1. CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Computer User Support CTS 217: Computer Training & Support

2. Chapter Objectives  In this chapter, students will learn about:  How historical changes in computer technology have affected computer use  Ways to classify end users  Resources computer users need and major categories of end-user software  Common problems users encounter  The job market demand for user support workers

3. Chapter Objectives  In this chapter, students will learn about:  Common ways to organize and provide support services  Typical position descriptions for user support staff  The knowledge, skills, and abilities for an entry- level support position  Career paths for user support workers

4. Historical Changes in Computer Use  End-user computing: the use of computers for both business and personal use  All levels of organizations today  Home, school, government  Summary by decades on next slide

5. DecadePrimary Types and Uses of Computer Systems 1940s Invention of CPUs and peripherals 1950s Early use of large computers in large corporations 1960s Widespread use of large-scale computers Early use of smaller, workgroup computers 1970s Widespread use of workgroup computers Terminal access to large-scale and workgroup computers Milestones in the Adoption of CT

6. DecadePrimary Types and Uses of Computer Systems 1980s Widespread use of home and business PCs Availability of mass-market applications software and GUI operating systems Early data communications and networks 1990s Widespread use of local area and wide area networks Distributed computing Rapid growth of the Internet 2000s Increased business use of the Internet Availability of very low-cost PCs Development of wireless technologies 6 Milestones in the Adoption of CT

7. 1980s and 1990s: Growth of Decentralized Computing  Applications backlog: lots of apps needed, shortage of programmers  FRUSTRATING  Knowledge worker: employees whose primary job is to collect, prepare, process, and distribute information  Accountant, Database report writer

8. 1980s and 1990s: Growth of Decentralized Computing  Declining PC costs: microcomputer (PC), smaller scale, easier to put on desk, “toy” computers

9. 1980s and 1990s: Growth of Decentralized Computing  Inexpensive productivity software: spend more on programming than hardware; mass- market apps such as WordStar, Lotus 1-2-3, and dBASE)  alleviated need for programmers

10. 1980s and 1990s: Growth of Decentralized Computing  User friendly GUIs: menus, screen images, point-and-click

11. 1990s and 2000s: Distributed & Network Computing  Join large-scale and workgroup computing  network servers (TP and storage) and desktop PCs (log in to servers and local productivity software)  Wired, wireless, Internet … connectivity  Data Processing (60s and 70s) now called IS or IT

12. Classifying End Users  Environment: home/non-business or work/business  Skill level: novice vs. highly skilled  Frequency of use  Software used: WP, SS, email, DB, games  Features used: basics, intermediate, power users  Relationship: internal vs. external  Several categories? yes

13. Resources End Users Need  $500 computer = a good deal, right??  Basic hardware (components in case, input devices, output devices)  Add-on peripherals: camera, scanner, modem  H/W maintenance and upgrades: warranty (business is better); upgrade RAM/HDD?

14. Resources End Users Need  Software upgrades  “Useless” trial versions  Multiple operating systems (use virtual)  Virus scan  Supplies: CDs/DVDs, paper, printer cartridges)  Data and information: monthly ISP fee, subscription to help services or databases

15. Resources End Users Need  Technical support: includes installation assistance, training courses, books, magazines  LD charges, per call cost  Training vs. trial and error  Facilities, administration, overhead  Furniture, utilities, devices, space  Supervisors and overhead  Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

16. End-User Application Software  Increase productivity  Email and instant messaging  Web browser (IE, Firefox, Safari)  Word processing (Word 2010)  Spreadsheets (Excel 2010)  Database management (Access 2010)  Graphics (GIMP)  Planning and scheduling (Project 2010)  Desktop publishing (Publisher 2010)

17. End-User Application Software  Increase productivity  Web site development (Dreamweaver, Expression Web, FileZilla)  Education and entertainment software (MyITLab, games)  Enterprise apps (Abra, FourthShift)  Industry-specific apps (Meditech)  Can justify purchases with increased efficiency of workers

18. Problems End-Users Experience  Waste of resources  Purchase incompatible software due to inexperience  Fix it yourself instead of calling support  User mistakes  Wrong formulas in Excel  Forget to create backups  Computer crime  Sell company info to another company  Phishing victim

19. Problems End-Users Experience  Theft of resources  Piracy: illegal distribution of software  Violate computer use policy  Install software to work at home – theft??  Invasion of privacy  Medical info files  Spyware tracks history of purchases  Abusive users  Sending unwanted personal emails  Displaying offensive wallpaper or screen saver

