ITIL v4 Foundation
ITIL® v4 Foundation is one of the most recognized standards in IT Service Management (ITSM). Understanding its terminology, key principles, and the Service Value System is crucial for anyone working in or aspiring to work in IT, as it helps improve service efficiency, quality, and alignment between IT and business.
With the right study approach you can prepare for and pass the certification quickly, without sacrificing real understanding.
✅ Context
I first became interested in ITIL through my colleague J.B. and my professor at P.G. school. Their influence sparked my curiosity and motivated me to seriously pursue the ITIL certification.
In France, it is possible to fund training through the CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation), a government-backed account credited annually (in my case, €500 per year) that can be used for eligible courses. Thanks to my previous years of work, I had enough credit to fully cover the cost of the training.
I chose to enroll with Innovative Learning, which provided me access to an online platform offering ITIL v4 Foundation video courses in French. Before receiving the official PeopleCert exam voucher, the platform required me to pass a two-part internal assessment:
1 Written test – a practical simulation based on a fictional company.
2 Oral review – a discussion of the simulation results.
If both parts are passed with at least the minimum required score, the candidate receives a confirmation email along with the PeopleCert exam voucher, which must be used to take the test within one month.
You can then choose when to take the exam, what day, what time and your supervisor (based on the language).
✅ My technnique
1. ⭐Planning
Set a 2–3 week timeline. Break down the syllabus into daily topics (e.g., Guiding Principles, SVS, Practices). Schedule one mock exam per week.
2. ⭐Acquisition
Read the official ITIL 4 Foundation book or summary guides. Watch short explainer videos for each concept to get an initial overview.
You can find the ITIL PDF on Google by searching for "ITIL Foundation ITIL 4 Edition PDFCoffee" or "ITIL Foundation ITIL 4 Edition French PDF Coffee"
3. ⭐Comprehension
Summarize each section in your own words. Create simple mind maps for the Service Value System, practices, and guiding principles.
4. ⭐Reworking
Explain concepts aloud as if teaching someone else. Rewrite notes using simpler language and real-life IT examples from your experience.
5. ⭐Application
Do practice questions after each topic. Review wrong answers immediately and understand the reasoning behind the correct choice.
For this there are various online tools and ressources, here are some:
💥 GitHub Quiz
💥 ITIL 4 Foundation Practice Tests Exams Questions & Answers
6. ⭐Remembering
Use flashcards (physical or digital) for definitions, principles, and processes. Review them daily using spaced repetition until exam day.
For this reason, I recommend creating an ANKI account (if you don't already have one). This way, you can study and review your flashcards on the go from your phone to make the most of your downtime.
🔒 Final Thoughts
My biggest personal problem is stress, but it has no reason to exist here, if you are prepared the test is easy, to pass you need only 65% of the answers correct 😊