April 3, 2014 Sharukh Mithani University of North Texas UIT Helpdesk SharukhMithani@my.unt.edu Mr.

Oren Bruton University of North Texas Oren.Bruton@unt.edu Re: Work Plan and Cost Estimate to develop a support Manual for the UIT Helpdesk Dear Mr. Bruton, The following is a proposal regarding the previously discussed support manual for the UIT Helpdesk. The Helpdesk would benefit greatly from a support manual, and the following proposal gives reasons for this. The following proposal describes my understanding of the scope of the problem, and how the proposed manual can solve the problems described. Cost estimates and a time table have also been provided. I hope that you find this proposal insightful and useful in determining the usefulness of the manual. Introduction of Problem The UIT Helpdesk has an organizational problem in regards to knowledgebase articles. These articles contain tutorials and guides for both Helpdesk employees and customers. Currently, the knowledgebase contains articles that are unorganized and difficult to read. The reason? The Helpdesk (along with the entire University) has switched over to a new ticketing system, called FrontRange. Though the ticketing part of this system is far more efficient than the system we used previously, the integrated knowledgebase is difficult to maintain and update. Six Helpdesk employees were surveyed regarding this issue. Of those 6, only 1 agreed that the current knowledgebase was organized and functional. Furthermore, 4 respondents agreed that a centralized support manual would be a helpful companion to the knowledgebase. For these reasons, I propose to create an organized support manual for the UIT Helpdesk that will include all of the tutorials from the current knowledgebase, along with extra articles that are necessary for training and other internal purposes. A manual has the ability to reduce the length of phone calls, as information will be easier to find during each call. Scope of Work The scope of my work will include the following: Consolidating all Knowledgebase articles into one easy to read support manual. Updating outdated guides with screenshots and other visuals. Creating an organized manual that is useful for both reference and training purposes.

After developing an outline of the manual, I will start sifting through the current articles and fit them into the desired categories. Few extra work hours will be required for this, as this task can be done during less busy times of the workday. No extra manpower will be required for this process. Work Plan and Schedule I estimate that this project will take about 3 months to complete, from February 27, 2014 to April 24, 2014. The initial phases of this project have already been completed, and all that is left is to compile and update knowledgebase articles into the organized manual.

Finish Manual

Complete Rough Draft Duration (Days) Propose Solution

Acquire Data 1/21 2/10 3/2 3/22 4/11 5/1

Cost Estimate This project has a very low cost. Since a current Helpdesk employee will create the manual, all of the work can be done during business hours. Only 4 overtime hours will be needed, totaling $40. Printing the Manual will only cost about $20/copy. Since the manual will be digitally distributed, only one copy will be required for backup purposes. The maximum anticipated cost then would be $60. Qualifications As a senior staff member at the UIT Helpdesk, I believe that I am well qualified for this project. Previously, I have created a Mac OS X-specific support manual for the UIT Helpdesk. This manual has been useful in troubleshooting OS X related issues, as many Helpdesk employees are not as well acquainted with Macs. I believe that my experience with the UIT Helpdesk combined with the experience of creating another manual qualify me for this project. If you have any questions or concerns regarding my previous experience, please feel free to contact my supervisor, Jacob Flores. He can be reached at 940-565-2324 or Jacob.Flores@unt.edu. If you have any questions regarding this project, please feel free

to contact me at SharukhMithani@my.unt.edu or by phone at 682-551-7861. Both my supervisor and I can also be contacted in person at Sage Hall Room 130. Sincerely,

Sharukh Mithani UIT Helpdesk