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Department of Information Technology Help Desk and Help Desk Work Orders
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Executive Summary
The goal of the Department of Information Technology (DIT) is to support the County in the creation and implementation of technology solutions to improve government services and modernize the County of Hawaiʻi. DIT is responsible for researching, selecting, acquiring, implementing, and managing technology solutions to enable various departments to provide citizens with services that promote a safe, efficient, and productive community. The Help Desk provides support to end-users and endpoints in the County’s domain, including endpoint support (configuration, deployment, and maintenance of desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and peripherals) and end-user support (technical advice, recommendations, software installations, configuration, and network connectivity).
When an organization's help desk is running as designed, it provides several benefits to departments: facilitating knowledge sharing, promoting efficiency by using specialized tools and techniques, and providing insights into system performance to identify opportunities for improvement. Providing inadequate service can harm the organization's overall productivity, efficiency, and department satisfaction and generally detract from the organization’s overall success.
This audit evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of internal controls over the help desk and work order processes and compares DIT’s support environment to best practices. Our audit identified several areas where the DIT's help desk could improve its operations.
As of April 2023, our audit found that DIT’s help desk needs to:
- Develop key performance metrics to gauge efficiency,
- Implement written policies and procedures over the help desk and help desk work orders,
- Increase goal-driven management monitoring and program oversight,
- Provide training to management, staff, and end-users,
- Improve its ticketing system initial logging and back-end retention,
- Maintain and promote professional competency through training,
- Review resources and program architecture.
Based on our audit’s objectives and review of various components, we offer six recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the DIT’s help desk.
Establish Key Performance Metrics
1. We recommend DIT’s help desk establish performance metrics and benchmarks as it aligns with department expectations and industry best practices. Elements should include:
a. Develop and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness and productivity of the Help Desk based on industry standards.
b. Utilize HelpSpot to its full potential to measure performance and collect valuable data that can be used to improve operations.
c. Train Help Desk staff on the importance of performance metrics, KPIs and how to use HelpSpot to collect and analyze data.
In addition, these KPIs should be regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and effective.
Develop and Enforce Policies and Procedures
2. We recommend DIT’s help desk continue to develop, implement, and formalize written policies and procedures to provide requisite knowledge and expectations to help desk staff. Additionally, management should prioritize a schedule to review and update policies and procedures annually to reflect changes in technology, business needs, and industry best practices.
Increase Monitoring and Program Oversight
3. We recommend DIT’s help desk memorialize and maintain routine monitoring and oversight procedures for internal controls to ensure their effectiveness in the help desk’s day-to-day operations. Elements should include:
a. Develop a process for monitoring the productivity and performance of help desk staff to identify improvement areas and optimize service delivery.
b. Define service-level expectations and metrics to ensure that the helpdesk meets department goals and expectations and provides high-quality service to end-users.
c. Implement regular oversight reviews to ensure that the help desk is complying with applicable industry best practices, laws, and governance and is achieving the expected results.
d. Provide clear direction and expectations for help desk staff to ensure they work effectively and efficiently towards department goals.
e. Ensure that dedicated oversight is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the help desk service to identify and address any issues or areas for improvement.
Provide Training
4. We recommend DIT’s help desk implement formalized training programs for help desk staff to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to support the technology needs of the County of Hawaiʻi. This should include training on new and existing tools and ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure staff is current on industry best practices and department expectations.
5. We further recommend DIT provide training to end-users on the appropriate use of the ticketing system. This training should include education on submitting and prioritizing work orders, providing adequate and complete information when submitting a ticket, and the importance of following up with the Help Desk for updates and resolution.
Evaluate Budget, Staffing, and Other Resources
6. We recommend DIT assess its program architecture, staffing, and resource limitations and develop a plan to address these issues as follows:
First, thoroughly analyze their current program architecture to determine whether they adequately support the needs of the County of Hawaiʻi’s domain. This analysis should consider the increasing demand for technology services.
In addition, DIT should review its current staffing levels and resource allocation, including hardware, software, and other technology assets, to determine if there are any areas where additional investments could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the help desk. This review should consider the need for up-to-date hardware and software tools, additional staffing, and other resources that could help improve the quality of service provided to end users.
Conclusion
When our recommendations are implemented, the department can expect the following benefits:
Establish Key Performance Metrics
1. Establishing performance metrics will allow management to identify areas for improvement better and take corrective action where necessary, ultimately increasing efficiency and effectiveness in help desk operations.
Develop and Enforce Policies and Procedures
2. Developing, implementing, and formalizing written policies and procedures increases consistency and service quality, efficiency, better communication, and collaboration among staff while increasing customer satisfaction and reducing risks throughout the department.
Developing a schedule will allow management and staff to collaborate their efforts and provide, where necessary, updates that may continue to promote awareness and productivity.
Increase Monitoring and Program Oversight
3. Prioritizing monitoring and oversight will ensure efficient and effective service delivery, prevent security breaches and other IT failures, and enhance customer satisfaction. It can also identify and address deficiencies and vulnerabilities in IT operations, improve decision-making, and demonstrate the value of the IT department to the County.
Provide Training
4. Providing training to help desk staff and management can ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide effective technology support for the County of Hawaiʻi. Ongoing professional development opportunities ensure staff is updated with industry best practices and department expectations. End-user training aids in understanding how to use the Help Desk properly, submit help tickets, provide the necessary information, and follow up for updates and resolutions. Training efforts can improve the quality of IT support, increase efficiency, and enhance end-user satisfaction.
Evaluate Budget, Staffing, and Other Resources
5. By conducting a thorough analysis of the program architecture, staffing levels, and resource allocation, DIT will be better able to identify areas to improve and increase its capacity to support technology services and improve the quality of service to end-users. DIT can expect reduced lapse times and increase effectiveness. It will also help DIT stay competitive with technology advancements and provide better service to the County of Hawaiʻi.
We thank the Department of Information Technology for their cooperation and efforts to improve internal controls over their help desk and help desk work orders.
To improve government accountability and ensure audit recommendations are implemented or resolved, we will continuously monitor the status of pending recommendations using our remediation tracker. To view the status, visit us at: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/legislative/office-of-the-county-auditor.
About Us
Mission
It is our mission to serve the Council and citizens of Hawaiʻi County by promoting accountability, fiscal integrity, and openness in local government. Through performance and/or financial audits of County agencies and programs, the Office of the County Auditor examines the use of public funds, evaluates operations and activities, and provides findings and recommendations to elected officials and citizens in an objective manner. Our work is intended to assist County government in its management of public resources, delivery of public services, and stewardship of public trust.
