ITIL® Managing across the lifecycle (MALC) Webinar for ATOs 27th January 2012 14:00‐16:00 GMT
MALC Webinar for ATOs
The new version of MALC will be launched 1st May 2012 It is significantly different to the current version
About the Webinar Purpose •
To provide an overview of the new version of MALC
•
To provide details of the new syllabus, the new exam structure, and specific information for ATOs
•
To provide an opportunity for questions & answers (Q&A)
Structure of Webinar •
Up to 2 hours: Presentation – approximately 1 hour Q & A – up to 1 hour
•
Split into five sections, with Q&A at the end
Structure of the Webinar - Agenda Approx. timing
Topic
10 mins
MALC Review Process
10 mins
Key Changes
20 mins
MALC Syllabus
15 mins
Key Points for ATOs
5 mins
Implementation Schedule & Release Process
Up to 1 hour
Questions & Answers
Maggie Kneller – Project Manager MALC Review • Experienced project manager • ITIL® examiner since 1995 • Member of ITIL ® Service Strategy & PPO exam panels • Author ‘Executive Guide to ITIL ®’ • 30 years as an IT practitioner and manager • Independent IT and business consultant
Background MALC Review
MALC Review Project Background Reason for the MALC Review • • •
Part of the Accreditor’s continual improvement activity To respond to feedback and some issues with exam results To take the opportunity to review syllabus and exam format alongside ITIL® updates
Scope • • •
To check whether original intent was still relevant and whether it was being achieved To review syllabus and exam format taking into account feedback from stakeholders To incorporate ITIL 2011® updates
MALC Review Project Team - SAB Syllabus Advisory Board
Project Board
Project Manager
Maggie Kneller
ATO Representatives
Neil Broadhead Ian Clark David Nichols
David Nyman Roger Purdie
E.I. Representatives
Jan Dirkx (EXIN) Mark Flynn (APMG‐Intl)
Andie Shih (LCS) Renate Eberle (TŰV SŰD)
ITIL Exam Panel Representatives
Aslak Ege Tricia Lewin
Vernon Lloyd Ivor Macfarlane
itSMF I Representatives
Rosemary Gurney
Ulf Myrberg
Project Board
Sharon Taylor Anthony Orr
Richard Pharro Victoria Bundy
MALC Review Process – Phase 1 Phase 1 – initiation & surveys MALC Intent
Survey ATOs, trainers, students
Questionnaires were developed by the SAB For students: who had taken MALC exam For their sponsors For trainers: accredited to deliver MALC For ATOs Surveys were published in English, German and Japanese
Survey Topics •
The questionnaires covered the following topics / areas: •
Demographic information
•
The MALC purpose
•
Syllabus topics and structure
•
Syllabus quality
•
Exam format and exam question format
•
Exam quality
•
Method of Assessment
•
MALC training courses
•
Overall satisfaction
•
Suggestions for Improving MALC
Survey Results – Who responded Language in which survey taken
455 responses were received
200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
No.
English
German
Japanese
Total
ATOs
33
3
3
39
Trainers
52
5
2
59
Students
321
20
12
353
Sponsors
4
‐
‐
4
Sponsors ATOs Trainers Students
Apart from sponsor responses, the responses were significant in terms of the populations they represent.
Survey Comments – ‘Suggestions for Improvement’
Top five suggestions: 1. More focus on management of services across the lifecycle 2. More focus on practical real‐world courses / content 3. Clearer syllabus, better structure, focus on main points, fewer topics, a clear thread, not ad‐hoc unrelated topics 4. Better worded questions, relying on understanding rather than memory 5. Not a repeat of material from (other) intermediates
MALC Review Process – Phase 2 Phase 1 – initiation & surveys MALC Intent
Survey ATOs, trainers, students
Phase 2 – review / decision Analysis
Findings & Recommendations
Analysis of the survey results were documented and summarized as FINDINGS A set of RECOMMENDATIONS were made, based on the findings and following consultation with stakeholders The recommendations were approved by the Qualifications Board in July 2011
Findings – Key Points The main finding was that what people wanted was what had always been intended. •
Seen as different from (other) intermediate qualifications:
a higher level, and bringing the whole service lifecycle together
•
Focused at a strategic / managerial level
•
With a cross-lifecycle perspective
•
Focusing on the service lifecycle from two perspectives: i. ii.
