Article Highlights
- A Modernized Framework: ITIL 5 focuses on human-centric design, sustainability, and collaboration to address today’s digital challenges.
- New Lifecycle Model: A unified model links discovery, design, delivery, operation, and improvement into one seamless process, replacing isolated phases.
- AI and Agile Integration: Updated guidance on AI governance and alignment with DevOps, PRINCE2, and Agile supports high-velocity delivery.
- Streamlined Certification: A revised qualification scheme aligns certifications with specific roles, offering clear and flexible career paths.
What You Need to Know and How Learning Tree Is Supporting Your Journey
The next evolution of the world’s most widely adopted digital product and service management framework has officially launched. ITIL® 5 represents a significant advancement in how organizations design, deliver, operate, and improve digital products and services. Building on the strengths of prior versions while modernizing the approach for today’s digital ecosystems, ITIL 5 brings updated models, deeper practical guidance, and a clearer, more intuitive learning and certification structure.
Whether you're new to ITIL or already certified, the new version delivers a more comprehensive, integrated, and future-ready foundation for managing technology-enabled services.
A Modern Framework for Today’s Digital Reality
ITIL 5 aligns with the rapid evolution of digital technologies, shifting business models, and changing expectations of customers, employees, and stakeholders. Organizations today must navigate increasing complexity, embrace automation and AI, and continuously adapt to remain competitive. ITIL 5 responds directly to these pressures by offering a modernized, holistic set of guidance for digital product and service management.
This version emphasizes human-centricity, sustainability, collaboration, value co-creation, and adaptability. It integrates concepts from Lean, Agile, DevOps, and AI governance into a unified model that strengthens both strategic alignment and day-to-day operational effectiveness.
What’s New in ITIL 5
ITIL 5 introduces several key enhancements designed to help organizations manage modern digital services more effectively. These updates provide a more cohesive and outcome-driven approach to service management.
A Unified Product and Service Lifecycle
A major enhancement is the new Product and Service Lifecycle Model. This consolidated, end-to-end model brings together all aspects of digital product and service management — from discovery and design to delivery, operation, and continual improvement. It ensures organizations can manage work cohesively rather than in isolated phases or silos.
Stronger Emphasis on Value and Experience
ITIL 5 puts value co-creation at the forefront, helping organizations ensure that digital products and services deliver measurable outcomes that matter. The framework emphasizes the user experience, customer experience, and employee experience, making value management more inclusive and outcome-driven.
Updated Guidance for AI-Enabled Organizations
Many organizations now rely on advanced automation, machine learning, and AI. ITIL 5 introduces updated guidance and a new AI Governance extension to ensure these technologies are used responsibly, ethically, and effectively within the digital product and service lifecycle.
Improved Alignment With Modern Ways of Working
Modern digital teams often operate across multiple frameworks. ITIL 5 offers clearer integration with DevOps, PRINCE2, and Agile practices, enabling organizations to combine stable governance with high-velocity delivery. Instead of replacing these models, ITIL 5 complements them.
The ITIL 5 Qualification Scheme
The ITIL 5 qualification structure has been streamlined and aligned more closely with job roles. It begins with ITIL Foundation (Version 5), which remains the entry point and prerequisite for all core modules except AI Governance. Learners can then pursue advanced designations:
- Practice Manager – Achieved by completing one of the practice-focused module sets plus the Transformation module
- Managing Professional – Earned by completing Product, Service, Experience, and Transformation modules
- Strategic Leader – Awarded upon completion of Strategy and Transformation
- ITIL Master – The highest designation, combining Practice Manager, Managing Professional, and Strategic Leader
This structure enables greater flexibility and clearer pathways for professionals across product management, service management, operations, strategy, and transformation.