20. Problems End-Users Experience  Computer viruses  Malicious intent, destroy info, corrupt software  User downloads and it spreads through network  Forwarded email attachment  Forwarding virus warning hoaxes (snopes.com)  Health problems  Carpal tunnel syndrome: hand and wrist pain  Back and neck aches  Lack of ergonomic (promotes safety) office furniture

21. Addressing the Need for US Workers  Provide ongoing assistance so that computers are tools, not hindrances  1 st decade of 21 st century:  Hiring decreased in 2001-2003  Tech support jobs sent to India  Contract with temp agencies  Increased demand in some org. due to mobile technologies and security

22. How Org. Provide a US Function  Computer user support is a job function or department in an organization that provides information and services to employees and/or customers to help them use computers more productively  Deals with a broad spectrum of support issues  Technical support is a level of user support that focuses on higher-level troubleshooting and problem solving  Deals with difficult and complex problems users encounter

23. How Org. Provide a US Function  Common names for user support  Customer Service  Help Desk  Technology Support Services  Client Support Services  Computer Assistance  Computer Help Hotline  Call Center  Information Center

24. How Org. Provide a US Function  Peer support is an informal level of user support  Coworkers in an organization or department exchange information and provide assistance about computer use and problems encountered by other users  No special training or preparation required  Enjoy sharing expertise / have more experience  Help classmates in class or lab

25. How Org. Provide a US Function  Part time user support  Responsibility for user support is formalized in an existing employee’s position description  Expertise recognized and rewarded  Can make significant demands on worker’s time and compete with other assigned tasks  Stretched too thin?

26. How Org. Provide a US Function  User support worker or work team  Frequently occurs when part-time, informal peer support cannot meet support demands  Alternatives:  Full-time support position  Organize part-time workers into a user support team (formal workgroup to provide user support  Outsource support needs

27. How Org. Provide a US Function  Help desk support  A help desk provides a single point of contact for users in need of technical support  Manages customer problems and requests and provides solutions-oriented support services  Refer to someone else if cannot solve  May be a:  physical location  a telephone number (hotline)  an e-mail address  an online chat session  a Web site http://www.3mit.com/support/

28. How Org. Provide a US Function  User support center  A user support center provides a wide range of services to an organization’s computer users  Consulting on product purchases  Training and documentation on supported products  Help desk operation  Facilities management  Hardware repair services  Also called an information center

29. How Org. Provide a US Function  User support outsourced to a vendor  Outsourcing involves a contract with a vendor that specializes in support services  Advantage: Controls costs while taking advantage of external expertise  Disadvantages:  Relies on telephone, e-mail or Web contacts rather than on-site access  Costs are predictable, but not necessarily lower  Little transfer of knowledge to in-house staff  Lack of personal relationship between users and support staff

30. How Org. Provide a US Function  User support as an IS responsibility  Support is provided:  Directly by technical IS staff  By a separate group within IS  Advantage: Provides single point of contact for problems  Disadvantage: Conflicts with other IS employee work assignments  Some “geeks” just don’t have the communication skills needed

31. User Support Services

32.  Staff HD, Hotline, or Chat Session  Respond to requests for product information  Market products and services  Provide solutions to problems  Receive and log user complaints about product features  Handle warranties and product returns

33. User Support Services  Provide technical troubleshooting assistance  Deals with more difficult problems that  are beyond the immediate services a help desk can provide  need a high level of expertise  Examples  Hardware problem diagnosis  Repair, replace, fix, provide workarounds for difficult applications software and network problems

34. User Support Services  Locate information to assist users  Access, search for, locate, and work with information to solve a problem  Resources  Printed materials from vendors  Point them to page number  Trade and text books  Online help  CD-ROM databases  Internet Web sites  Look up error message  Automated telephone voice-response units

35. User Support Services  Evaluate hardware, software and network products  Issues to evaluate:  Increase Productivity?  Compatible?  Timing (everyone upgrade)?  Useful features?  Cost effective?  You choose = you support  > cost, compatibility issues, wastes time

36. User Support Services  Coordinate organization-wide support standards  Support Standards are lists of computer products that an organization recommends to its employees and that it will support  Business PCs, software, networking equipment  Goal: To limit the hardware and software products a support staff must be able to support to reduce support costs  NOT experts on EVERYTHING!

