One group that I am a part of is the CIT Help Desk. I’ve been working there for close to a year now and have become quite familiar with my co-workers (group members). It is a surprisingly diverse group of people, spanning a wide variety of studies, but really all coming together with a common interest in computers and with a common purpose of helping out Cornell’s affiliates with technological help.
As the model indicates, this group has inputs, processes and outputs. Since we are a department maintained by Cornell, the processes and outputs are very uniform, as policies are strict. Inputs, however, can be quite varied as anyone can contact the helpdesk to make an inquiry. Let’s take a closer look:
Inputs:
Inputs to our group come in the form of computer users requesting help with various issues. Some of these are supported by the Help Desk, and some of course are not. The contact can be in the form of emails, calls, voicemails, or users coming in person.
Processes:
Once an input is received, it is categorized. If it is not supported, we will refer the user elsewhere. If it is supported, we dump it in a queue to be responded to. Based on the categorization and the individual problem, we have certain procedures to deal with all supported problems. We have created a wiki containing procedures for all problems, so if you are not familiar with the problem, the procedure can be found easily.
Outputs:
Since all procedures are very standardized, outputs are very similar. Obviously, resolution is the goal. Each process is an attempt to satisfy the input, creating a reachable solution. While we aim to fix all problems, sometimes the best resolution is the referral to someone more capable.
Proximity plays a huge role in this group. Technically, we have the ability to work from home, as we are able to access our case tracking system online. We are required, however, to work from our office. This is because teamwork is frequently needed to come up with a solution to a problem. We pool experiences here and work together to find a resolution. When we are not in immediate proximity, we have an email list to send out information to each other, to keep each other updated on potential outages and widespread problems.
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It would seem that for many problems users have, having further input from these users, in the form of follow-up questions or clarifications, would make solving the problem much easier. Do you think that user input and feedback is a significant part of the collaborative process at CIT, and if so, do you consider it part of the processes or or part of the input?
ReplyDeleteI have recently called CIT for a problem my boss was having at work. In terms of feedback, It was very useful to have CIT send me an email after we hung up asking me to let them know whether or not there was a resolution. This is very reassuring. I have called CIT several times, and have gotten a different person each time. I have had equally positive experiences with everyone that has helped me. What their personnel bring to the process must be very diverse and useful because they have always been able to help me.
ReplyDeleteI also work at CIT, very good analysis of our group Hassan. There is definitely a lot of collaboration at CIT, which is aided by close proximity to each other. As a group, we will only receive as much positive feedback as the weakest personnel, so it is important that every employee presents a confident and capable front. If someone is asked a question they are unfamiliar with, often the fastest way to find a solution is to ask others around you. In this way, proximity is very important to our jobs at CIT.
ReplyDelete@Tom: There is also significant attention payed to user feedback. Weekly meetings keep a steady flow of feedback from our clients to the employees. I would consider the surveys and statistical reports generated from our software are a part of our group inputs, as they really do have an effect on how we behave and how we set out to work each day.
Working at CIT, I feel you would have alot of personal experiences you will be able to relate to this class. Technology collaboration seems like it defines your job. I wonder-how often would you say you have to refer the customer to someone more capable? and when you're not able to solve the problem and ultimately refer someone else, do you still consider that a successful output?
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