Module CC3002

Post Implementation IssuesLecture for Week 5

AY 2013 Spring

Support Issues

•What do we need from System Support?• IS Support Service: The Help

Desk• Service Level Agreements• Enhancement Request

Service Level Agreements

Two Way AgreementsBetween

Service ProviderAnd

Service Receiver-Czegel, 1999

Service Level Agreements

Help Desk might have SLA betweenBetween

Help Desk (Service Provider)And

Group of Customers (Service Receiver)

-Czegel, 1999

SLA

• Agreements typically specify–What services the provider provides–What targets it must meet

• SLA also specifies–Responsibilities of ‘receivers’ using

the services

SLA

• What is SLA ?• Why do we need to define Service

Levels ?• What SLA can we make about

Support Service?

SLA

• How should we define these Service Levels?• How do we use these defined

Service Levels ?• Should we exclude certain events

from our service level monitoring?

Why define Service Level?

• A Written Commitment or Agreement between two parties–The provider–The receiver (recipient)

Why define Service Level?

• Is SLA Legally Binding ?• Possibly, between two legal

entities (two separate companies)• Between departments of same

organization (IT and Service)

Why define Service Level?

• SLA is used to:Measure performance

Of Service Provider

In the Delivery of That Service

SLA and Support Plan

• Assignment asks for Support Plan• Broadly similar to idea of SLA

SLA and Support Plan

• Support Plan should define–What the service provider will

provide–The targets you plan to meet–Customer responsibilities

Targets are defined in Service Levels

SL Targets/Measures

• Targets to measure Help Desk Performance–How well the intended service is

being delivered–Success of Support Plan

SL for Support Service

Support Service Levels may relate to

Different Category of

Support Issue

SL for Support Service

• Specify how quickly certain things should be done• Define how often (as %) done

within the specified time

SL for Support Service

Example target: New User Account• Target–New accounts should be set up within 1

working day• Service Level Statement–Aim for 90% of Accounts set up within 1

working day

Example Targets

Priority

Impact Target Response

Target Resolution

1 Critical Component Down 15 Mins 1 Hr

2 Critical Components Degraded 45 Mins 4 Hrs

3 Non Critical Component Failed 4 Hrs 8 Hrs

4 Other Requests/Questions 8 Hrs 12 Hrs

Example

Service Measures to be met by Help Desk

• 95% of Priority 1 calls responded to within target

• 90% of Priority 1 calls resolved within target• 90% of Priority 2,3,4 calls responded within

target• 85% of Priority 2,3,4 calls resolved within target

Example

Service Measures to be met by Help Desk

• 90% of telephone calls answered within 1 minute

• 2% or fewer calls re-opened within 2 weeks

Example

Service Measures to be met by Customer

• 10% or fewer calls of training type category

Calls as a result of lack of knowledge/training, not a problem with

system itself

Service Level Target/LondonMet

Service Desk – Opening Hours

• Specified within Knowledge Base– Gives days and time of availability– Gives method of contact– Gives detail of document (date, author)

• Allows document to be evaluated

Opening Hours

User Defined Service Levels

•Weekly•Monthly• Quarterly• Annual

User Defined Service Levels

• Performance Report might include–Total number of calls–Number of calls by category–Response rate within specified

target–Resolution rate within specified

target

User Defined Service Levels

• Reports delivered to –Management representative of

Service Provider organization–Specified representative in Support

Recipient organization

User Defined Service Levels

• Allows both parties to measure the performance of the support service• Helps in adjustments to improve

service quality(Frequent calls might indicate bugs

or training needs)

EVERYTHINGCOVERED ?

Coverage

• In reality, things are more complicated• May need to define special

exception–Cope with issues outside our immediate

control

Possible Problems

• A call has been logged• Unable to contact user for further

information• Meanwhile target resolution time

passes• Who is responsible?

Possible Problems

• Perhaps put the call ‘on hold’–Unable to act without further

information

Possible Problems

• A call has been logged• A bug in third party software

is responsible for cause• Third party company is taking

time to supply the fix• Meanwhile target resolution time

passed

Possible Problems

• Put call ‘on hold’ while waiting for response• Keep users informed of progress

Summary – SLA

• Priority (identify category)

• Setting targets (response/resolution)

• Customer responsibilities• Exclusions• Monitor performance

Thanks Y

Thank You.