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📄 Contents

␡
  1. Management Reference Guide
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Introduction
  4. Strategic Management
  5. Establishing Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
  6. Aligning IT Goals with Corporate Business Goals
  7. Utilizing Effective Planning Techniques
  8. Developing Worthwhile Mission Statements
  9. Developing Worthwhile Vision Statements
  10. Instituting Practical Corporate Values
  11. Budgeting Considerations in an IT Environment
  12. Introduction to Conducting an Effective SWOT Analysis
  13. IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part One
  14. IT Governance and Disaster Recovery, Part Two
  15. Customer Management
  16. Identifying Key External Customers
  17. Identifying Key Internal Customers
  18. Negotiating with Customers and Suppliers—Part 1: An Introduction
  19. Negotiating With Customers and Suppliers—Part 2: Reaching Agreement
  20. Negotiating and Managing Realistic Customer Expectations
  21. Service Management
  22. Identifying Key Services for Business Users
  23. Service-Level Agreements That Really Work
  24. How IT Evolved into a Service Organization
  25. FAQs About Systems Management (SM)
  26. FAQs About Availability (AV)
  27. FAQs About Performance and Tuning (PT)
  28. FAQs About Service Desk (SD)
  29. FAQs About Change Management (CM)
  30. FAQs About Configuration Management (CF)
  31. FAQs About Capacity Planning (CP)
  32. FAQs About Network Management
  33. FAQs About Storage Management (SM)
  34. FAQs About Production Acceptance (PA)
  35. FAQs About Release Management (RM)
  36. FAQs About Disaster Recovery (DR)
  37. FAQs About Business Continuity (BC)
  38. FAQs About Security (SE)
  39. FAQs About Service Level Management (SL)
  40. FAQs About Financial Management (FN)
  41. FAQs About Problem Management (PM)
  42. FAQs About Facilities Management (FM)
  43. Process Management
  44. Developing Robust Processes
  45. Establishing Mutually Beneficial Process Metrics
  46. Change Management—Part 1
  47. Change Management—Part 2
  48. Change Management—Part 3
  49. Audit Reconnaissance: Releasing Resources Through the IT Audit
  50. Problem Management
  51. Problem Management–Part 2: Process Design
  52. Problem Management–Part 3: Process Implementation
  53. Business Continuity Emergency Communications Plan
  54. Capacity Planning – Part One: Why It is Seldom Done Well
  55. Capacity Planning – Part Two: Developing a Capacity Planning Process
  56. Capacity Planning — Part Three: Benefits and Helpful Tips
  57. Capacity Planning – Part Four: Hidden Upgrade Costs and
  58. Improving Business Process Management, Part 1
  59. Improving Business Process Management, Part 2
  60. 20 Major Elements of Facilities Management
  61. Major Physical Exposures Common to a Data Center
  62. Evaluating the Physical Environment
  63. Nightmare Incidents with Disaster Recovery Plans
  64. Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process
  65. Developing a Robust Configuration Management Process – Part Two
  66. Automating a Robust Infrastructure Process
  67. Improving High Availability — Part One: Definitions and Terms
  68. Improving High Availability — Part Two: Definitions and Terms
  69. Improving High Availability — Part Three: The Seven R's of High Availability
  70. Improving High Availability — Part Four: Assessing an Availability Process
  71. Methods for Brainstorming and Prioritizing Requirements
  72. Introduction to Disk Storage Management — Part One
  73. Storage Management—Part Two: Performance
  74. Storage Management—Part Three: Reliability
  75. Storage Management—Part Four: Recoverability
  76. Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part One
  77. Twelve Traits of World-Class Infrastructures — Part Two
  78. Meeting Today's Cooling Challenges of Data Centers
  79. Strategic Security, Part One: Assessment
  80. Strategic Security, Part Two: Development
  81. Strategic Security, Part Three: Implementation
  82. Strategic Security, Part Four: ITIL Implications
  83. Production Acceptance Part One – Definition and Benefits
  84. Production Acceptance Part Two – Initial Steps
  85. Production Acceptance Part Three – Middle Steps
  86. Production Acceptance Part Four – Ongoing Steps
  87. Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part One – Objectives
  88. Case Study: Planning a Service Desk Part Two – SWOT
  89. Case Study: Implementing an ITIL Service Desk – Part One
  90. Case Study: Implementing a Service Desk Part Two – Tool Selection
  91. Ethics, Scandals and Legislation
  92. Outsourcing in Response to Legislation
  93. Supplier Management
  94. Identifying Key External Suppliers
  95. Identifying Key Internal Suppliers
  96. Integrating the Four Key Elements of Good Customer Service
  97. Enhancing the Customer/Supplier Matrix
  98. Voice Over IP, Part One — What VoIP Is, and Is Not
  99. Voice Over IP, Part Two — Benefits, Cost Savings and Features of VoIP
  100. Application Management
  101. Production Acceptance
  102. Distinguishing New Applications from New Versions of Existing Applications
  103. Assessing a Production Acceptance Process
  104. Effective Use of a Software Development Life Cycle
  105. The Role of Project Management in SDLC— Part 2
  106. Communication in Project Management – Part One: Barriers to Effective Communication
  107. Communication in Project Management – Part Two: Examples of Effective Communication
  108. Safeguarding Personal Information in the Workplace: A Case Study
  109. Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 1: Building a Manageable Schedule
