ITIL® 4 in KIX: 16 Certified Practices — Why we consistently rely on standards
KIX is a German, open-source IT service management (ITSM) solution certified in 16 ITIL® 4 practices (certified version: KIX 18 Pro). This certification is not an end in itself, but rather the foundation for a common language in IT services, reliable handoffs, and verifiable results — from the self-service portal to the CMDB to comprehensive reporting.
The reason behind our ITIL® 4 certification
A great deal has already been written about ITIL. For us, the most important thing is the advantages offered by standardized terminology and best practices. These advantages enable us to accelerate product launches, reduce organizational friction, and quantify quality. That's why we committed to the ITIL® framework early on — out of conviction, not because someone demanded it.
Early phase & personal certification:
The first KIX consultants were certified according to ITIL as early as 2010. CEO Rico Barth was certified with ITIL v2 even before KIX was founded. The direction was clear.
Product certification and transition to ITIL® 4:
The next logical step was product certification. From KIX4OTRS and CapeIT to our first product certification in 2017 and KIX PRO 18, we have systematically aligned our roadmap with ITIL® 4 practices. We now have 16 officially certified practices.
Our core idea:
ITIL® provides the reference framework and KIX provides open, expandable tools that are compatible with on-premises or EU cloud environments.
Decisive criteria for ITIL®
We decided to use ITIL® based on clear technical requirements.
Global comprehensibility: IT teams speak the same language, from service staff to IT management.
Scalability: KIX grows with your functional requirements, from a simple service desk to classic ITSM to ESM, with more locations, services and suppliers.
Compatibility: ITIL-compliant processes can be implemented in heterogeneous environments, including on-premises, EU cloud, and hybrid setups.
Auditability: processes are traceable, measurable and reportable — a key prerequisite for audits and governance.
Balance of guidance and freedom: ITIL offers clear practices without over-regulating organisations.
ITIL® 4 in practice: A 'broken printer'
Initial situation:A printer breaks down in production.
User perspective:
The user creates a report in the self-service portal (SSP) with the note 'Printer not working'. This report is recorded as a service request in the form of a ticket.
A ticket template such as 'Printer malfunction' is selected from the service catalogue. The affected asset is pre-filled or selectable. After submitting the ticket, the user receives a confirmation containing the ticket number, status and expected processing time.
Technically, the system or agent classifies the ticket as an incident upon receipt. The user experience remains simple and clear.
ITIL practices involved:
Service Request Management, Service Catalogue Management and Service Configuration Management.
Agent perspective: KIX Agent Portal
The ticket is classified and prioritised as an incident in the agent portal, taking into account the affected configuration item(s) and the impact. The applicable SLAs are checked and the initial working time is recorded.
The diagnosis reveals an irreparable defect. Depending on the defined guidelines, the replacement is implemented as either a standard change or a request-based fulfilment. At the same time, the workaround and solution are documented as a knowledge entry.
In the CMDB, the defective asset is marked as such and the new device is assigned to the workstation. All status updates are transparent to the user and can be viewed in the self-service portal.
ITIL practices involved:
Incident Management, Service Level Management, Service Financial Management, Change Enablement, Knowledge Management and Service Configuration Management.
Completion & follow-up
The incident is closed as soon as the service is restored. If similar incidents occur frequently, problem management is initiated to systematically analyze the causes.
The result: standardized processes, verifiable SLAs, traceable cost times, an up-to-date CMDB, and secure knowledge for the entire team.
The 16 ITIL® 4 practices for which KIX Pro is certified
KIX Pro is officially certified in the following 16 ITIL® 4 practices:
- Change Enablement
- IT Asset Management
- Incident Management
- Information Security Management
- Knowledge Management
- Measurement and Reporting Management
- Monitoring and Event Management
- Problem Management
- Relationship Management
- Service Catalogue Management
- Service Configuration Management
- Service Continuity Management
- Service Financial Management
- Service Level Management
- Service Request Management
- Supplier Management
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about ITIL® certification from KIX
Does ITIL certification bring measurable benefits?
Yes. It creates a common vocabulary, clearly defined roles and handovers, accelerates product launches, and enables audit-proof processes.
Does ITIL have to be implemented “by the book”?
No. ITIL is a framework. With KIX, organizations can select practices and calibrate them to fit their own structure.
How does ITIL fit with open source?
Open source ensures transparency and adaptability, while ITIL ensures process clarity. Together, they create sustainable ITSM without vendor lock-in.
Why aren't all 34 practices certified?
We are continuously reviewing which additional practices offer technical added value. Certification remains a means to an end and is not an end in itself.
Who performs the certification?
The certification is carried out using the official PeopleCert Tool Vendor Listing. It confirms that the product implements key ITIL® 4 practices, not just represents them in theory.