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Designing a Support page for the Intrane

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Dear IT Managers,
I am about to set up my own Help Desk or Support Intranet page for my employees. I am looking for a source of samples to give me ideas on how to structure my site.
Please share any Intranet Support site examples or tips you have.

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In reply to Designing a Support page for the Intrane

This sort of give and take forum can be part of your support site. Another discussion format which works well is the threaded format common to newsgroups. (IIS3 & 4 had a news server – not sure if IIS5 has kept it.) Central to a useful support site is a good, searchable KB (Knowledge Base). Microsoft’s is a good example, although it is getting tougher to turn up a relevant search because the base is so HUGE.

Some help desk applications, like Remedy, have the opportunity to build a KB out of support calls. It’s not too bad, but it is rather old-school, and expensive.

Any solution with which you end up needs to have the “back end” processes in place: especially ensuring that your technical support people keep on top of all inputs, otherwise your users’ requests are just falling into a “black hole” and your cool new system will not be getting used.

Re: Designing a Support page for the Int

In reply to Designing a Support page for the Intrane

After designing a few intranet-based support sites myself, I’ve found the following as common components of a “successful” effort:

1. access to knowledgebase via intranet
2. system/network events and outage notifications
3. FAQs/training guides/similar documentation
4. IT/Helpdesk policies and procedures appropriate for viewing by end-users
5. marketing: staff bios, publish metrics, etc.
6. online access to ticketing system(users can view, update, etc. their own tickets).

Not all of these are required, obviously, but aim to make the intranet portal HELPFUL, otherwise nobody will use it and it’ll prove a big waste of time and money.

Feel free to contact me directly if you’d like more info or to see samples.

Best of luck! –Russ
zomack@hotmail.com

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