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Standard Reference // ITIL 4

Service Value System
& Practice Alignment

ITIL 4 is the globally recognised framework for IT service management. UNUS London's automation-first infrastructure operationalises ITIL 4 practices — transforming Service Desk, Change Enablement, and Continual Improvement from documented intent into database-evidenced execution.

Framework Metadata
Framework
ITIL 4
Publisher
Axelos / PeopleCert
Current Edition
ITIL 4 (2019–present)
Core Components
SVS · 4 Dimensions · 34 Practices
Guiding Principles
7 Principles
UNUS Readiness Score
94/100
Aligns With
ISO/IEC 27001 · ISO 19770
⚙️
Framework Purpose
ITIL 4 provides a practical and flexible framework for managing IT-enabled services. Its Service Value System (SVS) ensures that all components and activities work together to facilitate value co-creation — for the organisation, its customers, and its stakeholders.
🏗️
Structural Architecture
ITIL 4 is built around the Service Value System, which contains the Service Value Chain (six activities), 34 management practices organised into three groups, the Continual Improvement Model, seven Guiding Principles, and the Four Dimensions Model.
🇬🇧
UK Regulatory Relevance
ITIL 4 practices are embedded in FCA operational resilience requirements (PS21/3), NHS DSPT obligations, Cabinet Office G-Cloud standards, SRA technology governance, and NCSC Cyber Essentials service management expectations.

The Seven
Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles are universal recommendations that guide organisations in all circumstances. They inform decisions and actions regardless of changes in goals, strategies, or type of work. UNUS London's architecture is designed around these principles — not despite them.

Principle 01
Focus on Value
Everything the organisation does should link back, directly or indirectly, to value for itself, its customers, and other stakeholders.
→ UNUS: Every system produces auditable evidence — the direct value output of compliance work.
Principle 02
Start Where You Are
Do not start from scratch — observe what exists, assess what can be leveraged, and build on current capabilities rather than discarding them.
→ UNUS: Existing data sources are migrated into the new schema; no compliance work is lost.
Principle 03
Progress Iteratively with Feedback
Resist the temptation to do everything at once. Organise work into smaller, manageable sections that can be executed and completed in a timely manner.
→ UNUS: Mini solutions are modular — deploy one, evidence it, then expand progressively.
Principle 04
Collaborate and Promote Visibility
Work together across boundaries, removing silos. Involve the right people at the right time, and share information openly to build trust and confidence.
→ UNUS: Dashboards surface compliance data to COLPs, MLROs, and Principals simultaneously.
Principle 05
Think and Work Holistically
No service or element stands alone. Consider end-to-end visibility of the service, and understand how all parts interact and affect each other and the wider system.
→ UNUS: Database triggers propagate compliance events across related entities automatically.
Principle 06
Keep It Simple and Practical
Use the minimum number of steps to accomplish an objective. Always use outcome-based thinking to produce practical solutions that deliver results.
→ UNUS: n8n workflows eliminate manual steps — compliance events trigger automated responses.
Principle 07
Optimise and Automate
Maximise the value of human work by eliminating waste. Automate frequently occurring standard tasks where appropriate, using technology to perform processes at speed.
→ UNUS: Scheduled workflows replace manual compliance checks — automation is the architecture.
UNUS Principle
Evidence Over Assertion
Compliance cannot be claimed — it must be demonstrated. Every assertion must be backed by a timestamped, immutable database record retrievable under audit conditions.
→ UNUS: The foundational principle that governs all system design decisions.

The Service Value System
Operationalised by UNUS London

The Service Value System describes how all components and activities of an organisation work together to facilitate value creation. UNUS London maps its systems directly to each SVS component, turning the framework from a reference model into a functioning operational infrastructure.

ITIL 4 — Service Value System (SVS)
Trigger
🌐 Opportunity
Trigger
📥 Demand
🏛 Governance — Evaluate · Direct · Monitor
Service Value Chain — Six Interconnected Activities
📋
Plan
🤝
Engage
🎨
Design & Transition
🏭
Obtain / Build
Deliver & Support
📈
Improve
🔧 34 Management Practices General · Service · Technical
🔄 Continual Improvement 7-Question Model
✦ Output: Value — for Organisation · Customers · Stakeholders
UNUS → Plan Activity
Compliance policy database, regulatory framework registers, and risk registers feed the Plan activity with structured, evidenced inputs.
UNUS → Deliver & Support
The Service Desk module routes incidents and requests through n8n workflows with full audit trail from ticket creation to resolution.
UNUS → Improve Activity
Weekly automated reports surface performance metrics, nonconformity trends, and improvement opportunities directly to responsible owners.

