Entertainment Track:Entertainment Track:

Integrating Beer PubIntegrating Beer PubTracking SoftwareTracking Software

Sue Hales, Bucknell UniversitySue Hales, Bucknell University

Rick Osterberg, Harvard Rick Osterberg, Harvard UniversityUniversity

Support Models Track:Support Models Track:

Problem Tracking Systems:Problem Tracking Systems:One Year LaterOne Year Later

Sue Hales, Bucknell UniversitySue Hales, Bucknell University

Rick Osterberg, Harvard Rick Osterberg, Harvard UniversityUniversity

Applause!Applause!Applause!Applause!Applause!Applause!Applause!

Roadmap & AgendaRoadmap & Agenda

What is a tracking system?What is a tracking system? What are the advantages?What are the advantages? Overview of different optionsOverview of different options What you need to think aboutWhat you need to think about Case study of two productsCase study of two products Future plansFuture plans What we learnedWhat we learned Discussion and questionsDiscussion and questions

What is a tracking system?What is a tracking system?

Log walk-ins, calls, e-mails, visitsLog walk-ins, calls, e-mails, visits Route problems to appropriate Route problems to appropriate

individualsindividuals Report on Help Desk statisticsReport on Help Desk statistics Doesn’t necessarily include Doesn’t necessarily include

knowledgebaseknowledgebase

Do you want tracking?Do you want tracking?

Do we have all the Do we have all the answers?answers?

Top 12 Reasons...Top 12 Reasons...

6. Prevent requests from falling through the 6. Prevent requests from falling through the crackscracks

7. Track performance (department/staff)7. Track performance (department/staff)

8. Escalate “stale” tickets to get attention 8. Escalate “stale” tickets to get attention

9. Keep an accurate history of users9. Keep an accurate history of users

10. Track the different beers your staff has 10. Track the different beers your staff has triedtried

11. Gather statistics to be proactive11. Gather statistics to be proactive

12. Improve internal communication12. Improve internal communication

Top 12 Reasons...Top 12 Reasons...

1. Because you didn’t already have enough 1. Because you didn’t already have enough projects to work onprojects to work on

2. Respond to “problem” users & parents2. Respond to “problem” users & parents

3. Reduce need for organizational 3. Reduce need for organizational knowledgeknowledge

4. Because you always dreamed of4. Because you always dreamed oflearning SQLlearning SQL

5. Increase ability for staff to cover each 5. Increase ability for staff to cover each other and hand-off ticketsother and hand-off tickets

Help Desk Software Help Desk Software OptionsOptions

Commercial PackagesCommercial Packages– Remedy, Heat, Clarify, Apriori, McAfeeRemedy, Heat, Clarify, Apriori, McAfee

Home-grown desktop database Home-grown desktop database appsapps– Filemaker, Access, FoxPro, 4DFilemaker, Access, FoxPro, 4D

More complex home-grown systemsMore complex home-grown systems– Web, SQL back end, Perl, C++, CGIWeb, SQL back end, Perl, C++, CGI

Pros & Cons:Pros & Cons:Commercial PackagesCommercial Packages

Big $$ - Anywhere from $10K - $100KBig $$ - Anywhere from $10K - $100K You get what you pay forYou get what you pay for Not necessarily tailored for your siteNot necessarily tailored for your site Often not cross-platformOften not cross-platform Requires lots of in-house maintenanceRequires lots of in-house maintenance Powerful! Lots of featuresPowerful! Lots of features If you don’t have developers but have If you don’t have developers but have

lots of money, may be good approachlots of money, may be good approach

Pros & Cons:Pros & Cons:Home-Grown Desktop Home-Grown Desktop

AppsApps

Design limitationsDesign limitations Speed issuesSpeed issues Cross-platform issuesCross-platform issues InexpensiveInexpensive Easy & quick development; modifiableEasy & quick development; modifiable Tailored specifically to your siteTailored specifically to your site Good prototyping toolGood prototyping tool No developers or money? Good approachNo developers or money? Good approach

Pros & Cons:Pros & Cons:More Complex Home-More Complex Home-

GrownGrown

Requires back-end databaseRequires back-end database Requires in-house development skillsRequires in-house development skills Long-term maintenance issuesLong-term maintenance issues Usually web based -- free clientsUsually web based -- free clients Tailored specifically to your siteTailored specifically to your site Possible integration with external dataPossible integration with external data No money? Have developer? May be a No money? Have developer? May be a

good approachgood approach

What you need to think What you need to think aboutabout

ResourcesResources FeaturesFeatures Workflow AnalysisWorkflow Analysis DesignDesign

These will drive your tool selection

ResourcesResources

What can you afford?What can you afford? Who will implement system?Who will implement system? What technical skill sets are What technical skill sets are

available?available? What external data can you use?What external data can you use? What back-end systems are What back-end systems are

available?available? What client systems are there?What client systems are there?