Audit Authority
Hawaiʻi County Charter §3-18 establishes an independent audit function within the Legislative branch through the Office of the County Auditor.
Purpose
This engagement aims to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of internal controls over help desk and work order processes and compare the Department of Information Technology’s help desk and user support environment to best practices.
Performance Audit Definition
Performance audits provide objective analysis, findings, and conclusions to assist management and those charged with governance and oversight with, among other things, improving program performance and operations, reducing costs, facilitating decision-making by parties responsible for overseeing or initiating corrective action, and contributing to public accountability.
Our objective in performance auditing is to improve public services provided by county government. We do this by recommending specific actions that will address the issues we raised and by providing valuable information to the public, the administration, program leadership, the county council, and the mayor.
Objective, Scope & Methodology
Objective
To evaluate if the Department of Information Technology’s help desk and work order processes are effectively designed to ensure compliance with industry standards.
Scope
The audit evaluated the help desk and work order processes from July 2020 to September 2022.
The audit was conducted from November 2022 to April 2023.
Methodology
To accomplish our objective, we conducted the following activities:
- Developed an understanding of policies, procedures, practices, and internal controls over help desk and work order processes.
- Assessed compliance with applicable laws, governance, and standards such as:
- Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT-19)
- Information Technology Service Management (ITSM)
- Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
- Corroborated information with appropriate staff
- Reviewed, as necessary, information pertinent to help desk and work orders.
- Conducted site visits to observe monitoring and oversight practices.
- Noted exceptions and identified areas for improvement.
- Was mindful of potential fraud, waste, and abuse during the audit.
We conducted this performance audit in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. These standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
Introduction
What is the primary function of the Department of Information Technology?
The Department of Information Technology (DIT) supports the County in the creation and implementation of technology solutions to improve government services and modernize the County of Hawaiʻi. DIT is responsible for researching, selecting, acquiring, implementing, and managing technology solutions which allows various departments, agencies, and the legislative branch to provide the citizens of Hawaiʻi County with services that enable a safe, efficient, and productive place to live, work and play.
Source: Department of Information Technology, 2020
DIT has a workforce of approximately 22 individuals consisting of analyst, administration, and specialty roles, serving approximately 3,000 employees within the County’s 231 departments.
[1] County’s 23 departments are inclusive of two divisions, “Legislative Research and Development Division” and “Elections Division”, which are housed under the County Clerk’s Department.
Budget and Actuals FY 18’ to 22’
Source: COH Approved Operating Budget FY17-22
The Information Technology department does not track its expenditures by division. When an Information Technology department only follows its spending at a high level, it can lead to difficulties in accurately determining budget allocations or actual expenditures related to specific divisions within an organization. While IT departments may not be required to allocate their spending in this way, it can make it challenging for other departments or stakeholders to understand how much of the budget is being spent on their specific needs.
This lack of transparency can cause frustration, hinder effective communication between departments, and potentially impact overall budget planning and management. Additionally, not tracking expenditures by division can make it more challenging to identify areas where cost savings could be realized or where additional funding may be needed to support critical projects or initiatives.
Therefore, DIT should consider implementing more detailed tracking and reporting mechanisms to provide greater insight into their spending and support decision-making across the organization.
Source: Department of Information Technology
Director and Administration
The director manages and directs the operations of the network system, coordinates and oversees the operations of departmental technology, except for technology maintained by the department of water supply, provides technical expertise in information technology to applicable departments and agencies of the County, assists in the development of an information technology workforce and services-oriented infrastructure, advises the mayor on matters related to information technology and performs other duties as may be required by the law.
The administrator and/or administration, under administrative direction, plans, organizes and directs the activities of a major functional branch of the County’s central information technology (IT) department and performs other related duties as required.
Information Systems Analyst
Information Systems Analyst performs moderately difficult work of a technical nature in the analysis, evaluation, and development of information technology systems and procedures. Further, they prepare reports of findings and recommendations and may perform other related duties as required.
Support Roles
DIT consists of three divisions: User Support, GIS Support, and Systems Support, with User Support supporting functions of Help Desk and Applications management.
User Support
Help Desk provides support to end-users and endpoints of the County of Hawaiʻi domain. Endpoint support includes but is not limited to the configuration, deployment, and maintenance of desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, and respective peripherals. End-user support includes but is not limited to the provision of technical advice and recommendations, software installations, configuration, and physical endpoint connectivity.
Applications analyzes, designs, develops, tests, implements, and supports computer applications running on the County network. Further, assists County departments with the evaluation, selection, and implementation of applications and information systems. Provides technical advice, custom reports, and resolves problems for designated computer applications such as FRESH, Utility Billing, Laserfiche Document Management, FireRMS, and Building Permits. Provides systems analysis, programming support, and coordinates all departmental use of the County of Hawaiʻi website and SharePoint Intranet sites. Coordinates and provides software training for County staff.
Geographic Information Systems (“GIS”) Support provides an accessible GIS infrastructure that is properly managed, maintained, secured, audited documented, administered, robust, scalable, and governed. Assists, supports, and provides guidance to departmental programs, target audiences and County spatial date initiatives. Publish and maintain public data resources including shared databases, web maps and GIS Services. Support departments that do not have internal GIS expertise.
Systems Support implements, monitors, and manages the County network and information systems. Provides support, coordinates maintenance, and resolves problems with the system servers. Oversees Department of Technology’s procured hardware which encompasses network communications, VOIP systems, Firewalls, and related equipment that protect the County information systems. Oversees DIT procured software for network security, virus protection, email servers, file storage and data backup. Analyzes, identifies, and conducts problem resolution for the DIT network, server, and workstation-based software systems. Researches and implements new technologies for information systems.
The department has two office locations and one base yard location – Hours: 7:45 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday.
Compiled by the Office of the County Auditor
The above graphic illustrates a typical, example decision tree flow chart process including escalation procedures. It is a not a requirement that organizations set up according to this flowchart, rather it represents how a prudently run department might design its workflow process.
Compiled by the Office of the County Auditor based on source documents of DIT
The above graphic illustrates the County of Hawaiʻiʻs high level ticket lifecycle. Added, (Left side, enumerated) are elements or procedures absent, (KPI’s) or where improvement opportunities exist, (process improvement opportunities).
Lifecycle Steps
1. End-users submit ticket requests.
2. Upon receipt, an acknowledgment email is sent to the requestor and provides a link for the user to track their ticket’s progress.