All 34 Management Practices
& UNUS Relevance Mapping

ITIL 4 organises its 34 practices into three groups. Practices marked CORE are directly implemented by UNUS London systems. Practices marked RELATED are supported through database integration.

Group 01 — General Management Practices 14 Practices
Architecture Management
System design alignment to business goals
Related
Continual Improvement
Seven-question model, improvement register
Core
Information Security Management
ISO/IEC 27001 Annex A controls alignment
Core
Knowledge Management
Precedent library and document governance
Core
Measurement & Reporting
KPI dashboards, automated weekly reports
Core
Organisational Change Management
Change impact registers, stakeholder mapping
Related
Portfolio Management
Service and system asset cataloguing
Related
Project Management
14-day deployment programme structure
Related
Relationship Management
Stakeholder register, principal oversight
Related
Risk Management
Risk register, automated scoring, MLRO alerts
Core
Service Financial Management
ROI calculator, cost-of-compliance modelling
Related
Strategy Management
Governance roadmap and regulatory positioning
Related
Supplier Management
Vendor register, contract expiry tracking
Core
Workforce & Talent Management
Supervision register, fee earner compliance
Core
Group 02 — Service Management Practices 17 Practices
Availability Management
System uptime records, SLA tracking
Related
Business Analysis
Requirements capture, user story specifications
Related
Capacity & Performance Management
Query performance monitoring, database sizing
Related
Change Enablement
Change register, CAB workflows, RFC processing
Core
Incident Management
Incident register, severity triage, escalation
Core
IT Asset Management
ISO 19770-aligned ITAM register and workflows
Core
Monitoring & Event Management
Database trigger-driven compliance event alerts
Core
Problem Management
Root cause analysis register, known errors
Related
Release Management
Deployment change records, version control log
Related
Service Catalogue Management
Mini solution catalogue, service definitions
Related
Service Configuration Management
CMDB schema, CI relationship mapping
Core
Service Continuity Management
Business continuity register, recovery workflows
Related
Service Design
System architecture documentation, schema design
Related
Service Desk
Ticketing workflow, SLA tracking, escalation matrix
Core
Service Level Management
SLA targets, breach detection, reporting cadence
Core
Service Request Management
Structured request workflows, approval gates
Core
Service Validation & Testing
Pre-deployment testing, schema validation
Related
Group 03 — Technical Management Practices 3 Practices
Deployment Management
Supabase schema deployment, workflow release
Core
Infrastructure & Platform Management
PostgreSQL 17, n8n instance management
Core
Software Development & Management
Custom workflow development, HTML frontends
Core

Core Practice
System Implementations

The following six practices are fully implemented as production systems within the UNUS London compliance platform. Each card details the exact system components, database structures, and n8n workflows that operationalise the ITIL 4 practice.

Service Management
🎫
Service Desk Practice

ITIL 4 Service Desk

The UNUS London Service Desk module provides a fully ITIL 4-aligned ticketing system. Every request and incident is logged with a unique ticket reference, categorised by type (incident, service request, change request), and routed through structured n8n approval workflows with immutable status logs.

  • Ticket schema: ticket_id, type_enum, priority, status, created_by, assigned_to, sla_target, resolved_at
  • SLA breach detection via scheduled n8n workflow — triggers escalation alert at 80% of SLA window
  • Channel-agnostic intake: web form, email webhook, or direct API submission
  • Resolution evidence: technician notes, timestamps, and approving principal stored per ticket
  • Weekly SLA performance report delivered automatically to Service Desk Manager
Service Management
🔄
Change Enablement Practice

Change Enablement Register

The Change Enablement system enforces ITIL 4's three change types — standard, normal, and emergency — through database-enforced approval gates. Standard changes bypass the CAB. Normal changes require CAB review before authorisation. Emergency changes are logged post-implementation with retrospective review records.

  • Change type ENUM: standard | normal | emergency with distinct workflow paths per type
  • CAB approval gate: normal changes blocked at database layer until cab_approved = TRUE
  • Forward Schedule of Change maintained as a database view — always current, always auditable
  • Post-implementation review (PIR) record required within 5 days of emergency change
  • Change success rate KPI surfaced in weekly automated governance report
Service Management
🚨
Incident Management Practice

Incident Management System

Incidents are classified by severity (P1–P4), automatically assigned to the relevant resolver group, and tracked through to resolution with complete audit trail. Major incident reviews are automatically triggered for P1/P2 incidents, producing documented post-incident reports stored against the incident record.

