Requirements for a replacement helpdesk system
1
Recording incidents
1.1
Process of recording incidents to be quick and
easy
E
1.2
System to ensure consistent categorisation of
incidents
E
1.3
Other incidents for the same user to be easily
accessible
E
1.4
Flexible and configurable method of categorising
incidents in a hierarchical system
E
System to have a configurable bank of scripts and
other resources to help operator extract
information from end user
HD
1.5
2.
Assigning incidents
2.1
Support reps to be able to assign incidents to
themselves and (if authorised) to others
E
2.2
On assignment, an incident should be marked as
belonging to the relevant support rep
E
2.3
Support reps to be alerted immediately when
incidents are assigned to them
E
Incidents should be assignable either to an
individual support rep or to groups, as
appropriate
E
Timely notification of support reps that an
incident has been assigned should not depend on
the support rep being logged into the system
HD
It should be possible to send notification to
additional subordinate support reps as well as
main assignee
D
2.4
2.5
2.6
3
Progress of an incident
3.1
The system should enable support reps (other
than the assignee) to check progress of an incident
E
3.2
System should generate warnings when an
incident has been unresolved for too long
E
3.3
It should be easy to build up a diary of activities
associated with an incident
E
11 July 2016
3.4
3.5
3.6
New information (whether entered by the
assignee or by another support rep) should be
clearly flagged within the record of an incident
E
Regular (eg daily) reports of unresolved cases
E
Incoming and outgoing correspondence should
be easily accessible within the record of the
incident
E
4
Integration with other systems
4.1
All features must integrate with existing systems
and networks in the university
E
4.2
System should be integrated with University’s
computer user records
E
This should give access to user’s contact
information, phone number and location, using a
configurable standard terminology
E
System should also be integrated with asset
management system, to give information about
user’s situation relevant to the incident
D
System should also be integrated with the
network management system to provide
information about user’s position on the network
D
4.3
4.4
4.5
5
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
6
Interface for support staff
Good look and feel and quick response time
E
Support staff should be able to see at a glance
what outstanding incidents they have, with
relevant details
E
Web interface for support staff, to enable read and E
write access from anywhere via the web
Cross-platform client program for support staff
HD
Interface for end users
Configurable web-based interface for end users to
enable them to track the progress of their
incidents (eg using the incident number that is
issued when incident is recorded)
E
6.2
End users should be able to communicate
problems via the web interface
HD
6.3
End users should be able to see details of their
own past incidents
HD
6.1
2
6.4
7
7.1
7.2
7.3
8
Meaningful and configurable messages should be
sent to end users when incidents are assigned and
closed
E
Management tools
It must be possible to collect and display
meaningful statistics on progress of incidents,
types of incident and locations of incidents
E
Management need to be able to track progress of
individual incidents and escalate them
E
Meaningful statistics for end users
D
Knowledge base
There must be a knowledge base of standard
solutions, that can be seeded with data during
initial setting up of the system, and added to over
time
E
8.2
Structured system for entering data in the
knowledge base
E
8.3
Knowledge base to be searchable by support reps,
using key-words
E
8.4
Knowledge base to have a public area which can
be searched by end users
HD
Knowledge base should provide standard
answers in the form of templates that can be
tailored for sending to end users
HD
8.1
8.5
9
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
Reliability and security
High level of operational reliability
E
There should be provision for continued working
in case of network failure
E
The system must be secure against data loss
E
It must be possible to restrict access to some
incidents
E
End users should not see all information about
their incidents; eg they should not see
communications that pass between support staff
E
3
10
Installation
10.1
Full documentation should be provided for
systems staff
E
On-site assistance with installation of the system
E
Assistance with initial configuration
E
Assistance with seeding of the knowledge base
D
10.2
10.3
10.4
4