
• Lesson #3) Build the case based on needs expressed by the management
  
  Now that's not a new thing. Be close to your "customer". Ask them where they feel the pain. Ask them what they think is not working properly. Scope the discussion around a specific ITIL discipline (of course this implies that you know your topic well). Write carefully all their needs. All their requirements.
  
  Organize these requirements. See if that ITIL discipline implementation could help. Turn it around from their point of view. Check what they haven't mentionned. Why? Maybe that part of the process is working just fine!
  
  Then build the project with their words, focusing on their requirements, and staying within the scope of a specific ITIL disciple. The project must be their solution to their problem.
  
  This is how I have finally built the case for this "Incident Management" project. It seems that it will come through now... I can't wait to confirm...