3. Once received, the ticket is reviewed by DIT staff for the appropriate categorization and assignment. At this stage, tickets may be reassigned to another DIT section for appropriate mitigation.
4. Help desk staff contacts the requestor to either request more information or confirm a solution.
a. Solution proposals may be repeated if the issue is not resolved in the first phase.
5. Once the issue is resolved, and the appropriate solution is provided, the help desk ticket is closed.
a. Help desk requests that are deemed “not fixable” may remain open for an extended period of time.
What is DIT’s Demand for Services?
The workload for DIT staff is increasingly driven by help desk service tickets, with the number of tickets steadily rising. In fiscal years 2018 and 2019, the help desk received approximately 7,421 tickets per year. This number has surged by about 10% to approximately 8,217 tickets per year in fiscal years 2021 and 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work contributed to this increase.
This translates to approximately 200 more tickets per analyst, with requests including:
- Support of remote work
- Additional device deployment
- Password resets
Self-reported data noted the help desk was able to close or resolve about 99.53% of the tickets received. However, there is no documentation to support independent verification of this claim.
How are help tickets submitted?
Historically, help desk tickets could be initiated with three options:
- Submitting a ticket through DIT’s Support Center – IT HelpSpot Portal
- Sending an email to helpdesk@hawaiicounty.gov
- Contacting the help desk ticket phone line at (808) 961-2932
While the phone line still exists, management stated it had been placed out of operation and is not regularly monitored. Calls to the phone line are generally not assigned a ticket number unless they are more extensive and require further review. This ultimately impacts the number of tickets reported as received, closed, or outstanding.
HelpSpot is a comprehensive web-based solution designed to manage customer support needs. It includes several features such as knowledge base, reporting, automation, organization and response, customization, and branding. DIT’s Help Desk has used HelpSpot since 2010, and management has confirmed that they are currently using the latest version of the software (version 5.3.0), which provides a wide range of capabilities.
How are help tickets prioritized?
Help desk requests are prioritized as ordered below:
- Public Safety/First Responders
- Department of Finance & Department of Vehicle Registration and Licensing.
- Network issues
- Hardware issues and deployments
- All other issues are processed in the order they are received.
The help desk receives a constant influx of requests of varying complexity. While unable to specifically categorize requests by type, the most common include:
- Password resets or lockouts
- Software updates
- System malfunctions
- Data recovery requests
- Equipment deployments
Help desk staff identified delays in ticket resolution, which may be caused by incomplete information from end-users, reliance on third-party vendors, or its inability to provide a solution. Tickets with no resolution generally remain outstanding for long periods of time, with no updates being provided to the end user. There is currently no written, formal process to address these tickets.
Performance Self-Assessment
We conducted interviews with DIT management and help desk staff to assess their perception of their current level of performance. The help desk staff were asked a series of 50 questions. When asked about their biggest challenges, 80% noted being understaffed, 50% cited communication issues, and 40% stated that the lack of policies and procedures might affect efficiency. Staff also expressed frustration with their current software, which they said lacked standard features such as time and performance measurements, automated capabilities, and reporting and tracking functions. As a result, the help desk staff cannot provide metrics such as average days outstanding or their average response time.
Help desk staff has faced unique challenges regarding requests for personal or unsupported devices. More specifically, a county department purchased three Surface Pro tablets that were found to be incompatible with the County’s network and functioning capabilities. Despite DIT's recommendation to return them, these devices remain inoperable and in the County’s possession.
We examined the October 2020 Info-Tech Consultant’s report to gain further insight into DIT’s performance compared to 100 municipalities and local governments. DIT acknowledged that there were areas where they needed to improve and are taking steps to increase their efficiency.
Criteria
We compared the Department of Information Technology’s Help Desk and Work Order processes with industry best practices, Control Objectives for Information Technology (COBIT-19), and the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) with integrated elements of the Information Technology Investment Management (ITIM).
ITIL is a library of best practices for managing services and improving support and service levels. Its main goal is to ensure IT services align with business objectives despite possible changes.
COBIT-19 provides a framework to bridge the gap between technical issues, business risks, and control requirements. Elements of ITIL have been integrated into the current COBIT-19 framework.
Audit Results
Our audit of the Department of Information Technology’s help desk revealed significant shortcomings in its operational practices and management. We have identified multiple opportunities to improve help desk’s effectiveness and efficiency. These findings are critical as they indicate the need for written policies necessary for the help desk's smooth functioning.
Specifically, we found that the help desk lacks key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure its performance. This gap prevents the monitoring and evaluation of the help desk’s progress toward its goals, hindering efforts to identify areas of improvement. Moreover, the absence of written policies and procedures has resulted in errors, inconsistencies, increased downtime, and frustration for end-users. The frequency of help desk’s lack of monitoring and oversight practices poses significant risks as potential issues can go unnoticed, causing more significant problems in the future.
Further, we discovered that the help desk lacks adequate training opportunities for its management, staff, and end-users. This absence of training hampers the help desk’s efficiency, resulting in an inability to maintain the requisite skills and knowledge to effectively handle IT issues. Additionally, underutilization of resources, such as software, and personnel, directly results from the help desk’s deficiency in training and education. This underutilization can result in unnecessary costs and reduced efficiency.
In conclusion, our findings identify critical areas for improvement in the management and operation of the help desk. To address these issues, we recommend that the Department of Information Technology implements our suggestions to make the help desk more effective and efficient in managing workflows and providing IT support to end-users.
Source: DIT InfoTech Research Group Study, 2020
A study conducted in 2020 by Info-Tech Research Group compared the Department of Information Technology (DIT) of Hawaiʻi County with 100 municipalities and local governments. It found that DIT was underperforming in areas of network and communications (69%), help desk (72%), and business applications (68%). The study used a maturity model to measure progress in people, processes, and technology and identified the top five services provided by DIT:
- Network and communications
- Help Desk
- IT security
- Devices
- Business applications
According to the study, at the time of the evaluation, DIT was at a critical stage, deemed unstable and unable to support its business but positioned to transition from a reactive state to a proactive one. DIT administration stated their goal of becoming a business partner by executing projects effectively, using analytics strategically, and leveraging customer technology to expand the business.
Despite being identified as underperforming, the Department of Information Technology has maintained the status quo and continues to provide only minimally adequate support for the County’s operations.
