How to organise support for open source content management systems like Joomla and WordPress and its extensions and plugins

1. All Apps
What About Support...?

2. Yes, We Have An IT Strategy

3. We Have Contracts And Licenses

4. And A Geek Squad

5. And Business Requirements

6. Yes, We Can!

7. Yes, We Can! Yeah, Sure!

8. “85% Use Open Source Software”

9. ...Pretty Close To 100%

10. Where Is It?

11. How To Govern?

12. How To Manage The Devil?

13. Do A Survey

14. Internal Support Capabilities?

15. External Support Options
• Stack support
• Using consultants
• Training
• Product support
• Community support
• Hiring project developers

16. 1. Stack Support
• Assembly of sets of
components
• Services around these sets
• Support for the most
popular software
• Control over budget,
resources, vendor selection
and technology utilisation?

17. 2. Using Consultants
• No or small internal staff
• On the job training
• Remain on call
• May become costly

18. 3. Training
• Get knowledge within your
staff
• Improves morale

19. 4. Product Support
• From open source vendors
• Professional support
• Direct access to
development team

20. 5. Community Support
• Discussion forums
• Mailing Lists
• Wiki’s
• Support fall outside of
management
• Same support level for
everyone

21. 6. Hiring Project Developers
• Specialized core team
members
• Direct changes to the
source code
• Customer influence on
project
• May become costly
• Availability of talent

22. A Support Strategy In 90 Days
• Month 1: Audit current use
• Month 2: Devise a plan
• Month 3: Roll out

23. Month 1: Audit Current Use
• Compile a list
– Include unauthorized software
• Identify internal lead
person
• Identify current support,
if at all
• Determine ideal level of
support
– Business critical?
– Production or internal
development?

24. Month 2: Devise A Plan
• Get legal and purchasing on
board
• Set expectations and explore
options
• Review your budget
• Evaluate open source as if it
were closed source
commercial software

25. Month 3: Roll Out
• Users expectations
• Record sources for
community support
• Survey existing IT suppliers
on level of open source
expertise
• Evaluate additional open
source suppliers
• Look at training and hiring
capabilities

26. Mix & Match
• For development phase or
production?
• Level of business risk
involved
• Service Level Agreements
• Escalation rules
• Accountability

27. “And Now
For Something
Completely Different”

28. Developers Develop

29. Designers Design

30. Consultants Consult

31. A Pizzaboy Delivers Pizza’s

32. And Your Client Needs ROI

33. Yes, Your Client Needs ROI
Software Acquisition Cost
Development Cost
Maintenance Cost

34. Keep Them In The Dark?

35. Lock Them In?

36. Hand Over The Keys!

37. Get Serious About Support

38. Client’s Support Requirements
• Type of Solution
• Initial Investment
• Business Critical
• Open - Closed
• Development skills
• Number of users
• User skills
• Language skills

39. Support Methods
• Documentation
• Tutorial Videos
• Wiki
• Forum
• Walkthrough
• Ticket Support
• Email
• Phone Support
• Knowledgebase
• Live Chat
• Webcast
• Screen Sharing

40. Why Support Sucks
• General availability
• Support Methods
• Initial Respons Time
• Open - Closed
• Development skills
• Accountability
• Cost
• Lead time
• Opening Hours
• Expertise
• Language
•

41. Support Headache
• Considered to be FREE
• Time Consuming
• Keeps you from getting new
projects
• Disturbing
• Staff recruitment
• Staff training
• High attrition rates
• Non core

42. Make Or Buy?
• What is YOUR general
attitude towards Support
• Map Requirements and
Support Methods
• Calculate cost
• Calculate revenue, if any
• Evaluate internal support
skills

43. +++ General Warning +++
“You should use
http://forum.joomla.org/
viewtopic.php?
f=9&t=265772... “

44. Rule Number 1
Don’t
Sell
What
You
Cannot
Deliver

45. Get In Control

46. “Support: The Missing Link”
michel@opensourcesupportdesk.com
www.opensourcesupportdesk.com
www.twitter.com/osSupportDesk