Toolkit—HelpDesk
HelpDeskRolesandResponsibilities
ThekeytoeffectiveITSMisensuringthatthereisclearaccountabilityandrolesdefinedtocarry
outthepracticeofServiceOperation.Aroleisoftentiedtoajobdescriptionorworkgroup
descriptionbutdoesnotnecessarilyneedtobefilledbyoneindividual.Thesizeofan
organization,howitisstructured,theexistenceofexternalpartners,andotherfactorswill
influencehowrolesareassigned.Whetheraparticularroleisfilledbyasingleindividualor
sharedbetweentwoormorepeople,theimportanceistheconsistencyofaccountabilityand
execution,alongwiththeinteractionwithotherrolesintheorganization.
ThefollowingrolesareneededfortheHelpDesk.
ServiceOwner
ServiceownersaremanagementstakeholdersaccountabletothedeliveryofspecificITservices.
ThoughtheymaynotresidewithintheHelpDesk,theirroleiscriticaltothesuccessoftheHelp
DeskinsupportingaparticularITservices:byensuringtheservicerequirementsareunderstand,
communicatingrelevantknowledgeabouttheservice,andsupportingimprovementstoservice
delivery,includingimprovementstotheHelpDesk.IncooperationwiththeHelpDesk,theservice
ownermayperformthefollowingactivities:
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Reviewservicereportstoensurecustomerrequirementsarebeingmet
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Definingservicemodelsandassessingtheimpactofneworchangedservicesagainst
currentHelpDeskcapabilities
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Representingtheserviceacrosstheorganization,includingraisingawarenessofthe
service,understandingitscomponents,andensuringtheappropriatelevelofcompetency
exists
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Servingasapointofcontact(escalation/notification)formajorincidentstotheservice
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Makingimprovementstotheservice
HelpDeskSupervisor
Inverysmalldesks,itispossiblethattheseniorHelpDeskAnalystwillalsoactastheSupervisor,
butinlargerdesksitislikelythatadedicatedHelpDeskSupervisorrolewillbeneeded.Where
shifthoursdictateit,theremaybetwoormorepost-holderswhofulfilltherole,usuallyonan
overlappingbasis.TheSupervisor’sroleislikelytoinclude:
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Ensuringthatstaffingandskilllevelsaremaintainedthroughoutoperationalhoursby
managingshiftstaffingschedules,etc.
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UndertakingHRactivitiesasneeded
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Actingasanescalationpointwheredifficultorcontroversialcallsarereceived
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Productionofstatisticsandmanagementreports
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RepresentingtheHelpDeskatmeetings
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Arrangingstafftrainingandawarenesssessions
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Liaisingwithseniormanagement
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LiaisingwithChangeManagement
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PerformingbriefingstoHelpDeskstaffonchangesordeploymentsthatmayaffect
volumesattheHelpDesk
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Toolkit—HelpDesk
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Assistinganalystsinprovidingfirst-linesupportwhenworkloadsarehigh,orwhere
additionalexperienceisrequired.
HelpDeskManager
InlargeorganizationswheretheHelpDeskisofasignificantsize,aHelpDeskManagerrolemay
bejustifiedwiththeHelpDeskSupervisor(s)reportingtohimorher.Insuchcases,thisrolemay
takeresponsibilityforsomeoftheactivitieslistedaboveandmayadditionallyperformthe
followingactivities:
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Managetheoveralldeskactivities,includingthesupervisors
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Actasafurtherescalationpointforthesupervisor(s)
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Takeonawidercustomer-servicesrole
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Reporttoseniormanagersonanyissuethatcouldsignificantlyimpactthebusiness
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AttendChangeAdvisoryBoardmeetings
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TakeoverallresponsibilityforIncidentandServiceRequesthandlingontheHelpDesk.
ThiscouldalsobeexpandedtoanyotheractivitytakenonbytheHelpDesk,e.g.,
monitoringcertainclassesofevent.
Note:inallcases,clearlydefinedjobdescriptionsshouldbedraftedandagreedsothatspecific
responsibilitiesareknown.
ProcessOwnersandManagers
TheHelpDeskretainsownershipoftwooperationalprocesses:IncidentManagementand
RequestFulfillment.TheHelpDeskManagerand/orHelpDesksupervisor(s)maybeassigned
additionalresponsibilitiesrelatedtoeachprocesses,ortherolesofProcessOwnerandProcess
ManagermaybeassignedtootherHelpDeskpersonnel.
TheProcessOwnerisaccountableforensuringtheassignedprocessmeetsitsobjectives.They
willbeinvolvedinthestrategydevelopment,design,servicetransition,andoperationalaspects
relativetotheprocess.Thewillberesponsibleforthecreation,maintenance,andimprovementof
processdocumentation,including:
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Policiesandstandards
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Processandprocedures
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Resourcemanagement(particularlyknowledge)
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Metrics
TheProcessManagerisaccountabletotheoperationalmanagementoftheprocess,ensuringall
activitiesoftheprocessarebeingexecutedeffectivelyandconsistentlyatalltimes.Theywill
managetheresourcesnecessarytosupporttheprocessandmonitorprocessperformance.
HelpDeskAnalysts
TheprimaryHelpDeskAnalystroleisthatofprovidingfirst-levelsupportthroughtakingcallsand
handlingtheresultingIncidentsorServiceRequestsusingtheIncidentManagementandRequest
FulfillmentprocessesinlinewiththeHelpDeskobjectives.
N-lineAnalysts
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Toolkit—HelpDesk
TheremainingserviceorganizationoutsideoftheHelpDeskisconsideredsecond-orthird-line
supportforincidentsandservicerequests.Thesen-lineanalystsareresponsibleforsupporting
theHelpDeskintheresolutionofincidentsandfulfillmentofservicerequests.Thisresponsibility
maybeproactive,intheformofprovidingsufficientknowledgetotheHelpDesktosolidifyits
competencyinsupportingtheend-user,orintakingactiondirectlywhenrequestedbytheHelp
Desk.N-lineAnalystsareaskedtousetheIncidentManagementandRequestFulfillment
processesinlinewiththeHelpDeskobjectives.
SuperUsers
Insummary,thisrolewillconsistofbusinessuserswhoactasliaisonpointswithITingeneraland
theHelpDeskinparticular.TheroleofSuperUsercanbesummarizedasfollows:
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TofacilitatecommunicationbetweenITandthebusinessatanoperationallevel
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ToreinforceexpectationsofusersregardingwhatServiceLevelshavebeenagreed
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Stafftrainingforusersintheirarea
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Providingsupportforminorincidentsorsimplerequestfulfillment
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Involvementwithnewreleasesandrollouts
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