Introduction

This module focuses on the importance and challenges of creating an appropriate digital strategy to enable the success of businesses and how it can (and should) be integrated to the IT strategy and aligned with the wider organization’s goals. It explores the use of ITIL framework to support organizations in their digital transformation journey by providing a structured and flexible approach for addressing service management challenges and utilizing the potential of modern technology to get the most value from digital technology. It also adds a new perspective to the ITIL suite and elevates the discussion around ITIL concepts to the very strategic level among companies and business leaders. 

Contents

1. Understand how to leverage digital strategy to react to digital disruption
   
   • Understand the following concepts:
     
     • Digital Technology 
     • Digital Business 
     • Digital Organization 
     • Digitization 
     • Digital Transformation 
   • Understand the following concepts:
     
     • Business strategy and business models 
     • Digital and IT Strategy
     • Products
     • Services 
   • Know how to explain the relationship between Digital and IT Strategy and the components of the ITIL SVS.
2. Demonstrate the use of the ITIL guiding principles in Digital and IT Strategy decisions and activities
   
   • Relate the ITIL guiding principles to all aspects of Digital and IT Strategy:
     
     • Focus on value
     • Start where you are
     • Progress iteratively with feedback
     • Collaborate and promote visibility
     • Think and work holistically
     • Keep it simple and practical
     • Optimize and automate
3. Understand the relationship between the concepts of Digital and IT Strategy, the service value system and the service value chain, and explain how to utilize them to create value
   
   • Explain environmental analysis in terms of:
     
     • External analysis: PESTLE 
     • Internal analysis: The four dimensions of service management 
4. Understand how an organization uses Digital and IT Strategy to remain viable in environments disrupted by digital technology
   
   • Know how to show how an organization’s viability is related to how agile, resilient, lean, continuous and co-creational it is
   • Know how to analyse the VUCA factors and address them in a Digital and IT Strategy 
   • Explain and compare three levels of digital disruption:
     
     • Ecosystem 
     • Industry/market 
     • Organizational
   • Show how an organization’s position in a particular market or industry is influenced by the following factors:
     
     • Achieving customer/market relevance 
     • Achieving operational excellence
     • Internal and external focus 
     • Balanced approach 
   • Use a digital positioning tool to determine the appropriate position for a digital organization
5. Understand strategic approaches made possible by digital and information technology to achieve customer/market relevance and operational excellence
   
   • Know how to apply the following approaches to achieve customer/market relevance:
     
     • Customer journeys 
     • Omnichannel delivery and support 
     • Context-sensitive delivery and support 
     • Customer analytics 
     • Customer feedback and 360° approaches 
   • Know how to achieve operational excellence in the four dimensions of service management 
   • Understand the financial aspects of Digital and IT Strategy in terms of the following:
     
     • Financial policies
     • Portfolio optimization 
     • Funding projects, products and services 
     • Balancing the cost of innovation and operation 
     • Charging models
   • Assess strategic approaches for digital organizations
6. Understand the risks and opportunities of Digital and IT Strategy
   
   • Explain the concept of risk management in the context of a digital organization
   • In the context of Digital and IT Strategy, explain how to:
     
     • Identify risk
     • Assess risk 
   • Know how to explain the concept of risk posture and show how to determine an acceptable balance between opportunity and risk
   • Explain the concept of innovation, including its key elements and techniques 
   • Know how to apply techniques to develop and maintain a culture of innovation 
7. Understand the steps and techniques involved in defining and advocating for a Digital and IT Strategy
   
   • Know how to use a digital readiness assessment to perform a gap analysis between an organization’s current and desired positions
   • Explain how to define and communicate a vision and a strategy
   • Know how to use business cases to advocate for a Digital and IT Strategy
8. Understand how to implement a Digital and IT Strategy
   
   • Know how to define operating models for digital organizations
   • Explain the major skills required of leaders in a digital organization
   • Apply the following approaches to strategy coordination and implementation:
     
     • Large-scale transformation 
     • Incremental transformation
     • Mergers and acquisitions 
     • Individual changes
   • Explain approaches to POMs (parallel operating models)
   • Explain how to assess success of a Digital and IT Strategy
   • Explain the typical activities of a digital transformation programme