Dept. Meeting Minutes
                         1/11/95

Here is a summary, as promised, of the departmental feedback to the 
following questions:

         1. Grade DC/TM overall from a customer's perspective (A -> F)
         2. List our top 3 outstanding services
         3. List our top 3 problem services
         4. List those services we should be offering, but don't
         5. List those services we are offering but shouldn't or don't need to


(Please see my notes below the summary.)

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1. Overall grade (C+) for Distributed Computing/Telemedia from a customer's
   perspective (using A -> F)
        A-  (1)
        B   (2)
        B-  (3)
        C+  (2)
        C   (3)
        C-  (1)


2. Our "outstanding" services:  (* - mentioned several times)

        Availability of current software/hardware for users
        Availability of department staff to customers
        Availability of student centers/labs that have access to campus services
        Availability of technology to borrow and use
        Desktop computer consultation
        Electronic repairs
        Keeping the campus informed of technology (e.g., Brown-bags)
        Maximizing the use of money when purchasing
       *Network Services (E-mail, gopher, WWW, etc.)
        Planning
        Problem solving/Troubleshooting service
        Purchasing computers for offices and faculty
       *Support of Network Infrastructure (voice, video, data)
       *Telephone service
       *Television service
       *Training students


3. In need of improvement: (* - mentioned several times)

        Automated systems for individuals and offices
       *Clear documentation of departmental services and how to obtain them
        Client email services
        Follow-up support after technology has been installed
        Preventive maintenance
       *Public relations
        Resources and support for network hosts to meet the demand for services
       *Respect for users/customers
       *Responsiveness to customer problems
        Student access to computers
        Student computing services
        Students performing staff functions
        Support for all computer platforms
       *Support for Intel/DOS technology
        Organization of time
        Timely response to work requests
       *Training (faculty, staff, students, ourselves)


4. Services we should be offering: (* - mentioned several times)

       *Expanded training
        Expanded documentation
       *HELPDESK
        Better upgrade strategy for desktop computers
        Better support for high-end computing
        Better support for those who must use low-end computing technology
        Development of software and services to meet special needs
       *Better support for those using technology in classrooms and distance
            education*
        Fewer, but high-quality, student computing centers
        Brown-bag sessions at alternative times


5. Services we should NOT be offering: (* - mentioned several times)

        Advanced TCP/IP services without adequate infrastructure to support them
        Full printing services for students
        Network access to non-Potsdam people
       *Training on a one-to-one/hand-holding basis
        Publishing directories
        Repairing computers
       *Selling computers for personal use
        Student computing centers in every residence hall



   -----------------------------  N O T E S  -----------------------------


Next steps toward the development of departmental teams (1/1/95 -> 6/30/95):

1.  Continue adding tasks to our spreadsheet as needed.

2.  Define our mission by developing and publishing a mission statement.

3.  Confirm and clarify what our "outstanding services" are, based upon our 
    mission and from our customer's perspective, so that we maintain them.
    In other words, we don't want our customers to suffer a loss of good
    service as we try to improve others.

4.  Confirm and clarify what services need improvement and which should 
    receive attention first based upon our mission and from our customer's
    perspective.

5.  Confirm and clarify what services we need to offer that we do *not* offer
    now based upon our mission.  This means we will probably need to do this
    in conjunction with #5 (below) and determine what the priority is for
    this service with respect to steps #2 and #3.

6.  Confirm and clarify what services we do *not* need to offer or should not
    offer based upon our mission.  We'll need to be careful here so we don't 
    drop something that is of value to our customers.

7.  Build teams that best meet our mission and those needs and goals from above.

8.  Evaluate our progress and problems over a 6-month period.

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Let's try taking some mini-steps and see how we do...  

First, if you have any additional tasks that you want to add to the 
spreadsheet, please send to me at *any* time.

Second, if you want to add to any of the statements made in response to 
questions #2 thru #5 at the beginning of this message, please send them to me 
as soon as you can. 

Third, when we meet next Tuesday 1/17 @ 9am for our dept. meeting, I'll ask you
to give feedback on possible mission statements and to rate each of the 
statements for questions #2 -> #5 in terms of how important they are to our 
mission and to our customers.