If your IT operations feel disjointed or overly reactive, the ITIL framework can help you bring order to the chaos.
It offers a flexible, proven structure to align IT with business goals, manage risk, and deliver services that work in fast-moving environments.
You can think of ITIL like a playbook.
Not a rigid rulebook, but a framework your team can adapt to improve everything from response times to reliability.
Originally developed by the UK government in the 1980s, ITIL has evolved from 30+ manuals into a streamlined guide for modern IT.
Its current version is ITIL v4.
In this article, we’ll look at what’s changed in ITIL v4 and how you can use it to future-proof your IT strategy.
TL;DR: ITIL v4 gives teams a flexible way to improve service delivery without slowing them down
ITIL v4 moves away from rigid processes and gives teams flexible practices they can shape to fit how they work
The old service lifecycle is gone—replaced by the Service Value System and Value Chain for more adaptable service delivery
You don’t need all 34 practices—only the ones that solve real problems for your team
ITIL is still useful in 2025, especially when paired with DevOps and Agile to improve teamwork and reduce friction
How ITIL Has Evolved (And Why That Matters)
ITIL’s come a long way since its binder-stuffed beginnings.
In the early days, it was 30+ books of guidance designed to bring structure to chaotic IT teams. By the time ITIL v2 and v3 rolled around, that was trimmed to 7 books, then 5 core volumes focused on managing the IT service lifecycle.
Fast forward to ITIL v4, and the shift is clear: it’s no longer about managing services through a fixed set of stages. It’s about building a flexible, value-focused system that adapts to how modern teams work.
IT teams today are powering everything from remote work to digital transformation. And they need frameworks that make sense in cloud-first environments, not ones that feel like they’re stuck in 2007.
And that’s exactly what ITIL v4 helps with.
What’s New in ITIL v4
Older versions of ITIL focused heavily on structured stages and processes. However, ITIL v4 was built for how IT operates today: fast, cross-functional, and deeply integrated with the rest of the business.
It’s designed to be modular, customizable, and ready for teams running Agile, DevOps, cloud-native, or hybrid environments.
Here’s what’s new (and why it matters):
Processes to Practices
Instead of treating IT service management (ITSM) like a rigid 5-step plan, ITIL v4 replaces that with 34 flexible practices (more on these later).
These 34 practices are building blocks for delivering better IT services. Each one focuses on a different part of IT operations, such as managing risks, tracking assets, handling incidents, or designing new services.
In short, they’re flexible solutions you can mix and match based on your team’s goals, size, and way of working.
You don’t have to use all 34. Start with the ones that solve your problems.
Service Lifecycle to Service Value System (SVS)
The old lifecycle model (strategy – design – transition – operations – improvement) is out. In its place, ITIL v4 offers the Service Value System (SVS) and Service Value Chain (SVC):
SVS is the big-picture model that connects all the parts of ITIL: principles, practices, governance, and improvement. So teams can easily deliver value.
SVC is the core of the SVS—six flexible activities (like plan, design, deliver, support) that teams can combine in different ways to create, run, and improve services.
Instead of following a strict step-by-step process, these two show how different parts of your work connect to create value. It gives teams more freedom to plan and improve services in a way that aligns with their goals instead of a fixed order.
A Stronger Focus on Integration
ITIL v4 recognizes that IT isn’t just “the IT department” anymore. It’s the backbone of communication, service operations, customer experience – you name it.
That’s why the framework includes guidance on collaboration across departments and how to align IT work with broader business goals.
Nine Guiding Principles
ITIL v4 also introduces nine principles to help teams make smarter decisions day to day. A few worth calling out are:
Focus on value
Collaborate and promote visibility
Progress iteratively with feedback
Keep it simple and practical
Optimize and automate where it makes sense
But these principles aren’t just for IT; you can apply them across the entire organization.
ITIL v3 vs ITIL v4: What’s Changed?
If you’re familiar with ITIL, you may remember version 3 and its five-stage lifecycle. ITIL v4 takes a different approach. It keeps the focus on improving IT services, but it’s more flexible.
So, let’s look at the key differences between them:
Area
ITIL v3
ITIL v4
Structure
5-stage Service Lifecycle
Service Value System (SVS) + Service Value Chain
Focus
Defined Processes
34 adaptable Practices across teams, tech, and suppliers
Approach
Prescriptive and linear
Modular, flexible, and outcome-driven
Compatibility
Best for traditional IT environments
Built to work with Agile, DevOps, and hybrid/cloud teams
What Are the 34 Practices in ITIL v4?
ITIL v4 defines 34 practices across three categories:
General management practices
Service management practices
Technical management practices
Here’s a list of practices that fall under these categories:
General Management Practices
Service Management Practices
Technical Management Practices
Architecture management
Availability management
Deployment management
Continual improvement
Business analysis
Infrastructure and platform management
Information security management
Capacity and performance management
Software development and management
Knowledge management
Change control
Measurement and reporting
Incident management
Organizational change management
IT asset management
Portfolio management
Monitoring and event management
Project management
Project management
Relationship management
Release management
Risk management
Service catalog management
Service financial management
Service configuration management
Strategy management
Service continuity management
Supplier management
Service design
Workforce and talent management
Service desk
Service level management
Service request management
Service validation and testing
The main benefit of this setup?
You don’t have to implement all 34 to see value.
Start with what aligns with your team’s biggest pain points.
Because ITIL v4 is built to flex around your structure. So you don’t have to force your team into a shape that doesn’t fit.
You don’t need all 34 practices. Use only the ones that fix what’s holding your team back.
Is ITIL Still Relevant in 2025?
Absolutely, but only if you use it the right way.
ITIL v4 wasn’t built to compete with DevOps or Agile. It was designed to complement them. Think of it like the glue that keeps teams aligned when everything’s moving fast, especially in hybrid, cloud-native, or multi-team environments.
It gives teams a common way to work—one that helps changes move faster, service handoffs go smoother, and issues get resolved with less confusion.
So yes, ITIL is still relevant in 2025.
You only have to apply it with intention, and skip the parts that don’t serve your team.
Who Should Care About ITIL (and Why?)
If you’re responsible for how IT services run or what happens when they don’t, ITIL can help you.
It’s helpful for:
Managers and platform engineers who want consistency in how teams work
SREs and sysadmins who need a solid way to handle incidents and reduce risk
Cross-functional teams dealing with messy handoffs
Leaders trying to modernize systems and processes at the same time
If any of that sounds like your job, ITIL has tools worth using.
How to Start with ITIL v4
Ask important questions such as:
What’s slowing you down?
Where are the handoffs messy?
What keeps disrupting?
Once you’ve answers to these questions, then plan:
Your biggest pain points: Are you struggling with change management, incident response, or visibility across teams?
Budget and timeline: What can you realistically tackle now vs. later?
Your team’s bandwidth: Do you have people ready to learn and apply the framework, or will you need outside help?
Once you’ve mapped out your situation, you’ll be in a better place to decide whether to bring in a certified consultant or help your staff get certified.
If you’re going the in-house route, the ITIL v4 Foundation certification is the entry point. From there, ITIL Managing Professional (MP) is a great next step, especially for team leads, project owners, or anyone driving IT initiatives beyond the tech stack.
Ready to Put ITIL Into Practice?
Start with one issue your team wants to fix. Then choose the ITIL practices that support that goal.
Use them as a compass to guide decisions, not a checklist to follow blindly.
And when you’re ready to bring those practices to life, LogicMonitor can help. It gives you real-time visibility across metrics, logs, and alerts. This way, you can spot issues faster, automate what slows you down, and improve how your team delivers services.