37. User Support Services  Perform needs assessment and purchase assistance  Also called a needs analysis  Investigate and determine the features and configuration of hardware and software that will best meet a user’s needs  May also include  justifying the purchase  how to place an order  how to pay for the system  preparing paperwork

38. User Support Services  Provide installation assistance  Purpose: efficient use of staff resources  Strategy: User support staff have tools and expertise to unpack, set up, install, and configure a system  Network configuration  Peripheral devices  Transfer data from old PC  Computer facilities mgmt  N/W security, backups, virus scan, PM

39. User Support Services  Provide training on computer systems and procedures  Goal: To make effective use of a new or upgraded system  Examples  Basic, introductory classes  Groups or one-on-one  Advanced training  This class: create tutorials with Camtasia  User Support Chapter 10

40. User Support Services  Prepare documentation on computer use  Training is one-time; documentation is always available  Example documents:  Introductory, “how-to” manuals  Tutorials and reference manuals  Organizational computer use guidelines  Online documentation, such as FAQs and wizards  Email responses  User Support Chapter 11  Prepare documentation for simple process and present to class

41. User Support Services  Assist users with software development projects  Solve specific business problems or meet information requirements  Software development is a potential source of conflict between IS department staff and support center staff  Compatibility  Design standards  Documentation  Security  Emphasis is on assisting users with applications development, rather than developing applications  Provided to a limited extent by many user support centers

42. Position Descriptions  Position description: written description of the qualifications and responsibilities for a job in an organization  Read and tailor your résumé around it  Figure 1-7 p. 33 Help Desk Support Rep  Wide range of activities  Figure 1-8 p. 34 IT Specialist (Network)  Compare responsibilities in the two positions

43. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities  Analyze position descriptions for KSAs:  Knowledge – what do I need to know  Skills – what do I need to be able to do well  Abilities – what special tasks or skills do I need to be able to perform  Note: the difference between skills and abilities is blurred in everyday use  Customize your résumé to match KSAs employer needs!

44. KSAs - Knowledge  What an employee must know  May be stated as:  specific number of years of education  a degree in a specified field  list of topics  Examples  Knowledge of basic computer operation  Knowledge of application software package (e.g., Excel)

45. KSAs - Skills  Tasks an employee must be able to perform well  Can be attained through practice or experience  Examples  Skill in troubleshooting hardware and software  Skill in configuring desktop computers to optimize performance

46. KSAs - Abilities  A special task or skill a support specialist either has or does not have  Often state as ability to perform a specific task  Examples  Ability to lift 50-pound boxes  Ability to communicate with users in Spanish  Ability to work as a member of a team  Ability to write documentation

47. How to get KSAs  Few support employees have every KSA they need on day 1  Learning resources:  Employer training and orientation classes  Continuing education  On-the-job learning  Community College classes  Vocational-technical school classes  Industry training and certification classes  Role-playing scenario p. 38

48. Alternative Career Paths for User Support Workers  Computer programmer/developer  Network support technician  Web site maintainer  User support manager/supervisor  Project manager  Trainer / technical writer  Computer security specialist

49. Chapter Summary  Early computers were large, centralized corporate or government systems used to automate manual tasks  Several industry trends during 1970s and 80s resulted in end-user personal computers  End users can be categorized according to:  Resources that impact total cost of ownership: EnvironmentSkill levelFrequency of use Software usedFeatures usedRelationship to support HardwarePeripheralsSoftware UpgradesMaintenanceSupplies Data and informationFacilitiesTechnical support

50. Chapter Summary (continued)  End-user software includes:  Primary goal of end-user computing: make users more productive  Common problems related to end-user computing: E-mailInstant messagingWeb browser Word processorSpreadsheetDatabase manager GraphicsPlanning/schedulingDesktop publishing Web page developerEducation/entertainmentEnterprise/industry-specific Wasted resourcesUser mistakesComputer crime PiracyInvasion of privacyAbusive use Computer virusesHealth problems

51. Chapter Summary (continued)  Ways to organize end-user assistance  Support services users need:  User support positions require a variety of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that may lead to alternate career paths Peer supportPart-time supportUser support group Help deskUser support centerIT department staff Outsource to vendor Help deskTroubleshootingLocate information Product evaluationSupport standardsUser needs assessment System installationTrainingDocumentation Facilities managementSoftware development