5.6.2. Continual Improvement in the Value System
💡 First Principle: Continual improvement isn't a separate department — it's woven through the entire Value System and is everyone's responsibility — which is why it's a component of the system rather than a stage at the end.
Continual improvement's role in the Value System is pervasive: it applies to every component, practice, value chain activity, and service. It's supported by a dedicated continual improvement practice and the model above, but the responsibility belongs to everyone, not a single team. Within the Value System, continual improvement keeps the guiding principles, governance, value chain, and practices aligned with changing needs — it's the mechanism that prevents the whole engine from drifting out of relevance over time.
⚠️ Exam Trap: Continual improvement is a component woven throughout the Value System and a shared responsibility — not a final phase or the job of one team. Options localizing it to a stage or a department are wrong.
Reflection Question: Why does ITIL insist continual improvement is everyone's responsibility rather than assigning it to a dedicated team alone?