No Performance Metrics
Overview
The Control Objectives for Information Technology (COBIT-19) is a framework that provides guidelines for IT governance, risk management, and performance management. It recommends defining key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure IT processes' effectiveness and efficiency and align them with the organization’s goals. More specifically, “management should prioritize initiatives for improvement based on potential benefits and costs. Implement agreed improvements, operate as normal business practices, and set performance goals and metrics to enable monitoring of improvements.”
Some KPIs recommended by COBIT-19 include:
- Availability and reliability of IT services
- Mean time to repair (MTTR) for IT incidents
- Number of IT security incidents and their severity level
- IT project delivery on time and within budget
- Compliance with regulatory and legal requirements
ITIM, or IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Maturity Model, further emphasizes the need for developing and maintaining KPIs to measure IT service delivery, support, and management. Some KPIs include:
- Customer satisfaction with IT service
- Number of IT incidents and their resolution time
- First call resolution rate for help desk support
- Service level agreement (SLA) compliance
- Change success rate for IT changes
In summary, KPIs are critical in effectively measuring and improving IT performance while ensuring end-user satisfaction.
Audit Activity
We reviewed the Government Accountability Office’s Information Technology Investment Management Manual, department program objectives, and industry best practices, compared help desk workflows, conducted site visits, interviewed appropriate management and staff, and identified the following weaknesses:
- The Help Desk lacks key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure quality, customer satisfaction, and productivity
- Although the Help Desk had planned to develop service metrics to improve service quality and response in its 2010 program objective, this has not been implemented
- The Help Desk does not adhere to any industry standards or best practices
- Help Desk staff do not know how to adequately utilize its current software to compile performance data and metrics
- The Help Desk is unable to measure its performance
- A standard metric or goal has not been established by the Help Desk for how long a help ticket should remain open
- Help Desk management cannot clearly understand their service-level expectations until they have metrics to weigh them against
The weaknesses identified in the help desk’s KPIs and metrics, lack of industry standards, and inability to measure performance may hinder their ability to provide adequate support to the County. Addressing these issues will improve the efficiency, quality, and end-user satisfaction of help desk services.
Cause of the Condition
DIT’s help desk lacks a clear understanding of its performance and does not measure its efficiency and effectiveness.
Effect of the Condition
DIT’s help desk is unable to measure and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations.
Finding 1: Lack of Key Performance Metrics
Recommendation 1: Establish Performance Metrics
We recommend DIT’s help desk establish performance metrics as it aligns with department expectations and industry best practices. Elements should include:
- Develop and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness and productivity of the Help Desk based on industry standards.
- Utilize HelpSpot to its full potential to measure performance and collect valuable data that can be used to improve operations.
- Train Help Desk staff on the importance of performance metrics and KPIs and how to use HelpSpot to collect and analyze data.
No Written Help Desk Policies and Procedures
Overview
COBIT-19 states that management evaluate and update policies and procedures at least annually to accommodate changing operating or business environments. In addition, it allows management to identify gaps in capability and control, while providing options for process improvement and redesign.
Policies and procedures are essential for ensuring efficient and effective service delivery to users. Some reasons why such are necessary include:
- Consistency: Policies and procedures provide a consistent IT help desk operations framework. They ensure all staff members are on the same page, adhering to the same standards, and using the same processes to resolve issues. Consistency helps to improve the quality of service provided.
- Compliance: Policies and procedures ensure organizational, industry, and legal regulations compliance. Compliance ensures that staff is meeting their obligations and responsibilities.
- Risk Management: Policies and procedures help teams identify potential risks and take the necessary steps to mitigate them. Established procedures assist in minimizing errors, omissions, and other risks that could negatively impact the department.
- Efficiency: Well-designed policies and procedures can help streamline operations, reduce response times, and increase productivity.
- Improved Customer Service: Policies and procedures can help provide better customer service by ensuring that issues are handled promptly, consistently, and effectively. This increases trust among users and improves overall satisfaction.
Help desk policies and procedures should address all levels of the help desk process, including, but not limited to:
- Service Level Agreements (SLAs): These define the level of service that IT help desk will provide its end-users, such as response time, resolution time, and availability. SLAs help set expectations and provide accountability for both staff and end-users.
- Incident Management: This includes logging, prioritizing, tracking, and resolving incidents reported to the help desk. These policies and procedures should ensure that incidents are handled promptly and efficiently, ensuring all information is documented.
- Problem Management: This involves identifying and addressing the root cause of recurring incidents to prevent them from happening in the future. These efforts should help identify incident patterns and trends and address the underlying issues.
- Change Management: This involves managing changes in systems and infrastructure. These should ensure that changes are properly assessed, planned, tested, and implemented to minimize the risk of negative impacts on services.
- Security Management protects against security threats and identifies weaknesses.
- Customer Communication: This ensures customers and end-users are informed and satisfied with the service.
- IT help desk policies and procedures should be designed to ensure services are delivered efficiently, effectively, and securely while meeting end-users needs and expectations.
Audit Activity
We conducted site visits, interviewed management and staff, requested documents, and identified the following weaknesses:
- As of April 2023, DIT’s help desk did not have any policies and procedures over the help desk and work order process
- Although management stated that standardizing help desk processes was a priority in 2020, progress has been limited.
The absence of written policies and procedures hinders the department’s ability to align with internal expectations and industry best practices while limiting monitoring processes. Establishing written policies and procedures provide benefits including, but not limited to:
- Defining role expectations
- Ensuring compliance
- Increasing accountability and awareness
- Protecting both the department and its employees
- Identifying anomalies
- Building a stronger culture
- Providing opportunities for clarification and improvement
Cause of the Condition
As of April 2023, the Department of Information Technology had no written policies and procedures for the help desk and work order process.
Effect of the Condition
The lack of written policies and procedures has resulted in inconsistent practices and inefficient work processes, leading to longer resolution times and decreased user satisfaction.
Finding 2: No Written Policies and Procedures
Recommendation 2: Develop and Enforce Policies and Procedures
We recommend DIT’s help desk continue to develop, implement, and formalize written policies and procedures to provide requisite knowledge and expectations among help desk staff. Additionally, management should prioritize a schedule to review and update policies and procedures annually to reflect changes in technology, business needs, and industry best practices.Lack of Monitoring and Oversight
Overview
COBIT-19 states that management should perform operational procedures such as monitoring various elements in and throughout the help desk process and use these monitoring results to implement improvements and ensure cost-effectiveness. Further, monitoring incidents and problems dealing with operational procedures allows management to take appropriate action to improve operational tasks' reliability.
