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Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Doing more with less:Finding solutions that don’t cost a bundle
Presenters:
Debbora (Debby) Quayle – Help Desk & Training
Karen Schaffer – Desktop Integration (Installations)
Krista Siniscarco – Instructional Technology Support
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Hamilton at a glance
• Private liberal arts college• 1750 undergraduate students• IT department
– 27 members• Web Services (2)• Network & Telephone Services (4)• Instructional Technology Support (7)• Desktop Integration Services (3)• Central Information Services (5)• Help Desk & Training (4)• VP & Office Assistant (2)
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
How to manage growing demand for support and
services at a time when…..
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
This is your team (or department)
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
And this is your work load
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The first solution everyone thinks of is…
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
More Help!!More Help!!
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
And yet…
• Adding staff is not an option
• Budgets are flat or shrinking
• Other constraints prohibit it
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The unthinkable
Cut back or change our services
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The usual objections
• Runs counter to our mission
• Lose value in the eyes of our clients
• Don’t know where to start
• It won’t be enough
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
If we don’t cut back or change
• Demand will still increase
• Long work hours will continue
• Turn-around times won’t improve
• Quality will go down
• Less able to respond to emergencies
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
What we did
• The technique we used– Problem analysis – identify the time sinks– List all our options– Identify the stakeholders– Develop solutions & include the
stakeholders– Implement and evaluate
• Examples in three different support areas
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Instructional Technology Support
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Our Services at a Glance
• Technology Enhanced (TE) Classrooms– 70 TE classrooms– 48 dual platform, 22 Mac only– Courses, special events & presentations– 2 professional staff, 25 students– 2 departments - ITS & A/V
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The Problems
• # of classrooms .
• Demand/usage from users .
• Requests for support .
• # of staff, stays the same.
• Training student staff.
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Bottlenecks/Time Sinks
• Uneven division of labor• Inconsistency in hardware/software• “Emergency” support• Students’ responsibilities
– cross-platform, labs & classrooms
• 2 departments responsible for space
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Stakeholders
• Faculty & Students
• Administration & Guests
• Student Staff (STCs)
• Professional Staff (ITS & A/V)
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Options
• Staffing– Hire more– Reallocate existing
Level of Service
• Outreach to Campus
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Solutions
• Reallocation of staff– Professional staff– Student staff
• Coordination with A/V
• Departmentally supported spaces
• Outreach to faculty & administration
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Results
• Consistency & compatibility “Emergency” support calls
• STCs better trained & prepared– in referrals to professional staff
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Our Services at a Glance
• Instructional design• Faculty & Course support
– Direct student support - multimedia projects
• Tailored workshops & assignments to meet learning goals– Checkpoints & support throughout semester
• Multimedia Presentation Center• Professional & Intern staff
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Example Timeline
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The Problems
demand for service– # and intensity
• Resources remain constant
• Large gap between professional staff & STCs
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Bottlenecks/Time Sinks
• Resource shortage at “crunch times”
• Several resources that need to be evenly balanced– Each course– Throughout semester
• Last minute requests for support
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Stakeholders
• Students
• Faculty
• Interns/STCs
• Professional Staff
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Options
• Staffing– Hire more– Reallocate existing
• More resources Level of Service
• Outreach to Campus
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Solutions
• Reallocation of professional staff• Hire interns• Outreach to faculty
– Need to PLAN AHEAD
• Different models of support– Shifting deadlines– Alternative solutions
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Results
• Better allocation of resources throughout semester
• Better able to meet demand for support
• Higher quality in student projects
• More professional staff time for planning & development
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Desktop Integration Services
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Our Services at a Glance
• Hardware Installations
• Software Installations
• Purchasing
• Advanced Troubleshooting
• 2 professional staff - full-time
• 2 interns part-time – academic calendar
• 6 interns full-time - summer
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The Problems
• Due to Increases in:– Services offered and supported– Number of service requests– Computers and printers managed– Complexities of operating systems
• Unable to:– Meet service levels– Plan for technology changes– Build efficiencies/improve services– Backup within the team
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Bottlenecks/Time Sinks
