THE INFORMATION AGE AND THE HELP DESK

By Ernestine PhelpsEng1105Technical Communications

The Wire Age-1844

The Telephone

One of the first inventions to jumpstart the Information Age

The Wireless Age-1897

The Telegraph

The Integrated Age-Ongoing

Information Age“…the increasing emphasis on the production, storage, and distribution of information as it’s major activity.” (Dizard 2)

The search engine Google consists of rooms of servers where information is stored for anyone who is willing to search through their search portal

“The computer’s ability to provide low-cost, high-speed processing and transmission of digital data will transform the conventional communication devices in our homes and offices. (Gates 23)

Project America provides data showing the steady increase in homes with computers and homes with internet access from

1998-2007

“Fig. 1. Percentage of Computers and Internet Access for US Households 1998-2007, Project America. http://www.project.org/info.php?recordID=15.”

Help DeskA customer service center established to assist

customers with problematic devices

Problems + Help Desk=

Solutions

Blue Screen of Death

Computer Frozen Up

Cannot Connect to Internet

Setting Up E-mail Client

Help Desks provide assistance

Web based chat

E-mail

Telephone Call Center

Remote Access

Help Desk Qualities?

People Skills

Problem Solving

Skills

Listening Skills

Level of Knowledge

Outsourcing Help Desks?

Pros

Cost effective

Need based

experienced

ConsNo long-term

employees

Inexperienced

employees

Lack of focus for

company

SUMMARY

Works Cited

Dizard, Jr., Wilson P. The Coming Information Age, An Overview of Technology, Economics,

and Politics.New York: Longman Inc., 1982.

Gates, Bill. Business at the Speed of Thought. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1999.

Gates, Bill. The Road Ahead. New York: Penquin Books, 1996.

Leigh Business Enterprises Ltd. 31 August 2010. 31 August 2010 <http://www.helpdesk-

system.com/>.

Thornberry, Suzanne. Members discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing.10 September 2010.

31 August 2010 <http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-

1054529.html>.