Managing services and service components across the lifecycle Managing the practice of service management across the lifecycle
•
Well structured, clear, easy to understand
•
Balanced curriculum, not a repeat of material from intermediates
•
With the MALC intent providing a clear thread running through the syllabus
Findings – Key Points We concluded that part of the reason MALC hadn’t quite delivered all of this may have been the constraint of having to use the same format and style as other intermediate qualifications.
This had led to misperceptions.
The difference between the (other) intermediate qualifications and MALC wasn’t visible enough, and in some cases had led to courses which :
Had insufficient managerial focus
Were more theoretical and less practical
Lacked enough relevance to real-life situations
Did not bring together the service lifecycle in the way intended
MALC Intent The intent of the ITIL® Managing across the Lifecycle (MALC) qualification is to give candidates skills that can be used in the workplace in a tangible way to support an organization’s service delivery by bridging the service lifecycle stages. The qualification demonstrates that candidates have learned the value of one combined service management practice as opposed to separate subject areas. ITIL® processes and practices, as learnt from the lifecycle and capability streams of the intermediate certificates, are put into a context of delivering this value. The learning outcomes are intended to evolve a candidate's ITIL® content knowledge towards its applied use and integration in a workplace environment. Testing and validation of knowledge take place at Bloom's taxonomy level 4 (analysing) and level 5 (evaluating), reflecting the focus on integration compared with the ITIL® intermediate qualifications. While MALC encompasses the broadest perspectives of service management skills, for example related to project management and application design, it is not intended to teach these practices, rather to refer to them as contexts for ITIL® application. A high‐level understanding of these is still expected. This qualification focuses on strategizing, planning, using and measuring ITIL® practices in an integrated functioning model: How the service lifecycle stages form an integrated whole – Process integration and interfaces – Shared data / information / knowledge The qualification prepares candidates to work in established service management roles, as well as implement and improve service management practices. As such it is intended for both practitioners moving to managerial levels, and consultants supporting service management organizations. MALC is also mandatory and the final qualification needed to receive the ITIL® Expert certificate.
Recommendations One of the recommendations was to differentiate MALC visibly from the intermediate qualifications, emphasizing:
MALC is harder
MALC is a level up
MALC is focused on practical skills transferable to the workplace
MALC focuses across the lifecycle
MALC is high value and delivers a prestigious qualification in ITIL® Expert
Recommendations One of the recommendations was to differentiate MALC visibly from the intermediate qualifications, emphasizing:
MALC is harder
MALC is a level up
MALC is focused on practical skills transferable to the workplace
MALC focuses across the lifecycle
MALC is high value and delivers a prestigious qualification in ITIL® Expert
The recommendations will be covered in the following sections – all the recommendations were approved by the Qualifications Board, and have been taken forward for implementation.
