Perceptions and expectations of IT service delivery post migration to a Microsoft platform at a university of technology in South Africa

Abstract

The implementation of Microsoft (MS) technologies and solutions as organisational infrastructure within the higher education arena has become a popular choice both internationally and within South Africa. With benefits such as reduced costs, improved productivity and improved service delivery to both staff and students, MS technologies and solutions seem to be the preferred choice for many institutions worldwide. The Durban University of Technology (DUT) was the first university of technology in South Africa to implement all nine MS technologies simultaneously. Since migration to the MS platform in 2009, DUT staff have raised concerns regarding the new solutions, particularly with reference to aspects such as security, accessibility, and reluctance to use self-help tools to improve their IT experience. Migrating from a non-integrated system to an integrated MS platform thus resulted in IT service delivery becoming a contentious issue. . This study discussed: the quality of IT service delivery regarding the MS infrastructure within the DUT; the types of MS technologies and solutions implemented; the resulting impact that these have had on the full time administrative and academic staff at the DUT; and their perceptions and expectations of IT service delivery. Using a mixed methods research approach and underpinned by the modified SERVQUAL framework viz. RATER, the quality of this service was investigated. This study yielded both positive and negative findings regarding expectations and perceptions of the quality of IT services. Results indicated that although staff were generally positive about the migration and satisfied with the resulting IT service delivery, there was room for improvement in terms of the quality of IT services offered by DUT’s Information Technology Support Services Department. Based on the findings, recommendations for improved IT service delivery (ITSD) and IT service management (ITSM) were proposed. It was also recommended that the framework deemed most suitable in the MS dominant IT infrastructure, is the MS Operations framework.