The University of Sheffield
Corporate Information and Computing Services

Application Software

Description of Service

Installation and configuration of application software for both academic and administrative purposes on the managed and unmanaged desktop services.

Client Groups/Eligibility for Services

All registered users.

Provider Responsibility

  1. To liaise with users in identifying categories of software:

    a) That which is core and widely used e.g. MS Office, and, therefore, to be purchased and made available centrally.
    b) That which is specialist and less widely used e.g. NJStar Chinese word processor, and, therefore, to be purchased locally (or jointly). This software may be installed centrally or locally.

  2. To install and make available core and widely used software.
  3. To liaise with user departments in order to select and prioritise the installation of specialist software.
  4. To make specialist software available in an appropriate location.
  5. To give particular attention to Web solutions.
  6. To provide adequate security arrangements so that the software is only made available to those who are authorised to use it.
  7. Where possible to monitor usage of the software, particularly where the licence is based on concurrent user counts.
  8. To maintain records of installation to enable the software to be supported and maintained.
  9. To install new versions of the software on centrally managed systems as appropriate.
  10. To give assistance, by arrangement, to departmental technicians, who wish to install the software locally.
  11. To provide support for users of software via the HelpDesk and IT Centre counters.

User Responsibility

  1. To make all requests for software to be installed via the departmental liaison officer and the CICS liaison service.
  2. To work within the software installation procedure in terms of issues such as evaluation, prioritisation and testing of software.
  3. To allow adequate time for the software to be installed and tested between the date it is requested and the date it is required, for example the deadlines are normally end of March and end of September for the Autumn and Spring semesters respectively.
  4. To abide by licence terms and restrictions.
  5. To accept that some software installations may not be possible.
  6. To notify CiCS if software ceases to be used.

Availability of Service

Software - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, apart from: backup of the CIS computers 21.30 to 22.00 each working day.
Staff - core service hours.

Service Statistics/Outputs

Software installation records.
Software usage statistics for metered software.

Service Measures

Software requested by the end of March or September will be made available before the start of the following autumn or spring semester respectively.

Dependencies

Third party suppliers.
Compatability of software within the University systems and network.

Feedback and Monitoring

Staff survey.
Student Services survey.
CiCS User Group.

Benchmarking

None currently.

Exclusions

Software which has been installed locally without formal support from CiCS.
Software which cannot be installed after reasonable efforts have been made to do so.

Location of Service

Charges

Specialist statistical software support - £35.00 per hour by arrangement.

Failure Response

Faults should be reported to the HelpDesk. These will be prioritised and, where appropriate, referred back to the manufacturers. Users will be made aware of any outcome.