MALC Review Process – Phase 3 Phase 1 – initiation & surveys MALC Intent
Survey ATOs, trainers, students
Phase 3 –implementation
Phase 2 – review / decision Analysis
Findings & Recommendations
Criteria for deliverables
Recommendations were turned into CRITERIA for deliverables
Phase 3 – Delivery team
Official ITIL Accreditor
Victoria Bundy
Exam Panel Working Group (EPWG)
Aslak Ege Lou Hunnebeck Maggie Kneller Shirley Lacy Tricia Lewin
Peter Lijnse Vernon Lloyd Ivor Macfarlane Stuart Rance (QA) Richard Stone
MALC Review Process Phase 1 – initiation & surveys MALC Intent
Survey ATOs, trainers, students
Phase 3 –implementation
Phase 2 – review / decision Analysis
Findings & Recommendations
Criteria for deliverables
Syllabus 2 x sample exams
ITIL® 2011
Live exams
Case Study
Phase 3 deliverables: Syllabus, Case Study, Examinations
MALC Review Process Two pilot tests were conducted during development of sample examinations. They provided extremely helpful feedback which was incorporated into the case study and exams. Phase 3 –implementation Syllabus 2 x sample exams Case Study 2 Pilot Tests
Live exams
MALC Review Process Phase 1 – initiation & surveys MALC Intent
Survey ATOs, trainers, students
Phase 3 –implementation
Phase 2 – review / decision Analysis
Findings & Recommendations
Criteria for deliverables
Syllabus 2 x sample exams
ITIL® 2011 Case Study
Live exams
MALC 2011 Key Changes
Key Changes What hasn’t changed:
The intent
The examination style – graded multiple choice questions, closed-book
What has changed:
Emphasis of the intent
Not intermediate
Strategic, managerial, cross-lifecycle focus
Bloom’s level
Examination structure
Case study based examination
Practical case study-based training course
ITIL® 2011
Emphasis of the Intent MALC is a higher level than foundation and intermediate examinations. The updated syllabus emphasizes that MALC has a managerial and strategic focus.
The updated syllabus emphasizes the cross-lifecycle focus – from the two perspectives of: Managing services across the service lifecycle, and Managing the practice of service management across the service lifecycle
MALC is no longer to be considered an intermediate examination / qualification. Instead it is to be referred to simply as ‘ITIL® Managing across the Lifecycle’ (MALC).
Not ‘Intermediate’
ITIL®
5
© The Official ITIL Accreditor 2012
Bloom’s Level The previous version of MALC had examination questions up to Bloom’s level 4. The new version of MALC has questions up to Bloom’s level 5. All learning units in the updated syllabus are up to Bloom’s level 5. In each examination paper there will be at least 2 questions at Bloom’s level 4, with the remaining questions at Bloom’s level 5. There will be no questions at Bloom’s level 3 or below.
Bloom’s Level 4 and 5 Level 4 The ANALYSING level The candidate is able to break down a communication (rendered in any form) into constituent parts in order to make the organization and significance of the whole clear. Breaking down, discriminating, diagramming, detecting, differentiating and illustrating are important tasks at this level and can be seen to include the previous levels of knowing, comprehending and applying. Here the significance of the constituent parts of an entity are examined in order to understand the whole more fully.
Level 5 The EVALUATING level The candidate is able to make a judgement based on criteria and standards and detect inconsistencies or fallacies within a process or product. The candidate is able to determine whether a product has internal consistency or external consistency and can detect errors. The candidate can judge the appropriateness of a procedure for a given problem. Examination questions at this level would include scenarios involving checking, co-ordinating, detecting, monitoring, testing and making judgements. This level of learning includes the first four levels – knowing, comprehending, applying and analysing. This level of learning is probably the most intense and exciting for the candidate.
Examination Structure The examination duration has been increased to two (2) hours. The number of questions on each examination paper has been increased to ten (10). This is intended to allow better coverage of the syllabus and to provide a better test of competence against the syllabus. It also provides clear differentiation against the intermediate examinations. The candidate will be expected to attempt all ten questions within the time allowed. The amount of extra time for students taking the examination in a language which is not their mother tongue nor a business language of their country will remain at 30 minutes.
Examination Structure (continued) The pass mark for the examination will be 35 out of 50 (70%).
There will be a mixture of easy, moderate and hard questions on each examination paper.
There will be at least as many easy as hard questions.
The target pass rate remains at 70%.
Case Study-based Examination The examination will be based upon a case study. The case study will be in a separate paper to the examination question paper. There will be no separate ‘scenario’ paper. Instead, the question paper will include context-setting question-specific scenario information. It should be noted that the context-setting question-specific scenario information is for the specific question ONLY. On each examination paper, there will be up to two (2) questions which will NOT be related to the case study – i.e. 0, 1 or 2 questions which are more generic and which will clearly state this.
Case Study-based Examination Case Study 1 has been published. This will be used for both sample and live examinations. The ATOs will need to introduce the case study to students as part of the mock examination (learning unit MALC08). It is important that candidates are given sufficient time to become familiar with the case study before their live examination.