Monitoring and oversight are essential to ensure work orders and requests are handled efficiently and effectively and to identify any deficiencies or vulnerabilities in the help desk’s operations. The lack of monitoring and oversight increases the risk of the mismanagement of resources and inadequate IT service delivery. This may lead to financial waste, decreased efficiency, and a lack of transparency and accountability, which can directly impact the department’s ability to meet its objectives and uphold public trust.
As help desk service demands increase, there is a higher risk of resources being mismanaged or inefficiently allocated, resulting in longer delays and decreased productivity. Additionally, the increased complexity of technology advancement necessitates oversight to identify and mitigate identified risks. By implementing effective monitoring and oversight activities, help desk management can ensure that resources are used effectively, service delivery is efficient, and risks are identified and mitigated in a timely manner.
Failure to adequately engage in sufficient monitoring and oversight activities increases risks such as:
- Increased security risks
- Decreased efficiency
- Financial waste
- Compliance violations
- Inadequate service delivery
Audit Activity
To evaluate monitoring and oversight, we observed daily processes through site visits, reviewed flow charts, and interviewed appropriate management and staff as compared to industry best practices and found:
- Help desk staff work autonomously where each individual works independently but has not been given clear direction or expectation
- Help desk management currently has an informal process for monitoring productivity and performance
- Help desk management does not have a defined service-level expectation
Cause of the Condition
DIT help desk management’s low prioritization of monitoring and oversight practices offers areas of improvement in establishing and implementing such activities in their daily operations.
Effect of the Condition
Management is unable to enforce quality control issues, ensure resources are adequately allocated, and ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction of help desk services provided to end-users.
Finding 3: Lack of Monitoring and Oversight
Recommendation 3: Increase Monitoring and Program Oversight
We recommend DIT’s help desk memorialize and maintain routine monitoring and oversight procedures for internal controls to ensure their effectiveness in the help desk’s day-to-day operations. Elements should include:
a. Developing a process for monitoring helpdesk staff productivity and performance to identify improvement areas and optimize service delivery.
b. Defining service-level expectations and metrics to ensure that the helpdesk meets department goals and expectations and provides high-quality service to end-users.
c. Implement regular oversight reviews to ensure that the helpdesk is complying with applicable industry best practices, laws, and governance and is achieving the expected results.
d. Provide clear direction and expectations for helpdesk staff to ensure they work effectively and efficiently towards department goals.
e. Ensure that dedicated oversight is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the helpdesk service to identify and address any issues or areas for improvement.
Lack of Training Initiatives
Overview
COBIT-19 states management should consider ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness through training, documentation, standardization, and process automation. Formal and informal training allows employees to understand their roles and responsibilities better. This directly impacts overall departmental performance, where processes become more efficient while increasing awareness amongst employees.
Management Training
Management training is crucial in help desk environments because it ensures supervisors have the skills and knowledge to effectively lead and manage their teams. In addition to technical expertise, effective management at the help desk requires the ability to communicate effectively, manage conflict, prioritize and track tasks, and motivate team members. The lack of proper training may hinder performance, resulting in decreased customer satisfaction and misalignment with the department’s goals and expectations.
Employee Training
Employee training is essential in IT help desk environments because it ensures employees have the necessary skills and knowledge to resolve technical issues and provide quality customer service effectively. With technology rapidly evolving, it is critical for employees to continually update their skills and expertise to keep pace with the latest developments. By investing in employee training, the department can ensure the help desk is equipped to provide high-quality technical support and meet the evolving needs of its end-users.
End-User Training
End-user training is essential to the department's inner operating expectations. More specifically, end-user training:
- Improves the overall productivity of the user
- Adds value to the organization as a whole
- Improves accuracy levels
Many technical issues arise due to end-user error or lack of understanding. Providing end-users with proper training can help reduce these issues and improve overall efficiency. This can also increase customer satisfaction by enabling them to utilize technology more effectively to achieve their goals. This may reduce their reliance on the help desk, allowing staff to focus on more complex technical issues. End-user training aids in lowering support costs, improving customer satisfaction, and enhancing overall business success.
Training materials and programs should be reviewed regularly to ensure adequacy for changing business requirements and their impact on necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Audit Activity
To determine if DIT provided adequate training, we reviewed relevant documents, conducted interviews with appropriate management and staff, and made observations during site visits and found:
- While training was previously integrated, there is currently no formalized training for employees
- The lack of written policies and procedures makes it difficult for training to be a priority
- DIT lacks uniformity and transparency in daily operations
- End-users often unknowingly hinder efficiency due to their lack of understanding and knowledge of help desk processes
- DIT does not provide training to end-users which can lead to confusion and inefficiencies.
Cause of the Condition
DIT’s management does not prioritize training for help desk staff and end-users, leading to a lack of understanding and knowledge about help desk processes and hindering the efficiency and effectiveness of daily operations.
Effect of the Condition
The lack of training throughout DIT results in reduced productivity, increased errors, inconsistencies in help desk processes, decreased customer satisfaction, and a lack of compliance with internal expectations and industry best practices.
Finding 4: Lack of Training
Recommendations 4 & 5: Provide Training
We recommend DIT’s help desk implement formalized training programs for help desk staff to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to support the technology needs of the County of Hawaiʻi. This should include training on new and existing tools and ongoing professional development opportunities to ensure that staff is up-to-date on industry best practices and department expectations.
We further recommend DIT provide training to end-users on the appropriate use of the Help Desk. This training should include education on submitting and prioritizing work orders, providing adequate and complete information when submitting a ticket, and the importance of following up with the Help Desk for updates and resolution.Under Utilization of Resources
Overview
COBIT-19 states that management ensures both the enterprise and IT functions have sufficient resources to support enterprise goals and objectives, business processes and controls, and IT-enabled initiatives adequately and properly (APO07.01-1). Management should also understand the current and future demand for human resources to support the achievement of IT objectives and to deliver services and solutions based on the portfolio of current IT-related initiatives, the future investment portfolio, and day-to-day operational needs (APO07.05-2).
With the increasing reliance on technology, customers and employees have a higher expectation for IT support services. These expectations include timely and effective support and fast and efficient service. Despite these demands, the Hawaiʻi County Department of Information Technology has consistently operated with a budget and staff size less than one-third of the public sector’s average since 2020, with IT’s budget accounting for only 0.8% of the County’s revenue, and IT staff comprising less than 1.4% of the County’s users. The help desk division has been particularly affected, remaining staffed at minimal levels with only five employees since its establishment in 2005.
