Help Desk Final (Chapter 1 - 11) Multiple Choice

In which category of help desk incidents does that following statement fall? "My computer runs slowly when I connect to the Web in the evening."

a problem

Which of these is not an example of a difficult support problem?

a problem a support worker has not seen before, a problem involving an angry caller, a problem for which the solution is not obvious

A revision to a software package that contains a collection of patches to fix documented problems with a program is called:

a service pack

ITIL is:

a set of industry best practices

In a cost-benefit analysis, the development or purchase of software is generally considered a(n):

acquisition cost

A successful troubleshooter recognizes a dead end (or block in progress) as:

an opportunity to look at other alternatives

Computer product standards are often defined by:

an organization's computer culture, early adopters of technology, a product standards committee

The purpose of a preinstallation site visit is to:

anticipate possible installation problems

Most hardware problems occur:

at the time a component is purchased and installed

Performance problems in a computer system are usually due to:

both hardware and software problems

A(n) _____ is a plan prepared by a help desk manager to describe the costs to provide support services.

budget

A(n) _____ considers whether to purchase a system off-the-shelf or construct one from scratch.

build-versus-buy decision

A mental model to help a computer troubleshooter understand and explain a problem situation is based on:

critical thinking

A troubleshooting process that involves selecting one alternative from among a number of possible alternatives based on some evaluation criteria is called ____.

decision making

A(n) _____ is the end result of an analysis project that recommends purchase, modification, upgrade, or construction of a system.

deliverable

A(n) _____ tried to answer the question: "What steps will an organization take in the event an emergency occurs?"

disaster recovery, contingency plan

To avoid jargon, a technical writer might substitute a word(s) such as ______ for head crash in the following sentence: Users frequently lose their data when there is a head crash on the file server.

driver error, disk error

Help desk software packages usually include tools to help _____, _____, and _____ manage problem incidents.

end users, help desk agents, support managers

_____ deals with how to design computer equipment and workspaces to minimize health problems and maximize worker safety, productivity, and job satisfaction.

ergonomics

An incident management step in which a problem is transferred to a support staff member who has greater experience or resources to handle difficult questions is:

escalation

Which of the following skill levels deals with performing a task effectively and efficiently?

expertise

A(n) _____ is a factor that an evaluator tries to eliminate from a side-by-side test of competing products because it could bias the test results.

extraneous variable

Nonverbal communication behaviors include posture, facial expression, ______, and ______.

eye contact, gestures, distance, voice quality

A common strategy for assigning a priority to help desk calls is:

first in, first out (FIFO)

A(n) _____ is a schematic diagram that uses symbols to represent the parts of a computer system.

flowchart

Which of the following hardware devices is most likely to fail during the operation of a computer system?

hard drive

Which of the following aspects of help desk operation would you least expect to be covered in a help desk mission statement?

help desk fees for services

A substantially rewritten software package that contains major new features is called a(n):

new version

A(n) ______ is a process to evaluate a help desk or support worker according to established criteria.

performance appraisal

A(n) _____ is a formal organization that represents the interests of a group of help desk professionals.

professional association

A document organization style in which all the information on a topic is pulled together in on place is called:

reference format

A(n) ____ is a short document primarily intended to summarize material covered in a training session and promote recall.

reference sheet, handout

Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs and Twitter are examples of ______.

social media

Whether to use the form 'Plug-n-Play' or 'Plug-and-Play' in a document would likely be specified in a(n) _____.

style sheet

Which of the following product evaluation methods uses several criteria of predefined importance to arrive at a numerical summary score for each competing product?

weighted point method

A procedure or method to accomplish the same result as a feature that does not work due to a big or other malfunction is called a(n) _____.

workaround

Of the sequences listed below, which shows the correct order of the steps in the incident management process: (1) authenticate the incident; (2) archive the incident; (3) log the incident; and (4) prioritize the problem

1 - 3 - 4 - 2

A reading level that is appropriate for most technical documentation is:

10-12th grade

In the classification of skill levels listed below, what is the sequence in which the skills are usually built? (1.) basic skills, (2.) concepts, (3.) expertise, (4.) understanding

2 - 4 - 1 - 3

What is the correct sequence of the following steps in the technical writing process? (1) proofread the document (2) generate a list of ideas (3) arrange for an outside reviewer (4) write a first draft

2 - 4 - 3 - 1

Which sequence of numbers represents the correct order of the following four steps in the user needs analysis process? (1.) investigate alternatives to the current system; (2.) make a build-versus-buy decision; (3.) identify sources of information; (4.) understand the organization's goals

4 - 3 - 2 - 1

____ adopted by organizations often describe how users are permitted to use their computers, what users are not allowed to do, and the consequences or penalties for unauthorized or illegal use.