ATOs may also choose to use this case study for other parts of their training course, however this is not mandated. ATOs may develop & use their own case studies within their courses.
(more about the case study later)
Practical Case Study-based Training Course The syllabus requires that courses make use of one or more case studies (of the ATO’s choosing) and exercises to enhance the reinforcement of the learning objectives by providing practical real-life context.
‘Meeting the learning objectives of this syllabus requires interactive discussion and the use of practical exercises during the delivery of an accredited course’
ITIL® 2011 The updated MALC also incorporates ITIL® 2011.
The 2011 edition of the core guidance books has undergone fairly significant restructuring. The content and publication references of each syllabus learning unit have been updated to reflect the 2011 edition of the publications.
MALC 2011 Syllabus
Syllabus – Overall structure MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
3 hrs 2 hrs 6 hrs 6 hrs 3.5 hrs 2.5 hrs 4.5 hrs 2.5 hrs
Syllabus – Overall structure MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
Learning Unit
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
Topic
MALC07
MALC08
Bloom’s Level
Contact Time
MALC01
Key concepts of the service lifecycle
5
3 hours
MALC02
Communication & stakeholder management
5
2 hours
MALC03
Integrating SM processes across the service lifecycle
5
6 hours
MALC04
Managing service across the service lifecycle
5
6 hours
MALC05
Governance and organization
5
3.5 hours
MALC06
Measurement
5
2.5 hours
MALC07
Implementing & improving SM capability
5
4.5 hours
MALC08
Exam preparation & directed studies
2.5 hours
Learning unit 1 - MALC01 Key concepts of the service lifecycle MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit represents a brief re-cap of key concepts in the service lifecycle, looked at from a strategic and managerial perspective, as an introduction and foundation for the rest of the syllabus. This unit considers both the perspective of integrating service management processes across the lifecycle, and the perspective of managing services across the lifecycle.
Learning unit 1 - MALC01 Key concepts of the service lifecycle MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit represents a brief re-cap of key concepts in the service lifecycle, looked at from a strategic and managerial perspective, as an introduction and foundation for the rest of the syllabus. This unit considers both the perspective of integrating service management processes across the lifecycle, and the perspective of managing services across the lifecycle.
•
Managing services and service management
•
The service lifecycle
•
Service value across the different stages of the service lifecycle
•
Other key concepts
Learning unit 2 - MALC02 Communication and stakeholder management MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit covers the value of good communication and ensuring its flow across the service lifecycle. It also addresses the effective co-ordination of interaction with both the business and suppliers as key stakeholders.
Learning unit 2 - MALC02 Communication and stakeholder management MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit covers the value of good communication and ensuring its flow across the service lifecycle. It also addresses the effective co-ordination of interaction with both the business and suppliers as key stakeholders.
•
Co-ordination of business relationship management (BRM) across the service lifecycle, and the role of BRM in communication
•
Stakeholder management and communication
•
The value of good communication and ensuring its flow across the service lifecycle
Learning unit 3 - MALC03 Integrating SM processes across the service lifecycle MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit addresses how to build service management capabilities in order that services flow through the service lifecycle. It includes interfaces between key processes and lifecycle stages.
Learning unit 3 - MALC03 Integrating SM processes across the service lifecycle MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit addresses how to build service management capabilities in order that services flow through the service lifecycle. It includes interfaces between key processes and lifecycle stages.
•
The integration of service management processes through the service lifecycle
•
The impact of service strategy on other service lifecycle stages
•
The value of a service lifecycle perspective when designing service solutions
•
The inputs and outputs of processes and stages in the service lifecycle
•
The value to business and the interfaces of all processes in the ITIL service lifecycle
Learning unit 4 - MALC04 Managing services across the service lifecycle MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit takes a high-level, holistic view of service management, from the perspective of managing services and service components through the service lifecycle. It focuses on capturing customer and stakeholder needs, measuring service value to ensure that needs are met, and balancing potential conflicts and competing issues with regards to challenges, critical success factors and risks.
