ITIL 4 SCM key terms

The overarching model showing how an organization's components and activities work together to turn demand and opportunity into value for customers and other stakeholders.

A set of six interconnected activities an organization uses to respond to demand and create, deliver, and continually improve services.

A series of steps an organization takes to create and deliver products and services to consumers, including the combinations of activities, practices, and resources used.

A technique for visualizing the sequence of steps, handoffs, and delays in a value stream so waste and improvement opportunities become visible.

Eight recommendations that guide an organization's decisions and actions in all circumstances, such as focus on value, start where you are, and progress iteratively with feedback.

The means by which an organization is directed and controlled, covering direction setting, oversight, and accountability for how the organization achieves its objectives.

The need or desire for products and services from internal or external customers, which enters the service value system and triggers value-creating activity.

An option or possibility that can add value to stakeholders, such as a new market, technology, or way of working, and that may drive change in the SVS.

The service value chain activity that ensures a shared understanding of vision, current status, and improvement direction across the organization and its parts.

The service value chain activity providing a good understanding of stakeholder needs and transparent relationships, keeping all parties informed and involved.

The service value chain activity that ensures products and services continually meet stakeholder expectations for quality, cost, and time to market.

The service value chain activity that ensures service components are available when and where needed and meet agreed specifications.

The service value chain activity that ensures services are delivered and supported according to agreed specifications and stakeholder expectations.

The service value chain activity that ensures continual improvement of products, services, and practices across all value chain activities and the wider organization.

A set of organizational resources designed for performing work or accomplishing an objective, combining people, processes, information, and technology.

The practice of minimizing the negative impact of incidents by restoring normal service operation as quickly as possible, often through workarounds.

The practice of reducing the likelihood and impact of incidents by identifying actual and potential causes of incidents and managing workarounds and known errors.

A problem that has been analyzed but not yet resolved, for which a documented workaround or alternative exists and is recorded for reuse.

A temporary solution that reduces or removes the impact of an incident or problem for which a full resolution is not yet available.

An incident with significant business impact that requires a coordinated response, often invoking a dedicated team, escalation path, and stakeholder communication plan.

The practice of supporting the agreed quality of a service by handling pre-defined, user-initiated requests in an effective and user-friendly way.

The point of contact between the service provider and users, capturing demand and handling incidents and service requests as the entry point to support.

The practice of maximizing the number of successful service and product changes by assessing risk, authorizing changes, and managing change schedules.

The person or group accountable for authorizing a change, defined by change type and assessed risk rather than by job title alone.

A repeatable approach to the management of a particular type of change, describing triggers, steps, roles, and criteria for that change type.

The practice of making new and changed services and features available for use, including planning, scheduling, and controlling movement to live environments.

The practice of moving new or changed hardware, software, documentation, or other components to live environments, separate from making them available to users.

The practice of providing a single source of consistent information on all services and service offerings, and ensuring it is available to relevant audiences.

The practice of setting clear business-based targets for service levels and ensuring delivery of services against those targets through measurement and reporting.

A documented agreement between a service provider and a customer identifying required services and the expected level of service.

A recurring organizational activity performed at all levels to ensure performance continually meets stakeholder expectations, using models such as the improvement register and iterative steps.

The practice of maintaining and improving the effective, efficient, and convenient use of information and knowledge across the organization.

The practice of protecting the information used by the organization, covering confidentiality, integrity, and availability of that information.

The practice of ensuring the organization's suppliers and their performance are managed appropriately to support seamless provision of quality products and services.

The practice of establishing and nurturing links between an organization and its stakeholders at strategic and tactical levels, focused on needs and value.

The practice of ensuring the organization has the right people with the right skills and knowledge and in the correct roles to support its objectives.

The practice of ensuring services achieve agreed and expected performance, meeting current and future demand in a cost-effective way.

The act of transferring an incident or request to a more specialized or higher-authority group when it cannot be resolved at the current level or needs urgent attention.

Any activity or step in a value stream that consumes resources without adding value for the customer, such as waiting, rework, or unnecessary handoffs.