User Services TechKNOWvatioN

The User Services TechKNOWvatioN contains those processes and activities involved with providing help to users of a technically complex environment. User Services is the TechKNOWvatioN where day-to-day contact between the user community and the IT organization takes place.

Contact with the end user is often driven by the user, not the IT organization, which tends to make this area rather reactive. As a result, the primary focus of User Services is the provisioning of quality service directly to the user.

• Support Center TechKNOWvatioN Service

The Support Center TechKNOWvatioN Service is the set of services that tracks and resolves problems and requests generated by the user community. Support Center is concerned with providing help, either over the phone, or on-site if needed or desired by the user community. Typically, the Support Center TechKNOWvatioN Service is considered a 1st and/or 2nd level support service in an organization. Types of services provided by the Support Center include problem resolution, performance of simple proceduralized services (such as changing passwords or resetting a device), and distribution of documentation (such as user guides).

• Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting

The Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Element is the service that tracks, measures, and reports on problems and requests generated by the user community. Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting is concerned with information capture, not solving of problems.

• Problem Resolution Management

The Problem Resolution Management Element is the service that manages problems generated by the user community to ensure that they are satisfactorily resolved. Problem Resolution is concerned with managing problems, but may not be involved in solving those problems. Although these two functions of managing and fixing a problem are closely related and can be performed by the same group of people, that is not always the case. In some environments the "help desk" only performs the role of dispatching, not resolving problems. Part of the function of Problem Resolution Management is the capture of knowledge on what caused the problem and how it was fixed.

• Service Request Management

The Service Request Management Element is the service that manages service requests generated by the user community to ensure that they are satisfied in a timely manner. Service Request Management is concerned with managing the requests, but may not be involved in solving them. Some requests (such as a request for documentation) may be handled in this area, while others (such as a request for installation of a new PC) may be handled by another group and only managed here.

• Provisioning TechKNOWvatioN Service

The Provisioning TechKNOWvatioN Service is the set of services that orders, tracks, and measures frequently used or perishable supplies used in a technically complex environment.

• Consumable Inventory Management

The Consumable Inventory Management Element is the service that maintains the inventory of consumable supplies. Such supplies include printer paper, toner, diskettes, and tapes.

• Consumable Purchasing

The Consumable Purchasing Element is the service that acquires consumables as they are requested by users or as inventories become low.

• Equipment Purchasing

The Equipment Purchasing Element is the service that acquires standard equipment as it is requested by users or as inventories become low. Standard equipment can include items like a PC or modem.