Learning unit 4 - MALC04 Managing services across the service lifecycle MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit takes a high-level, holistic view of service management, from the perspective of managing services and service components through the service lifecycle. It focuses on capturing customer and stakeholder needs, measuring service value to ensure that needs are met, and balancing potential conflicts and competing issues with regards to challenges, critical success factors and risks. • • • • •
Identification and assessment of customer and stakeholder needs and requirements across all lifecycle stages, and ensuring appropriate priority is given to them How the service design package provides a link between service design, service transition and service operation Managing cross-lifecycle processes to ensure appropriate impact and involvement at all required service lifecycle stages Implementing and improving services, using key sources of information for identifying the need for improvement The challenges, critical success factors and risks of the service lifecycle stages, and potential conflicts and competing issues across the service lifecycle
Learning unit 5 - MALC05 Governance and organization MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit concentrates on governance and the organizational structure required for successful management and delivery of IT services across the service lifecycle. Starting with the need for governance, it covers the people skills and competencies, the types of service providers and organizational structures.
Learning unit 5 - MALC05 Governance and organization MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit concentrates on governance and the organizational structure required for successful management and delivery of IT services across the service lifecycle. Starting with the need for governance, it covers the people skills and competencies, the types of service providers and organizational structures.
•
Governance
•
Organizational structure, skills and competence
•
Service provider types and service strategies
Learning unit 6 - MALC06 Measurement MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit focuses on the types of measurements that can be used to support the monitoring of service management activities and IT services throughout the service lifecycle.
Learning unit 6 - MALC06 Measurement MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit focuses on the types of measurements that can be used to support the monitoring of service management activities and IT services throughout the service lifecycle.
•
Measuring and demonstrating business value
•
Determining and using metrics
•
Design and development of measurement frameworks and methods
•
Monitoring and control systems
•
Use of event management tools to increase visibility of the infrastructure and IT service delivery
Learning unit 7 - MALC07 Implementing and improving service management capability MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit covers various techniques for implementing service management capability and for assessing service management maturity and performance, to enable effective service management improvement. It also addresses how organizational change can be best achieved.
Learning unit 7 - MALC07 Implementing and improving service management capability MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This learning unit covers various techniques for implementing service management capability and for assessing service management maturity and performance, to enable effective service management improvement. It also addresses how organizational change can be best achieved.
•
Implementing service management
•
Assessing service management
•
Improving service management
•
Key considerations for the implementation and improvement of both the service management practice and the services themselves
•
Key considerations when planning and implementing service management technologies
Learning unit 8 - MALC08 Mock Exam MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
MALC07
MALC08
This unit summarizes the material covered in the previous units and prepared candidates for the examination. It is likely that most course providers will wish to offer, and review, at least one mock examination opportunity, and it is important that candidates have an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the case study which will be used for the examination.
Syllabus – Overall structure MALC01
MALC02
MALC03
Learning Unit
MALC04
MALC05
MALC06
Topic
MALC07
MALC08
Bloom’s Level
Contact Time
MALC01
Key concepts of the service lifecycle
5
3 hours
MALC02
Communication & stakeholder management
5
2 hours
MALC03
Integrating SM processes across the service lifecycle
5
6 hours
MALC04
Managing service across the service lifecycle
5
6 hours
MALC05
Governance and organization
5
3.5 hours
MALC06
Measurement
5
2.5 hours
MALC07
Implementing & improving SM capability
5
4.5 hours
MALC08
Exam preparation & directed studies
2.5 hours
MALC 2011 Key Points for ATOs
Key Points for ATOs
Pre-requisite knowledge for students
Points to note when preparing training courses
Case Study
Bloom’s level 5
Exam logistics
Pre-requisite knowledge for students Candidates are expected to know the theory and understand the concepts within the foundation syllabus. Candidates also need to be familiar with and understand concepts behind the terms within the terminology list in the MALC syllabus. Foundation level knowledge and intermediate level capability are pre-requisite requirements. MALC students will have already attended training and passed several intermediate examinations. They should have a broad knowledge of ITIL at Bloom’s level 4, albeit relating to individual service lifecycle stages and capabilities. ATOs might direct students to use pre-course study time (at least 28 hours) to revise any areas needing revision and to fill any gaps in their knowledge. Students should be responsible for filling gaps of knowledge or understanding.
