helping remote users

[Todd Tannenbaum]

Here at the UW-Madison CAE Center, we have run into an interesting problem.
In our main building, we have trained on-duty consultants as well as bookcases
full of manuals to aid students.  However, our building is now completely
full.  In future months we will be expanding into several small "remote
sites" squeezed all over campus wherever there is room (5 computers here,
10 computers there, etc).

The problem is that we cannot afford to pay to have a consultant at each
remote site (in the end there could be a dozen or more), nor can we
duplicate our library of manuals at each site.  The on-duty consultants
are the conerstone of our user-help, and so we are left wondering what
to do.  We have brainstormed everything from simply placing a telephone
at each remote site to elaborate plans involving complicated on-line
databases, and everything inbetween.

I am hoping to benefit from your experience by hearing what your institution
does to provide help to remote users, and how well/poor it is
working out.  As I do not normally read these groups, please send
me email directly (internet: tannenba at engr.wisc.edu).  I will e-mail
summaries to anyone who requests one, and/or post a summary if there
is a lot of interest.

Thanks mucho!  -Todd Tannenbaum (tannenba at engr.wisc.edu)
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Todd Tannenbaum, Network Manager   | e-mail: tannenba at engr.wisc.edu
Computer Aided Engineering Center  | Voice Ph: (608) 262-3118
University of Wisconsin-Madison    | Fax Ph: (608) 262-6707