  • Priority matrix: impact × urgency → automatic P1–P4 classification on ticket creation
  • P1 incidents trigger immediate MLRO/COLP notification via n8n email workflow
  • Workaround logging: interim fixes recorded separately from permanent resolution actions
  • Major incident review workflow: auto-generated report template 24 hours post-P1 resolution
  • Incident trend analysis view: vw_incident_trends — recurring issues surfaced for problem management
General Management
📊
Measurement & Reporting Practice

Automated KPI & Reporting Engine

The measurement system implements ITIL 4's four-layer metric hierarchy: cascade of strategic goals to KPIs to metrics to measurements. Automated weekly reports are generated by n8n, aggregating data from all connected compliance systems into a structured governance pack delivered to senior stakeholders.

  • Four metric layers: outcome → KPI → operational metric → raw measurement — all mapped in database
  • SRA Regulatory Readiness Report: 23-node n8n workflow generating structured compliance evidence
  • CSF/KPI pairs: each Critical Success Factor has at least one measurable KPI with target and tolerance
  • Metric history retained in kpi_history table — trend analysis available across any period
  • Dashboard view: vw_governance_kpi_dashboard — real-time aggregation across all mini solutions
Service Management
⚙️
Service Configuration Management

Configuration Management Database

The UNUS London CMDB implements ITIL 4's Configuration Item (CI) model in PostgreSQL. CIs are categorised by type (service, hardware, software, documentation), linked through relationship records, and governed by change records that must reference the CI before a change can be authorised.

  • CI schema: ci_id, ci_type, name, version, status, owner, environment, parent_service_id
  • CI relationship table: supports depends_on | hosted_on | part_of | connects_to relationship types
  • Change-to-CI linkage enforced: every normal change record requires at least one CI reference
  • CI lifecycle states: design | build | test | live | retired — transitions logged with approver
  • Service impact view: vw_ci_impact_chain — upstream/downstream dependency mapping for incident triage
General Management
🔐
Information Security Management

ISO 27001-Aligned Security Controls

The Information Security Management practice is implemented through the ISO/IEC 27001 control set (Annex A) mapped to database enforcement mechanisms. Access controls, audit logging, data classification, and incident response are all database-first — not dependent on application-layer configurations that can be bypassed.

  • Row-Level Security (RLS) in PostgreSQL enforces data classification boundaries at the database layer
  • All privileged database actions logged to the security_event_log table with session metadata
  • Information asset register linked to CMDB — every CI has a data classification attribute
  • Security incident category within the incident management system with mandatory MLRO notification
  • Vulnerability disclosure register with remediation SLAs and evidence of closure

Four Dimensions of
Service Management

ITIL 4 requires every service to be considered through four dimensions. Ignoring any one dimension creates an incomplete service. UNUS London's architecture is designed to address all four dimensions simultaneously — ensuring systems function as complete, auditable services, not isolated technical components.

1
👥
Dimension 01
Organisations and People
Focuses on the roles, responsibilities, and culture needed to support service management. This includes formal organisational structures, communication patterns, and the skills and competencies required to perform service management activities effectively.
UNUS Implementation Every UNUS system assigns explicit role-based ownership. The supervision register tracks fee earner roles. The matter checklist enforces COLP and MLRO approval gates. User identity is recorded on every database transaction — compliance responsibility is never anonymous.
2
ℹ️
Dimension 02
Information and Technology
Covers the information and knowledge used to deliver services, as well as the technologies required to manage services and the relationships between them. This dimension addresses the management of information assets and the tools and systems that support service management.
UNUS Implementation PostgreSQL 17 on Supabase provides the structured information layer. n8n provides the workflow technology layer. All information is schema-enforced, version-controlled, and access-restricted through Row-Level Security — satisfying Dimension 2 requirements structurally.
3
🤝
Dimension 03
Partners and Suppliers
Addresses the organisation's relationships with other organisations involved in the design, deployment, delivery, support, and continual improvement of services. Includes contracts, agreements, and the integration of external service providers into the service value chain.
UNUS Implementation The supplier register captures all third-party relationships with contract reference, data processing status (GDPR relevance), SLA terms, and renewal dates. Automated contract expiry alerts prevent inadvertent continuation of unlicensed or unreviewed supplier relationships.
4
🔁
Dimension 04
Value Streams and Processes
Defines how the various parts of an organisation work in an integrated and coordinated way to enable value creation through products and services. This dimension specifies the activities, workflows, controls, and procedures needed to achieve agreed objectives.
UNUS Implementation Every compliance workflow is a structured value stream: input (trigger event) → process (n8n workflow with database validation) → output (timestamped evidence record). Each step is documented, repeatable, and measurable — satisfying ITIL's Definition of Done at every stage.

