The Idea
UVic’s Computer Help Desk (CHD) provides a number of services, articulated in the Service Catalogue, from four physical locations located in Clearihue A004 (Main Help Desk), Clearihue C143 (Technology Solutions Centre), Mearns Centre (main floor satellite), and the Campus Services Building (Bookstore satellite).
UVic’s Student Computing Facilities consisted of computing classrooms and drop-in spaces located in three buildings (Clearihue, Business & Economics, Human & Social Development). Facilities staff maintain the computing classrooms, workstations, and provide assistance to instructors and students using the facilities.
These two separate services, with separate pools of student staff, provided an opportunity to expand the Help Desk services into the Student Computing Facilities and transform the Student Computing Facilities into CHD locations into one unified service unit such that faculty, staff, and students could obtain Help Desk and Student Computing Facilities services in each facility location. We initiated a project with the following scope:
- Communication of the change vision to all staff
- Updating of online documentation
- Changing of physical signage
- Communication to campus community
Benefits
For our clients:
| Benefit | Success Criteria |
| Convenient access to services in multiple locations (supports the Systems Value of Customer Satisfaction) | Clients can obtain a complete complement of services in each computing facility location. |
| Additional service hours (supports the Systems Value of Customer Satisfaction and Balance, Home and Work) | Clients can access services beyond current CHD business hours (8 AM to 7 PM, Monday to Friday) during current SCF hours (includes longer hours on weekdays as well as weekends). |
For our staff:
| Benefit | Success Criteria |
| Professional development (enables the Systems Value of Continuous Learning, Improvement, Coaching and Mentoring) | Staff, including student staff in the CHD and SCF, are provided with additional training to be able to perform CHD and SCF duties. |
| More teamwork (supports the Systems Value of Teamwork and Communication & Information Sharing) | There is a single pool of student staff providing services in all Satellite Help Desk locations with and a single supervisory structure. |
The Result
Faculty, staff, and students can now contact the Computer Help Desk via telephone and email from 8 AM to 11 PM on weekdays, 10 AM to 10 PM on weekends, and 10 AM to 6 PM on statutory holidays and visit one of 8 physical locations:
Success in Action
The Computer Help Desk assisted over 5,000 students, faculty, and staff in the first 5 days of September and received 9,793 contacts throughout the month. This is a 90% increase over September last year and can be attributed our expanded team of knowledgeable staff providing expanded services during extended hours at a greater number of locations.