• New hardware installations – Researching available options– Purchasing– Logistics of receiving, inventorying,
configuring– Onsite installation– Ongoing support
• Training interns
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Stakeholders
• All Employees– Faculty most affected
• Top Level Management
• Professional Staff
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Options
• Hire additional staff
• Outsource hardware & software installations
• Schedule all installations during summer
• Hire additional interns
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Solutions
• Hardware installations June – August
• Annual hardware purchase
• Buy in from top level management
• Policy & procedures for exceptions
• Promoted new business model
• Additional student staff for summer
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Results
• Successfully implemented new business model & policies
• More time for planning & other initiatives
• Project compartmentalization– Focus on quality service– Standardization of hardware – Improve team morale
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Our Services at a Glance
• Hardware Installations
• Software Installations
• Purchasing
• Advanced Troubleshooting
• 2 professional staff - full-time
• 2 interns part-time – academic calendar
• 6 interns full-time - summer
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
The Problems
• 2 teams providing same installation services
• 3 staff managing same installation services differently
• 2 staff managing purchasing• Inconsistent services• Inefficient use of resources• Who to contact – confusing to clients
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Bottlenecks/Time Sinks
• Planning
• Inconsistent use of tools & technical implementations
• Difficult to troubleshoot advanced problems
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Stakeholders
• Faculty
• Professional staff
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Options
• Create a new position
• Reallocate position
• Reallocate position and redefine responsibilities
• Do nothing
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Solutions
• Redefined responsibilities & reallocated position
• New policies & procedures for services
• Planning & collaboration across teams
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Results
• Single point of contact
• Consistency & standardization of services
• Backup support within the team
• Foster an environment to strengthen and expand technical knowledge
• Streamline and simplify service
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Help Desk & Training Services
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Our service at a glance
• Phone & in-office support (students & staff)• 3 full-time Help Desk professionals• Help@Night (1 per shift)• Support on Site (SOS) (1 per shift)• Daytime student workers (2 hr./week)
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Problem & Time Sinks
• Drowning in spyware and viruses• Call volume at an all time high • Our call backlog was 3 times higher than
normal• No control over laptop drop-off• More laptops than we could support• Students frustrated by long delays• Too many repeat customers• Quality was suffering
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Options
• Discontinue our laptop service
• Continue to take laptops, but require appointments
• Have students do the remediation in our office or their rooms
• Provide self-help documentation
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Stakeholders
• Students
• Student workers
• Professional Staff
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Solution
• Hire temporary workers for the peak load• Require appointments for assistance• Have students do the work• Limit service to the first two weeks of the
semester (called “the grace period”)
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Solution part 2
• After the grace period, appointments only if compliant– Firewall on– Anti-virus installed and up-to-date– Anti-spyware installed and up-to-date– OS patches installed and up-to-date
• If not compliant, provide self-help packet or use fee-based repair service
• Problems NOT related to compliance – full drop off service
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Including the StakeholdersStudents– Announced new policy– Encouraged self-helpStudent workers– Trained to assist – Rehearsed the policy– Escalate difficult problemsProfessional staff– Developed policy as a team– Reviewed and rehearsed
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Results• Sharp decline at start of semester• Processed more than ever• Customer satisfaction soared• Less stressed• Better able to respond to emergencies• Time for professional development
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Implement and Evaluate
Fall 2003
(Blaster)
Spring
2004
Fall 2004
Spring 2005
Compliant
Spring 2005
Non-
Compliant
Fall 2005
Compliant
Fall 2005
Non-
Compliant
Grace
Virus/
Spyware
100 35 48 25 42 9 28
Satisfaction 85% 98% 97% 97% 100%Post-Grace
Virus/ Spyware
98 120 77 67 63 43 89
Satisfaction -- -- 89% 90% 100%
Total Computers
306 277 314 279 458
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
How to do more with less
• Problem analysis – identify the time sinks
• List ALL your options
• Identify the stakeholders
• Develop solutions & include the stakeholders
• Implement and evaluate
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
Things that worked for us
• Realign teams or team member assignments (permanently or temporarily)
• Reallocate resources to meet peaks in demand
• Involve the stakeholders in the process• Consider other sources of help – students
and temporary workers• Redefine service expectations & support
models • Communicate changes -- often
Copyright: Hamilton College 2006
How to contact us
Debby Quayle (Help Desk & Training)
Karen Schaffer (Desktop Integration)
[email protected] 315-859-4051
Krista Siniscarco (Instructional Technology Support)
[email protected] 315-859-4099