First 3.2
1 Fix Incident and Problem management, they are the operational core
2 Coordinate the books

Then ITIL 4

New team of authors in a single project, volunteer effort, all material available for reuse.
Critics taken aboard.
Use a tool like Flowdock http://blog.nodeta.fi/2009/07/05/announcing-flowdock-real-time-collabora... to create real collaboration.
Recognize that there are several audiences. One book for Executives, one for Developers, one for Operations etc but ALL COORDINATED with the same terminology. Tight links to ISO 20000 and COBIT.

I am very disappointed in the ITIL Strategy volume: as I say in my internal (company) Infrastructure Management courses - "Be aware that Business-IT linkage is really for grown-ups; don't rely on the ITIL Strategy book to teach you anything!". As many of the other disciplines (COBIT, Six Sigma, TOGAF) go further, ITIL must also tighten up its approach. The volumes and their diagrams often reflect individuals' pet topics and their diagrams, some of which may be mainstream.

While the various books are usable they contain too many errors. While they may be small by themselves, collectively they distract or worse confuse potential users. The result is that the books have a sense of being published 'drafts.'

As mentioned, let's consolidate the authors, treat this as a true project or program with the associated Change Management so that it can reach the next level and truly met the needs of the whole audience.

It needs to be accomplished now as waiting until more people become involved will just make it harder to correct.

Each book maybe ok on its own, but they do not do the work as a set. There are some contradictions too

1. After reading books, one of my friends was wondering where does the Change building and also testing get done, whose responsibility is that.? because in each book some thing different was given. Is it the Change Management's responsibility or is it the Release Management's responsibility.
To add to the confusion the figures are also aiding the confusion.

A better, leaner and crisper version of the books is definitely needed.

2. The ordering of the topics also is sometimes confusing. ITIL is very effective for the operational purposes. V2 was very well organized that way. As a trainer, I can identify the confusion the participant goes through when we start teaching them the Transition management first and then the operations management. Most participants are from the operational back ground and the structure of V3 is very confusing for hte operational people.

3. Evaluation and Service Validation are not dealt with well at all. Most training organizations do not even bother to touch these topics in the trainings (maybe due to lack of knowledge!!!!)

4. Continual service improvement definitely needs Improvement.!!!! Reading this book should give one immediately a lot of ammunition regarding the improvement areas, KRAs, etc. But its woefully inadequate. In reality one does a lot more than what is given in the book.

I feel V3 should have been made simpler. Strategy is fine, but how many from the Top management get involved in the operations? and that is the part which should actually be the core of ITIL.

Roles and responsibilities are not coherent. As usual, each book has its own and no over lap of these is covered well....

Does anyone know if there is already any news available on when these changes will be made available? Am very curious as to what they will change.

I am no expert, but I read through all the ITIL books, and what I found most frustrating was the inconsistency.

After reading the comments in this thread, I understand why I found some parts so difficult!

Can anyone suggest some books on ITIL which are perhaps more clarifying?

The following link might be helpful to you http://www.itsmsolutions.com/documents/ITIL_Update_FAQs_Oct09.pdf

The key item as already identified above is coherence. Any Architect worth his salt would tell you, Communication, Communication and Communication is the key. And that is exactly what is not upto the mark (putting it mildly).

An expected update in early 2011 is TOO LATE !

Based on my very limited exposure to ITIL v3, we are creating a mess, and individuals, many of whom who will have used the method of rote (due to the confusing state of the publications) would be scarred forever. Just put a team through the ITIL v3 foundation course and you will know.

Imagine a complicated set of road signs and signals which the driver painstakingly learns, knowingly that these are not the right ones and another set of signals is expected ! Only that the driver will have to use these signals atleast for a year and just when he is settling in, a visit on the learning curve is necessary.

Addendum :

Imagine a complicated set of road signs and signals which the driver painstakingly learns, knowingly that these are not the right ones and another set of signals is expected !
Also these work only in his own district and a different set before going on the freeway/highway.
Only that the driver will have to use these signals atleast for a year and just when he is settling in, a visit on the learning curve is necessary.