The Service Desk: IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL)

Written by Lisa on . Posted in

Developed in the United Kingdom, the IT Infrastructure Library is a series of documents that are used to aid the implementation of a framework for IT Service Management. This online resource which is extracted from the ITIL Toolkit and providing an overview of the goals, activities and cost benefits of a help desk.

Building an Effective Technology Team

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This resource includes a Self-Assessment Checklist for the K-12 Chief Technology Officer, which would be beneficial for districts to review and identify areas of strengths and growth.  

California TechSETS

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TechSETS provides training, tools and information to assist the growing number of school professionals who are responsible for planning, building, maintaining and using technology systems in education.

Technical Support

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Technical Support

Rapid changes in the ways technology is used for learning require an approach to technology support that reduces downtime and provides a fast, consistent, reliable experience for administrators, educators and students. The most effective tech support models are constructed directly from a high quality technology planning process that integrates technology with other school-wide support goals.
Successful districts have found it valuable to think broadly about the best overall approach to meet support needs comprehensively before establishing specific details that define what support will be provided to whom and by whom. While no two districts provide exactly the same combination of tech support products and services to their users, all have defined core elements comprising “tech support” that contribute to successfully meeting their local needs. The following questions have helped districts define, plan for, and implement the core components of tech support.

Approaches

Once the central components of tech support have been identified, districts can begin to define where tech support will be based, the ways that help tickets will flow through the service pathway, and how tech support will be staffed. Tech support typically begins with a help desk or service desk, but also can include service-level agreements with various providers, and both live and media-delivered face-to-face training and online support, school-based/school employees, student tech support teams, and tech support cooperatives. If there is a lot of demand, the “front line” may spend much of its time dispatching tickets to other people instead of trying to solve specific problems. If there is less demand and a highly skilled and knowledgeable person taking the first request, many of the requests may be able to be handled immediately. Regular monitoring of tech support implementation and impact can provide valuable insight about how teachers and students use technology, as well as barriers to use.

Help Desk

No matter which model or combination of models for tech support districts select, the work starts with the Service Desk or Help Desk. This acts as the central point of daily contact between service providers and users, serving as a focal point for reporting incidents and for service requests. It also can provide an interface for other service management activities, such as change, problem, configuration, release and continuity management. Help desks can be coordinated by the district, intermediate unit or via a Service Level Agreement contract with a private company. If the district is entering a contract agreement with a private company, it is important to include minimum expectations and checks and balances for meeting expectations in the contract.
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In House Support

A common school tech support model involves campus-based school employees who provide support ranging from managing incidents and service requests to communicating with users to supporting instructional applications. One advantage of this approach is that the tech support personnel typically have a better understanding of the instructional needs, students, climate and school context where technology will be used for learning than an external provider. A downside is that cost of hiring support staff may be viewed as prohibitive, particularly as demand waxes and wanes. Some districts host full time Service Desks and others employ particularly knowledgeable teachers as part time tech support for school buildings, in some cases with those people providing professional learning and mentoring to teachers above and beyond tech support.
Staffing tech support with students is another approach that districts have found to be successful. This model provides initial tech support training (and potentially course credit) for the students and for a school staff lead that will coordinate the student tech support plan.
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Service Level agreements

Many schools and districts currently include some level of service plan with providers when completing their equipment purchasing contracts. Considerations related to level of support, costs and long-term sustainability should be reviewed when considering incorporating the service level agreements to equipment purchasing contracts.

Tech Support  Cooperatives

Another staffing option, cooperatives, combines the capacities of multiple groups such as schools, districts, or regional units to offer a variety of services, including tech support. Cooperatives offer the opportunity to reduce costs and share expertise. Many cooperatives, such as the Kentucky and Illinois resources cited here, offer cloud-based software and disaster recovery as well as the tech support associated with those services. MyTechDesk is a web-based ticket management system developed and operated by the Imperial County Office of Education for all California school districts tech support teams. My Tech Desk is supported by the K-12 High Speed Network (K12HSN) grant, funded by the California Department of Education. All support resources are available to California schools at no charge. Schools or districts outside of California may access the system for a fee.
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Key Questions

  • What are the goals of the tech support team? Are those goals, including priorities, defined and publicized for all users?
  • How will requests be initiated and what is the process for prioritization?
  • What are the business hours of tech support, and the policies for nights/weekends/summer?
  • How often will routine maintenance occur? How will you communicate this downtime to users?
  • How will you deploy tech support staff to different campuses?
  • What metrics and indicators for tech support success will the district use to help determine cost effectiveness and customer satisfaction with current and future setups?

From the Field

Kuna Middle School’s tier one support is provided by students. An initial cadre of students were trained and then they train other students to help provide technology support. Based on experiences at the local high school, educators have found this student support system to be effective in quickly addressing tech support issues and providing students the experience to support their peers.. Learn more.

Resources

About This Project

Written by Steve Elliott on . Posted in

Founded in 2001, the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is the principal non-profit membership association representing U.S. state and territorial educational technology leaders. Our mission is to build and increase the capacity of state and national leaders to improve education through technology policy and practice. For more information, please visit: setda.org.

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