Prioritisation

[forkies]

Hi all,

 

Please could anyone that has a prioritisation chart for IT issues please post it

 

Also do your IT teachers use the helpdesk or just come to you directly whether it be in person or via email for issues?

 

Finally, what is a realistic timeframe for software to be installed for student use as part of the IT course, would you usually be told at the start of the academic year, before summer holidays when they are planning or a couple of weeks before they intend to use it?

[Andrew_C]

No 1 - payroll system

No 2 - catering

No 3 - IT support

No 4 - whoever brought the chocci biscuits last week.

The rest can wait.

[Cache]

We don't have a helpdesk currently, it's something I'm trying to phase in though.

 

In answer to your question about the software, the honest answer would be it depends. I try to ask before the summer if there's any software they want for September so that it can be rolled out and ready, if it's something new then a couple of weeks is normally reasonable unless it's a bit of a pig to deploy for some reason. At that point, if it's only for a limited number of machines and I can make it work manually I will, otherwise they'll be told of the problem and given an estimate as to when it might be done by.

 

I think it all comes down to communication (and it needs to be two way) - they can't reasonably expect to give you something tomorrow morning and expect it to be done by lunchtime.

[pcstru]

Please could anyone that has a prioritisation chart for IT issues please post it

We prioritise as a function of the severity of the issue (from it's "slightly annoying" through to it's "shuffled off this mortal coil") and the number of people affected by it.

Also do your IT teachers use the helpdesk or just come to you directly whether it be in person or via email for issues?

We try to allow all means of communication but we encourage mail to our central helpdesk@ and we have a walk in counter for staff and students.

Finally, what is a realistic timeframe for software to be installed for student use as part of the IT course, would you usually be told at the start of the academic year, before summer holidays when they are planning or a couple of weeks before they intend to use it?

 

It depends. We iterate two curriculum images a year and those are the processes which deliver changes to software available for students and we encourage people to use them. Outside of that it would be treated like any other request (i.e. prioritised along with any other work) but it is likely to end up as a "change request" because it has the potential to cause issues for other software. Since we have two chances for people to make the request at times where technicians expect to be developing the image, we expect people to use those but people do forget or just don't think so there does have to be some flexibility (we always have to be aware that even if Teachers were deliberately mucking us about (very very very rare here), it is the students that end up being let down, so we suck it up, smile and do our best).

[manc_techie]

I have an SLA document we created along with SLT happy to PM anyone a copy. We use our Helpdesk for every contact including walk in's to keep track of what we're doing.

[ITJS2015]

Anything to do with teaching and learning is a priority for the school

 

For Instance- Student desktop,laptops,devices

Staff - Laptops, Projectors, Desktops

 

Whole school impact- Switches, wireless, servers etc

 

Everything there is a priority but teaching a learning comes first in front of anyone else. Even if the head asked for something to be done just tell them that you have to sort the students problem out which stops them from learning

[strawberry]

We don't have a rigid formula but we do consider the following things..

1. Does it effect T+L

2. Does it effect other business functions of school?

3. How many people does it effect?

4. How quick is the fix?

5. Was the right information sent in the first place? ( Sounds harsh but obv a ticket saying computer don't work doesn't get instant attention)

6. What caused it?

7. Do we have suitable staff on hand

8. Has it been endorsed by anyone with power?

[misslp]

We use Spiceworks - staff send an e-mail to a particular address, and it auto-forwards to a call-logging queue.

 

We don't have a priority system either, but generally:

 

1 - Headteacher/HT PA

2 - Finance

3 - Deputy/Assistant Heads, teachers (inc. IT), students

 

Unfortunately we have one member of IT who claims they are better than us and believes they can skip the queue. Constant problem. They are so rude, especially to me being a female (it's nothing I can't handle, don't worry - and nothing really I can report about... yet).

 

Software requests - as much notice as possible. We need to test the software to see if it works etc (although the rule was broken just this week when someone got some software, didn't consult us, Business Manager didn't flag it like they usually do and then we got 'We need this working. Now.')...

Edited July 5, 2016 by misslp

[Edu-IT]

1 - Headteacher/HT PA

2 - Finance

3 - Deputy/Assistant Heads, teachers (inc. IT), students

That's interesting. Does the headteacher teach?

[dapaulio]

Priority 1 : HT/SMT

Priority 1b: network server related issue being rye cause

Priority 2 : he who bears gifts

Priority 3 : he or she who shouts the loudest

Priority 4: all other business on first come first serve

 

Anyone else who says they do it differently is lying. 😈

 

All software is considered and tester over the end of term holidays. If some one comes mid term I grant the use of the software in one room only manually installed so they can report any bugs that I may need to iron out

Edited July 5, 2016 by dapaulio

[Andrew_C]

To be somewhat more serious than my 1st post.

 

A lesson going to hell in a handcart is the priority. The teacher will never have time to teach that class, that lesson, ever again. The Bursar sending a letter can (normally ) wait until tomorrow. Unless it is about your pay rise.

[dapaulio]

A lesson going to hell in a handcart is the priority.

 

Some teachers don't need ict issues for this to happen.

 

I had some teacher just the other day getting really stroppy with me because the computer wasn't working and apparently I had ruined their lesson. Tried some over the phone support which wasn't very productive as she wasn't very cooperative so As anyone would do, I marched over double time dropping my brew and biscuit.

Got there and the computer wasn't even switched on. All I had to do was press the power button on the front of the computer.

 

What I'm trying to say is everyone is put in the queue and made to wait their turn. On some occasions there is an immediate response but on most other occasions they will have to wait their turn. That stupid woman who didn't stop and take a breath before barking down the phone and wasted my time could have taken the priority away from a genuine incident that required our immediate assistance like my brew which by the time I got back after an ear bashing was cold and some thief stole my biscuit.

[misslp]

That's interesting. Does the headteacher teach?

 

Yes, occasionally

[Andrew_C]

Some teachers don't need ict issues for this to happen..

Sure, some of them shouldn't be in the profession. But when it IS the kit/software, that should trump all but real flames.

[forkies]

I have an SLA document we created along with SLT happy to PM anyone a copy. We use our Helpdesk for every contact including walk in's to keep track of what we're doing.

 

Please do send me the SLA.

[dapaulio]

I do agree as a professional and joking aside. All telephone/page callouts are treated as priority as they sometime identify the start of network issues. Ticketed jobs tend to take a lower priority.

I'm just bitter that some thief stole my biscuit and brew went cold from a stupid callout

[Edu-IT]

I do agree as a professional and joking aside. All telephone/page callouts are treated as priority as they sometime identify the start of network issues. Ticketed jobs tend to take a lower priority.

I'm just bitter that some thief stole my biscuit and brew went cold from a stupid callout

Why do tickets get treated as a lower priority? Just interested.

 

Interesting that SMT are higher priority in some schools. Is this because of their role, or, are their lessons more important if they go wrong that a 'standard' teacher?

[dapaulio]

Was not how we designed our ticket system to be like but we find that teacher who take the time to create a ticket are not urgently expecting a response where as teachers who phone or page us tend to report issues that are more urgent and sometime indicate more serious issues. We all have the best intentions when it comes to prioritising fairly but we all know it doesn't work like that in reality. When a senior manager or ht shouts it is expected that we drop everything or fear their rath.