Moodle as Help Desk

Mary M RydeskyAnchorage, Alaska, USA

iMoot 2015

Covered in this presentation…

What’s a Help Desk?

Features of the Moodle structure

Suggestions for organizing categories

Templates for standardization

Guidelines for content

Search-ability of content

What’s the value?

Moodle manages content that is requested at different times

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In-depth orientation & training potential

Visual, textual, audible, interactive features

Enhances communication efficiently

What’s a Help Desk?

Source of information to end frustration and enable full functioning of task with little time wasted

A ‘learning moment’

Help Desk Features

FAQs for self help

Live interaction when needed

Ways to capture use statistics What questions are most frequent? Can we change this?

Gateway to additional help Google or company-specific Statistics to determine interest

Request Types

Set up a schema for types of requests Question - an inquiry rather than a problem that needs

to be solved Problem - an issue with your product or service that is

likely to be experienced by more than one user/customer Incident - occurrences of a problem that affects more

than one user Incident tickets are linked to a problem ticket when the problem ticket is solved all related incidents of that

problem are solved automatically Task - used to assign the ticket as a task to a specific

tech Includes a target date of completion

Request Priority

Low

Normal

High

Burner (Urgent) Can be based on user profile OR passage of time

since request was submitted

Recurring Issues

Moodle Perfect!

Pre-written instruction or answer to an inquiry that is asked frequently

Example: My password isn’t working….

Example: A Tech Portal & A User Portal

Company wants two resources, one for the employed techs, one for the end users/customers, dreams of a third one for guests (sees promotional value)

These would be parallel in terms of subjects

Content varies by role Tech is expected to have higher levels of familiarity End users require clarity and specificity Guests are end users with limited levels of access +

follow-up by staff

Example: How do I open a spreadsheet?

Through SEARCH, find your Moodle category for using Excel or Numbers or other software of choice

Include a lesson or unit indexed to opening or creating a spreadsheet Short video Short step-by-step words Short step-by-step audio Offer chat/message for personal support Add links to other tools that might help if more is

needed Include rating/feedback method to determine

satisfaction

Example: How To Use this Service

How To Use this Service When the Help Desk Guide You Best When to and How to Submit a Ticket When to Call the Techs for Live Help

Email Basics From Sending Mail to Archiving Mail

Security

Do It Yourself Trouble-shooting

Communication Entry Points

Users/customers/staff communicate by… Sending email Completing a support request form on your web

site/Moodle Telephone call Catching you in the hallway Text chat Tweeting Posting on Face Book page Moodle chat

Think of these as ‘channels’ feeding in for ‘Help”

What Content Categories?

Create a plan in outline form, including Every major component offered such as software

programs supported or online student learner services provided

Divisions for various user groups (techs, clients, guests)

Policy for create versus link to – what MUST be built internally?

Relate to the audience for whom material is offered

Consider an outline that can be expanded over time, and remain manageable

Content Considerations

Copyright and permissions

Updating

Privacy

When to create content instead of linking to it

Moodle Structure

Topical course structure

Social course structure?

Standard tools/resources Header block with topic, key words, date of last update Forum/discussion groups Chat Messaging

Create html blocks Most frequent question Featured courses/live-sessions

Templates

Standardize by creating templates for FAQs Orientation sessions In-depth courses Other, per your situation

Create flowchart(s) of the process(es) you will follow for providing responses Creating new documentation Reviewing statistics

The BIG Win

Documentation

In IT, in Project Management, in Grants Management, documentation is key….but not uniformly well done Cost of personnel Time Effort

Moodle can become the tool of choice for your organization

The BIGGEST WIN

Users can become self-sufficient, learning at a point of need

Better user skill means fewer support requests that require live intervention on repetitive or recurring questions

Providing a “knowledge base and a community platform” help users find solutions to problems independently That’s your Moodle!

Comments & Questions?

Thank You

Mary M. RydeskyAnchorage Alaska www.transitionmanagement.uswww.akdistancelearning.net907-227-2393