FeaturesFeatures Reporting and searching requirementsReporting and searching requirements Need web interface? E-mail interface?Need web interface? E-mail interface? E-mail notification to staff? To users?E-mail notification to staff? To users? Automatic escalations?Automatic escalations? Direct access to external data?Direct access to external data? Scheduling of support staff?Scheduling of support staff? Knowledgebase?Knowledgebase? End-user/client access to system?End-user/client access to system? Inventory management?Inventory management? Cross-platform requirements?Cross-platform requirements? Clearly-defined scope. Don’t do it all in v1.0!Clearly-defined scope. Don’t do it all in v1.0!

Workflow AnalysisWorkflow Analysis What is your support structure?What is your support structure? How/to whom are problems reported?How/to whom are problems reported? How are problems assigned to staff?How are problems assigned to staff?

– by platform? application? department?by platform? application? department?location? round-robin? hardware vs. software? location? round-robin? hardware vs. software? reporting method? combo?reporting method? combo?

What decisions should the computer make? What decisions should the computer make? Which should a human make?Which should a human make?– e.g., who gets the ticket? should I send e-mail?e.g., who gets the ticket? should I send e-mail?

is it an emergency?is it an emergency?

DesignDesign

Table designTable design Usability/robust user interfaceUsability/robust user interface Minimize data entryMinimize data entry Automate workflowAutomate workflow Avoid hard coding specificsAvoid hard coding specifics What reports do you want to get out?What reports do you want to get out? SecuritySecurity Anticipate the unanticipatedAnticipate the unanticipated K.I.S.S. principleK.I.S.S. principle

Don’t forget!!!Don’t forget!!!

User guide/trainingUser guide/training Debugging and usability testingDebugging and usability testing Volume and stress testingVolume and stress testing Programmer Programmer

documentation/commentsdocumentation/comments Communication with user baseCommunication with user base A computer cannot determine if a A computer cannot determine if a

user inputs a “helpful” descriptionuser inputs a “helpful” description

Case Study:Case Study:Grand Central StationGrand Central Station

Bucknell UniversityBucknell University

liberal arts & liberal arts & engineeringengineering

located in Lewisburg, PAlocated in Lewisburg, PA 3400 undergraduates3400 undergraduates 200 graduate students200 graduate students 260 full-time faculty260 full-time faculty 900 administrative staff900 administrative staff 42 computer center 42 computer center

employeesemployees

Bucknell’s Computer & Bucknell’s Computer & Communication Services Communication Services

M icrocom puter R epair

N etw ork Hardw are

Telecom m unications

Technical O perations8 FT staff

N etw ork M anagem ent

N T Adm inistration

U N I X Adm inistration

Lab M aintenance & Support

I nstructional Technology

Adm inistrative System s

M ainfram e O perations

System s I ntegration16 FT staff

Help Desk

Liaisons (Adm in/ Fac Support)

R esN et Support

Adm in System s Support

U ser Education

C lient Services12 FT staff

Director, CCS

Where do problems go?Where do problems go?

computer problem?

hardware or software?

Yes, if Apple or IBM; otherwise, No.

Through Software Service Clinic.

support or repair?

Help Desk only (ResNet students also have RCCs).

Personal equipment

hardware

software

support

Through Software Service Clinic.

repair

hardware or software?

Yes (with a few exceptions); through

Liaison.

support or repair?

Yes, if the software is on supported list; through Liaison.

hardware

software

support

Yes, if the software is on supported list; through Liaison.

repair

Bucknel l-owned equipment

GCS ArchitectureGCS Architecture

FileMaker Pro 4.0 clients (x-FileMaker Pro 4.0 clients (x-platform)platform)

FileMaker Pro 3.0 server (on Mac)FileMaker Pro 3.0 server (on Mac) 85 users (not concurrent)85 users (not concurrent)

GCS FilesGCS Files

TicketsTickets Clients (~6000 records)Clients (~6000 records) Departments (~65 records)Departments (~65 records) Staff (~125 records)Staff (~125 records) Dorms (~15 records)Dorms (~15 records) RCC Dorm AssignmentsRCC Dorm Assignments Supported SoftwareSupported Software PopUpsPopUps HolidaysHolidays

Grand Central StationGrand Central StationDemoDemo

GCS: Future PlansGCS: Future Plans

Web accessWeb access User submission of ticketsUser submission of tickets Live links to administrative dataLive links to administrative data Hardware work ordersHardware work orders Auto-escalation of ticketsAuto-escalation of tickets Action items for ticketsAction items for tickets … … many others ...many others ...