Pre-requisite knowledge for students MALC training does not need to ‘cover old ground’. Content from the foundation course does not need to be re-taught. ATOs may focus any ‘revision’ training towards the specific needs of its students. If ATOs include a revision session, it would be helpful to look at the topics: From a managerial perspective From a strategic perspective In a cross-lifecycle context In the context of a practical setting, such as a case study
Points to note when preparing training courses Some book references are duplicated across the syllabus, appearing in several learning units. This is intentional, and emphasizes the point that the course should not be constructed from the words in the core books, and is not about ITIL® theory per se. It is important that courses are not constructed from book references with text transferred straight from the core books onto slides. Courses need to be designed to put the correct theory into a practical cross-lifecycle setting, at Bloom’s level 5. The qualification is about managing IT services and IT service management practices across the service lifecycle, which means applying, analysing and evaluating information found in the books, in a practical setting.
Points to note when preparing training courses The syllabus requires that courses make use of one or more case studies (of the ATO’s choosing) and exercises to enhance the reinforcement of the learning objectives by providing practical real-life context.
‘Meeting the learning objectives of this syllabus requires interactive discussion and the use of practical exercises during the delivery of an accredited course’
Case Study 1 has been published. This will be used for both sample and live examinations. ATOs may choose to use this case study within their training course. Alternatively ATOs may develop & use their own case studies within their courses.
Case Study The case study outlines a situation in an organization where ITIL® is being adopted across some, but not all processes and lifecycle stages. The case study necessarily does not give full information about everything in the organization. For example, some processes might not be mentioned, but it is not to be assumed that these processes do not exist. They may exist, they may not. If it is important to any question, then the matter will be made clear in the question-specific scenario. The absence of a mention of anything in the case study does not mean it does not exist. Candidates should not make assumptions based on the absence of something in the case study. Facts required to answer questions will be explicitly included in either the case study or the question-specific scenario.
Case Study ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE DIAGRAM
CEO
Shared services
Marketing
Security
IT department
HR department
CIO
HR manager
IT strategy unit (including planning & finance)
Applications unit (including design, procurement, development, maintenance, support)
Retail banking
Industry liaison
Customer delivery
Finance department
Facilities department
CFO
Facilities manager
Service implementation unit
Operations management unit
(including change management)
(including ops. control centre, service desk, incident mgt., problem mgt., technical mgt.)
Financial products
Global banking
Divisions
Departments
Heads of Department
Service quality unit (including service improvement manager)
Units
Case Study - Example ‘Service operation The service desk function and the incident management process are well‐established and effective. Problem management tends to be reactive rather than proactive. Business questions (how‐to questions) are handled by separate business support teams within each of the main business divisions. There is a process to manage service requests which is supported by service request software to enable direct ordering of certain service catalogue items by business users. There is a central operations control centre in the HQ country which controls the operations of both applications and IT infrastructure (apart from certain management activities for the branch IT infrastructure, which are carried out locally by the branches themselves). Traditionally the operations management unit staff have focused on IT service operation stage activities and have not been involved with service design stage or service transition stage activities. While the plan is to integrate IT from the acquired businesses into the bank wherever possible, there have been difficulties in integrating the staff, IT and the acquired companies with the existing bank staff and structure. This has resulted in management focusing more attention on IT operations’.
Case Study There will be either 2, 1 or 0 questions in each paper which do not use the case study. Non- case study questions will usually appear at the end of the exam paper – but this might not always be the case. ATOs might want to discuss this point with candidates. Some candidates might prefer to leave the non-case study questions until the end, in order to focus attention on the case study for a continuous period.
Context setting ‘scenario’ information within each question is for that question only. Each question is separate in this respect. Information within one question must not be assumed for any other question.