Transitioning from ITIL 4 to ITIL 5
The transition from ITIL 4 to ITIL 5 is designed to be smooth and intuitive. ITIL 5 maintains continuity with ITIL 4 by preserving its core concepts, including:
- The ITIL Guiding Principles
- The Four Dimensions of Product and Service Management
- The ITIL Value System
- Continual improvement as a core discipline
What’s new are enhancements that reflect how digital organizations now work: updated lifecycle guidance, expanded practice content, improved integration with other frameworks, and AI-native models. For professionals certified in ITIL 4, the natural next step is completing ITIL 5 Foundation to deepen understanding and align with the updated terminology and structures. From there, learners can explore the updated advanced modules at their own pace.
Key Learning Outcomes of ITIL 5 Foundation
ITIL 5 Foundation equips learners with essential knowledge to thrive in the current digital service environment. This course forms a strong baseline for practitioners, team leads, managers, and leaders who look to build their skills in modern service and product management.
Participants gain the ability to:
- Understand the key concepts of digital product and service management
- Explain service relationships and value co-creation
- Apply the Four Dimensions and the updated ITIL Value System
- Navigate the Product and Service Lifecycle Model
- Understand how AI, DevOps, Agile, and PRINCE2 integrate with ITIL
- Prepare effectively for the ITIL 5 Foundation exam
How Learning Tree Supports the ITIL 5 Journey
Learning Tree aligns fully with the latest PeopleCert requirements and stands ready to help individuals and organizations embrace ITIL 5 with confidence.
Updated Course Materials and Learning Resources
Our instructors and courseware teams have refreshed all learning assets to reflect the new glossary, lifecycle models, and updated syllabus. Learners receive:
- One-year PeopleCert Plus Membership
- Take2 Exam Retake
- One Mock Exam
- Quick reference materials and practice resources
- Exam-aligned content to ensure strong preparedness
Expert-Led Instruction Across Formats
Learning Tree offers ITIL 5 Foundation and advanced modules through multiple modalities, including in-person, virtual, and private team training. Our instructors bring real-world experience and deep understanding of the updated framework to help learners apply concepts immediately.
Support Beyond Certification
We help learners take advantage of PeopleCert Plus benefits such as digital badges, CPD points, masterclasses, templates, and continued learning assets. This keeps skills current and supports long-term professional growth.
Why ITIL 5 Matters Now
Digital enterprises currently operate at a pace and level of complexity that continues to intensify. ITIL 5 offers the structure, flexibility, and clarity needed to succeed in this environment. Its enhanced lifecycle, expanded ecosystem of guidance, and updated certification pathways make it valuable not only to IT service professionals but also to digital product teams, transformation leaders, and operational managers across the business.
Organizations that adopt ITIL 5 can strengthen their digital capabilities, improve customer experiences, integrate AI responsibly, and deliver sustainable value across the full lifecycle of products and services.
Start Your ITIL 5 Journey With Learning Tree
Learning Tree is ready to partner with you as you navigate this exciting new evolution in digital service management. Explore our ITIL 5 Foundation course, upcoming advanced modules, and organizational training solutions to build the capabilities your teams need for the future.
Ready to embrace the future of service management and align your skills with the latest industry standards?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is new in ITIL 5?
ITIL 5 introduces a unified product and service lifecycle model, a stronger emphasis on value and experience, updated guidance for AI governance, and improved alignment with modern frameworks like Agile and DevOps.
How does the ITIL 5 certification scheme work?
The new scheme begins with ITIL Foundation (Version 5) and offers role-aligned advanced designations such as Practice Manager, Managing Professional, and Strategic Leader, providing clearer and more flexible career pathways.
How do I transition from ITIL 4 to ITIL 5?
The transition is designed to be smooth, as ITIL 5 preserves the core concepts of ITIL 4. The recommended first step for certified professionals is completing the ITIL 5 Foundation course to align with the updated terminology and structures.
Does ITIL 5 replace frameworks like Agile or DevOps?
No, ITIL 5 does not replace these frameworks. Instead, it complements them by offering clearer integration with DevOps, PRINCE2, and Agile practices, which allows organizations to combine stable governance with high-velocity delivery.