Free (with restrictions)Free (with restrictions)

Free only to higher-ed institutionsFree only to higher-ed institutions Cannot distribute it to other sitesCannot distribute it to other sites Can freely modify (except for Can freely modify (except for

splash screen)splash screen) Can’t provide supportCan’t provide support

– GCS-L for mutual assistanceGCS-L for mutual assistance

Case Study: HoundCase Study: Hound

Harvard StructureHarvard Structure

H arvardC o lleg e

R ad c liffeC o lleg e

G rad . S ch oo l o fA rts & S c ien ces

F acu lty o f A rtsan d S c ien ces

L aw S ch oo l M ed ica l S ch oo l O th er G radS ch oo ls

H arvard U niv ers ity

Harvard’s StudentHarvard’s StudentSupport EnvironmentSupport Environment

Support of students onlySupport of students only Network and non-network supportNetwork and non-network support 60-70 student/casual employees60-70 student/casual employees

– 45-50 students do residential support 45-50 students do residential support – 4 students: Advanced Support Team4 students: Advanced Support Team

5 FTE in student support5 FTE in student support ~25 FTE technical staff~25 FTE technical staff 6500+2000 residential students (98%)6500+2000 residential students (98%) 20 geographical student support groups20 geographical student support groups

Harvard Support ModelHarvard Support Model

Sources of helpSources of help– Help DeskHelp Desk– Help Phone Line (central)Help Phone Line (central)– help@fas e-mailhelp@fas e-mail– Residential UA (visit/phone/e-mail)Residential UA (visit/phone/e-mail)

Residential UAs primary source of helpResidential UAs primary source of help Escalate to Advanced Support TeamEscalate to Advanced Support Team Escalate to technical groupsEscalate to technical groups

Project HoundProject HoundArchitectureArchitecture

Web/CGI/HTML interface (Stronghold)Web/CGI/HTML interface (Stronghold)– provides good cross-platform supportprovides good cross-platform support

SQL back-end (mSQL now, Oracle SQL back-end (mSQL now, Oracle soon)soon)

Perl (object-oriented)Perl (object-oriented)– good web/CGI interface, string handlinggood web/CGI interface, string handling– DBI database package: portabilityDBI database package: portability– well-known for future maintenancewell-known for future maintenance

Hound tablesHound tables

PeoplePeople TicketsTickets Actionlines (Tech Events)Actionlines (Tech Events) AppointmentsAppointments UserdumpUserdump 24 other auxiliary tables24 other auxiliary tables

– join tables, lookup tables, etc.join tables, lookup tables, etc.

Some Hound statsSome Hound stats

Two students, 8 weeks to writeTwo students, 8 weeks to write 2300 tickets, 11,000 action lines2300 tickets, 11,000 action lines 1600 people, 3400 appointments1600 people, 3400 appointments Code base: 23,000 linesCode base: 23,000 lines

– 4300 blank lines4300 blank lines– 2200 comment-only lines2200 comment-only lines– 4400 code lines with comments4400 code lines with comments– 12,100 uncommented lines12,100 uncommented lines– 639,000 characters of code639,000 characters of code

Hound DemoHound Demo

Hound: Future PlansHound: Future Plans

Port to Oracle!Port to Oracle! Public distributionPublic distribution Users interacting directly with Users interacting directly with

systemsystem Better live admin dataBetter live admin data More automationMore automation Auto-escalationAuto-escalation

What did we learn?What did we learn?

Need to look closely at Need to look closely at youryour workflow workflow Solutions entered will Solutions entered will notnot be be

knowledgebase-qualityknowledgebase-quality Database performance is criticalDatabase performance is critical Staff is resistant to changeStaff is resistant to change User interface/ease of use critical!User interface/ease of use critical! Don’t try to everything the first timeDon’t try to everything the first time Your school is differentYour school is different

ResourcesResources

Help Desk InstituteHelp Desk Institute– www.helpdeskinst.com/bg/sections/sec4.htmwww.helpdeskinst.com/bg/sections/sec4.htm

Support Services ConferenceSupport Services Conference– www.sbforums.com/sscewww.sbforums.com/ssce

Service NewsService News– www.servicenews.comwww.servicenews.com

Help Desk List (hdesk-l) web siteHelp Desk List (hdesk-l) web site– www.duke.edu/~pverghis/hdeskfaq.htmwww.duke.edu/~pverghis/hdeskfaq.htm

Help Desk List (hdesk-l) ArchivesHelp Desk List (hdesk-l) Archives– wvnvm.wvnet.edu/htbin/listarch.wvnvm.wvnet.edu/htbin/listarch.

viorexx?hdesk-l&listserv.202viorexx?hdesk-l&listserv.202

With apologies to Monty With apologies to Monty Python...Python...

I’m an RCC, and I’m okay;

I surf all night, and I sleep all day;

I wear cool T’s, I get free lunch;

I go to the laboratory;

On Wednesdays I fix printers, and have troubled disks to fix;

I wear cool T’s, I ping and pop;

I don’t like to take showers;

I always take my cell phone, and hang around in dorms;

I wear cool T’s, the job’s a breeze;

I get a beeper, too;

I want to be a hacker, just like my dear Papa.

Discussion and QuestionsDiscussion and Questions

Remember: BOF at 4:00

Sue Hales - Bucknell UniversityRick Osterberg - Harvard University