Acceptable use policies

Which of the Following not a primary strategy for a support organization that aims for customer service excellence?

Agree to any demand a client makes

Which of the following letter sequences represents the order of steps in the request for proposal process? (A) send RFP to vendors (B) develop product specification (C) evaluate RFP reponses against criteria (D) define selection criteria

B - D - A - C

______ is a method used to generate a list of potential ideas or topics to include in a document.

Brainstorming

Describe a recent trend in help desk operation and briefly explain how it will impact help desk agents in the future.

Changes in off-shore outsourcing; employer demand for certified workers; acceptance of telecommuting work style; industry best practices; pressure to reduce support costs; web support protals; quantitative metrics; resources for security; help desk software integration

_____ is a skill level in which a trainee learns the basic vocabulary needed to communicate with others.

Concepts level

Which listening type focuses on learning about the knowledge level and emotional state of the user?

Discriminative

_____ is a problem-solving tool that involves a difficult or complex problem being referred to a higher-level support person for resolution.

Escalation

Rebooting a system in an attempt to fix a problem is an example of which of these problem-solving strategies?

Look for a simple, obvious fix

_____ materials combine text, images, animation, and sound in training delivery system.

Multimedia

Which of these is not a recommended incident management strategy for support agents?

Never admit that you are not sure

_____ are selection criteria that are neither measurable nor repeatable in an evaluation of competing computer products.

Subjective criteria

Which of these is not a strategy for effective listening?

Talk to fill awkward silences

Which statement accurately describe the costs associated with computer-based delivery methods?

The development cost is high, but the cost per user is low.

Which listening type focuses on opportunities to empathize with the user and provide positive support?

Therapeutic

_____ copies of new software packages may have limited features or operate for a limited trial period, and are not allowed to do, and the consequences or penalties for unauthorized or illegal use.

Trials, evaluation, demonstration

List three resources a product evaluator might use to locate information about competing products.

Vendor literature, market information, web sites and user manuals; demonstration and evaluation products; product review articles; industry expert opinion; colleague opinion

A support agent should make liberal use of the word:

We

Write a paraphrase for the following problem statement: "The screen on my PC is blank."

"You don't see any text or colors on your display?"

_____ is often the result of the personal characteristics of a worker not matching the requirement of a position.

Job stress

_____ is a training approach that matched the needs of each individual trainee with an information-acquisition strategy in order to achieve the most effective training results.

Learning styles

______ are an attempt to strike a reasonable balance between "select only this product" and "buy anything you want."

Product standards

Which of the following training environments is generally the most cost-effective because the ratio of trainees to trainers is highest?

classes

A(n) _____ is a set of behavior guidelines that professional organization expects its members to follow.

code of ethical conduct

The information on a Web site should be expected to have all of the following characteristics except:

complete

Which of the following testing methods is commonly used in industry certification exams?

computer adaptive test

A mistmatch between the type of printer connected to a system and the installed software printer driver is an example of a:

configuration problem

A(n) _______ is a situation in which two software packages use system resources in different and incompatible ways.

conflict

A troubleshooter who observes that a suspected faulty modem does not work in computer A, but operates correctly in computer B, is confronted with a(n) _____.

contradiction

The display screen connected to a computer system should be located so a user looks:

down slightly

Stakeholders in a needs assessment project are most likely:

end users, managers, support analysts

A light source that may flicker at the same rate as a CRT display screen is a(n):

fluorescent light

The length times the width of a computer case is called its _____.

footprint

A support worker who uses a telephone extensively is likely to need to know how to put calls on hold and ______.

greet a caller, transfer a call, terminate a call

A user's first impression of a support agent usually comes from the:

greeting

Printed materials designed to be taken away by the trainees from a training session to refresh a user's memory are called _____.

handouts, reference sheets

_____ is a well-defined, formal procedure that help desk staff follow to solve user problems.

incident management (or call management)

Computer components that cannon operate together in the same system are said to be:

incompatible

In the next decade, the U.S. labor market demand for user support workers is expected to:

increase

When support staff select office productivity software such as word processors or spreadsheet, they often use which decision strategy?

industry standard products

A primary purpose of help desk performance statistics is to:

justify the value and expense of help desk services

An organized collection of information, articles, procedures, tips, and problem solution is called a:

knowledge base

In a help desk patterned in the multilevel support model, what is the common title of workers at each level?

level 1: incident screener; level 2: product specialist; level 3: technical support; level 4: support manager

A software _____ is required to ensure that a software package can be legally installed on a system.

