The ITIL Service Transition stage, as depicted in Figure 2, ensures that new or modified services meet organisational requirements. It transforms IT projects into operational services, delivering value through structured processes.
Figure 2. ITIL Service Transition Processes
Key Service Transition processes include:
- Release and Deployment Management: Protects the live environment by using formal procedures to plan, design, build, configure, and test hardware and software releases, creating a defined set of release components.
- Service Validation and Testing: Ensures that new or changed services function properly and adhere to agreed specifications before production deployment.
- Change Control: Manages the lifecycle of all changes, including IT code changes, system updates, network modifications, and service configuration alterations to minimise impacts on production service quality.
- Transition Planning and Support: Manages resources, methods, and technologies for a smooth transition and minimal disruption when updating new, modified, or retired services.
- Service Asset and Configuration Management: Identifies, documents, and manages service assets and configuration items to make accurate information available to service management.
- Knowledge Management: Reduces the need to rediscover knowledge by gathering, analysing, sharing, and maintaining information within the organisation.
Commentary: This handbook focuses on the Service Transition stage to illustrate the critical link between IT project delivery and service management, ensuring project outputs, such as systems and applications, are effectively integrated into operational services. Other ITIL stages—Service Strategy, Service Design, Service Operation, and Continual Service Improvement—are not covered, given this is not intended to be a comprehensive ITIL guide.