The help desk staff frequently faces the challenge of contacting other sections and third-party vendors to obtain information and resources that are not within their scope of work. Additionally, the rising demand for support and services has put pressure on their ability to provide prompt solutions, leading to the need for overtime and work beyond regular business hours. It is worth mentioning that their ticketing system only monitors help desk tickets and does not track projects or other tasks assigned to help desk staff.
We noted that DIT had a perception that HelpSpot was complex and limited in its ability to support its daily functions, increasing staff frustrations and work strains. However, upon our review and discussions with HelpSpot, we found a possible misalignment and knowledge gap between the department’s understanding of its software’s capabilities and its actual capabilities.
The following table shows the features offered by HelpSpot and the extent of their utilization by DIT’s help desk.
While having resources is essential, it is equally important to understand how to use them effectively. DIT staff currently encounter difficulties utilizing the resources available, specifically in the HelpSpot system, and resort to implementing an extensive workaround to obtain necessary information. This inefficiency limits DIT’s capacity and productivity, reducing efficiency and effectiveness in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Audit Activity
To evaluate DIT’s budget, staffing, and resource allocation, we conducted a comprehensive assessment that included reviewing organizational charts, position descriptions, and software specifications, interviewing staff members, conducting site visits, making observations, and found:
- Help desk staffing has remained consistent since its inception
- Help desk software was implemented over 13 years ago for its cost-saving benefits
- Help desk staff lack proficiency in using the ticketing software effectively to measure performance and efficiency
- Help desk’s current environment is inadequate to meet the increasing demand for support and services
- The help desk does not adequately utilize automated features
While the demand for services is increasing and staffing levels remain the same, simply hiring additional personnel may not be the most effective solution. The department should first analyze its program architecture, explore opportunities to automate solutions to reduce call volume, and optimize the utilization of its existing software. Then, the department can reassess its resource needs to determine if additional staff is still necessary to meet current and future demands.
Cause of the Condition
DIT has not assessed its staffing needs and thoroughly analyzed its program architecture to identify opportunities for automation and optimization.
Effect of the Condition
DIT cannot meet the increasing demand for technology services, which can negatively impact the County of Hawaiʻi’s overall success.
Finding 5: Resource Utilization
Recommendation 6: Evaluate Budget, Staffing, and Other Resources
We recommend DIT assess its program architecture, staffing, and resource limitations and develop a plan to address these issues as follows:
First, thoroughly analyze their current program architecture to determine whether they adequately support the needs of the County of Hawaiʻi’s domain. This analysis should consider the increasing demand for technology services.
In addition, DIT should review its current staffing levels and resource allocation, including hardware, software, and other technology assets, to determine if there are any areas where additional investments could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the help desk. This review should consider the need for up-to-date hardware and software tools, additional staffing, and other resources that could help improve the quality of service provided to end users.
Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
As a practice, we remain mindful and document instances of fraud, waste, and abuse within the scope of the audit objective and not specifically Countywide.
Management reported no fraud, ongoing investigations, and pending litigation that may impact this audit.
We did not identify instances of fraud, waste or abuse throughout during this audit engagement.
Graphic: Fraud Triangle, courtesy Office of the County Auditor
Conclusion
The Office of the County Auditor has concluded its audit with the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Information Technology’s Help Desk section. Our review has led us to make six recommendations.
When our recommendations are implemented in good faith, the department can expect the following benefit:
Establish Key Performance Metrics
1. Establishing performance metrics will allow management to identify areas for improvement better and take corrective action where necessary, ultimately increasing efficiency and effectiveness in help desk operations.
Develop and Enforce Written Policies and Procedures
2. Developing, implementing, and formalizing written policies and procedures increases consistency and service quality, efficiency, better communication, and collaboration among staff while increasing customer satisfaction and reducing risks throughout the department.
Developing a schedule will allow management and staff to collaborate their efforts and provide, where necessary, updates that may continue to promote awareness and productivity.
Increase Monitoring and Program Oversight
3. Prioritizing monitoring and oversight will ensure efficient and effective service delivery, prevent security breaches and other IT failures, and enhance customer satisfaction. It can also identify and address deficiencies and vulnerabilities in IT operations, improve decision-making, and demonstrate the value of the IT department to the County.
Provide Training
4. Providing training to help desk staff and management can ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide effective technology support for the County of Hawaiʻi. Ongoing professional development opportunities ensure staff is updated with industry best practices and department expectations. End-user training aids in understanding how to use the Help Desk properly, submit help tickets, provide the necessary information, and follow up for updates and resolutions. Training efforts can improve the quality of IT support, increase efficiency, and enhance end-user satisfaction.
Evaluate Budget, Staffing, and Other Resources
5. By conducting a thorough analysis of the program architecture, staffing levels, and resource allocation, DIT will be better able to identify areas to improve and increase their capacity to support technology services and improve the quality of service to end-users. This will reduce downtime, increase productivity, and save time and money. It will also help DIT stay competitive with technology advancements and provide better service to the County of Hawaiʻi.
In closing, to improve government accountability and ensure audit recommendations are implemented or resolved, we will continuously monitor the status of recommendations using our remediation tracker. To view the department’s status, visit us at: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/our-county/legislative/office-of-the-county-auditor.
Management Response
Overview
The Department of Information Technology appreciates the time, effort, and diligence in conducting an audit for our Helpdesk and work order processes. We appreciate the opportunity to address the audit findings related to our Information Technology Help Desk operations, and acknowledge all five (5) findings. We have produced responses to the findings and recommendations based on the S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) methodology.
As indicated in the findings, our previous audit in 2020 identified critical areas of improvement in our policies and procedures. Despite these recommendations, progress has been limited due to insufficient staffing and the broad range of topics that needed to be addressed. Our User Support Program Manager, Matthew Iaukea, has made significant strides in implementing process and procedural improvements, but we recognize the need for a more structured approach. In this response, we have identified multiple industry best practices for policies and procedures. However, we will concentrate on a single best practice to ensure the task is achievable within our resource constraints.
We want to acknowledge that many of the audit findings are interconnected, and our responses will reference objectives from other responses where applicable. This approach will ensure a comprehensive understanding of our plan to address these findings and demonstrate the interconnected nature of our solutions.
The original audit response deadline was April 12, 2023, coinciding with the Department of Information Technology's budget briefing to the County Council. By allowing us to delay the response, we have been able to incorporate crucial budgetary inclusions, which significantly impact our ability to address the audit findings. Our staff will increase from 25 to 35 positions (of which 5 are designated to the Helpdesk), and our operating expense budget will grow from approximately $3,900,000 to $9,100,000 ($3,000,000 of which is dedicated to a computer replacement project). These resources are essential for effectively addressing the identified areas of improvement.
