Running Head: WORKSHEETS 14-17
Worksheets 14-17
by
Anthony P. Niemann
ELFH 664-50
Spring, 2006
(Clarifying)
Worksheet Fifteen
(Clarifying)
The following plan was developed to guide OIT-Jefferson
staff in implementing changes in the way printer service requests are requested
and verified. This group has responsibility for IT support for CHFS in
1.
A helpdesk call
is initiated by a CHFS employee in one of the seven listed counties covered by OIT-Louisville.
2.
One of six
network analysts in OIT-Louisville responds to the call asking a minimum set of
questions that include the following:
a.
What is the
specific problem you are having with your printer?
b.
How long have
you experienced these problems?
c.
Have you had
this problem before?
d.
What was the
solution?
e.
Is the problem
intermittent?
3.
If the answer to
c
or e
is yes, the analyst should make a site visit to determine the extent of
the problem. S/he should also check the IBM website and network printer
database for previous occurrences.
4.
If there have
been occurrences of the problem within the past 90 days, the IBM representative
should be contacted. If IBM suggests that the analyst deal with Pomroy
directly, the analyst should make the contact immediately.
5.
The network
analyst obtains an estimated time of arrival for the Pomroy service representative.
6.
After a suitable
amount of time has passed, the network analyst calls the printer user who initially
reported the problem to determine whether it was fixed. If the problem was
reported on one of the printers inside the L&N building, the network
analyst personally verifies that the printer is operating correctly.
7.
The manager for
OIT-Louisville insures that all network analysts are proficient in following
this department’s management plan, and that they are actually following the step-by-step
plan.
What activities and sub-activities will be required
to change from the current situation to the future state (gap analysis)?
It should be abundantly clear to the network analyst
that the above steps MUST be taken for every printer problem. In other words,
the steps are mandatory.
Who will be responsible for each major activity or
sub-activity?
It is the duty of the network analysts to perform the
management plan steps. It is the manager of the department’s duty to insure that
the steps are being implemented properly.
How long will each activity or sub-activity
take?
If there is an intermittent problem that is difficult
to isolate, it can be expected that some intermittent problems could take as
long as six months to resolve. However, having the steps in place and carrying
them out will help to eliminate the possibility of the state paying for
maintenance bills that should not be paid. Ninety days after the meetings and
agreements with IBM and Pomroy are concluded and the resolutions are in place,
the possibility for over-billing would be virtually eliminated.
What people and other resources will be needed to
accomplish each activity or sub-activity?
CHFS-OIT would
need to attend the IBM / Pomroy meetings. Someone in the CHFS-OIT office in
In what sequence should the activities and
sub-activities happen?
The meeting
with IBM and Pomroy needs to take place first. Next, responsibility for the Access
database duties should be assigned to someone in
Where do
you need to build in extra time?
The third step
listed above would require the most time. Some network analysts do not have the
skills required to perform the steps listed at the beginning of Worksheet
Fifteen. The manager should insure that these analysts are trained. In some
cases, analysts who earn lower pay, or hold a lower rank, may have more expertise
in resolving printer issues. If this is the case, the cultural environment of
state employees may provide additional hurdles to overcome. Many state
employees falsely assume that employees who have higher positions know more
than other employees. If management can’t understand how the cultural
environment of state government can jeopardize the change initiative, the
change initiative will be very difficult to implement.
What is the cost estimate for each activity and sub-activity? What assumptions and constraints have you used in your estimates? How will you handle cost variances?
It
is expected that this change initiative will save money. There is a cost
involved with initiating this plan. The cost involves services of the person
with CHFS in
How will you monitor the progress of the change?
There
will be joint responsibility for monitoring the progress of the change between
the network analysts, the manager, and the CHFS employee in
Worksheet Sixteen
(Clarifying)
What specific behaviors will this category of employees demonstrate when the basic change has been made?
Even though network analysts are not performing the actual repairs on most printers in the seven listed counties, they will demonstrate a new attitude about their job responsibilities by insuring that printer service calls are being properly submitted and carried out. They will demonstrate fiscal responsibility by insuring the state does not get overcharged for these services.
What are some strategies for reinforcing appropriate behaviors?
The manager will follow printer service requests very carefully. She will meet with network analysts who fail to perform their duties. She should reward appropriate behavior.
What are some ways you can provide early opportunities for recognizing and rewarding these behaviors?
For the OIT-Jefferson group, the manager is a charismatic leader who has good managerial skills. She has employees who will faithfully do whatever she requests. She could inform CHFS-OIT that she will take the network analysts out to dinner at the end of six months as a reward for successful implementation of this project. The group responds well to this dynamic leader. CHFS-OIT, in turn, should highlight the improvements in how printer service calls are carried out by exemplifying this group to other groups throughout the state. CHFS-OIT should agree to pay for promotion of this change initiative.
What are some
ideas for celebrations you can sponsor for your work unit once the basic change
has been made? Who needs to be involved in the celebration, and where should it
be held?
Reservations
should be made for the entire CHFS-OIT staff at
What kinds of celebrations can you coordinate when the transition is over for most of your employees?
This particular group has led the way in providing IT service to CHFS personnel. They take pride in being the best group in CHFS-OIT. Development of solutions to old problems with an environment that promotes communication from all employees will instill a sense of self-worth and value, not just for this group, but for all employees. This is an important point because it goes against the cultural environment of any state organization. Recognition for employees who facilitate the new cultural environment should continually be rewarded. Promotions should come as a result of employees who work towards this end, rather than judged solely by the number of years they have been in a certain pay grade.
Worksheet Seventeen
(Clarifying)
CHFS-OIT may support the change initiatives that OIT–Jefferson initiated, but CFA–COT may not support the changes. If CFA–COT also supports the changes, the commissioners for the respective cabinets may not support the changes. Finally, IBM or Pomroy, in the least likely scenario, may respond in a way that precludes implementing the tracking system.
CFA-COT can be forced to implement changes that are supported by CHFS-OIT by publicizing the problem. If the number of repeat calls has not decreased after one year, a contingency plan must be enacted by management at CHFS-OIT and / or CFA-COT. If neither of these organizations support the change initiatives, the plan could only be implemented if the OIT-Louisville network analyst was prepared to sacrifice his job with CHFS-OIT by making good on his threats to “go public” with findings.