8.2.1. Why Project Management Matters in ITIL
💡 First Principle: Project management matters in ITIL because meaningful change — new products, major service changes, transformations — is delivered through projects, and managing those projects well is how the lifecycle's design/build/transition activities get done at scale and on purpose.
Project management matters in ITIL because much of the significant work in the product and service lifecycle — building new products, making major changes, running transformations — is organized and delivered as projects. Good project management ensures these endeavours have clear objectives, controlled scope and risk, and defined accountability, so that the changes they deliver actually land safely and serve value. Without project discipline, large lifecycle changes become chaotic and risky.
⚠️ Exam Trap: Project management is integral to delivering significant change within the lifecycle, not a separate concern outside ITIL's interest. Recognize that transformations and major changes are typically project-delivered.
Reflection Question: Why are transformations and major service changes usually delivered as projects rather than as routine BAU work?
