Date of Award

1987

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Business

First Advisor

Michael Castro

Second Advisor

Robert Sullentrup

Third Advisor

Marcia Ross

Abstract

Providing effective computer-based support to end users by telephone can be quite a challenge. An enormous amount of information is needed by the employees of an information center (know as the Help Desk at ITT Commercial Finance) in order to assist end users with computer related problems and questions. In effect, a carefully prepared manual is a vital support tool for Help Desk employees.

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate how an effective user manual is developed. The Help Desk Information & Procedures Manual is assembled using several development methodologies and documentation standards. This study first outlines the need for documentation and defines a proposed course of development. Chapter II describes the documentation plan and several other development methodologies and documentation guidelines. Chapter III presents a statement of the problem and an intended execution. In Chapter IV, the actual development methodology and documentation standards that are used in the Help Desk Information & Procedures Manual are described. Chapter V displays the results of the project investigation. The discrepancies that were found between the intended and the actual project development are also presented in this chapter. Chapter VI presents the findings of the study in the form of the actual support manual. The project concludes with Chapter VII which is a discussion of suggestions for future manual development.

In its completed form, the Help Desk Information & Procedures Manual serves two purposes. First, it demonstrates how the effective use of development methodologies and documentation standards can be used to create a useful user manual. Second, the manual will provide Help Desk employees at ITT Commercial Finance with a functional support tool.

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