Telecom and IT
Susan Grajek, Gunther Dannheim, Jeffrey Euben, Joseph G. P. Paolillo, David Stagg · 2002
As the much-heralded convergence between IT and Telecom draws nearer, it is time for IT and Telecom support providers to begin considering the implications for user support. Laptops can connect to the internet via cellular services, handheld devices can deliver email and phone calls; support for these devices and services requires technical expertise that cuts across the traditional fields of information technology and telecommunications. At Yale University, the School of Medicine IT department has begun collaborating with the University Telecommunications department to provide a single point of contact for IT and Telecom services. We will outline the process we used to evaluate the single point of contact concept, including needs and feasibility assessments. Our discussion will identify both barriers and strategies for success. Some of the barriers were political, some logistical and some technical. Groundwork included developing a shared vision, establishing trusting relationships, defining user needs and preferences and researching current and emerging technologies. We will present the collaborations we have established, including a coordinated Web presence, collaborative research and development and a unified service center. We will also discuss the options we discarded, such as a single call center. We will offer advice for how other IT departments can begin integrating telecommunications support in this rapidly developing technology sector.