Chapter 2: Introduction to Computer User Support A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists second edition by Fred Beisse

Learning Objectives Why the need for user support employees is growing Common ways organizations organize the user support function Services that user support centers provide Position descriptions for user support staff members The knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to qualify for an entry-level user support position continued

Increased Need for User Support Employees Greater need due to: Growth of end user computing in offices and homes Growth of Internet use Lower unemployment rates Shortage of well-trained IT workers To fill support positions: Organizations form partnerships with community colleges or vocational/technical schools

User Support versus Technical Support computer user support — A job function or department in an organization that provides information and services to employees and/or customers to help them use computers more productively. technical support — A level of user support that focuses on higher-level troubleshooting and problem solving user support deals with a broad spectrum of support issues; technical support deals with advanced and difficult problems users encounter.

How Organizations Organize the User Support Function Informal peer support User support combined with other responsibilities User support as a separate position or group Help desk support User support center User support as an IS responsibility User support outsourced to a vendor

Informal Peer Support peer support — An informal level of user support where coworkers in an organization or department exchange information and provide assistance about computer use and problems encountered by other users. No special training or preparation required

User Support Combined with Other Responsibilities Responsibility for user support is formalized in an existing employee’s position description Can make significant demands on employee’s time and compete with other assigned tasks

User Support as a Separate Position or Group Part-time, informal peer support cannot meet support demands: Full-time support position Organize part-time employees into a formal user support group

Help Desk Support Provides a single point of contact for users in need of technical support Manages customer problems and requests and provides solutions-oriented support services May be a: physical location a telephone number (hotline) an e-mail address a Web site

User Support Center Also called an information center Provides a wide range of services to an organization’s computer users Help desk Consulting on product purchases Training and documentation on supported products Troubleshooting

User Support as an IS Responsibility Provided: directly by technical IS staff by a separate group within IS Advantage: Provides single point of contact Disadvantage: Conflicts with other IS employee assignments

User Support Outsourced to a Vendor Contract with a vendor that specializes in support services Advantage: Control costs while taking advantage of of external expertise Disadvantages: Telephone or e-mail rather than on-site access Costs are not necessarily lower Little transfer of knowledge to in-house staff Lack of personal relationship between users and support staff

User Support Services – What Do We Do? Staff a help desk, hotline, or chat session to provide information Provide technical troubleshooting assistance for hardware, software, and network problems Locate information to assist users Evaluate hardware, software, and network products Coordinate organization-wide support standards Perform needs assessment and provide purchase assistance for users. Provide system installation assistance Provide training on computer systems and procedures Prepare documentation on computer use Perform computer facilities management tasks Assist users with software development projects

Services User Support Centers Provide

Staff a Help Desk or Hotline for Information and Problems Respond to requests for product information Market products and services Provide solutions to problems Receive user complaints about product features Handle warranties and product returns

Provide Technical Troubleshooting Assistance Deal with intractable problems that go beyond the immediate services the help desk can provide need a high level of expertise Examples Hardware problem diagnosis Repair, replace, fix, provide workarounds for difficult applications software and network problems

Locate Information to Assist Users Access, search for, locate, and work with information to solve a problem Examples Printed materials from vendors Trade and text books Online help CD-ROM databases Internet Web sites Interactive fax services Automated telephone voice-response units

Evaluate Hardware, Software and Network Products Questions to answer: Productivity - Will a new product make employees more Productive? Compatibility – Will a new product work with current systems/applications? Cost effective – Will a particular system or software package be cost-effective? Usability - Will a specific product meet employees needs better than another product? Timing – When should users upgrade? Do we upgrade all users at the same time? Why or why not?

Coordinate Organization-wide Support Standards Standards - List of computer products that an organization recommends to its employees and that it will support Goal: To limit the hardware and software products a support staff must be able to support to reduce support costs How easy is this? What type of Standards do we care about?

Perform Needs Assessment and Purchase Assistance Also called a needs analysis To investigate and determine the features and configuration of hardware and software that will best meet a user’s needs May include justifying the purchase, how to place an order, and how to pay for the system

Provide System Installation Assistance Purpose: efficient use of staff resources Strategy: User support staff have tools and expertise to unpack, set up, install, and configure the system

Provide Training on the Use of Computer Systems Goal: To make effective use of a new or upgraded system Examples Basic, introductory classes Advanced training Periodic training sessions One-on-one training

Prepare Documentation on Computer Use Training is one-time – documentation is always available Example documents: Introductory, “how-to” manuals for new users Tutorials and reference manuals on specific products Organizational computer use guidelines Online documentation, such as FAQs and wizards

Perform Computer Facilities Management Tasks Maintain security Make media backups Prevent viruses Deal with ergonomic problems Purchase supplies Perform preventative maintenance

Assist Users with Applications Software Development To solve specific problems or meet information requirements Potential source of conflict between IS department staff and support center staff Compatibility Design standards Documentation Security Not provided by many user support centers Emphasis on assisting users with applications development

Calpine Corporation’s End User Support Analyst Provide support to PC users at Western Regional Office Install, configure and upgrade systems Provide help desk services Troubleshoot problems and maintain PCs Provide training Write documentation Analyze computer needs Track PC hardware and software inventory Provide network support

Stream International’s Support Services Representative Provide responsive and competent telephone support to customers in areas of product features, installation, use, and usability for the specified software product(s) High level of professional, competent support Meet goals for problem response and duration Provide telephone support Maintain high level of technical product knowledge Act in mature, professional manner

St Petersburg Junior College Network Technical Support Specialist Combines network support with user support Provide technical support to resolve network problems Act as liaison between end users and IS management Install, maintain and troubleshoot end-user computers Assist with network design Perform preventive network maintenance Research solutions to technical and business problems

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) Analyze position descriptions for KSAs: Knowledge – what do I need to know Skills – what do I need to be able to do well Abilities – what special tasks or skills do I need to be able to perform Note: the difference between skills and abilities is blurred in everyday use.

Knowledge What an employee must know May be stated as: Examples specific number of years of education a degree in a specified field list of topics Examples Knowledge of basic computer operation Knowledge of applications software package (e.g., Excel)

Skills Tasks an employee must be able to perform well Can be attained through training or experience Examples Skill in troubleshooting hardware and software Skill in configuring desktop computers to optimize performance

Abilities A special task or skill a support specialist either has or does not have Often state as ability to perform a specific task Examples Ability to lift 50-pound boxes Ability to communicate with users in Spanish Ability to assemble and upgrade PCs Ability to write documentation

How to get KSAs Few support employees have every KSA they need on day 1. Learning resources: Employer training and orientation classes On-the-job training Continuing education Community College classes Vocational-technical school classes Industry training and certification classes