ITIL intermediate Certification exams

The ITIL Intermediate certifications are part of the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) certification scheme, which is widely recognized for IT service management (ITSM). 

These certifications are designed for IT professionals who want to deepen their understanding of specific ITIL processes and roles.

Here’s an overview:

Structure of ITIL Intermediate Certifications

ITIL Intermediate modules are split into two categories:

1. Lifecycle Modules – Focused on the ITIL Service Lifecycle.

2. Capability Modules – Focused on specific ITIL processes and practices.

1. Lifecycle Modules

These modules are suited for professionals who want to manage and coordinate the ITIL processes at a higher, strategic level. The five lifecycle modules are:

• Service Strategy (SS): Covers the principles and processes for designing and implementing service strategies.

• Service Design (SD): Focuses on designing IT services aligned with organizational objectives.

• Service Transition (ST): Explains transitioning services into live operations.

• Service Operation (SO): Focuses on delivering and supporting operational IT services.

• Continual Service Improvement (CSI): Covers ongoing improvement of IT services.

2. Capability Modules

These are process-oriented and more detailed, ideal for professionals who want to specialize in execution and management of ITIL processes. The four modules are:

• Operational Support and Analysis (OSA): Includes processes like incident, problem, event management, and access management.

• Planning, Protection, and Optimization (PPO): Covers capacity, availability, IT service continuity, and information security management.

• Release, Control, and Validation (RCV): Focuses on release management, change management, and validation processes.

• Service Offerings and Agreements (SOA): Deals with service portfolio management, service level agreements, and supplier management.

Key Points

• Prerequisite: You must hold the ITIL Foundation certification to take any Intermediate module.

• Credits: Each Intermediate module earns a set number of credits. You need 17 credits to qualify for the ITIL Expert certification (including Foundation credits).

• Exam Format: Multiple-choice, scenario-based questions. Exams are typically closed book.

• Focus Areas: Lifecycle modules emphasize the overall IT lifecycle, while capability modules target specific processes.

Transition to ITIL 4

With the release of ITIL 4, the certification path has changed. However, ITIL Intermediate certifications are still valid and recognized. 

Many professionals with ITIL Intermediate credentials have transitioned to ITIL 4 via the Managing Professional (MP) transition module.