A few years ago, I helped create a book club for the PMI chapter in Phoenix.  In doing so, we tried to come up with a list of topics that project managers would be interested in learning more about, and someone in the group mentioned the acronym ITIL and that it was becoming a hot topic in technology project management. 

I tucked that information away for many months until, almost by accident, I started getting more and more into the area of technology as a project manager.  First, through the implementation of enterprise project managment (EPM) systems with Microsoft Project, Project Server, and SharePoint, and then as a consultant within Pfizer's IT department.  I began work on a metrics project that the team was looking to base off of ITIL standards.  My husband is now an ITIL Service Manager and teaches ITIL Certification Courses, so I decided to take the plunge and enrolled in the ITIL v3 Foundations course. 

A few days ago, I sat for the ITIL Foundations exam and actually passed!  Man, that was a hard test - especially for a project manager whose expertise is not rooted in technology.  However, I found ITIL to be a great compliment to my knowledge in project management as it covers topics in Change Management, Knowledge Management, etc.  I really wished I had become certified when I first got involved in technology as it would have set me up with an understanding of how IT processes work (or should ideally work) and would have allowed me to better "speak the language" early on with others in IT. 

Getting certified has also given me an interest in understanding concepts in the other areas of continual improvement - Lean Six Sigma, CMMI, CoBIT, etc.  I would highly recommend to other Project Managers working in technology to look into ITIL certification or another certification to compliment the PMP.  In today's competitive market, it sets you apart from the pack and provides you with a whole new set of tools for successfully managing projects.