CSG Org WorkshopSlide 1 98/9/17, pel If I Ran the Circus... Phil Long Yale University

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 2 98/9/17, pel

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 3 98/9/17, pel Support Theory Distributed Support Put answers where the questions are Answer the need not simply the IT question –content knowledge helps greatly Clients are more understanding of staff whom they know Allow clients reasonable control over their support –Who is hired, how they are evaluated –What is to be supported –How much support is to be provided Demand that clients take responsibility for their support –Annual planning –Living standard for support

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 4 98/9/17, pel Distributed, Tiered Support History of ArtFacilities Safety Net pel, 98/4/13 Help Desk Academic Computing Admin Systems Client DCC Lib Selectors Business Center LibrariansApplication Specialists, Engineers, WizardsAdmin Experts A Rich Network of Connections among Second and Third Tiers Client Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 ITS

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 5 98/9/17, pel Support for FAS Students Late 80s: first systematic distributed support at Yale Student support is a unique application of standard skills –Hours: to midnight and later –Location: clusters plus residence halls –Courseware and materials unique to teaching and learning Currently 50 Computing Assistants provide support for –4,400 resident undergraduates –plus 24 clusters One Manager Supported by cluster, windows and mac professionals

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 6 98/9/17, pel Faculty Support for FAS Departments Basic departmental plan required First Tier (humanities) –1/2 hour per faculty member per year of local support –a new machine every four years –casual employee, typically a graduate student –trained, supervised by Academic Computing First Tier (science and engineering) –1 hour per faculty member per year of local support –no machine Second, Third Tier –Escalation for content and standard questions –ITS Support for commodity questions –Access to experts

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 7 98/9/17, pel Support for Administrative Departments Library developed an “expert users” program –administrative version of distributed support ITS has adopted this model for the future –now working with departments to develop –will take a year or two or three

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 8 98/9/17, pel Support for Schools Planning consultation with all schools Medicine, Management and Law have substantial local support organizations –Coordinate standards with Medicine –Provide limited tier 2, 3 support for Management –Law sub-contracts for , PPP, student network Other schools sub-contract for student

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 9 98/9/17, pel Advisory Function Why? –To raise consciousness –To inform –To advise, confirm or set direction –NOT to micromanage –NOT (only) to gripe Well focused works best Chair is critical –Faculty chair is best, but hard

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 10 98/9/17, pel Social Science Advisory Committee Works well Tightly focused Rigorous staff support/organization Faculty are very interested in the committee –Their decisions have direct impact turned a lab into a classroom set software standards decided printing charge-back, etc. –so they contribute direct contact to the Provost developed needed funding

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 11 98/9/17, pel ITS Advisory Committee is more mixed Agenda is very broad – many issues of interest only to a sub-set of faculty - What are the advisory bodies around IT (faculty, administrative, departmental). - Any other key committee, task-force structures. - How are some of the key functions managed within the central organization and campus wide (e.g., security, training)?

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 12 98/9/17, pel Organizational Strains Project X The high cost of support –New applications –Stealth demands (client/server needs) –Rising Expectations The high cost of ubiquity and reliance –Must move from a boutique to a production model The pace of the IT industry Organizational change is difficult and costly –to staff –to clients

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 13 98/9/17, pel Phil’s Thoughts on Organization AcademicCommon ServicesAdmin Provost AVP CIO Acad appls Emerging Svcs Unique support Client Planning Dev & Support Admin appls Unique support Client Planning “Commodity” Data, Voice, Video Operations , Calendar, etc. Commodity Support User Accounts Security Communications Special Projects Technology & Planing Business HR Computer Policy Board (Board of Directors)

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 14 98/9/17, pel A Client’s View of Organization Department Client Direct Access to Services Order Connection Set up Account etc. (Web, phone, person) Local Support Acad or Admin Consulting/Planning

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 15 98/9/17, pel “Board of Directors” A panel to set overall strategy and policy at the highest level At Berkeley, a meeting of the relevant officers and IT leader, chaired by the chancellor

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 16 98/9/17, pel Reporting The IT organization needs close interaction for planning, budgeting and operational issues with –Academic and Administrative leadership –either as a peer –or by joint or separate full or dotted line reporting

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 17 98/9/17, pel Academic Primary interface to academic clients –Work with departments to plan local environments –Prepare for big local events –Respond to major problems, issues Regional & institutional services to meet academic needs –initial major implementation –student network –high performance computing, etc. –Often may eventually migrate to production services University or consortial (departmental and grant) funding

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 18 98/9/17, pel Common Services “Commodity Services” –Mature –Production orientation Provides services common to academic and administrative clients Close collaboration with acad & admin –for planning –to address difficult situations Typically charge-back either directly, or via

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 19 98/9/17, pel Technology and Planning The “architecture” or “design” group Also tracks and pilots new technology Partners with acad and admin development/implementation Institutional orientation Once systems are developed, turned over to ITS for production

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 20 98/9/17, pel Communications A critical, often short changed function Articulates the organization strategy for the community And for the organization! Staff must understand the issues and the strategy –this is not simply a “news reporter”

CSG Org WorkshopSlide 21 98/9/17, pel Conclusions Organization provides formal channels to assure essential functions Organization cannot substitute for adequate staff But bad organization can unnecessarily sap client or staff time Flexibility is always essential