Inheritances

I didn't know what to title this...inheritances or victims of our success. Anyhow, I might brag or show some bravado, but I think my team is pretty good at what we do with what we have.

Last year we inherited badge access control our buildings. All I got was another help desk staff. I think I made out like a champ. Sad? Maybe, but she's really good! anyhow, Security access, awesome?! Why? Well, people have this notion we solve problems in our department and 3 months to change a badge access was too long. Who'dathunkit? So now this is my beast to manage as of last year.

Its now year 1+ of owning access control. It is the start of school, and badge access is my disaster to deal with. Its not technically a disaster, it just is something we have to take care of. we hire 10-15% new staff per year and move another 10-25% around. 40 sites, 3500 staff. Yep, its not pretty right now. So, our access control systems don't work well for our customers. Yeah, we've identified the underlying problem(s), our connections to HR systems, etc, but the customer doesn't care. Ms. Teacher gets pissed her badge doesn't work on the door. We GET it. we get pissed too. Hell, i set off the alarm and call security when my doesn't work. (hello, security, i'm the the building. i set off the alarm. i'll be here for 2 hrs. I'm guessing my badge doesn't work on the way out either so you'll have to set it). We get 100 work order per day for badge access now. They get resolved quickly, but having a door not open when you badge it pisses everyone off. Its that simple. Trying to educate bosses and customers, that 700 open active work orders aren't -that bad- is a task. Last year we peaked at 1200. I'm guessing 2000 this year will be the peak.

I'm sure there is a moral to the story. I think it is integrate your systems. I've met with HR. They are willing to help. there are good software solutions to help update all systems quickly. There is budget. Now, can we get the people part to work.

Deploying 600 iPads to Teachers in a Single Day (& 1800 in 6 days)

We deployed 600 ipads in a single day and 1800 in a week. Here's a brief outline. 

1. Project Scope Prep
1. Our deployment event was only to hand-out the device with a minimal configuration. Training would come later. The basic items we would do were
1. Connect the iPad/Customer to wireless via user account (no SCEP). We wanted location services on wireless to be useful
2. Connect the iPad/Customer to our MDM solution. 
3. Connect the iPad/Customer to mail
4. Connect the customer to his/her own iTunes account
5. Document Customer and iPad association along with CSR who took care of the customer. 
2. iPad Prep (4 weeks)
1. Inventory Control
1. Received and inventoried 2300 ipads.
2. Brought asset tags into asset management system for tracking
2. "Image Prep"
1. Non-managed deployment model so individual itunes accounts can be used.
2. Only app loaded was work order app and MDM catalog
3. Minimal security prep (we trust 'em with our kids, so a piece of electronics is a no brainer)
4. Charge the iPads to over 85% before storing. 2 weeks storage didn't drop the battery much.
3. Location Prep (1 day physically prepping, weeks diagramming)
1. We obtained one of middle schools gyms. Seating capacity was 420.
2. Parking lot could hold about 120 vehicles
3. We diagramed the traffic flow. It was white-boarded. and re-whiteboarded. 
1. Since it was August in Texas -- kept everyone inside as much as possible
2. Found the "slow" part would be the actual customer to (customer service rep) CSR interaction on the configuration. We would go at our customers pace. We allocated 20 CSR here.
3. We borrowed stantions (crowd control pole things with ropes) from food service for customer routing within the cafe.
4. We had it catered on day 1. Hey, if they wait, feed and water 'em! Plus if they had to bring kids, we could send the kid home on a sugar high.
5. We brought 3 temporary APs to connect since the most customers we had per half hour was 50. 3+2 in the ceiling is 5 APs. Should handle 100ish clients. If you are a wireless geek saying what about everyone bringing phones and your CSR stations, yeah we know
6. We hard cabled our CSR locations with temporary switches and connections. 
7. The staff at the building we used were AMAZING! custodians, office staff, food service, coaches, everyone was great. 
4. Staffing Prep
1. We did just-in time training. Literally the day before. Took 4 hours to prep the CSRs.
1. How to enter a work order
2. How to connect wifi
3. how to connect to MDM
4. how to check email
5. how to connect itunes
6. what to do when something goes wrong
1. We had 2 "senior floaters" that could _hopefully_ resolve 90% of the issues. Typical issues were
1. Customer (teacher) wasn't in work order system. (import in)
2. Customer password -- reset at CSR location.
1. CSR's were granted pwd reset abilities
3. Customer was dropping wifi (quick solution -- wifi white list)
4. MDM certificate corruption (new ipad, or profile removal)
5. iPad flaked -- replace.
6. Customer asks for training or more hands-on or beyond the scope of the deployment questions.
1. PUNT -- we had our instructional tech team available to answer these questions. Again. these people were awesome during the roll-out.
7. Customer doesn't have iTunes account. We create. Use internal email. The customer had 3 weeks to get it done if they wanted a separate account. 
2. Instructional Staff Prepping
1. Gave them assigned stations. The lead for this team took this off my plate after we walk-through the diagram several times. She allocated her staff to the right spots.
1. Greeters
2. Q & A tables
3. Floaters (help where needed)
3. Misc Staff Prepping (not much here to prep)
1. Paperwork runners -- ran tickets to CSR
2. Restockers -- made sure there were iPads for the CSR
3. Clean up folks -- 600 ipads and case generate trash. Boxes, film, ..just trash.
5. Advertising & Customer Scheduling
1. Used our teacher training registration tool to advertise to teachers
2. Also sent email to campus admins in case some teachers didn't receive email.
3. Locked sessions at 50 per half hour starting at 9AM. Left 90 minute break for lunch. 12 sessions total. 
1. Walk-ins were permitted. We actually did 622 day 1. 
6. Work Flow Processing
1. Greet the customer at the doors near the gym and cafe! Tell them where to go next. (1 person)
2. Hand customer Acceptable use policy/device loan policy. Actual signature page was part of work order (1 person)
1. There is food & water here if we get back logged along with seating. We found it was used by spouses and kids. 
3. Verify employment and/or enrollment. I'm trusting...to a point. (2 people)
1. State ID
2. District ID so we can tell job roles. Teachers were the primary recipient, not admins. Turning away principals and APs is always fun. They were actually understanding so it wasn't bad.
4. Hostess station (2 people). Watches CSR stations and maintains customer list. Hostesses would seat customers and do a simple list like a restaurant. When a CSR came available, called the next customer. We had welcome to your iPad documents along with the Device Agreement documents to read while waiting.
1. We had "flags" for the CSR people to raise when they were done and awaiting another person.
5. CSR stations (16 -20 people). Configure the iPad as listed above.
1. Generate and print work order
1. Backside of work order has signature page for device agreement (sneaky?)
2. Configure iPad
3. Place iPad into case
4. Give customer iPad and Device Agreement page.
6. Q & A stations (2-4 people)
1. Staffed by instructional tech folks at tables.
7. Signature and copy area.
1. Mixed with the Q&A area. 
2. Sign the Usage agreement and make copies if customer wants
8. Departure station
1. Receive signed agreement paperwork
2. Give customer power cables for iPad

That's all it took. Advertising up and down the food chain was critical.

1) There were a lot of people who ensured our message was consistent. This is for teachers was a big deal. 

2) What to expect was a big deal. -- iPad deployment only, not training

3) Ability to put other projects on "hold" for 2 days