Practice Inputs, Outputs
& Definitions of Done

ITIL 4 requires each practice to have defined inputs, outputs, and a clear Definition of Done — the criteria that must be satisfied for work to be considered complete. The table below documents these for UNUS London's core implemented practices.

Practice Defined Input Defined Output Definition of Done UNUS Status
Service Desk User-submitted request or incident report Resolved ticket with audit trail Ticket marked resolved, resolution notes recorded, user notified, SLA outcome logged Implemented
Change Enablement Request for Change (RFC) with affected CI reference Authorised change record + PIR Change implemented, PIR completed, CI record updated, change closed with outcome logged Implemented
Incident Management Detected service disruption or degradation Resolved incident with root cause noted Service restored, workaround or fix documented, priority determined, related problem raised if P1/P2 Implemented
Continual Improvement Metric data, audit findings, stakeholder feedback Improvement initiative records with measurable outcomes Initiative logged in improvement register, owner assigned, target metric defined, progress tracked to closure Implemented
Measurement & Reporting Raw operational data from connected systems Structured governance report delivered to stakeholders Report generated, delivered, stored with timestamp, recipient confirmation logged, next report scheduled Implemented
Service Config. Management New or changed CI requiring registration Accurate, current CI record in CMDB CI record created/updated, attributes populated, relationships mapped, change record linked, owner confirmed Implemented
IT Asset Management New asset procurement or existing asset discovery Asset record in ISO 19770-compliant register Asset registered, owner assigned, lifecycle status set, licence position checked, financial record created Implemented
Risk Management Identified risk or threat to service delivery Registered risk with treatment plan and owner Risk scored, owner assigned, treatment selected, review date set, risk register updated, MLRO notified if high Config. Required

The Seven-Question
Continual Improvement Model

ITIL 4's Continual Improvement Model structures improvement activity through seven sequential questions. UNUS London implements this model as a database-driven improvement register — every improvement initiative is logged, measured, and evidenced from inception to closure.

Q1
Question 01
What is the vision?
Define the high-level direction and business objectives. Improvement initiatives must connect to a measurable organisational goal — not be pursued in isolation.
→ UNUS: Regulatory readiness targets and compliance maturity goals are stored as formal vision statements in the governance register.
Q2
Question 02
Where are we now?
Conduct an honest assessment of the current state. Baseline measurements are essential — improvement cannot be evidenced without a documented starting point.
→ UNUS: Pre-deployment compliance audit generates baseline scores across all dimensions before system go-live.
Q3
Question 03
Where do we want to be?
Set specific, measurable targets. These should be expressed as KPI targets with tolerances — not aspirational language. The gap between Q2 and Q3 defines the improvement scope.
→ UNUS: Target readiness scores (94–98/100) are stored per compliance dimension with tolerance bands.
Q4
Question 04
How do we get there?
Design the improvement plan. Identify the specific actions, owners, timelines, and resources required. Each action should be traceable to a specific gap identified in Q3.
→ UNUS: Improvement initiatives are logged in the register with action steps, assigned owner, and milestone dates.
Q5
Question 05
Take action
Execute the improvement plan. Actions must be taken in priority order, with progress tracked and documented. Each completed action generates evidence of implementation.
→ UNUS: n8n workflows are deployed for each improvement action — execution is automated and timestamped.
Q6
Question 06
Did we get there?
Measure outcomes against the targets set in Q3. If targets were not met, document the variance and its cause. This evidence is the foundation of the next improvement cycle.
→ UNUS: Post-implementation readiness score compared against baseline — delta stored in improvement_outcomes table.
Q7
Question 07
How do we keep the momentum going?
Embed the improvement. Update processes, train staff, and schedule the next measurement cycle. Continual improvement is a perpetual loop, not a one-time project.
→ UNUS: Quarterly architecture reviews scheduled automatically — next improvement cycle initiated on closure of current cycle.
UNUS Improvement Register — Live Metrics
Active Improvement Initiatives
3 In Progress
Baseline Score (Pre-Deploy)
47/100
Current Readiness Score
94/100
Improvement Delta
+47 pts
Avg. Cycle Duration
14 Days
Next Scheduled Review
Q2 2026
Model Alignment
ITIL 4 ✓ All 7 Questions

