Policies
University Desktop and Laptop Policy
As agreed by ELT, June 2010
1. Summary
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Expectations are set regarding access to desktop and laptop computing facilities by all staff groupings.
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A new purchasing policy for a small a la carte selection of desktop and laptop options has raised levels of service, and reduce total cost of providing that service, through increased standardisation.
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Exceptions for more specialist academic activities (including use of Apple Mac) will be simply granted through a single University-wide process, employing the Agresso technical approver role if appropriate.
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In due course, and based on feedback, consideration will be given to expanding the scheme to include Netbooks / Smartbooks and phones.
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The support of senior managers is key to the success of this policy, and the realisation of the associated benefits.
2. Expectations - access to desktop computing for all staff groupings
While final decisions regarding access to desktop and laptop computing facilities rest with line managers, there is a growing expectation that all staff will be granted a degree of access to such facilities. This is already needed for access to University information, e.g. VC's Newsletter, which is primarily provided through electronic channels. That need is likely to grow as on-line self service facilities for all staff are provided, via the emerging Staff Portal and the proposed iTrent HR system.
For the job families of Management and Specialist, Research, Research and Teaching, and Teaching and Scholarship, and for higher grades in Administrative Services, Operational Services and Technical Services, the expectation is that staff will have access to their own PC or laptop.
For some grades within Administrative Services, Operational Services, and Technical Services, a PC or laptop may be shared between a small, defined group of staff, in relation to working patterns or otherwise.
For other grades in Administrative Services, Operational Services, and Technical Services, access will be made available at defined times via 'kiosk' facilities. Senior managers in FM, imago and Sports Development are supporting this arrangement, and IT Services will be providing training tailored to the kiosk context, and the job-related on-line information needs of this group of staff.
3. Authorisation
The IT Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) study at Loughborough established that around a third of the total cost of providing desktop and laptop services was associated with initial purchase price, the remaining two thirds being for staff time, software licence costs and infrastructure to support the wider desktop / laptop service. An approach is sought that will optimise all these cost areas.
Following a TCO study recommendation and discussion at forums including ELT, HODs/HOSSes, University IT Committee, IT Purchasing Group, etc., further steps have been taken towards standardising desktop and laptop purchases.
Staff requiring a new desktop or laptop, with the appropriate financial authority and permission from their line manager, should choose via our preferred supplier's Web site from a short menu of available configurations.
The benefits of this approach are:
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Improved user service
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A pool of hot spares of the standard specifications, managed by a third party on-site engineer funded by existing maintenance payments, will reduce break-fix times to 4 - 8 hours
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(At present, many laptop fixes require the unit to be returned to base, taking up to three weeks in the worst cases)
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Reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to budget holders and the University
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The initial purchase price (33% of the TCO) will be driven down with an annual mini-tender process, based on guaranteed minimum order volumes related to planned student lab PC refreshes
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Increased standardisation and streamlined maintenance processes will lead to reductions in the remaining 67% of TCO not associated with purchase price
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During 2009/10, we performed a mini-tender exercise under the National Desktop and Notebook (NDNA) HE purchasing framework. We agreed at the outset parameters to guarantee preferential pricing and minimum order volumes for the year ahead, based on planned student lab purchases. We hold an appropriate number of hot spares for each of these specifications, to allow rapid break to fix resolution.
Thereafter, at the end of each year, we update our specifications, and agree new volumes and price control parameters. There is an annual opportunity to move to a new supplier should we be dissatisfied with performance during the year; careful negotiation is required to ensure continuity of maintenance and on-site arrangements in the case of a change of supplier.
4. Exceptions including Apple Mac
It is stressed that this policy applies specifically to standard desktop and laptop usage, including Web, e-mail, Office and simple and intermediate-level data analysis using spreadsheets, analytical packages etc.
It is recognised that much specialist research and some teaching is outside the scope of the above usage. For example, workstations for more involved number crunching than can be effected with standard analytical packages, specialist graphics workstations for advanced visualisation, and Apple Mac in arts and digital media areas where it is the standard professional tool (a corollary of this is that Apple Mac is not an alternative choice for standard desktop and laptop usage).
It is proposed that all such 'non-standard' academic purchases be channelled for evaluation and 'technical approval' by a School IT Co-ordinator (SITC), with the Head of Corporate Desktops and Schools Liaison in IT Services taking the role of SITC for support services (N.B. it is expected that the number of non-standard purchases in support services will be at a very low level compared to Schools). A streamlined process pointing at a standard list of Mac specifications (analogous to the list for PCs and laptops) may be appropriate for defined areas of intensive Mac use. An investigation will be made into including this 'technical approval' into Agresso and DCal workflows. Consideration would need to be given to ensuring that the University charge card is not used as a means of bypassing this evaluation process. In the case of any disputes, the matter would be referred to the Dean to resolve in conjunction with the HoD or other line manager as appropriate (the Director of IT would be the escalation point within support services, to liaise with the appropriate HoSS). Clearly the support and buy-in from Deans, HoDs, and other senior managers is key to delivering the wider benefits of improved PC standardisation, whilst safeguarding legitimate research and teaching interests.
A regular Agresso report of 'non-standard' purchases will be considered by the IT Purchasing Group, comprising SITCs, the Purchasing and Payments Manager, and IT Services representatives. Particular emphasis will be given to identifying patterns of spend that could be rolled as a new option into the short menu of choices available from our preferred supplier, with associated benefits. Patterns of Mac spend will also be analysed, with a view to compiling a standard choice of Mac options, as part of ongoing work to strengthen support for Mac as a specialist tool in the academic areas identified above. Any recommendations arising from this analysis would be made to IT Committee.
Analysis will also be made of purchases of Netbooks, Smartbooks and phones, which are expected to become increasingly popular over the next few years; proposals to include such items within this policy may be made through IT Committee in due course.
5. Number of PC and laptop devices in use
The initial TCO report showed 3,100 staff using 5,350 desktop and laptop devices. Further analysis by a final year student, as part of a dissertation, is given below. Multiple device 'ownership' exists both in Faculties and Support Services. Simple calculations show that by moving closer to a ratio of one device per staff member, we could have £100Ks annually just in initial purchase cost (which comprises 33% of TCO – there may be corresponding savings in the remaining 67% of TCO via such a change).
| Number of computers | Percentage |
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| One desktop | 57% |
| One desktop and one laptop | 30% |
| Two desktops | 8% |
| More than two (desktops / laptops) | 5% |
Acknowledgement: Matthew Knight, Computer Science, final year dissertation 2009
6. Senior management support and buy-in
The approaches described in this policy have the potential to deliver £100Ks on-going annual savings, and improve the quality of the desktop service, without affecting core business of research, teaching and enterprise. Buy-in and support from all senior managers, particularly in relation to the exceptions process described above, is key to delivering these benefits.