Bloom’s Level 5 The MALC exam will not contain Bloom’s level 1, 2 or 3 questions The MALC examination will not test memorized text or expect exact recall of detail in the books The examination will expect sufficient understanding of the meaning to use correctly within a Bloom’s level 4 & 5 context Students will be required to understand, apply, evaluate and judge the concepts in the books, in a practical context. When information from the books is presented (in whatever form, and whatever context, not necessarily using the words in the book), it is expected that it be accurately recognized in context, and discerned, used, analysed, judged, evaluated......
Bloom’s level 5 questions Level 5 The EVALUATING level The candidate is able to make a judgement based on criteria and standards and detect inconsistencies or fallacies within a process or product. The candidate is able to determine whether a product has internal consistency or external consistency and can detect errors. The candidate can judge the appropriateness of a procedure for a given problem. Examination questions at this level would include scenarios involving checking, co-ordinating, detecting, monitoring, testing and making judgements. This level of learning includes the first four levels – knowing, comprehending, applying and analysing. This level of learning is probably the most intense and exciting for the candidate. Bloom’s level 5 questions require evaluation of answer options using information and inference in ITIL®, in the case study, the question-specific scenario and the question. Bloom’s level 5 questions also require judgement. Part of that judgement is to determine, for each question, an appropriate method of evaluating the answer options. Although the sample paper rationales give various methods to assist in evaluation, the method does depend on the question and the information available. The candidate will need to judge for themselves the best method on a question-by-question basis.
Bloom’s level 5 questions Candidates will need to refer to the case study when answering questions. Although the strength of linkage to the case study varies between questions, it is important for candidates to refer to the case study when answering questions. Bloom’s level 5 questions are likely to require: evaluation of information in the case study in the context of the question judgement as to which aspects of the case study are relevant to the question evaluation of the answer options in the context of the case study
Part of the judgement is determining the most appropriate method for evaluating the answer options for each question, including how to evaluate against the case study. Without adequate reference to the case study, an experienced candidate would be likely to choose the wrong answer. This was borne out in the pilot tests. Without adequate reference to the case study, a candidate could be adopting an approach to answering the question which is Bloom’s level 3 or below, and choose an incorrect answer.
Bloom’s level 5 questions Bloom’s level 5 questions typically involve: Making some sort of judgement or evaluation of answer options, using ITIL® knowledge and understanding in the context of the case study and the questionspecific scenario Typical Bloom’s level 5 questions might include: Deciding between 4 answer options which are all pretty good Deciding between 4 answer options none of which is ideal Making a judgement between answer options when the supporting information upon which one might wish to base the decision is incomplete – or when there are constraints or other factors which might make the ideal theoretical answer wrong in the circumstances There are unlikely to be ‘silver bullets’ in terms of ‘question answering strategies ‘ each question might require a slightly different approach.
Bloom’s level 5 questions - example (Sample Paper 1, Question 6) ‘Please refer to the case study Each time a new acquisition is undertaken the bank has difficulty integrating the people, processes and IT services into the existing organization. Some of the issues experienced are listed below: Some systems from the acquired companies have been retired before it was clear how this work would be managed in legacy systems. On other occasions two or even three systems have been retained, even though they all perform the same work. These decisions seem to be driven at the business departmental level, without significant involvement of business leadership. Designs of merged IT services have not fully taken operational realities into consideration. Transitions have been executed in a rushed manner, focusing primarily on service functionality. As a result, training for support staff and users has been neglected, and there is insufficient knowledge documentation for the services. This has led to operational issues. Required technology and service metrics are not being collected to enable the services to be managed effectively. You are the manager of the newly formed service management office (SMO). You believe that many of the issues that have been experienced can be traced back to poor integration between the stages of the service lifecycle. You undertake a review to determine if each lifecycle stage is providing the right outputs to be inputs into other stages. Based on your review, you will identify the highest priority items to be addressed in a first set of improvements. Other items, though they may be highly desirable, will be addressed in future improvement cycles. Which one of the following options represents the BEST set of outputs/inputs to be addressed as high priority items for the bank in this first improvement cycle?’
