A. A change that doesn’t need risk assessment because the procedure has been pre-authorized
B. A change that needs to be assessed, authorized, and scheduled by a change authority
C. A change that doesn’t need risk assessment because it is required to resolve an incident
D. A change that is assessed, authorized, and scheduled as part of ‘continual improvement’
Correct Answer
A. A change that doesn’t need risk assessment because the procedure has been pre-authorized
Detailed Explanation
In ITIL 4, a standard change is defined as a change to a service or infrastructure for which the approach is pre-authorized, typically because it is low-risk, well-understood, and has a repeatable process. Since standard changes are routine and predictable, they do not require individual risk assessment each time they are implemented, streamlining the change management process and reducing overhead.
Characteristics of Standard Changes in ITIL 4
Standard changes are distinct from other types of changes, such as normal and emergency changes, due to their routine nature and lower associated risk. They are commonly used in organizations to handle frequent requests that follow a predictable pattern.
1. Pre-Authorization: Standard changes are pre-authorized by a change authority, meaning they do not need further assessment or approval each time they are implemented. This is due to their low risk and routine nature, which has been assessed previously.
2. Low Risk and High Frequency: Standard changes are generally low-risk and occur frequently. Examples include routine software updates, adding users to systems, or resetting passwords. These tasks are repetitive, with minimal impact on other services or systems.
3. Documented Procedure: Each standard change follows a predefined, documented procedure that guides its implementation. This documentation ensures consistency, efficiency, and compliance with organizational policies.
4. Efficiency and Speed: Since standard changes bypass the full change management approval process, they can be implemented quickly, improving service delivery and reducing wait times for users.
Real-World Example
Consider an organization where IT regularly installs software updates on employees’ devices. Since the update process is routine, well-documented, and poses minimal risk, it is designated as a standard change. As a result, the IT team can perform these updates without needing to submit each one for approval, allowing them to address software needs more efficiently.
Importance of Standard Changes in ITIL 4
Standard changes play a crucial role in optimizing service management by allowing organizations to handle routine changes efficiently without compromising on safety or reliability. By removing unnecessary approvals, standard changes streamline workflows, enabling faster response times for requests that occur frequently and with minimal impact.