Abstracts Day Two: Thursday 4th July

Session abstracts - Day Two: Thursday 4th July

Wakey Wakey with Jakey: How to WIN at meetings
Jake Dovey, In-Person Support Manager, University of Southampton

Clear the fog from the night before and get your brain ready for all the good stuff we have planned for you on day two with this fun, interactive session. Get ready to be onboarded to a 360° holistic personal interfacing solution that synergises out of sector trends to build a cohesive playbook to enable you to win at meetings.

A Practical Approach for Experience Management, XLAs and SLAs
Barclay Rae, Barclay Rae Consulting Ltd

"Experience management and AI are two main hype areas at present - these work well together and add significant value to service delivery. The concept of 'XLAs' - experience level agreements - is also being socialised. The core elements of XLAs are not new, and there is a need to clarify how these fit with other areas in service management, particularly AI, SLAs, BRM and MI/Reporting. 

This session provides clear direction and practical examples of how to make this work, based on the presenter's experience - Barclay Rae has been using a similar XLA approach with clients for over 10 years.

Surviving then Thriving: The Human Side of Cyber Incident
Matt Flower, (Interim) Deputy Director & Head of Digital Infrastructure/Information Security, University of Wolverhampton

Earlier this year the University of Wolverhampton suffered an unprecedented cyber incident, impacting all aspects of university operations, and presenting UoW Digital Services with a seemingly impossible challenge. A story of huge ups, and even bigger downs, Mat’s session will share with delegates the human side of responding to, and recovering from a major cyber incident. He will talk about some of the lessons learned, and despite it being some of the darkest days of his IT career, he has seen his department survive and ultimately thrive for having gone through the harshest of trials.

Student Wellbeing: Using technology to improve access to support
Rory Hetherington, Senior Business Analyst and Suzie Shapiro, Wellbeing Lead & PGR Mental Health Advisor, University of Glasgow

In this presentation, colleagues from the Wellbeing and Information Services teams at the University of Glasgow will share their collaborative journey to design, build, and launch a ground-breaking feature in the university's app. One that streamlines students' access to vital support and wellbeing services, aligning with the demands of the digital era.

From initial problem identification to brainstorming ideas, development stages, and finally, deployment to students in the app, attendees will gain insights into a tangible case study demonstrating effective cross-functional change management and get a first-hand account on how proactive initiatives can enhance the overall student experience.

Breakout sessions

• Windows 10 End of Life Toolkit Launch
  Jake Dovey, In-Person Support Manager, University of Southampton

  As the countdown to Windows 10 end of life in October 2025 ticks away, it's time to gear up for a transformative shift. Unlike previous transitions, Microsoft's firm stance on Windows 11 compatibility for aging hardware has raised the stakes.

  Are you ready to navigate this monumental upgrade challenge?

  Join us for an engaging session tailored to institutions like ours, where legacy hardware and cutting-edge research intersect. This isn't just another routine update; it's a pivotal moment requiring collective expertise and innovation.

  Earlier in the year the UCISA Services Support Group gathered together people from across the community to pool their experiences, insights, and best practices related to transitioning away from Windows 10. The culmination of this collaborative effort is a comprehensive toolkit aimed at guiding us through this migration journey.

  In this session, we will not only share the invaluable lessons we've learned but also provide you with the toolkit to take back to your institutions, comprising guides and templates meticulously crafted and tested by individuals just like you, for individuals just like you.

  Don't let the end of Windows 10 catch you off guard—be proactive and prepared with our crowd-sourced toolkit.

• A Day in the Life of an IT Service Desk
  Simon Wright, Customer & Technical Services Manager, University of Central Lancashire and Gavin Baker, Service Desk Manager, University of Wolverhampton

  Engage with fellow Service Desk enthusiasts, exchanging valuable insights and strategies from the front lines. An informal fireside chat, join us to share hints, tips, tricks and discuss topics such as handling tickets, dealing with the rush of queries during enrolment/welcome time, relationships with the rest of the organisation and keeping your service desk colleagues motivated and healthy.

• Hot-seat coaching: See the power of coaching in real time
  Fiona Bicket, HE Management Coach

  Bring along a current issue, worry or aspiration that you're working on and get some coaching. If you attend Bex Cattran's session they will help you reflect on areas of your work that you might want to focus on. This will be a live demonstration of coaching in action. We'll demystify the experience of coaching and see that it's not just for executives. You'll see how the coaching relationship is intentionally different from other types of relationships and how it can help you to navigate uncertainty and untangle knotty thinking.

Putting the “Self-Serve” into a “Self-Service Portal”
Phil Payne, Group Director of IT Customer Experience, Bidvest Noonan

In the digital age, self-service platforms are not just conveniences but essentials, mirroring the shift in consumer behavior to the workplace. My presentation will focus on the strategic implementation of TOPdesk in our organisation, showcasing its impact and the importance of evolving these platforms to meet changing business needs. I'll share insights on maintaining and expanding the value of self-service portals, highlighting their role in enhancing operational efficiency and employee satisfaction. Discover how to leverage self-service solutions to foster innovation and resilience in the face of rapid organisational changes.

Tech Hub Triumph: Revolutionising IT Support for Staff and Students (Including personal kit)
James Lloyd, Support Hub Team Lead, University of Southam

Last year, we set out to transform IT support for staff & students, culminating in our 2023 Tech Hub pilot. Our focus: reinventing in-person support, resolving issues at the first point of contact and enhancing the student experience. In this presentation, we'll take you through our journey, helping you to learn from our experiences, discover 'better if' findings, and see how student feedback propels us forward.

Join us to explore how our Tech Hub not only resolves IT challenges but also significantly boosts student engagement.

Enhancing Customer Experience in IT Support Services
Stella Poole, Head of Core Systems Optimisation Team, University of Birmingham

This session focuses on enhancing customer experience within IT Support Services. It covers understanding customer expectations and fostering a customer-centric culture within the support team, including streamlined communication, personalised support experiences, customer feedback, continuous improvement, and the integration of AI and automation for enhanced efficiency. Participants will gain strategies to enhance customer experience and drive success in IT Support Services.