3 recommendations for successful migration, with emphasis on users - Tips 3. Provide the right user support

When migration to new systems or upgrades of new versions take place, users ask questions that need to be answered. These questions end up in various locations within the organisation, usually at a local or central support organisation (known as the service desk, helpdesk, etc.). 33 per cent of support managers the world over who were asked (in a study of HDI in 2009) are of the view that changes to infrastructure or products such as upgrades, migrations and installations were the main reason as to why the number of calls to the support organisation increased.

By having prepared user support before, during and after migration, you can reduce the number of user questions submitted to your support organisation. There are several types of user support to choose from.

Web-based user support in migration

By web-based user support (or what is known as web-based self service), we mean here that users themselves find the answers to their questions or resolve their own problems by finding the answers in a web-based interface. Here, therefore, no staffed support or training department is required at the actual time of support or training. On the other hand, skills and resources are required for construction of the content of web-based user support. The point of this format is that one instruction can help any number of users. This is a proactive and preventive working method. Often this assistance consists of supporting material in the form of text and video guides showing step-bystep what users should do, and of training material in the form of e-training in which users have the opportunity to see how things work and to practise in a simulated environment.

78 per cent of Swedish IT and support managers state that they use self service support as a supplement to their staffed support. 9 per cent state that they use self service support as much as staffed support, and 4 per cent state that users mainly find assistance via self service. Source: CMA Research on behalf of ComAround 2009.

Web-based user support to assist staffed support

Web-based user support often works as a handy reference work for staffed support when they are answering questions from users on the new system as the system is often new to them as well. With web-based self service, staff on the support team can search by category or subject and call up step-by-step instructions which quickly answer users' questions.

Another point of this working method and support is to allow staffed support to easily mail out links to step-by-step instructions or videos to anyone...

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