• Recap operations management• Understand end user training• Understand help desk• Discuss assignment 3
Today’s Objectives
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
Operations Management - What is it?
• Computer hardware (servers, workstations, etc.)• Communications lines and equipment (hubs, routers, switches,
gateways, etc.)• Software (applications, system software, utilities)• Data centers (control rooms, console operations, libraries,
backup, etc.)• Disaster recovery - detailed procedures/processes for
recovering data and applications• Security (firewalls, intrusion detection, user authentication,
etc.)• Personnel for the above (e.g., operators, programmers,
technicians, etc.)
Operations Management is the planning and management of . . .
Operations Management - What is it?
• Computer hardware (servers, workstations, etc.)• Communications lines and equipment (hubs, routers, switches,
gateways, etc.)• Software (applications, system software, utilities)• Data centers (control rooms, console operations, libraries,
backup, etc.)• Disaster recovery - detailed procedures/processes for
recovering data and applications• Security (firewalls, intrusion detection, user authentication,
etc.)• Personnel for the above (e.g., operators, programmers,
technicians, etc.)
Operations Management is the planning and management of . . .
Data Centers
1. Console monitoring
2. Input/Output control
3. Manual media distribution
4. Backups
5. Production coordination
Data Center Functions
Data Center Set-Up
• Evaluation of user expectations
• Use of vendors
• Proximity issues
• Measures and controls
• Procure needed human resources
• Define test plan
• Physical security
• Buy vs. lease the facility
Managerial Considerations
Data Center Set-Up
• Location of the data center (access to needed resources)
• Power issues
• Fire suppression
• Telephone-company connectivity
• Cable management
• Cooling system
• Security/Backup procedures
Technical Considerations
Operations Management - How to Improve
• Centralize resources
• Automate operations
• Replace/Streamline legacy applications
• Outsource
• Continuous process improvement
Approaches to Meeting Objectives
Operations Management - How to improve
• Locate resources in same physical location(s)• Can reduce support costs without jeopardizing
service levels• Enables greater standardization of processes• Enables continual streamlining of operations
processes
Centralize resources
Service Types to Be Measured
Disciplines
Performance Management
Configuration Management
Availability
Reliability
Response time
Application versions & enhancements
Accounting Management Reporting procedure
Fault Management Incident management, e.g., • database failure• workstation failure
Security Management
Recovery ManagementBackup
Recovery
Capacity Planning
Online Systems
Batch SystemsOutput handling
Schedule execution
Service Types
Small Group Discussion
• Performance?
• Reliability (outages)?
• Security management?
• Incident management (i.e., responding to problems)?
• Schedule execution (i.e., batch runs)?
Identify metrics and targets for each of the SLA service types below:
Disaster Recovery Planning
• Disaster recovery planning is not a two-month project,
neither is it a project that once completed, you can forget
about. An effective recovery plan is a live recovery plan.
- Computing and Network Services
(CNS)
What is meant by this statement?
Disaster Recovery Planning vs. Business Continuity
Disaster recovery
+ Business resumption and recovery (workplace to rebuild systems and the business)
+ Crisis management (how executives respond to and make decisions during a crisis)
Business Continuity
Service Management Agreements (SMAs)
Service Management Agreements (SMAs) address important gaps that typically occur in SLAs
1. IT foundations• Standardization of metrics• Standardization of service descriptions• Standardization of reporting
2. Process foundations• Account manager is assigned to a customer• Account manager and customer develop SLA• Service performance metrics are established• Service performance is published monthly• Account manager reviews quarterly with the customer
3. Management foundations• Service quotes• Communication• Billing questions• Customer interviews and reviews Source: Gartner Group
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
BPR vs. ERP
BPR ERP
Business processimpact
Software deliveryapproach
Software upgraderesponsibility
Biggest challenge
Radically redesignprocess
Use process imposedby package
Mostly custom Package
Enterprise Vendor
Adoption by the enterprise
Adoption by the enterprise
Human Resource Impacts of BPR and ERP
Both BPR and ERP are high risk projects that frequently fail to live up to expectations
Process Tech
People
• Lack of visible leadership/sponsorship• Lack of adequate training• Lack of communication• Death by 1000 initiatives• New/Changed roles not implemented• New/Changed incentives/rewards not implemented
End User Training
• Helps to overcome resistance to change
• Boosts productivity
• More knowledgeable and effective workers
• Drives down support costs
– help desk support
– support from colleagues
• Increases self-worth, confidence, morale, retention
Benefits
End User Training
• Third-Party Training Classes
• In-House Training Classes
• Traditional Self-Study
• Computer-Based Training
• Web-based training
• Video-based training (“highly animated cave paintings”)
Major Types of Training
User training and total cost of ownership
Increasesuser productivity/effectiveness
Increasestotal costof ownership
Decreasestotal costof ownership
Decreasesuser productivity/effectiveness
• Process-related, rather than application-specific training
• Additional software functionality (new or existing software)
• Providing FAQ’s from the help desk
• Training new users
• Retraining existing users on functionality they have forgotten
• Not providing any training• Providing training at the
wrong time• Providing ineffective training• Replacing software with
same level of functionality • Providing functionality not
required by user
Source: Gartner
• Management training• Customer service training• Communication skills training (e.g., presentations,
writing)
Training
IT Training Emphasis
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
Help Desk
• Central point of contact that solves technical problems by providing support and information
• Provides general information, responds to customer requests, logs problems, and has first-level responsibilities for problem determination and resolution
• Collects information about customers and the types of problems they encounter
What is it?
