"Implementing ITIL Change and Release Management", by Larry Klosterboer

Larry Klosterboer, author of "Implementing ITIL Change and Release Management" has written the comprehensive overview of managing ITIL based change strategies for IT Operations Managers and Directors.

So why is a psychologist reviewing an IT change management book?

For starters, many of my clients are IT and information systems specialists. Most are going through pain, change and challenges related to keeping up with the rapidly shifting demands of their customers, the adoption of new technology, and of course, the economy.

What makes this book different is it specifically speaks to the change and release methodologies you need to manage these three technology pressures. In particular, this book focuses on issues of Content, (Structure, Strategy, Process, Product) and Roadmap, (Project management, Governance, Implementation, Contingencies). This is both its strength and weakness.

In a recent interview Klosterboer offered these critical words of advice from his book:

5 must-dos

• Engage the organization-- implementing change and release management cannot be done in a corner.
• Establish strong policies so process documents never need to be interpreted on the fly.
• Use tools to automate the process rather than defining a process which fits the tools.
• Train each person for the role they will fill rather than creating generic process training.
• Build reports that people will use.

5 don'ts

• Don't forget to gather and agree on solid requirements before moving on to implementation.
• Don't believe implementation of a tool is the hardest part.
• Don't think you can implement release management without appropriate staffing.
• Don't underestimate the importance of a definitive media library.
• Don't settle for a general, high-level process that nobody really follows.

It’s the very first of these, engaging the organization, that is truly critical, and often overlooked or given not enough attention. Engaging people means getting them to devote their time, talent and trust to supporting your goals.

It's also true that the book deals largely with the Organization level of analysis. To be truly comprehensive change managers need to have a strategy to deal with the Group and Individual dynamics that get stirred up by organizational change.

The various chapters in this book work through the content and roadmap you need to lay out for your organization to get on top of change and release management, using the ITIL structures, but don't provide much detail on how to engage the staff and customers. Add in expertise on the People issues, (Mindsets, Reactions, Engagement, Acceptance, Commitment) or supplement it from elsewhere and the book would be perfect.