A service desk team is overwhelmed with incidents. A problem manager suggests implementing a chatbot to handle common user queries. Before doing so, the team reviews their current processes and discovers many steps that don't add value. Which ITIL 4 guiding principle is being applied FIRST?
The team is optimizing (removing non-value steps) before automating, which directly reflects this principle.
Why this answer
The team’s first action is to review current processes and identify non-value-adding steps, which is a form of optimisation. The ITIL guiding principle 'Optimise and automate' states that before automating, you should first optimise the work. Therefore, the first principle applied is 'Optimise and automate' because they are optimising the process to remove waste in preparation for the chatbot automation.
Exam trap
Candidates may incorrectly select 'Start where you are' (A) because they see the review of current processes as the first step. However, the review is specifically to find non-value-adding steps to optimise before automating, which is part of the 'Optimise and automate' principle. The principle 'Start where you are' focuses on understanding the current state without an immediate goal of optimisation, whereas here the review is directed toward optimisation for automation.
How to eliminate wrong answers
Option A is wrong because 'Start where you are' is the principle being applied first—the team reviews current processes before automating. Option B is wrong because 'Optimise and automate' is a later step; the team has not yet optimized or automated, only reviewed. Option C is wrong because 'Focus on value' is about ensuring outcomes deliver value, but the team's initial action is to assess the current state, not directly define value.
Option D is wrong because 'Keep it simple and practical' emphasizes minimal complexity, but the team's first action is to understand the existing process, not simplify it.