In today’s fast-paced digital transformation landscape, the way an organization structures its work determines whether it delivers real value—or just bureaucracy. In ITIL 5, the Value Streams and Processes dimension has evolved to help companies navigate environments of high complexity and uncertainty.

If you’re an IT professional or a manager, understanding how these components connect is what separates a “stuck” operation from an agile, results-driven delivery. In this article, we’ll explore how the new framework redefines these concepts for the Artificial Intelligence era.

Read also: The Definitive Guide to ITIL 5

What is the Value Streams and Processes dimension?

This dimension focuses on how the organization organizes its activities to enable value effectively and efficiently. It’s not just about drawing flowcharts—it’s about understanding the path work takes from the initial demand to final delivery to the customer.

In ITIL v5, this dimension gains an additional layer of importance by integrating the Value System and the Value Chain. The focus shifts from the isolated “service” to the value system as a whole.

Value Chain vs. Value Stream: Understand the difference

One of the core points of ITIL Version 5 is the clear distinction between the Value Chain and Value Streams:

Value Chain: The organization’s operating model. It consists of a set of high-level activities (such as Discover, Design, Build, and Support) that, together, enable the provision of a product or service.

Value Stream: The real sequence of steps the organization follows “as executed” in real life. While the Value Chain is the blueprint (the plan), the Value Stream is the specific journey to solve a problem or deliver a feature.

Why does this matter for your career? Professionals who can map and optimize value streams eliminate waste and ensure IT is not seen as a cost center—but as a value engine.

Processes: The gears behind management practices

Within this dimension, the concept of a process remains vital. A process is a set of interrelated activities that transform inputs into outputs. In ITIL Version 5, processes define the sequence and dependencies of activities within management practices.

Management practices (such as Incident Management or Change Management) provide the processes needed to support Value Chain activities. For this to work in practice, the organization should avoid “copy-and-paste” implementations from technical manuals and adapt processes to its specific context.

Optimizing for complexity: Systems thinking

The digital world is unpredictable. That’s why ITIL Version 5 introduces Complexity Thinking. Instead of applying rigid procedures to everything, the organization should identify which context the work is in:

Ordered: Cause-and-effect relationships are clear. Detailed procedures work well here (e.g., password reset).

Complex: Cause and effect are only understood in hindsight. This requires experimentation and continuous feedback (e.g., developing a new AI product).

Chaotic: Crisis situations that require immediate action to stabilize the environment (e.g., a full outage of a critical system).

Confused: When it’s unclear which context the problem belongs to. The first step is to identify the nature of the situation.

The GPS analogy

Think of a process like a route suggested by a GPS. Under normal conditions, you follow the plan. But if there’s an accident or a sudden change in weather, you need agility to deviate from the original route. ITIL Version 5 encourages processes to be designed as high-level guides, allowing people to make decisions based on the reality of the moment.

How does this help your company and your career?

By mastering the Value Streams and Processes dimension, you deliver tangible benefits to the business:

• True agility: The ability to respond to change without being blocked by unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Reduced waste: Identification of steps that don’t add value to the end customer.
• Improved customer experience: Smoother flows result in faster delivery and higher quality.

For professionals, this expertise is a passport to leadership and strategic consulting roles—where systems-level thinking is the number one requirement.

Take the next step in your professional journey

Understanding the theory is the beginning, but mastering the practical application of ITIL Version 5 requires high-performance training. At PMG Academy, our experts turn these complex concepts into tools you can use the very next day at work.

Want to become a Value Streams specialist and lead efficiency in your organization?

Check out our ITIL courses and get ready for the official certification!

Have you already mapped your team’s value streams? Share your experience in the comments or ask your questions about the new framework!