ITIL 4 Foundation study guide
ITIL 4 Foundation, administered by PeopleCert International Limited, is mapped here as 9 topic areas; the heaviest are Practices in detail I — desk, incident, problem, request (24.5%), Practices in detail II — change, SLM, continual improvement (18%) and Practice purposes and key terms (17.5%).
About this course: Learn the key concepts, guiding principles and practices with narrated lessons, memory cards and explained questions. This course covers ITIL 4 Foundation, not ITIL Foundation Version 5. Check your booked exam version before buying.
ITIL 4 Foundation at a glance
- Questions
- 40
- Time allowed
- 60 minutes
- Passing standard
- 26 of 40 (65%)
- Format
- 40 Objective Test Questions, 4 options each
- Standard / edition
- Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0 (Mar 2025)
- Administered by
- PeopleCert International Limited
Source: Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0 (Mar 2025), PeopleCert International Limited. Confirm current details with the exam owner before you book.
Topic areas and weights
| Topic area | Weight | Concepts | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key concepts of service management | 12.5% | 13 | Topic page |
| The 7 guiding principles | 15% | 8 | Topic page |
| The four dimensions | 5% | 4 | Section below |
| The service value system | 2.5% | 3 | Topic page |
| The service value chain | 5% | 6 | Topic page |
| Practice purposes and key terms | 17.5% | 21 | Topic page |
| Practices in detail I — desk, incident, problem, request | 24.5% | 10 | Topic page |
| Practices in detail II — change, SLM, continual improvement | 18% | 7 | Topic page |
| Exam day and routing | 0% | 8 | Topic page |
Topic guides at a glance
Key concepts of service management
12.5% of the course blueprint, 13 concepts. Emphasized: What is a SERVICE in ITIL 4?, What is UTILITY? and What is WARRANTY?. Watch for: Utility and warranty swapped (purpose vs use).
The 7 guiding principles
15% of the course blueprint, 8 concepts. Emphasized: What IS a guiding principle, and how do the 7 interact?, Guiding principle: FOCUS ON VALUE and Guiding principle: START WHERE YOU ARE. Watch for: 'Automate to optimize' (order reversed — optimize FIRST).
The service value system
2.5% of the course blueprint, 3 concepts. Emphasized: What is the SERVICE VALUE SYSTEM, and what are its input and output? and Name the FIVE components of the SVS.. Watch for: Four dimensions confused with the five SVS components.
The service value chain
5% of the course blueprint, 6 concepts. Emphasized: What is the SERVICE VALUE CHAIN, and how does it relate to value streams?, Value chain activity: PLAN — purpose? and Value chain activity: IMPROVE — purpose?. Watch for: Design and transition vs Obtain/build purposes swapped.
Practice purposes and key terms
17.5% of the course blueprint, 21 concepts. Emphasized: Purpose of INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT?, Purpose of RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT? and Purpose of SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT?. Watch for: Incident vs problem purposes swapped.
Practices in detail I — desk, incident, problem, request
24.5% of the course blueprint, 10 concepts. Emphasized: How are incidents PRIORITIZED?, How do MAJOR incidents and cross-team work fit incident management? and Name and order the THREE PHASES of problem management.. Watch for: Workaround treated as a resolution.
Practices in detail II — change, SLM, continual improvement
18% of the course blueprint, 7 concepts. Emphasized: Name the THREE change types and their authorization rules., What is the CHANGE AUTHORITY? and What is the CHANGE SCHEDULE for?. Watch for: 'Pre-authorized' attached to emergency changes (it defines STANDARD).
Exam day and routing
8 concepts. Includes: Exam format: what are you walking into?, Question styles: what shapes do the 40 questions take? and Booking, bundles, and the Take2 safety net — how does buying work?. Watch for: Take2 bought after failing (it must be bought BEFORE the exam).
Study plan in this course
- Key concepts: the vocabulary that runs the desk: Key concepts of service management — 14 cards · free
- The 7 guiding principles: recognize them in the wild: The 7 guiding principles — 9 cards · free
- The four dimensions: the whole board: The four dimensions — 5 cards · full course
- The service value system: one machine, five parts: The service value system — 3 cards · full course
- The service value chain: six activities, one flow: The service value chain — 7 cards · full course
- Fifteen practices, seven terms: the purpose game: Practice purposes and key terms — 23 cards · full course
- On the bridge: incident, problem, request, desk — in depth: Practices in detail I — desk, incident, problem, request — 10 cards · full course
- The change queue, the SLA review, the improvement register: Practices in detail II — change, SLM, continual improvement — 7 cards · full course
- Exam day: the mechanics, the money, the version question: Exam day and routing — 6 cards · full course
The four dimensions
The four dimensions carries 5% of the ITIL 4 Foundation blueprint used in this course, the 6th-largest of its 8 weighted areas. It spans 4 concepts. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: The four dimensions.
What The four dimensions covers
- Dimension 1: ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE — what does it cover? — PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0, AC3.1a
- Dimension 2: INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY — what does it cover? — PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0, AC3.1b
- Dimension 3: PARTNERS AND SUPPLIERS — what does it cover? — PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0, AC3.1c
- Dimension 4: VALUE STREAMS AND PROCESSES — and what constrains all four dimensions? — PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0, AC3.1d
Common mistakes in The four dimensions
- The four dimensions listed as SVS components
- PESTLE factors placed inside a dimension (they are external)
- Vendor contracts filed under value streams instead of partners and suppliers
Key terms for The four dimensions
four dimensions · organizations and people · information and technology · partners and suppliers · PESTLE factors · service integration · sourcing strategy
Official references for The four dimensions
- PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0: AC3.1, AC3.1a, AC3.1b, AC3.1c, AC3.1d
In the app this area comes with 5 memory cards and 4 module-quiz questions in the full course.
Official references
- PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation Candidate Syllabus v4.2.0: AC1.1a, AC1.1f, AC1.1b, AC1.1c, AC1.1d/e/g, AC1.2c, AC1.2b, AC1.2d/e, AC1.2a, AC1.2f, AC1.3a, AC1.3b, AC1.3c/d, AC2.1, AC2.2a, AC2.2b, AC2.2c, AC2.2d, AC2.2e, AC2.2f, AC2.2g, AC2.1-2.2, AC3.1, AC3.1a