Super Users at QinetiQ Judith Edwards European Unicorn User Group 13 September 2002 ©Copyright QinetiQ Ltd 2002

2 Contents 1What is QinetiQ? 2Our staff training problems & opportunities 3The Super User concept 4Formal and informal training 5Training and reference materials 6Crib Cards

What is QinetiQ?

4 A (currently) wholly government-owned UK PLC, formed in July 2001 from the major part of DERA, the British Government's Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. Europe's largest science and technology organisation. 19 sites throughout the UK 9,000 staff

5 QinetiQ Information Resources (IR) Serving QinetiQ staff in England, Scotland and Wales from: 8 Libraries an Information Warehouse reading rooms at some sites Nearly 80 staff, of whom ¾ use Unicorn every day Over 800,000 title and 1m item records Also serve many Dstl and MoD staff

6 QinetiQ and IR sites Information Resources sites: Boscombe Down & Information Warehouse Farnborough Fort Halstead Haslar & Portsdown West Malvern Rosyth Winfrith/Bincleaves Other QinetiQ sites

7 Unicorn at QinetiQ DERA sites used separate CAIRS systems - merged into one Unicorn system 1998 QinetiQ/Dstl systems duplicated and separated still close co- operation with Dstl Knowledge Services Using Cataloguing + Authority, Circulation, Accountability, Serials, Reports, ILL (Acquisitions to be implemented) Management: System Administrator + Deputy Policy and procedure decisions by Operations and Senior Managers... … after advice from Unicorn Super User Group (QUSUG)

Our problems & opportunities

9 Our staff training problems... Many widely dispersed sites Small numbers of staff at some sites Staff perform many functions Historical autonomy of sites DERA split into QinetiQ and Dstl Changing structure of Information Resources

10 … and opportunities DERA split into QinetiQ and Dstl Changing structure of Information Resources Multi-skilled IR staff Established infrastructure: NT network Intranet

Unicorn Super User Group

12 What are Super Users? Unicorn Super User Group –a group of 7 experienced QinetiQ IR staff –each specialises in a certain area of Unicorn Main roles: –first contact for staff & customers with Unicorn queries & possible problems –training library staff in Unicorn –maintaining a Unicorn manual & training materials tailored to QinetiQ procedures –recommending Unicorn solutions to procedural or policy issues –testing new versions of Unicorn in preparation for upgrades

13 Super Users - giving training & support 1. One-to-one training 2. Formal courses 3. Local site support 4. Remote support (mainly by telephone) 5. Training & reference materials on IR Forum: –Crib Cards –Unicorn Manual –Work instructions –Training handouts

14 Formal courses ½ or 1 day In a purpose-designed training room On a particular module, e.g.: –Cataloguing –Serials –Reports Format: –Presentation –Demonstration –Practical exercises

15 Training and Reference information on IR Forum IR Forum - private area on Intranet Private Super User area - mainly for work in progress Public Super User area - mainly for Minutes of our meetings Unicorn and Work Instructions folders: Crib Cards Unicorn Manual Work Instructions Hints and Tips

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18 Crib cards To keep at the Library counter Aimed at: –new staff –staff unfamiliar with a particular task Brief checklist of how to do common tasks A5 format, laminated Not a replacement for the full Unicorn Manual!

19 Crib cards on: Basic use of WorkFlows: How to search Toolbars Installing Circulation procedures: issue, discharge etc. Cataloguing different types of material Serials control procedures Requests and ILL procedures Reports

20 Crib Card examples: WorkFlows navigation (4 x A5, 2 slides) Advanced searching (4 x A5, 2 slides) Routing serials - distribution lists (4 x A5, 2 slides) ILL receiving (2 x A5, 1 slide)

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28 A few conclusions Super User pros... –staff like the personal touch and “their own” SU –tasks shared; relieves burden on SA –team approach generates fresh ideas and discussion … and cons: –difficult to find time for big tasks e.g. writing/updating Manual chapters –travel to remote sites Crib cards are popular & useful but staff must be reminded they’re not always a substitute for the full Manual