ITIL 4 Service Desk
Workflow Engine — Live Query

When a regulator or senior partner requests evidence of service management capability, the UNUS London system returns structured, timestamped ticket records across the full incident and change lifecycle — in seconds, not hours.

unus@service-desk:~$ SELECT * FROM vw_open_tickets ORDER BY priority ASC, created_at DESC;
-- ITIL 4 Service Desk Practice | Open Ticket Queue | Generated: 2026-03-09 10:02:14 UTC
ticket_ref | type | priority | subject | assigned_to | sla_remaining | status
--------------+----------+---------+------------------------------------+---------------+--------------+---------
TKT-2026-0341 | INCIDENT | P2 | Supervision log portal unresponsive | j.smith@firm | 02h 14m | IN PROGRESS
TKT-2026-0338 | CHANGE | P3 | Add new fee earner to supervision DB| admin@firm | 18h 00m | AWAITING CAB
TKT-2026-0335 | REQUEST | P3 | Export Q1 SRA readiness report | colp@firm | 22h 45m | IN PROGRESS
TKT-2026-0329 | REQUEST | P4 | Password reset — matter system | helpdesk@firm | 5d 06h | OPEN
-- TKT-2026-0341: P2 SLA = 4 hours. 02h 14m remaining. Escalation threshold: 80%. ⚠ Notify manager.
unus@service-desk:~$ SELECT * FROM change_register WHERE status = 'AWAITING_CAB' AND change_type = 'normal';
-- ITIL 4 Change Enablement | CAB Review Queue | Normal Changes Pending Authorisation
change_ref | change_type | ci_affected | requested_by | cab_scheduled | risk_score
--------------+------------+----------------------+---------------+-------------------+-----------
CHG-2026-0082 | normal | supervision_register | j.smith@firm | 2026-03-11 14:00 | LOW
-- 1 change awaiting CAB. DB gate: cab_approved = FALSE. Change blocked at application layer.
unus@service-desk:~$ SELECT improvement_id, title, status, baseline_score, current_score, owner FROM improvement_register;
improvement_id | title | status | baseline | current | owner
----------------+---------------------------------+------------+---------+---------+------------
IMP-2026-001 | SRA Supervision Register Deploy | COMPLETE | 38 | 97 | colp@firm
IMP-2026-002 | Matter Checklist Engine Deploy | COMPLETE | 41 | 94 | colp@firm
IMP-2026-003 | Risk Register Integration | IN PROGRESS| 52 | 71 | mlro@firm
-- Elapsed: 0.011s | Continual Improvement Model: 7/7 questions answered. Evidence complete.
unus@service-desk:~$ _

ITIL 4 Practice
Compliance Score

UNUS London achieves a composite ITIL 4 readiness score of 94/100. Scores are assessed across seven practice dimensions using the ITIL 4 maturity model, weighted by practice criticality for regulated service environments.

0
Overall Readiness Score
FrameworkITIL 4
Practices Implemented18 of 34
SVC Activities Covered6 of 6
Guiding Principles Aligned✓ All 7
Service Desk & Request Management
98%
Change Enablement & Control
95%
Incident Management
94%
Measurement & Reporting
97%
Configuration Management (CMDB)
89%
Continual Improvement Model
93%
Risk & Information Security
88%

Service Value System,
Continuously Operated.

ITIL 4's Service Value System (SVS) requires continuous alignment across guiding principles, governance, practices, and continual improvement — not a one-time process documentation. UNUS Govern provides the operational wrapper that monitors your ITIL 4 practices in real time: incident trends, change success rates, problem resolution velocity, service desk performance, and continual improvement momentum. The SVS becomes a live system, not a document set you review annually.

  • Practice maturity scoring (live, 0–100)
  • Continual improvement momentum tracking
  • Incident / change / problem KPI monitoring
  • Annual management review evidence pack

Part of UNUS Govern's continuous evidence layer.
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