  110. Combating the Year-end Budget Blitz—Part 2: Tracking and Reporting Availability
  111. References
  112. Developing an ITIL Feasibility Analysis
  113. Organization and Personnel Management
  114. Optimizing IT Organizational Structures
  115. Factors That Influence Restructuring Decisions
  116. Alternative Locations for the Help Desk
  117. Alternative Locations for Database Administration
  118. Alternative Locations for Network Operations
  119. Alternative Locations for Web Design
  120. Alternative Locations for Risk Management
  121. Alternative Locations for Systems Management
  122. Practical Tips To Retaining Key Personnel
  123. Benefits and Drawbacks of Using IT Consultants and Contractors
  124. Deciding Between the Use of Contractors versus Consultants
  125. Managing Employee Skill Sets and Skill Levels
  126. Assessing Skill Levels of Current Onboard Staff
  127. Recruiting Infrastructure Staff from the Outside
  128. Selecting the Most Qualified Candidate
  129. 7 Tips for Managing the Use of Mobile Devices
  130. Useful Websites for IT Managers
  131. References
  132. Automating Robust Processes
  133. Evaluating Process Documentation — Part One: Quality and Value
  134. Evaluating Process Documentation — Part Two: Benefits and Use of a Quality-Value Matrix
  135. When Should You Integrate or Segregate Service Desks?
  136. Five Instructive Ideas for Interviewing
  137. Eight Surefire Tips to Use When Being Interviewed
  138. 12 Helpful Hints To Make Meetings More Productive
  139. Eight Uncommon Tips To Improve Your Writing
  140. Ten Helpful Tips To Improve Fire Drills
  141. Sorting Out Today’s Various Training Options
  142. Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 1
  143. Business Ethics and Corporate Scandals – Part 2
  144. 12 Tips for More Effective Emails
  145. Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part One
  146. Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Two
  147. Management Communication: Back to the Basics, Part Three
  148. Asset Management
  149. Managing Hardware Inventories
  150. Introduction to Hardware Inventories
  151. Processes To Manage Hardware Inventories
  152. Use of a Hardware Inventory Database
  153. References
  154. Managing Software Inventories
  155. Business Continuity Management
  156. Ten Lessons Learned from Real-Life Disasters
  157. Ten Lessons Learned From Real-Life Disasters, Part 2
  158. Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 1
  159. Differences Between Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity , Part 2
  160. 15 Common Terms and Definitions of Business Continuity
  161. The Federal Government’s Role in Disaster Recovery
  162. The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 1
  163. The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 2
  164. The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 3
  165. The 12 Common Mistakes That Cause BIAs To Fail—Part 4
  166. Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 1
  167. Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 2
  168. Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 3
  169. Conducting an Effective Table Top Exercise (TTE) — Part 4
  170. The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part One
  171. The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Two
  172. The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Three
  173. The 13 Cardinal Steps for Implementing a Business Continuity Program — Part Four
  174. The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
  175. The Origins of ITIL
  176. The Foundation of ITIL: Service Management
  177. Five Reasons for Revising ITIL
  178. The Relationship of Service Delivery and Service Support to All of ITIL
  179. Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part One
  180. Ten Common Myths About Implementing ITIL, Part Two
  181. Characteristics of ITIL Version 3
  182. Ten Benefits of itSMF and its IIL Pocket Guide
  183. Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Delivery Processes
  184. Translating the Goals of the ITIL Service Support Processes
  185. Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part One: Service Delivery Processes
  186. Case Study: Recovery Reactions to a Renegade Rodent
  187. Elements of ITIL Least Understood, Part Two: Service Support
  188. Case Studies
  189. Case Study — Preparing for Hurricane Charley
  190. Case Study — The Linux Decision
  191. Case Study — Production Acceptance at an Aerospace Firm
  192. Case Study — Production Acceptance at a Defense Contractor
  193. Case Study — Evaluating Mainframe Processes
  194. Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part One: Quantitative Comparisons/Natural Disasters
  195. Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Two: Quantitative Comparisons/Man-made Disasters
  196. Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Three: Qualitative Comparisons
  197. Case Study — Evaluating Recovery Sites, Part Four: Take-Aways
  198. Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part One: Planning
  199. Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Two: Planning and Walk-Through
  200. Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Three: Execution
  201. Disaster Recovery Test Case Study Part Four: Follow-Up
  202. Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part One: Qualitative Measures
  203. Assessing the Robustness of a Vendor’s Data Center, Part Two: Quantitative Measures
  204. Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part One: What Did the Team Do Well
  205. (d) Case Study: Lessons Learned from a World-Wide Disaster Recovery Exercise, Part Two