license, site license

The ability to step back from a toubleshooting situation and analyze one's own thinking process is called _____.

metacognition

A narrative or diagram that explains the structure and operation of a new or existing computer system is called a:

model

A site management notebook is especially useful in:

multiple systems installed in an office or training facility

Briefly list three examples of interview situations that could be used to test a job applicant's stress tolerance.

noisy interview environment; interruptions; multiple interviews; overly technical questions

An increasing number of help desk incidents are handled:

on support web site

Which of the following forms of documentation often contain hyperlinks to related topics?

online help systems

A support Web site implementer uses four criteria to evaluate a client-friendly site: content, ______, ______, and mechanics.

organization, format

Which one of the following is not a step in the training process described in this chapter?

perform

A(n) ______ is a choice each support agent makes about how professional or casual, respectful or condescending, formal or informal, or terse or verbose they will be in their interactions with users.

personal communication style

_____ is an industry standard that helps the Windows operating system automatically recognize the configuration and operating characteristics of many hardware devices.

plug and play

A(n) _____ is an electrical device that permits a user to power on a computer system with one switch.

power strip, surge protector, sure suppressor

A(n) _____ is a project activity or step that must be completed before another task can begin.

predecessor task

A follow-up question a troubleshooter asks to get additional information about a problem situation is called a(n) ______.

probe

Which of the following learning methods results in the highest retention and trainee performance?

problem solve

A(n) _____ is a written narrative that describes the objectives, scope, methods, participants, deliverables, and timeline for a needs assessment project.

project plan, charter

Which of the following is not a primary step in the needs analysis and assessment process?

purchase

A(n) _____ is a waiting line into which incoming calls are placed when they cannot be answered immediately.

queue

_____ is a tendency among users to want to get a new hardware or software product operational without reading the installation documentation.

quick start behavior

An antistatic wrist strap is designed to:

reduce the risk of damage to computer components

A(n) _____ is a database of hardware and software configuration information collected into one large file in a Windows system.

registry

A(n) _____ is a purchasing procedure that invites competing product vendors to submit product and price proposals for a system that meets specified needs.

request for proposal (RFP)

_____ is an activity in which trainees participate in a rehearsal or practice of a simulated work environment situation.

role play, role playing

Documentation that is organized as a step-by-step introduction to the features of a computer program is called a:

tutorial manual

Which of these is not an objective evaluation method for selecting a computer products?

user preferenes

Simplifying a problem situation by removing components from a configuration is a strategy to eliminate or reduce the number of _____ in a problem.

variables

A communication skill that confirms a troubleshooter's perception that a problem is fixed is:

verification

A network technology that uses authentication and encryption to connect remote users to a company server over the Internet is a(n) _____.

virtual private network (VPN)

Before a computer is plugged into an outlet for the first time, the outlet should be checked:

with an LED tester

List three strategies for dealing with users who forget important information.

Written reminder note, save password in operating system, reference sheet, script, checklist

During _______, a computer system is operated nonstop for a 48- to 72-hour period to give marginal components a chance to fail.

a burn-in test

"Tell me about your educational background." is an example of:

a non directed question

A questionnaire designed to measure the effectiveness of services among a sample of users is called:

a user satisfaction survey

The percentage of calls in which a user hangs up before support staff respond is called:

abandonment rate

The strategy in which the listener is as engaged as the speaker in a communication is called:

active listening

A measure of the number of support calls that can be processed in a given time period, often used to determine staffing levels in a help desk operation, is:

an Erlang

Which of the following electrical devices contains a battery backup?

an uninterrupted power supply

A(n) ____ is an attempt to relate something a reader may be familiar with to something they need to know about.

analogy

A(n) _____ is a telephone system that can answer calls, greet callers, provide menus, and route calls.

automatic call distributor (ACD)

_____ is a feature of an operating system or application program that periodically checks a vendor's Web site for modifications that can be downloaded and installed in a user's system.

automatic update

Which kind of interview question gives a job applicant an opportunity to describe what he or she did in a specific job situation?

behavioral question

A(n) _____ is an objective test or measurement used to evaluate the speed, capacity, capabilities, or productivity of competing computer products.

benchmark

In a user needs assessment project, the fact that an organization is uncomfortable with risks due to reliance on a new, untested software package would be considered as part of:

technological feasibility

One measure of whether a support agent understands a user's problem is whether they can express the problem in:

the support agent's own words

A ______ is a way to organize the commentary on a single topic in a discussion forum from oldest to newest, in an easy-to-follow format.

thread

Which of these assessment tools is aimed primarily at evaluating a trainer's effectiveness?

training evaluation surveys