ITIL v3's "Service Operation" text describes several Service Operation functions: the Service Desk, Technical Management, IT Operations Management, and Application Management. So what is "application management"?

Application management is a function that takes care of applications through the entire application life cycle. "Function" here means a group of people and the tools that group uses. Application management is not a process: it is a function. Application management understands the application: why it was chosen, how it was built, and how it functions.

This week I have been taking the Operational Support and Analysis support ITIL capability module class from taruu.com. This class essentially covers Service Operation. Specifically, the main areas include event management, incident management, request fulfillment, problem management, access management, and the Service Operations functions such as the Service Desk.

One of the neat things about the second-level classes is that they can focus more on how to apply ideas. The class is primarily exercise-focused rather than lecture-focused: for example, we roleplay how you would talk with a CEO about Service Management. The classes are almost as much about leadership and presentation as they are about the material.