In the first segment of this two-part case study, I presented the initial strategy I used with a team from a large international insurance firm to upgrade its service desk. I discussed how we jointly decided to first brainstorm the overall objectives of their new and improved service desk and then to categorize these objectives as to short, medium or long-term. Next we prioritized the team's responses in each of the three categories using the nominal group technique. After I compiled the results of the voting I offered a brief analysis of the responses and their priorities.

In this final part I explain the results of a similar type of brainstorming in which we identified and prioritized the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) to the initiative to upgrade their service desk. For each of these categories I present a brief analysis of what the prioritized responses are really telling us.

Using techniques similar to those described in part one, the service desk improvement team (SDIT) brainstormed and prioritized the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) currently apparent to their objectives. The reason we identified the objectives first was to allow the team to focus on the SWOT that specially applied to the objectives in question. This kept the brainstorming much more focused and effective. The next four sections describe the results of these sessions.

Identifying and Prioritizing Service Desk Strengths

The SDIT identified 12 strengths shown below in Table 1. The table also shows the prioritized ranking and the distribution of the priority voting points. Similar tables will be shown for the weaknesses, opportunities and strengths.

Table 1 Strengths

Rank

Pts

Description of Strengths

Distribution

1

11

Ambitious to help

5,3,3

2

11

Committed staff

4,3,3,1

3

10

Committed management team

5,5

4

9

Staff has diverse skill sets

5,4

5

5

Perceived as courteous and accurate

4,1

6

4

Has a great manager

4

7

4

Have strong relationships with Help Desks in other divisions

2,2

8

3

Good feedback and follow-up

2,1

9

2

Has no previous baggage

2

10

1

Provides competitive salaries

1

11

0

Prompting and reporting on SLOs (SL Outages)

0

12

0

Issues customer feedback surveys

0

Analysis:

The top four rated strengths are all closely ranked with 11, 10 and 9 points, and are all related to the positive aptitude and attitude of staff and management. Specifically, the strengths speak to people's helpfulness, commitment and diverse skill sets. These traits are essential for staffing a customer-oriented Service Desk.

Medium-ranked strengths include the perception of being courteous and accurate, having a great manager and having strong relationships with Help Desks in other divisions. These strengths had priority points of 5, 4 and 4 respectively. Responses such as these reinforce the notion that the proper caliber of staff and the proper level of management support are very much in evidence.

Identifying and Prioritizing Service Desk Weaknesses

The SDIT identified 12 weaknesses shown below in Table 2.

Table 2 Weaknesses

Rank

Pts

Description of Weaknesses

Distribution

1

15

Not chartered to provide service

5,5,4,1

2

14

Unwilling to organize to better serve the customers and the organization

5,5,4

3

7

Inefficient use of staff resources

3,2,2

4

6

Inability to properly quantify and qualify work

3,3

T5

4

Not structured to perform service tasks

4

T5

4

Reports lack critical data to manage work well

4

T7

3

Inability to retain staff

3

T7

3

Duplicate work performed inconsistently in the various groups

2,1

T7

3

Lack of skills, knowledge, experience and training to solve problems

2,1

10

1

Management indifference to problems

1

T11

0

Lack of reporting gives false impressions of the true number of incidents

0

T11

0

Too many queues

0

Analysis:

The top two ranked weaknesses involved not being chartered to provide service and an unwillingness by management to organize to better serve the customers and the organization, with 15 and 14 points respectively. The third ranked weakness with seven points deals with the inefficient use of staff resources. All of the top three ranked responses are management-related and indicate that management solutions are needed to mitigate these concerns.

