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The problem of becoming "3rd line support”
(and why Swarming is a better alternative)
Jon Hall
Principal Product Manager, BMC
Configuration Management Camp 2018, Ghent.
@jonhall_
@jonhall_
Adoption of new practice in established enterprises
“Startup-like”
teams.
Emergent products
Ad-hoc support.
Established products
Mainstream support.
LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORTLEVEL 2 SUPPORT
LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS
LEVEL 1 SUPPORT
Classic “Tiered” Support Structure
@jonhall_
LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORTLEVEL 2 SUPPORT
LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS
LEVEL 1 SUPPORT
Escalation
Escalation
Classic “Tiered” Support Structure
@jonhall_
LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORTLEVEL 2 SUPPORT
LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS
LEVEL 1 SUPPORT
…when the answer is here… …or here.
Issues may spend time here
@jonhall_
LEVEL 1 SUPPORT
LEVEL 2 SUPPORT
LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS
When tickets
eventually escalate…
…they frequently
bounce back
@jonhall_
LEVEL 1 SUPPORT
LEVEL 2 SUPPORT
LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS
LEVEL 1 SUPPORT
LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS
LEVEL 2 SUPPORT
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT
The system encourages “heroes” (not in a good way)
@jonhall_
It’s not very agile
• Work-in-progress queues
• Asynchronous communication
• Single role teams
• Individual burnout
• Poor knowledge transfer
@jonhall_
Tiered “Funnel”
• Siloes & Hierarchies
• Directed
• Linear, rigid
• Measured on activity
Intelligent Swarming
Dynamic network
Collaborative
Dynamic, loopy
Measured by value
Enter “Swarming”…
@jonhall_
Severity 1 Swarm – “Rapid Responders”
Severity 1 Swarm
PrioritiseNew issues
@jonhall_
Swarm lead
Communications
Other members
Research, coordinate, test
• 3 agents, 1-week rotation
• Respond immediately
• Fix as soon as possible
Severity 1 Swarm – “Rapid Responders”
@jonhall_
Dispatch Swarm - “Cherry Pickers”
Specialist Product Teams
Severity 1 Swarm
Dispatch Swarm
Prioritise
@jonhall_
Dispatch Swarm – “Cherry pickers”
• Meet hourly (ChatOps)
• Fix immediately resolvable stuff
• Validate other tickets and assign
Experienced
analyst
Less-experienced
analyst
@jonhall_
Backlog Swarms – Global fixers of troublesome issues
Local Specialist Product Teams
Backlog Swarm Backlog Swarm Backlog Swarm
Local Specialist Product Teams
@jonhall_
Backlog Swarms – Global fixers of troublesome issues
• Meet Weekly
• ChatOps
• Focus on challenging issues
Experienced analysts Product line specialists (e.g. devs)
@jonhall_
• Suggest Swarm participants based on contributions
• Encourage and reward
• Learn from each interaction
• Improve reliance of next interaction
Making it Intelligent
@jonhall_
A much better fit for agile and DevOps
• Autonomy (guidelines, not rules)
• Knowledge & skill development
• ChatOps, not email
• Prevents work queue buildup
• Protects individuals from burnout
@jonhall_
• 25% median resolution time improvement
• Cust.sat. +8 points
• More issues closed in under 2 days
• Significant backlogs reduction
• 50% faster onboarding
• Freed people to innovate
Results at BMC
@jonhall_
“I have probably doubled my knowledge of the
products in a year because of Swarming, and I
have been here a long time”
- Senior Support Analyst at BMC
@jonhall_
medium.com/@jonhall_serviceinnovation.org/intelligent-swarming
Some more information
@jonhall_

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Configuration Management Camp 2018: The problem of becoming "3rd line support” (and why Swarming is a better alternative)

  • 1. The problem of becoming "3rd line support” (and why Swarming is a better alternative) Jon Hall Principal Product Manager, BMC Configuration Management Camp 2018, Ghent. @jonhall_
  • 2. @jonhall_ Adoption of new practice in established enterprises “Startup-like” teams. Emergent products Ad-hoc support. Established products Mainstream support.
  • 3. LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORTLEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 1 SUPPORT Classic “Tiered” Support Structure @jonhall_
  • 4. LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORTLEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 1 SUPPORT Escalation Escalation Classic “Tiered” Support Structure @jonhall_
  • 5. LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORTLEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 1 SUPPORT …when the answer is here… …or here. Issues may spend time here @jonhall_
  • 6. LEVEL 1 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS When tickets eventually escalate… …they frequently bounce back @jonhall_
  • 7. LEVEL 1 SUPPORT LEVEL 2 SUPPORT LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 1 SUPPORT LEVEL 3 SPECIALISTS LEVEL 2 SUPPORT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT The system encourages “heroes” (not in a good way) @jonhall_
  • 8. It’s not very agile • Work-in-progress queues • Asynchronous communication • Single role teams • Individual burnout • Poor knowledge transfer @jonhall_
  • 9. Tiered “Funnel” • Siloes & Hierarchies • Directed • Linear, rigid • Measured on activity Intelligent Swarming Dynamic network Collaborative Dynamic, loopy Measured by value Enter “Swarming”… @jonhall_
  • 10. Severity 1 Swarm – “Rapid Responders” Severity 1 Swarm PrioritiseNew issues @jonhall_
  • 11. Swarm lead Communications Other members Research, coordinate, test • 3 agents, 1-week rotation • Respond immediately • Fix as soon as possible Severity 1 Swarm – “Rapid Responders” @jonhall_
  • 12. Dispatch Swarm - “Cherry Pickers” Specialist Product Teams Severity 1 Swarm Dispatch Swarm Prioritise @jonhall_
  • 13. Dispatch Swarm – “Cherry pickers” • Meet hourly (ChatOps) • Fix immediately resolvable stuff • Validate other tickets and assign Experienced analyst Less-experienced analyst @jonhall_
  • 14. Backlog Swarms – Global fixers of troublesome issues Local Specialist Product Teams Backlog Swarm Backlog Swarm Backlog Swarm Local Specialist Product Teams @jonhall_
  • 15. Backlog Swarms – Global fixers of troublesome issues • Meet Weekly • ChatOps • Focus on challenging issues Experienced analysts Product line specialists (e.g. devs) @jonhall_
  • 16. • Suggest Swarm participants based on contributions • Encourage and reward • Learn from each interaction • Improve reliance of next interaction Making it Intelligent @jonhall_
  • 17. A much better fit for agile and DevOps • Autonomy (guidelines, not rules) • Knowledge & skill development • ChatOps, not email • Prevents work queue buildup • Protects individuals from burnout @jonhall_
  • 18. • 25% median resolution time improvement • Cust.sat. +8 points • More issues closed in under 2 days • Significant backlogs reduction • 50% faster onboarding • Freed people to innovate Results at BMC @jonhall_
  • 19. “I have probably doubled my knowledge of the products in a year because of Swarming, and I have been here a long time” - Senior Support Analyst at BMC @jonhall_

Editor's Notes

  • #15: No more assignment to individuals
  • #16: No more assignment to individuals