ITIL vs ISO 20000: Know the Similarities and Differences

Every organization has to choose a standard or predefined structure that assists them in delivering quality goods and services. Several parameters must be considered when choosing a standard for an organization. The parameters include the nature of the business (IT or non-IT), size of the organization (in terms of turnover and human resources), assets, IT usage, the organization's unpredictability, etc. 

This article lists the comparison between two commonly used standards, ITIL and ISO 20000. Read along to learn about the difference between ITIL and ISO 20000 and the pros and cons of these standards. 

ITIL - An Overview

Information Technology Infrastructure Library or ITIL is an international industry standard in IT service management that defines the best practices for delivering quality services. The primary goal of ITIL is to ensure a successful, competent, versatile, facilitated and integrated framework for private and government organizations. ITIL also provides continuous improvement of the framework laid out for the organization. Some of the advantages of the ITIL standards are as follows: 

• Improvement in quality of IT services 
• Ease in the incorporation of Agile, DevOps and Lean methodologies 
• A holistic view of the logistics department 
• Digital transformation of the organization  

ITIL Roadmap

ITIL was established in the '80s, and various ITIL versions have been released since then. The past versions of ITIL include ITIL 1, ITIL 2, ITIL 3, ITIL 2011, and the latest version of ITIL is ITIL 4. ITIL emphasizes the idea of best practices, which is how the standard came into being. The best practices for each activity were continuously checked, retested, altered, and finally formulated into the primary version of ITIL 1. 

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ISO 20000 - An Overview

The International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, is an international entity that defines the standards and guidelines for a range of businesses and organizations. The ISO 20000 standard for Service Management can be incorporated by both IT and non-IT organizations. The characteristics of ISO 20000 are as follows: 

• Comprehensive and Systematic. 
• It has been incorporated into a wide range of sectors. 
• It is well aligned with ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and other management standards under the ISO. 

If an organization needs to be accredited with ISO 20000 standards, it can sign up for the ISO 20000 accreditation assessment. It enables the organization to showcase the ISO confirmation regarding the goods and services provided. Typically, it requires one or two years of preparation to obtain ISO 20000 certification.

ISO 20000 Roadmap

This standard was established as a standard of practice in the 1980s. The first version of the standard was a part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) and was referred to as BS 15000. It was established as a globally recognized standard in 2005, referred to as ISO 20000 and later re-examined in 2011. The most recent edition of ISO 20000 is from 2018 and is known as ISO / IEC 20000-1: 2018 

ITIL and ISO 20000 [Comparison Table]

Parameter	ITIL	ISO 20000
Ownership	An IT service management framework maintained by Axelos.	A service management standard maintained by ISO (Geneva)
Implementation	It can be incorporated by IT organizations as a framework.	It can be incorporated into principles and values by IT organizations as a standard.
Certificate	ITIL certifications are granted to individuals and not to an organization.	ISO 20000 certificate is granted to both organizations and individuals as implementers, assessors, etc
Scope	ITIL is a set of predefined best practices for IT service management and complements the standard ISO 20000.	ISO 20000 is a standard for both IT and non-IT organizations. It complements the ITIL framework.
Flexibility	The ITIL framework is flexible. Organizations can choose to adhere to selective practices recommended by ITIL.	ISO 20000 is inflexible. Organizations must adhere to and implement all the standard requirements to obtain the ISO 20000 certificate.
Benefits of Certification	ITIL certificate demonstrates the individuals’ knowledge of the ITIL framework and IT service management.	ISO 20000 certificate aid the organization in enhancing its services. It also demonstrates the high quality and reliability of services.
Validity Period	The ITIL certificate is valid for a lifetime.	The ISO 20000 certificate for an organization must be renewed every 3 years, and audits need to be carried out on an annual basis.
Synergy	Incorporating the ITIL framework helps the organization adhere to ISO 20000 standards.	Organizations that are ISO 20000 certified can adopt the ITIL framework easily.
Miscellaneous	ITIL framework is typically used by IT service organizations	ISO 20000 standard can be adopted by both IT and non-IT organizations.

Key Differences Between ITIL and ISO 20000 

If you are wondering about what is the difference between ITIL and ISO 20000, here are some of the key differences: 

• ITIL certification is granted to individuals with varying levels (Foundation, Practitioner, Intermediate, Expert, and Master) after successfully completing a training workshop and certification examination. In contrast, ISO 20000 certification is granted to an organization after it adheres to all the requirements of ISO 20000 and passes the auditory assessment. 
• ITIL is a defined set of best practices, whereas ISO 20000 is a standard. Saying that an organization is ITIL compliant does not make sense, while an organization can comply with ISO 20000 standards by passing an audit organized by an accredited entity like TAYLLORCOX. 
• ISO 20000 is strict and authoritative in terms of compliance processes as compared to ITIL. ITIL is a recommendation for best practices, and each organization has the flexibility to choose to which degree they want to implement it. However, ISO 20000 standard consists of 250 mandatory requirements for organizations to obtain the certification. 
• ISO 20000 emphasizes the lifecycle of IT organizations. Hence, it helps in the enhancement of the IP that belongs to the organization. In comparison, ITIL certification is granted exclusively to individuals that complete the workshop and examination. Hence, it cannot be considered an intellectual asset of the organization but is an investment to improve the employees' skills. However, it is also possible to obtain knowledge about ISO 20000 through courses. 

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How Do ITIL and ISO 20000 Fit Together?

Now that we have discussed the differences between ITIL and ISO 20000 let's discuss how these frameworks fit together. 

Whether you are commencing the transformation of your organization towards an IT service-oriented organization or trying to enhance the existing model of IT service operations, ITIL can recommend a set of best practices. It can help your organization to improve the quality of IT services, reduce the cost of operations, improve client satisfaction and enhance compliance with international standards like ISO 20000. Hence, you can say that ITIL is complementary to ISO 20000.

The benefits of ITIL framework implementation can be evaluated by conducting a preliminary gap analysis. ITIL suggests methods of improving existing processes or incorporating new strategies in a comprehensible and organized manner. It is important to note that ITIL lacks precise specifications of the steps that IT organizations must take. But this is where ISO 20000 helps the most. The incorporation of new methods is benchmarked, adherence to standard requirements is verified by auditors outside the organization, and the implementation and certification of ISO 20000 needs to be done within a predefined deadline. Also, check out the differences between ISO Standards here.

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Conclusion: ITIL or ISO 20000?

There is no right choice between the two that can be implemented for all organizations. Before adopting any framework for your organization, you need to consider which standard is going to be the most effective for your association. This decision can be made keeping in mind parameters like the nature of the business (IT or non-IT), size of the organization (in terms of turnover and human resources), assets, IT usage, and the organization's unpredictability, etc. 

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