Thoughts on itSMF Singapore conference

The itSMF Singapore conference is over and I write this en route to Bangkok for the Thai annual conference (a tough gig I know). The highlights for me were meeting Sharon Taylor, and a panel discussion on CMDB, and congratulating David Wheeldon on his last presentation ever. And a couple of good bits of gossip...

Sharon is just as nice ands gracious as I had been told, and for some unfathomable reason was very polite to me. I've never had a bad word to say about Sharon but the same cannot be said for the organisation she represents ItSMF) or the body of knowledge that she architected (ITIL V3). Consider the flak I've fired at them she has every right to be terse but not so. Thankyou Sharon. But Sharon: only my Mum calls me "Robin".

I moderated a panel discussion on "CMDB as defined in theory cannot be done within a justifiable ROI" with some very experienced people:

David Wheeldon, Co-author,
ITIL® V3 Service Operations

Gary Case, Co-author,
ITIL® V3 CSI

Ivor Macfarlane, Co-author,
ITIL® V3 Service Transition

Chong Leong Lee, Regional MIS Manager,
Schneider Electric

Othman Zailani, Regional Change Manager, Asia,
Thomson Reuters

Ken Doughty, Senior Manager, Risk Management, Corporate Compliance and Risk Management, Corporate Finance [this title must be some kind of record Ken!]
ING Australia

Beforehand we decided a little argie-bargy would spice things up, but we were generally on the same page, despite David referring to this blog as "bollocks" (I took that as a compliment). We came to the conclusion ("violent agreement" as I like to say) that we need config management, we need some information, but the technology is entirely dependant on what you need to do and should be decided only after requirements and objectives are well inderstood.

So don't listen to the bollocks from the vendors. Lee runs their CMDB on Excel, and he's proud of it.

Finally I got to shake David's hand after his last ever presentation, as he is retiring. David is one of the longest-serving names in ITIL. We suspect his retirement will be a bit like a rock star's, with several return performances.

What's that? the gossip? Oh yes. Rumour is that my friends at Managed Objects may have been for sale after all, and to a buyer that - to me anyway - was unexpected.

And EXIN are looking for a new manager for this part of the world.

Comments

Hello, I would expect some

Hello,

I would expect some more gossip ! :)

What about V3 and its acceptance so far? Were there any comments (official or not) about how it is doing and how this is going to affect the future of ITIL?

Any news about the certifications? Any words about the "complementary books"?

Regards,
Marcus

Novell acquires Managed Objects

Sorry didn't pay much attention :-D

All the stats about ITILV3 acceptance include those "planning to" adopt V3 which renders them meaningless. if it was stats on those who have ana approved and funded project underway then I'd be more interested.

The tip about Managed Objects proved to be correct: Novell seems to me a left-field candidate

Huge difference between "bollocks" and "the bollocks"

Skep

About David's comments - you are in great company - he offered some (grand)fatherly advice at a past conference to me about the accuracy of one of my presentations, I think he said it was the most inaccurate he had ever witnessed. I too was quite flattered. Its a real treasure when someone like David actually takes time out to listen to one of your presentations and stays around to offer a private critique!

David - if you are reading this - enjoy your retirement....

Now, the reason for me wasting mine and everyone else's time with this blog entry - In common English (that is what I speak) there is a huge difference between someone saying "bollocks" and "the bollocks". The first is of course sometimes used to cut off a meaningful conversation in favor of a bar fight. The latter is actually a term of endearment, a platitude, a compliment.

Also, its a traditional English culinary term used in great moments of shock, disgust or good old fashioned panic. :-) English and culinary in the same sentence....

As wikipedia suggests... "Bollocks is a word of Anglo Saxon origin, meaning "testicles". The word is often used figuratively in English, as a noun to mean "nonsense" or conversely to mean "top quality" or "perfection""

Clear as mud.

Given the environment are you sure he didn't say "the bollocks"?

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