Beginning ITIL expert journey

rajbgp

I am thinking of completing the ITIL expert. I have ITIL foundation and now I purchased all the 2011 core books. Before I chose a training provider I am thinking of going through at least one book and one course as self-study to gauge myself. I know that you must get training from a ATP to take the exam.

I will really appreciate if you can share your view of a few things mentioned below.

1.
I intend to complete all 10 exams and will start from life cycle. What should be the best sequence of the course? I am looking to complete all related course (overlapping course) one after another. Is service strategy best starting point?

What will be a best course to start?
&
What are the courses with max. overlap

2.
Though it all depends of person's experience and intellect but on the average how many dedicated study hours per course if needed apart from 21 contact hours required. I see that the syllabus suggests 21+21=42. Your personal experience will be very helpful

3.
This question is about how to self-study the ITIL 2011 books based on syllabus.
Do you study all the books or limit it to only the specific sections mentioned in the syllabus for each chapter?

4.
Once you become ITIL expert how long is the validity of crdential. Do you have to continue to earn PDU to maintain certification?

Claire Agutter

Hi Rajbgp

Here are the answers to your questions - ITIL Expert is a tough journey but also a rewarding one

1) Why do you want to complete all 10 exams? This would normally only be done by delegates who intend to become ITIL trainers.
You can take the courses in any order but we recommend our delegates start with an area of the lifecycle they are familiar with (such as Service Operation). That way your first Intermediate exam is related to processes you already have some experience of, and you can build up your technique and study skills as you approach the tougher exams. Service Strategy and CSI are generally seen as the most challenging lifecycle exams.

You can use the credit profiler to see the course overlap: http://www.itil-officialsite.com/itilservices/v2/map.asp

2) The syllabus guidance is accurate - although if you are studying courses with overlap (e.g. ST and RCV) you may find you need less study time for the second course

3) Up to you! The more reading you do, the better you will understand the whole subject - but you can limit your reading to the syllabus areas and pass the exams

4) There is no expiry or PDU requirement for Expert

Good luck!

Claire

priderock

Is the fee for taking the test (for intermediate levels) same at all testing centers ? Or will it be different at different centers ? I am talking about the test centers in US.

Claire Agutter

Hi Priderock

The fee will vary depending on which Examination Institute provides the exam and may also vary by location. You will usually find the online exams (monitored via webcam) are cheaper than visiting a test centre as the exam provider has lower overheads.

Kind regards

Claire

sdesks

I have yet to find an exam provider who is charging less for an exam delivered online. My experience has shown me that they are priced the same. Can you tell us who is offering lower prices as that would be good info

Claire Agutter

Hi Rick

We use exams from CSME and Loyalist Certification Services. The online exams from Loyalist are a bit cheaper than the CSME ones which are taken in a test centre.

Some Examination Institutes have different prices for different global regions and there are also local taxes to take into consideration. There is lots of choice now and delegates who do their research may be able to save a few dollars.

The full list of examination institutes is here: http://www.itil-officialsite.com/ExaminationInstitutes/ExamInstitutes.aspx

Kind regards

Claire

LenB1967

Is it possible to achieve expert without sitting any classes, or rather entirely through self-study and exam?

Thanks in advance
Len

Claire Agutter

Hi Len

The ITIL Foundation is the only course you are able to self-study for. At the Intermediate level, you have to take an accredited training course. This can be online or in a classroom, but must be delivered by an accredited provider.

You will be required to provide proof of which training course you attended to be able to present for an exam.

Claire