Help Desk
Mainframe Era • User documentation manuals from training• Onsite specialists (for “platinum” customers)• Maybe an 800 number from a vendor• Online bulletin boards, user- or vendor-driven
Decentralized Era• Help screens appear• Computer-based training (CBT), available just-in-time (JIT)
Distributed Era• Help desk appears
Internet Era• Consolidated Service Desk
History
Help Desk
Planning• Collect trend information and evaluates trends• Gather planning information to avert problems and
promote the use and further development of network capabilities
Development• Provide development assistance to end users on business
controls, recovery management techniques, etc.• Evaluate new applications for inclusion on distributed
networkDeployment• Provide/Coordinate user training on hardware, software,
proceduresSupport• Provide first tier of support for problem resolution• Compile and maintain online knowledge base
Responsibilities
Help Desk
• User calls with an incident
• Incident is entered into a “User Support System”
• Ticket number is assigned for tracking purposes
• Call is routed to appropriate individual for resolution
• User who reported problem may be able to view status of reported problems online
Ticket System
Help Desk
• Competent help desk representatives– technically competent, current– attitude (calm, patient, thick skin, empathetic, respectful)
• Variety of help vehicles, e.g.,– FAQ/knowledge base– online chat/discussion groups– super users
• Regular communication during problem resolution– report status– be available – practice effective listening skills
• Follow-Up afterward– survey/feedback– ensure customer satisfaction
• Measure and assess (SLA)• Train users to eliminate need for support in the first place
Strategies used by successful Help Desks to obtain user satisfaction
Help Desk
• Performance goals are set for– all help desk agents– all support resources (e.g., vendors, tier 2, etc.)
• Sample list of performance goals:– % of calls resolved on the first call– % of calls where user hung up before talking to agent– % of calls resolved at each tier– Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for all trouble tickets– Number of tickets for each severity level– MTTR for each severity level– Number of tickets for each tier– MTTR for each tier– MTTR for specific hardware or applications– Number of problems resolved proactively before a telephone
call made
Help Desk Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Help Desk
• Limits the amount of knowledge needed by help desk agent
• Ensures users have same level/version of products, reduces complexity of multiple version support
• Limits number of vendors and suppliers to be dealt with, enables more standardized interactions with these firms
Product standards enable higher quality help desk service
1. Identify groups (business or IT) that the help desk depends on
2. Identify groups (business or IT) that depend on the help desk
Small groups
Help Desk
1. Coordination of support across tiers utilizing single point of contact and ownership transfer concepts
2. Ability to integrate and automate service, problem, change and asset management processes
3. Provision of quality and easy-to-use knowledge-based authoring tools
4. Capacity to offer tight integration of these elements:• legacy tools• telephony• Web chat• VoIP (voice over Internet protocol)• self-support• software distribution• remote control• network and system management (NSM)
Consolidated Service Desk (CSD) Scope of Functions
Help Desk
Provider Perspective• Lowers people costs associated with service• Offers complete picture of all application and
system costs• Reigns in support “chaos” that resulted from
multiple help desks
User Perspective• Higher quality support and service• More seamless interaction with help desk/IT• Anywhere, anytime support• Users can be more self-reliant
Benefits of Consolidated Service Desk (CSD)
The lowest paid IT professionals continue to be in help desk or IT support, with median compensation at $39,000
- Information Week, 4/29/02
No respect
Lots of responsibility . . . “go home mentally exhausted at night” . . . good entry point into an IT career . . . e-support helpful in preventing burnout
- Information Week, 6/25/01
“The help desk has responsibility to make its own value more visible” - Chris Martins, Aberdeen Group
- Information Week, 6/25/01
Discuss
Help Desk - Trends
• Consolidation
• Call avoidance, self-help, WWW
• Central role in management and quality assurance
• Professional/Customer-oriented attitude (convergence with customer service)
• Better training and career opportunities
• Use of help desk software
• Use of outsourcers
How Help Desks are evolving
• Reactive, demand driven• Fixes results of problems, not
their causes• An information dead end• A career dead end• Isolated• Passive - awaiting approaches• Techically oriented staff• Struggling for resources• A “back room” function
• Proactive, strategy driven• Fixes the causes of
problems at source• Gathers/disseminates info.• A worthwhile career path• Integral• Aggressive - markets itself• Customer service oriented• Justifies resourcing• The public face of IT /
Customer Services
Help Desk - Trends
Traditional Modern
Help Desk - Trends
• “Hacker mentality”• More likely to handle minor technical problems on
their own• More likely to use Web-based self-service tools
Example: DePauw University• “At the help desk crew I supervise, the goal is to
head off 60% of call traffic by using self-help resources”
• As callers get younger, that figure could rise to 80%
- Information Week, 10/21/02
Young adults’ comfort with technology could change IT support
Topic Duration
• Recap operations mgmt 15 minutes
• Quiz 15 minutes
• End user training (finish) 30 minutes
• *** Break 10 minutes
• Assignment 2 reports 20 minutes
• Help desk 60 minutes
• Assignment 3 45 minutes
Today’s agenda
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