Exam logistics The exam takes 2 hours, therefore longer will be required for the mock and live exam at the end of the course. The candidates will also need sufficient time to become familiar with the case study. If this case study is not used within the training course, students will need time to study it before they take their mock exam. This could be done partly as ‘homework’, and does not need to be within the ‘contact time’. Whether taking the examination using hard copy or on-line, it is expected that E.I.s should provide a clean hard copy of the case study for the candidates to refer to during the exam.
MALC 2011 Implementation Schedule & Release Process
Key Dates
Deliverables
Who
Syllabus issued to EIs for their ATOs
November 2011
Syllabus release notes issued
December 2011
Sample papers and Case Study issued to EIs for their ATOs
Mid January 2012
MALC Webinar for ATOs
End January 2012
New MALC Qualification launched
1 May 2012
MALC 2007 withdrawn from the market
1 September 2012
Key Dates (other languages)
Deliverables
Who
Syllabus issued to EIs for their ATOs
November 2011
Syllabus release notes issued
December 2011
Sample papers and Case Study issued to EIs for their ATOs
Mid January 2012
MALC Webinar for ATOs
End January 2012
New MALC Qualification launched
1 May 2012
MALC 2007 withdrawn from the market
1 September 2012
The exams will be translated into German and Japanese. Further translation of MALC materials into other languages will be dependent on market requirements.
Release Plan Two sample papers and one case study (Case Study 1) have been released. All examination papers (sample and live) will be based on Case Study 1. Live papers will be released to E.I.s and will be subject to the normal security and confidentiality requirements. Apart from any emergency releases of any component to fix problems, it is not anticipated that an update will be made to any component for a while as the goal is a long-term stable set of products which do not change frequently.
Issue Log An issue log has been made available for ATOs to record any issues and queries with the MALC syllabus, the case study and the sample examinations. The issue log will allow ATOs to see any issues which have already been raised, and the action to be taken. The issue log can be found here: http://wiki.apmgroup.co.uk/wiki/display/ISSUELOG/Home All issues will be answered, and high priority issues will be rectified quickly, lower priority issues will be corrected at the next scheduled release. Issues which have been raised with the syllabus so far: – –
The reference in the syllabus section MALC 03, Request Fulfilment, will be corrected from SO 4.3.6.4 to 4.3.6.3 at the next release of the syllabus. The term 'return on value' in MALC 07 will be changed to 'value on investment' at the next release of the syllabus.
We would encourage ATOs to raise any issues and queries they may have via this issue log.
Accreditation guidance Re-assessment of training material will be required.
It is anticipated that E.I.s will allow existing accredited MALC ATOs to start running MALC 2011 training courses as soon as they have submitted their updated training material for assessment.
ATOs who were not accredited for MALC will need to become formally accredited before they can offer accredited training against the new version, or put candidates forward for the new version of the examination.
Exam Quality ™ As with all ITIL examination products, following launch of the live exams, there will be a period during which the examination results will be monitored closely, in order to ensure they are appropriate and consistent with expectations. Any issues will be addressed as part of early life support.
™ Examination results will be reviewed periodically thereafter to ensure the overall set of papers are producing consistent results in line with expectations. MALC examination products will undergo continual improvement reviews like all other ITIL products.
Further Information
MALC Review Questionnaires:
Survey results: Summary of Survey Feedback
Findings & Agreed Recommendations
Communications & FAQs
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http://www.itil‐officialsite.com/Qualifications/MALCSyllabusReviewProject.aspx http://www.itil‐officialsite.com/Qualifications/MALCReviewFAQs.aspx http://www.itil‐officialsite.com/Qualifications/MALCSyllabusReviewProgressUpdate.aspx http://www.itil‐officialsite.com/Qualifications/MALCReviewStakeholderSurveys.aspx
MALC Qualification Syllabus
MALC General Release Notes
MALC Case Study 1
Sample Examination Papers 1 and 2
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