The document discusses delivering a unified self-service portal for Harvard University. It outlines examples of existing portals, the benefits of a unified portal for students and staff, challenges to implementing one, and next steps. The presentation recommends starting work immediately with HUIT and other departments collaborating to expand self-service options and discuss how to create a unified portal that meets user needs.
Delivering a Unified Self-Service Portal for Harvard
1. Delivering University Self-service for IT and Business
Services
Harvard IT Summit
June 5th, 2014
Matthew Wollman
IT Service Manager
HUIT, IT Service Management
2. Delivering One Harvard Self-Service Portal
• What is a unified self-service portal?
– Some Examples
• Why does Harvard need a unified self-service portal?
– What would Harvard’s unified self-service portal contain
• How do we create a unified self-service portal?
– Challenges and Recommendations
– Implementation Options
• When can we create a portal and what are the next
steps?
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3. What is a unified self-service portal?
3
• One place for end-users to seek knowledge, request access, get
support for all university services.
• Not just IT Services but HR, Finance, Registrar, Facilities, etc.
• Now for some examples…
IT HR Finance
AA&D
Campus
Services
Registrar
13. Delivering One Harvard Self-Service Portal
• What is a unified self-service portal?
– Some Examples
• Why does Harvard need a unified self-service portal?
– What would Harvard’s unified self-service portal contain
• How do we create a unified self-service portal?
– Challenges and Recommendations
– Implementation Options
• When can we create a portal and what are the next
steps?
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14. Why does Harvard need a unified self-service portal?
• A single service portal across all
services
– One place to request and track
– Easy to find what you need
– Raise customer awareness of
service offerings
– Access knowledge and
assistance
– Better customer service
– Imagine an automated
onboarding process…
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It’s not always easy to find the way
15. Why does Harvard need a unified self-service portal?
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– What would Harvard’s unified self-service portal look
like?
– What would be of the most benefit to our end users?
– What type of requests?
– Peer-to-Peer support?
– What about other support channels, i.e Chat?
– Self-Help Videos library?
– Service Descriptions?
16. Delivering One Harvard Self-Service Portal
• What is a unified self-service portal?
– Some Examples
• Why does Harvard need a unified self-service portal?
– What would Harvard’s unified self-service portal contain
• How do we create a unified self-service portal?
– Challenges and Recommendations
– Implementation Options
• When can we create a portal and what are the next
steps?
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17. Challenges and Recommendations for Self-Service
• Self-service not designed for
users
• Designed with IT goals in mind,
not the users
• Internal service orgs have not
applied the same approaches as
successfully B2C and Retail self
service
• Assuming low levels of self-
service usage, and imply users’
unwillingness to use self service.
17Source: Gartner 19Feb2014
18. Challenges and Recommendations for Self-Service
• Stay focused on the outcomes
• Getting end-users input
– Surveys focus groups
– Keeping them included even
after development
• Identify frequent, routine issues
– Look at existing tools for
analysis
• Consumer self-service as
inspiration
• Work with a strong UX design
team
18Source: Gartner 19Feb2014
19. Implementation Options
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• Several tools are currently on the market
– ServiceNow
– Kinetic Request
– Coding our own
• Tools can generate tasks for fulfillment and approvals
– These can be tracked by fulfillment staff as well as the end-user who submitted
the request
• Portal can refer directly to other self-service tools
– IU example, or a link directly to webmail or PeopleSoft items
• Automation of simple tasks increases speed of fulfillment
– ServiceNow for example: Orchestration engine, REST, SOAP, Email
• To ensure use and feedback we need to have a strong plan to market the
portal
– Encourage use for all items and try multiple services
20. Delivering One Harvard Self-Service Portal
• What is a unified self-service portal?
– Some Examples
• Why does Harvard need a unified self-service portal?
– What would Harvard’s unified self-service portal contain
• How do we create a unified self-service portal?
– Challenges and Recommendations
– Implementation Options
• When can we create a portal and what are the next
steps?
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21. How soon can Harvard have a unified self-service portal?
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• We can start now!
– HUIT already starting this year with Employees Self-service using
ServiceNow
– Are working to expand existing request catalog
• Why couldn’t we start now?
• However, self-service portals are never completed, and would require
constant maintenance, monitoring, access management, etc.
– The portal would become a service unto itself.
Next Steps
• How many have self-service for their services? How many are
working on them or plan to?
• Plan a informal discussion session on how we can work on this as a
unified effort?
obviously self-promoting but remains a good example
Knowledge
Request
Service Description
Thanks to Simon for pointing out a higher ed example
Direct to request or service entry
Link to the service location or URL
Details about the service, with self-help overlay
Direct support contact and links
Customizable portal
Offer various levels of Request
Multiple locations, hard to find
Do you know other examples at Harvard?
Peer-to-Peer support?
Other On-demand support, i.e Chat?
Self-Help Videos?
Source: Gartner “Design IT Self-Service for the Business Consumer” 2015-02-19 Greene, Jarod
Source: Gartner “Design IT Self-Service for the Business Consumer” 2015-02-19 Greene, Jarod