Engineer Region 3 - Help Desk

Lead Organization

Ad Hoc Project Team

MISSION

To create a volunteer ‘helpdesk’ that is widely advertised and easily accessed through a web-based FAQ and email alias. This helpdesk will respond to specific requests for information and help from the volunteers in Region 3.

Assignments

Bill Marshall, Chair
Others TBD

Major Activities / Milestones

• Project Team formed : Region 3 ExCom meeting in January 2006.
• Create a prototype website: before SoutheastCon 2006.
• Help Desk Operational: ???

Objectives, Actions and Deliverables

• Statement: IEEE Volunteers routinely struggle to find and access information and resources needed to support their role. The IEEE is a large and decentralized organization with multiple units sharing responsibility for, or stake-holder interest in, the institute’s operations. Thus, important information needed by the volunteer, even when information is available, is generally difficult to find and/or contradictory in its content. Region 3 can help its volunteer community better fill their roles by delivering a need-based information service that addresses the specific needs and interests of its volunteers.
• Region 3 will create a volunteer-support committee to maintain the helpdesk;
• The helpdesk will:
  • Serve as an information conduit, helping volunteers find and access existing resources•where necessary, augment those resources with customized region support•when appropriate, serve an ‘ombudsman’ role to help volunteers resolve problems between Region 3 units and other units of the institute.
• Three phased approach to design and implementation.
  • First, we will design a tri-fold brochure, “selling” the helpdesk to current and prospective volunteers. The goal of this step is to develop a short narrative (i.e., something just longer than an “elevator answer”) on what IEEE-R3 is (why it exists) and what IEEE-R3 can do to help the individual volunteer. The word selling is highlighted in step one to reminder us that everything we do as part of the helpdesk is focused on volunteer development. We will help them solve their particular volunteer-related problems; but, we will also continually sell the benefits & rewards of being an IEEE volunteer and help them realize those rewards.
  • Second, we will develop a multi-linked FAQ website. The goal of this step is to develop ready answers to anticipated questions that we might expect to occur frequently or be difficult to answer. This web material will quickly expand into a comprehensive tutorial server for new volunteers.

It is important that this site not overlap excessively with material on the IEEE-HQ site; but, there is need for a easily-searchable solution-oriented resource for new, and experienced, volunteers to be able to query from. Also, we will need to coordinate with the ‘Knowledge Capture’ effort being led by Charles Lord to avoid duplication with that initiative.

• Third, we will create an email alias (e.g., askR3@ieee.org) to answer any volunteer-related question presented. I am open to feedback on whether the alias is directed to a single response coordinator, or is directed to a list of ‘grey-beards’ who are implicitly invited to answer. I prefer the coordinator-based approach; but that puts extra burden on one person.

Question-answer dialogues will not be posted in a public location (e.g., forum). This encourages more volunteers seek ask for help. For example, it makes it easier for them to ask those ‘dumb questions’ that they don’t want to ask publicly; or it provides a way for them to ask sensitive questions like ‘hey, staff screwed up my report; how can I fix it?” or “I’m not sure we’re spending rebate money properly in our section; what should I do?”. We won’t try to be personal counselors, and we won’t help someone avoid proper practices; but we can provide beneficial comments that might assist them.

This third step is the real goal of this initiative, but I believe that the first two steps are vital preparatory actions for making this email service work well.