We are committed to addressing the audit findings and implementing the necessary improvements to enhance our help desk operations. We look forward to working with you to ensure a successful and efficient resolution of these findings.
1. No Performance Metrics
We acknowledge the "No Performance Metrics" audit finding and recognize the importance of establishing performance metrics for our Information Technology Help Desk operations. We understand the need to measure and monitor our performance to identify areas for improvement, ensure accountability, and enhance service delivery.
1.1. Specific: Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics that align with department expectations and industry best practices.
- Based on industry best practices the following are commonly identify critical KPIs and metrics for help desk operations; including First Response Time (FRT), Average Ticket Resolution Time (ATRT), Ticket Backlog (TB), Ticket Escalation Rate (TER), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Average Ticket Count (ATC), First Response Resolution Rate (FRRR), and Average Response Time (ART).
- Our objective is to reduce and effectively manage the Ticket Backlog (TB) KPI to ensure timely resolution of issues and maintain high customer satisfaction.
- We will consult with industry experts to ensure our KPIs and associated metrics are in line with industry best practices.
1.2 Measurable: Utilize the HelpSpot software to measure performance, collect data, and analyze the effectiveness and productivity of the helpdesk.
- Configure HelpSpot to track and monitor Ticket Backlog KPI and metrics.
- We will set a target to reduce the current ticket backlog by 10% within one (1) year to establish a baseline.
- Maintain a ticket backlog of no more than 10% above the baseline moving forward.
- Generate periodic performance reports, identifying areas of improvement and success.
- Analyze trends and patterns in the data to identify areas for process improvement and optimization.
1.3 Achievable: Train helpdesk staff on the importance of performance metrics and KPIs and how to use HelpSpot to collect and analyze data.
- Prioritize tickets based on urgency and impact to ensure critical issues are resolved promptly.
- Develop training materials for help desk staff that cover the importance of the Ticket Backlog KPI in relation to performance metric and using HelpSpot effectively.
- Schedule regular training sessions for helpdesk staff to ensure they understand and are comfortable with the KPIs, metrics, and HelpSpot software.
- Monitor staff progress and provide ongoing support as needed.
1.4 Relevant: Align KPIs and metrics with department goals and overall organizational objectives
- Reducing and managing the ticket backlog aligns with our department's mission of empowering the County of Hawaiʻi with modern technologies and serving our citizens efficiently and effectively.
- It will enable us to improve the quality of service provided to end-users and ensure that our help desk operations meet department goals and expectations.
- Communicate the relevance of the KPIs and metrics to help desk staff to promote understanding and buy-in.
1.5 Time-bound: Implement the KPIs, metrics, and training within a defined timeline.
- Our target is to reduce the ticket backlog by 10% within one (1) year and maintain a backlog of no more than 10% above the baseline thereafter.
- We will monitor and review our progress monthly and make any necessary adjustments to our strategies to ensure we meet our target.
- Responsibility of monitoring progress will be held by the Information Systems Analyst V position being added to the help desk section in fiscal year 2023-2024.
- Responsibility of overseeing progress will be held by the User Support Program Manager and Director position within the Department of Information Technology.
- Biannual training sessions for help desk staff for continual engagement with Ticket Backlog KPI, metrics and HelpSpot software understanding and support.
2. No Help Desk Policies and Procedures
We acknowledge the "No Help Desk Policies and Procedures" audit finding and understand the significance of having well-defined policies and procedures for our Information Technology Help Desk operations. These policies and procedures are essential for providing clear guidance and expectations to our help desk staff while ensuring consistent, efficient, and effective service delivery.
2.1. Specific: Develop and implement comprehensive help desk policies and procedures to provide requisite knowledge and expectations among help desk staff.
- Documented policies and procedures, including incident management, customer communication, escalation procedures, and Service Level Agreements (SLA) have been identified as needing attention.
- Our objective is to create and implement a clear and detailed SLA for computer deployment, outlining the expectations for turnaround time, quality, and communication with end-users.
- We will consult with help desk staff, management, and industry experts to ensure the policy and any associated procedures are comprehensive and adhere to best practices
2.2. Measurable: Establish a system to track the implementation and adherence of the developed policies and procedures.
- Utilize the department’s current Laserfiche document repository for help desk policies and procedures to ensure easy access and version control for current SLA and future policies and procedures.
- Implement a system for monitoring staff compliance with the SLA, such as periodic audits, spot checks, or reporting mechanisms.
- Develop a detailed SLA for computer deployment that includes specific timeframes for each stage of the deployment process, from request to setup and delivery.
- Establish a standardized process for computer deployment that ensures consistency and adherence to the SLA.
- Train help desk staff on the new SLA and the deployment process to ensure they understand the expectations and can efficiently deploy computers.
- Communicate the SLA to end-users so they are aware of the expectations for computer deployment and can plan accordingly.
- This will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the SLA and identify areas for improvement.
2.3. Achievable: Provide training and support to help desk staff to ensure understanding and compliance with the new policies and procedures.
- Develop a detailed SLA for computer deployment that includes specific timeframes for each stage of the deployment process, from request to setup and delivery.
- Establish a standardized process for computer deployment that ensures consistency and adherence to the SLA.
- Train help desk staff on the new SLA and the deployment process to ensure they understand the expectations and can efficiently deploy computers.
- Communicate the SLA to end-users so they are aware of the expectations for computer deployment and can plan accordingly.
2.4. Relevant: Ensure that the policies and procedures align with organizational objectives, technological changes, and industry best practices.
- Implementing an SLA for computer deployment aligns with our department's mission to empower the County of Hawaiʻi with modern technologies and serve our citizens efficiently and effectively
- This improvement will enhance help desk operations, ensuring timely and consistent computer deployment for end-users
2.5. Time-bound: Prioritize an annual schedule to review and update policies and procedures to reflect changes in technology, business needs, and industry best practices.
- Our target is to develop and implement the SLA for computer deployment within the next three (3) months.
- We will monitor and review our progress monthly and make any necessary adjustments to our strategy to ensure we meet our target.
3. Lack of Monitoring and Oversight
We acknowledge the "Lack of Monitoring and Oversight" audit finding and understand the importance of establishing a robust monitoring and oversight program for our Information Technology Help Desk operations. Effective monitoring and oversight ensure that our help desk staff provide consistent, efficient, and high-quality service to end-users while adhering to department goals, expectations, and industry best practices.
