How ITIL relates to a GPS – the map is not the territory.

Recently on the Linked In ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) based discussion groups,
there have been discussions about the importance of understanding ITIL in relationship to the goals of
the IT organization. Some organizations treat ITIL as if it was the goal in and of itself as in ‘we’re doing
ITIL’ or ‘we need to be in compliance with ITIL’. This is the wrong way to look at the ITIL materials
available to IT organizations. ITIL frameworks are guidance and reference works to be used as part of
planning an IT organizations goals, activities, and metrics. Every organization will be unique and reflect
the current situation it faces in challenges and opportunities to shape their goals.

Someone in the group drew the analogy that ITIL was like a GPS (Global Positioning Satellite). Many of us
have a GPS unit in our cars. If you have used them, you know that they can be extremely helpful but not
infallible. New roads or construction can change the actual travel experience to be very different than
the one suggested by a GPS map since its last update.

The often quoted saying, “The map is not the territory” (Alfred Korzybski) simply means that we should
not assume that a map (or GPS) is an exact replica of the location it represents in its current state.
Instead it is a model that provides guidance for our activities. We do need a map to sort things out
however as the absence of being able to identify where we are in relationship to where we want to be h
puts us in a confusing state known as ‘lost’. At best, we become reactive and it becomes costly and
difficult to arrive at our destination.

GPS units do provide helpful information by showing popular and proven paths to a destination. The
driver doesn’t have to follow that path if they choose to go a different way. The GPS voice may chime in
to say it is ‘recalculating’ as if it were scolding you for not following directions but it adapts and gives the
driver options based on the current location of the vehicle. In some models, the driver can select an
alternative path based on saving gas or fastest arrival. Other times the driver can choose alternate
routes to avoid traffic congestion. Sometimes it even gives bad advice and the driver has to adapt
entirely. The GPS may have bad information programmed in; have too many ‘right’ answers to
determine which one is most appropriate or a poor connection to a satellite.

Most GPS units will also provide a list of local options for food and lodging, shopping, gas stations, and
points of interest however it remains up to the driver to select which hotel or restaurant they wish to
arrive at. It can’t possibly know which locations are the best match for the driver’s budget and personal
preferences. The driver selects the ultimate destination.

A GPS can ‘remember’ a location if the driver consults the unit to find a recent location – this is
extremely helpful in complex traffic situations such as in a city or other unfamiliar locations. The GPS will
take you back to your hotel after every excursion. In a way it becomes a short term knowledge
management system freeing the driver to focus on traffic rather than trying to memorize routes to and
from a location.
ITIL works the same way as a GPS in that it provides advice and guidance. By selecting the appropriate
sections on the ITIL documentation, best practices are given regarding frameworks or maps of the
interrelationships of various IT organization activities. IT performance metrics and methods used to
collect them are like mileage statistics on a GPS enabling the driver to track performance and set new
expectations for arrival times.

What OIT does in its self organizing behaviors and in the setting of goals reflects the reality of our
current situation in relationship to our service to our Government partners. It does not follow any one
set of best practices dictated by an external organization. We are constantly re-evaluating our activities
in relationship to quality of service, costs, and changing requirements driven by the rapidly changing IT
environments. We use ITIL for long and short term planning purposes, to look at the road ahead and to
remind ourselves of our options. We make decisions based on the reality of our everyday operations.
ITIL guidance works for OIT as it helps put together a map to assist our planning and measurement for
performance. We use ITIL techniques such as change management to structure our processes for
managing activity. ITIL is not a goal in and of itself, it is guidance in methods that we can choose in
arriving at our goals.