The Visible Ops Handbook: Implementing Itil in 4 Practical and Auditable Steps

This short book manages to capture the essentials of what it takes to initate ITIL in any organization. The authors do not drift off on tangents or lose sight of the scope of the book - they present a realistic starting point and four clearly defined steps that will move you forward towards implementing ITIL. I like the emphasis on change and release management, which (to me) is the keystone for ITIL. I also like how the steps have clear objectives that can be measured, as well as exit criteria to assure that each step is completed before moving to the next. This is not a comprehensive book on implementing ITIL, but a starting point. More importantly, the approach set forth in the book will significantly improve the operational process capabilities of most IT organizations regardless of whether implementing ITIL is a goal. Additional information about the book and the approach can be found on the authors' site. You can get to the site by pasting the ISBN number - B00006CNEY - into the search box, selecting all products, and clicking the GO button. This book is a welcome and important addition to the ITIL body of knowledge because it cuts through to the essentials and provides you with a clear path to getting started.

This very impressive work is based on sound fundamentals. The process has much broader application than the intended IT audience. The process has the same basic elements used in product development and new model introduction. I highly recommend this work for anyone interested in process improvement.

I can remember when I first discovered ITIL. I was both excited and disappointed. I was excited because I had found a framework that I could leverage with my IT team for improvement. I was disappointed because within all the ITIL books it never defined a clear path to start implementation. It was a pleasure to read the Visible Ops Handbook and find a documented plan that I could use to implement our improvement process. The authors understand and address the real challenges with managing IT improvement.

Visible Ops gets to the essence of good control practices for today's IT environment. Having preached the gospel of IT control and governance for over 20 years, I believe Visible Ops presents a control philosophy and methodology that is a dream come true for IT auditors. The extensive journey of discussions with IT professionals, Palmer Group members, and Practitioner's Roundtable sessions that Kevin, Gene, and George embarked on has produced a gem. John P. Withington Vice President - Information Systems Audit NASD

After reading the Visible Ops Handbook, my VP of IT Governance and I were so impressed that we made it required client reading on all of our Sarbanes-Oxley compliance engagements. Plenty of writers are saying what needs to be in place, while Visible Ops actually explains a path to getting there. Great, clear, concise reading. A MUST. Robin Basham, President, Phoenix Businsess & Systems Process, Inc.