3.1. Specific: Develop a process for monitoring help desk staff productivity and performance to identify improvement areas and optimize service delivery.
- Some of the industry best practices and recommendations for a monitoring and oversight program include defining KPIs and performance metrics, implementing Service Level Agreements (SLA), regular review of help desk performance, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, implement an incident management process, and utilizing technology to support monitoring and oversight.
- Our objective is to establish a monitoring and oversight program that encompasses staff productivity, service-level expectations, clear staff direction, and dedicated monitoring for our help desk operations on computer deployments.
3.2. Measurable: Define service-level expectations and metrics to ensure that the help desk meets department goals and expectations and provides high-quality service to end-users.
- We will track our progress by measuring help desk staff productivity, adherence to an established Service Level Agreement (SLA) for computer deployments.
- Regular reporting and analysis of these metrics will inform our ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts
3.3. Achievable: Implement regular monitoring and oversight reviews to ensure that the help desk complies with applicable industry best practices, and achieves the expected results.
- Create a position within help desk that will have the responsibility of reviewing and monitoring help desk services, identifying and addressing any issues or areas for improvement, and reporting to management for oversight.
- Develop and implement a process for monitoring help desk staff productivity and performance, using performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPI) for Ticket Backlog.
- Tie in the established SLA for computer deployment to ensure that the help desk meets department goals and expectations while providing high-quality service to end-users.
- Schedule and conduct regular oversight reviews to assess compliance with industry best practices, and to ensure the help desk is achieving the expected results.
- Provide clear direction and expectations for help desk staff through documented policies, procedures, and training to ensure effective and efficient work towards department goals.
3.4. Relevant: Provide clear direction and expectations for help desk staff to ensure they work effectively and efficiently towards department goals.
- Implementing a monitoring and oversight program for computer deployment aligns with our department's mission to empower the County of Hawaiʻi with modern technologies and serve our citizens efficiently and effectively.
- This improvement will enhance help desk operations, ensuring a high-quality support experience for our end-users.
3.5. Time-bound: Ensure that dedicated oversight is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the help desk service within a defined timeline to identify and address any issues or areas for improvement.
- Our target is to establish the monitoring and oversight program within three (3) months of fiscal year 2023-2024 beginning, as positions will not be allocated until that time.
- We will monitor and review our progress regularly and make any necessary adjustments to ensure we meet our target.
4. Lack of Training Initiatives
We acknowledge the "Lack of Training Initiatives" audit finding and understand the significance of implementing formalized training programs for our Information Technology Help Desk staff, as well as providing training to end-users on appropriate ticket request usage. A well-trained staff and educated end-users will contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of our help desk operations.
4.1. Specific: Implement formalized training programs for help desk staff to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to support the technology needs of the County of Hawaiʻi.
- Our primary objective is to establish and implement proper ticket categorization training for help desk staff.
- Our secondary objective is to provide end-user education on submitting tickets with adequate information through a website portal.
4.2. Measurable: Provide ongoing professional development opportunities to help desk staff to ensure they are up-to-date on industry best practices and department expectations.
- We will track our progress by monitoring improvements in ticket backlog, as there are correlations between categorization accuracy and ticket backlog counts.
4.3. Achievable: Deliver training to end-users on the appropriate use of the Help Desk to improve overall service quality and efficiency.
- Develop and implement a formalized ticket categorization training program for help desk staff, focusing on quickly and accurately sorting tickets to ensure ticket backlog reduction.
- Design and deploy a website portal that guides end-users in submitting tickets with all necessary information, such as categorization, issue details, and relevant attachments.
- Utilize the newly added Information Systems Analyst V position in help desk to monitor staff training and report to the User Support Program Manager for oversight.
4.4. Relevant: Align training programs and professional development opportunities with the help desk's objectives and the County of Hawaiʻi's technology needs.
- Implementing the ticket categorization training initiative will align with our department's mission to empower the County of Hawaiʻi with modern technologies and serve our citizens efficiently and effectively.
- Improved ticket categorization and end-user education will streamline help desk operations and support end-users more effectively.
4.5. Time-bound: Implement training programs and professional development opportunities within a defined timeline.
- Our target is to establish and implement the ticket categorization training initiative within the next six (6) months.
- We will monitor and review our progress regularly and make any necessary adjustments to ensure we meet our target.
5. Under Utilization of Resources
We acknowledge the "Under Utilization of Resources" audit finding and understand the importance of assessing our program architecture, staffing, and resource limitations to better serve the County of Hawaiʻi's technology needs. A thorough analysis and appropriate allocation of resources will contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of our help desk operations.
5.1. Specific: Thoroughly analyze the current IT program architecture to determine if it adequately supports the needs of the County of Hawaiʻi’s domain, considering the increasing demand for technology services.
- Our objective is to assess and optimize our program architecture, staffing, and resource allocation to better support the needs of the County of Hawaiʻi and improve help desk efficiency and effectiveness.
5.2. Measurable: Review current staffing levels and resource allocation to determine if additional investments could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the help desk.
- We will track our progress by monitoring the improvements in help desk performance through the Ticket Backlog KPI, identified in prior responses.
5.3. Achievable: Develop a plan to address identified gaps in program architecture, staffing, and resource allocation.
- Continue collaborating with the Mayor's Office and Finance Department through the Information Technology Task Force, which can provide thoughts on proposed program architecture and provide recommendations for improvements.
- Improve upon the yearly budget submission process, that requires all departments to project a five-year outlook on their information technology needs.
- Add 10 new positions in the upcoming fiscal year 2023-2024, with five dedicated to the help desk, to address the increasing demand for technology services.
- Allocate $3,000,000 for the computer deployment project which will replace around 800 computers that will not support Microsoft Windows 11 before the mandatory deadline on October 14, 2025.
5.4. Relevant: Ensure that the plan aligns with the County of Hawaiʻi's strategic goals and objectives.
- This plan aligns with our mission to empower the County of Hawaiʻi with modern technologies and serve our citizens efficiently and effectively.
- The added resources and staffing will enable us to improve help desk operations and better support end-users.
5.5. Time-bound: Implement the plan within a defined timeline, and continuously monitor and adjust the plan as needed.
- Our target is to implement these resource optimization measures within four (4) months from the start of the next fiscal year covering 2023 to 2024, which will start July 1, 2023.
- We will monitor and review our progress regularly and make any necessary adjustments to ensure we meet our target.