New ways: How to become ITIL^®Master?

The ITIL^® Master certification marks the ultimate pinnacle for all ITIL professionals. Anyone who can call themselves an ITIL Master has a complete overview of the ITIL framework - from the operational to the tactical to the strategic level in the areas of IT service management, IT strategy and IT governance. But how do you become an ITIL Master? How do you acquire the necessary knowledge as quickly as possible and consolidate your leading position in the ITIL framework? Let's find out in today's article!

In short: What does the ITIL Master consist of?

You achieve the ITIL Master certification by completing three certifications. The title ITIL Master is awarded to you when you combine the certifications ITIL Practice Manager, Managing Professional and Strategic Leader. Each of the three certifications focuses on a different level of the ITIL framework to best support you in the practical application of ITIL 4. If you have already successfully completed one or more of these ITIL certifications, you can achieve the ITIL Master qualification quite quickly thanks to some overlaps. But even as a complete ITIL beginner it is possible to achieve the ITIL Master certification efficiently. You will also learn how to do this in the following.

The order in which you obtain the various ITIL certifications on your way to becoming an ITIL Master is entirely up to you. For the structure of this blog article, we are looking from the basics to the operational and tactical levels to the comprehensive strategy. However, if you are already a Managing Professional or a Strategic Leader, for example, you can of course take the remaining ITIL qualifications in a different order. In addition, there are attractive compact courses with which you can achieve ITIL Master certification in just a few steps.

The path to ITIL Master certification from start to finish

As an ITIL 4 beginner, you can cleverly plan your path to ITIL Master certification: With only three compact training courses of five days each and an additional individual course, you can achieve the highest ITIL qualification efficiently and cost-effectively:

• ITIL 4 Foundation + Monitor, Support & Fulfil
  In this compact ITIL training course you will learn the basics of ITIL and prepare for your certification as ITIL 4 Practice Manager.
• Create, Deliver & Support + Direct, Plan & Improve
  With this ITIL 4 compact training course, you will achieve the title of ITIL 4 Practice Manager and enter directly into the material of the ITIL 4 Managing Professional and Strategic Leader.
• Drive Stakeholder Value + High Velocity IT
  In this ITIL training you complete your status as Managing Professional
• Digital & IT Strategy
  With this last course you will secure the title of ITIL 4 Strategic Leader and
  will automatically achieve the ITIL 4 Master certification thanks to the three certifications collected (Practice Manager, Managing Professional, Strategic Leader)!

Let's take a detailed look at how this efficient path emerges - and how you can move up to ITIL Master most quickly if you already have one or more ITIL certifications.

The basics: ITIL Foundation

ITIL is known to be a collection of best practices that help companies to make their IT services more effective and efficient. You will gain a basic understanding of the ITIL approach in ITIL 4 Foundation. This ITIL certification forms the basis for all further ITIL courses on the way to becoming an ITIL Master.

Those interested in ITIL Master certification usually already know the basics of ITIL. However, the ITIL Foundation is the start of every ITIL journey. So you definitely need this certification to move forward on your journey. Even if you have already gained practical experience or have completed the Foundation in an older ITIL version, you need the proof from the current ITIL 4 Foundation in order to be able to take the three subsequent qualifications.

Operational Skills: ITIL 4 Practice Manager

The brand new ITIL 4 Practice Manager training courses focus on ITIL operations. To achieve the ITIL Practice Manager certification, you must have demonstrably addressed five of the most important practices in the training context. This is most easily achieved in one of three compact courses, each of which focuses on five relevant practices. However, in principle, you are free to choose "your" practices. The Practice Manager compact courses are the fastest and most efficient way to achieve certification. However, it is possible to freely choose five of the fifteen Practices presented. However, this usually means an additional effort in terms of time and costs.

You also need to have completed the Create, Deliver & Support module to be able to call yourself an ITIL Practice Manager. The good thing is that this ITIL training overlaps with the courses you need for the ITIL 4 Managing Professional. If you complete this module, you will also lay the foundation for your next ITIL certification on the way to becoming an ITIL Master.

Tactical Knowledge: ITIL 4 Managing Professional

The ITIL 4 Managing Professional is aimed at experienced IT professionals who want to deepen their tactical knowledge. To achieve this certification, you must successfully complete four ITIL modules. On the one hand, this includes "Create, Deliver & Support". You may have already attended this training to become an ITIL Practice Manager. On the other hand, you have to complete the modules "Drive Stakeholder Value", "High Velocity IT" and "Direct, Plan & Improve". Here, too, there is a practical overlap for you, because "Direct, Plan & Improve" is at the same time one of two topic modules that you need for your ITIL certification as a Strategic Leader.

Strategic Digitalization: ITIL 4 Strategic Leader

The highest altitude in the overall view and the last step towards ITIL Master certification is achieved in the ITIL 4 Strategic Leader training courses. Here, the focus is on the development and management of high-performance digitization strategies. If you have already completed the ITIL Managing Professional certification, you only need the ITIL Digital & IT Strategy training to achieve this status. Alternatively, you can prepare for both certifications at the same time, for example by following your path as described above with different compact trainings. In this way, you complete your path to ITIL Master certification in the shortest possible time.

Do you still have questions about the ITIL Master? Then contact us - or take a look at our effective ITIL training courses directly.