ITIL in our lives
-Posted by Ravindran A Varier
It was just another day when I woke and found that I was not feeling well. I opened my Medicine compartment and started rummaging through the things there (I couldn’t help wondering how mp3 players and Power Adaptors manage their way into medicine compartments). Then I took out medicines relating to each of my ailment. I took an anti-inflammatory pill for my back pain; a pain killer to kill the pain; some paracetamol to bring my fever down; an erythromycin for my throat ache, etc. And it was then that I found a gelusil staring helplessly at me. Even my ego was hurt that I was leaving one pill free. I felt bad for the poor thing and obliged it by popping it into my mouth. J
I can surely say that after I wrote my previous blog on ITIL v3 Foundation Test Experience, I was a bit ‘laid back’. That does make a lot of sense literally too J as I was advised to lie on my back for a few months. A sudden surge in my persistent back pain forced me to consult a surgeon (who half – looked one with a wireless hands free clamped to his ears, etc…!). Subsequent MRI scans and revisits to the surgeon confirmed that a few of the discs in my back had slipped (These discs come in standard sizes and hate relocations…) Thus started my experience of working as a ‘differently abled or diffidently disabled’!
In the last few months of working from home and simultaneously undergoing treatment, I learnt a few things which I hope will help me at work. Hence I thought I would share it with you all.
Initially, the surgeon had many doubts regarding what could be causing this back pain. So he came up with a point – by – point analysis and suggested some tests and scans. Once he was sure that I have problems with my discs, he designed a treatment pattern which included a certain period of bed rest, some pain killers, some physiotherapy and garnished it with regular exercise towards the end. This is what I termed as his Service Design Package.
Now started the transition phase from an ailing patient to a recovered soul! I was strictly under observation and was advised strict bed rest for the maximum part of the day. And all that was planned for in the design phase was executed gradually. Initial few days were a combination of rest and medicines to bring the pain and inflammation down. After a few days and after perhaps repeated complaints from me that I am getting bored, the doctor said that we can start physiotherapy. After every new phase of treatment, I was asked to meet him and talk about the change in my pain. A possible case of Change Management!
After a prolonged period of physiotherapy, it was time for the garnishing! – Exercises for the back. And then there were long series of advice sessions of how to take care of my back to avoid complications in future. While the surgeon continued with his ramblings, I was thinking that probably the surgeon was preparing for Release & Deployment Management J
So, presently, I am in operation! I am travelling down to office everyday with a jazzy belt strapped to my back. Perhaps what I could understand now is that Service Operation and Continual Service Improvement at times go hand in hand. They needn’t be independent processes. This is primarily because Service performance report can be generated while the service is in operation and improvements can be simultaneously carried out.
Personally speaking, working from home all along this period was also a different experience. Of course – no ITIL studies involved there! J But as it is always said – Grass is always greener on the other side, when I was working from home, I was frustrated that I couldn’t move much, meet people, catch up with friends, say Hi to the Pub where I used to go regularly! But then the advantages were that I could devote a lot of time for work. There were many days when I used to start work at 7:30 AM and go on till 11 in the night (I know that my manager will read this!) J
Finally, I learnt that there is some bit of ITIL v3 in every aspect of our lives. J