The next three weaknesses, with 6, 4 and points, all deal with issues about the work environment, including the quantity, quality, structure and reporting of the work itself. Following these responses, the next three each tied for seventh place with identical votes of three points. These weaknesses all related to personnel issues of retention of staff, duplicate and inconsistent work efforts, and lack of training.

Looking at all of the weaknesses as a whole, they all appear in one way or another to be management issues involving organization, delegation, staffing and training. These can all be addressed with proper levels of management support and direction.

Identifying and Prioritizing Service Desk Opportunities

The SDIT identified the 12 opportunities shown below in Table 3.

Table 3 Opportunities

Rank

Pts

Description of Opportunities

Distribution

1

11

Potential to improve the customer experience and expectations

5,3,2,1

T2

10

Adopts service management framework

5,5

T2

10

Opportunity to distribute workloads based on demand and skill set

4,3,3

4

9

Improve the performance of the centralized IT organization

5,4

5

8

Potential for automation

4,2,2

T6

4

Improved reporting

4

T6

4

Consistency

3,1

8

3

Improve diversity of knowledge and skills

2,1

9

1

One central help desk for Pacific Life IT

1

T10

0

Use of remedy

0

T10

0

Potential to hire skilled, trained staff

0

T10

0

Improve career path opportunities

0

Analysis:

The top five opportunities are separated by only three points. The first two responses, with 11 and 10 points, consist of the potential to improve the customer experience and expectations, and the adoption of a service management framework. These are both customer-oriented opportunities that would strongly support the overall and long-range direction of the Service Desk.

The next three opportunities are more support and process-oriented responses with ten, nine and eight voting points. They involve improving the distribution, productivity and automation of the work associated with the Service Desk.

Additional opportunities identified include improvements to reporting, consistency, and the diversity of knowledge and skills. These all support an ongoing continual process improvement program on which the initiative of service management is soundly based.

Identifying and Prioritizing Service Desk Threats

Table 4 below lists the 14 threats that the SDIT identified.

Table 4 Threats

Rank

Pts

Description of Threats

Distribution

1

12

Inability to act decisively and swiftly

5,4,3

2

9

Culture of silo-ism and resistance to change

5,2,2

3

8

Funding

5,3

4

7

Too many leaders, not enough followers

4,3

5

4

Inability to stay on course

4

6

2

Lack of executive support

2

T7

1

Perceptions

1

T7

1

Inability to agree

1

T7

1

Decentralization

1

T10

0

Outsourcing

0

T10

0

Restrictions on staffing

0

T10

0

Terrorists

0

T10

0

Lack of understanding of business needs

0

T10

0

Too much autonomy

0

Analysis:

Two things stand out about the identification and prioritization of threats. One is that there were slightly more responses for this category (14 versus 12) than for the other three. The other is that the top four responses clustered toward the top in voting and there were less than half of the total responses receiving more than one vote.

What this all means is that most of the participants feel there is a very low likelihood that most of the responses (the eight of them receiving one or no votes) are probable threats. On the other hand, the relative high votes for the top six responses indicate that most feel these are indeed likely threats that could undermine the success of the Service Desk.

As a result, these top six responses should be addressed to whatever degree possible. Emphasizing swift decisions, benefits of change, need for funding, importance of delegating, staying focused and maintaining executive support should all be encouraged to increase the likelihood of success.

Summary of Service Desk Planning Case Study

In this two-part case study, I presented the activities that a large, international insurance company performed to initially plan for a significant upgrade to their IT service desk. I described how I facilitated brainstorming sessions to help them identify and prioritize short, medium and long-term objectives, and then did the same for current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). The results of these sessions now position my client to proceed with implementing, in an orderly manner, the various objectives and opportunities they identified to significantly enhance the quality and effectiveness of their service desk. If you are in a similar position with your own service desk, consider using these strategies to plan how to improve its level of service.

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