Lab 9-1 Developing Help-Desk Skills

Work with a partner who will play the role of the user. Sit with your back to the user, who is in front of the PC. Troubleshoot the problem and talk the user through to a solution. Abide by these rules:

1. A third person has previously created an error on the PC so that the PC does not boot successfully. Neither you nor your partner knows what the third person did.
2. The user pretends not to have technical insight but to be good at following directions and willing to answer any non-technical questions.
3. Don’t turn around to look at the screen.
4. Practice professional mannerisms and speech.
5. As you work, keep a log of the “phone call to the help desk,” recording in the log the major steps toward diagnosing and correcting the problem. Use Excel to create your phone log.
6. When the problem is resolved, have the third person create a different problem that causes the PC not to boot correctly, and exchange roles with your partner.
7. When you are finished, each of you should write a one to two paragraph synopsis on what the problem was, what steps were taken to solve the problem, and what issues you had trying to solve a problem over the phone. Attach your paragraphs to this sheet and turn in.