Hi everyone,
There's been a lot of discussion recently relating to the future of console and web desk. In response to this, Product Management wanted to give you the update below. As always, your thoughts and comments will be much appreciated.
Thanks to all involved in the community in highlighting your concerns and needs in this direction. In meeting with you at events, on phone calls and webinars and in one to one meetings we do hear a range of needs around Web Access evolution, and the importance of continued development both of new and innovative features as well as the user-experience issues that would enhance your day to day use of current functionality. As we hopefully have communicated in these events and meetings over the last few years, we are committed to making Web Access the majority default platform for our customers. This remains a fundamental priority for us.
Be assured that we do not plan to phase out the windows Console from Service Desk until we reach a point where all operational, configuration and design items can be presented in an up to date, web-friendly form. We are nearly there on the operational side, and see the configuration design pieces in the further future. To speed that process we are focussed on introducing features, value and continual user experience improvements into the web platforms first, and at times, exclusively.
Do also note that there is a fundamental difference in the behaviour and ability between the technology behind the two delivery models. They are different and we do not intend to force-replicate behaviour from a windows client into a browser. Rather we prefer to leverage the benefits of the browser delivery, which leads to different remodelling of concepts. As an example, is right-click really the best way to access functions like remote control in-context in web-access, just because that's how it is in Windows applications? We don't expect web sites to work with right click usage, so is there a better way to present in-context actions and related information?
One of the great benefits of the Community is you can be sure the items you vote upon – and describe in discussions – really are read and recognised. Because of your input and contribution we really do have a good understanding of where effort and focus should be applied to continue to enhance the general usage web experience for support analysts. Please be reassured that the areas highlighted by some customers to help their transition from currently using the Console to the Browser are appreciated and understood. In 2013 we currently plan to work in these areas, and continue to deliver greater value to you both in new features, but also in that important area of User-Experience of existing features. The items you listed (and voted on) have been reviewed and the resources and time to work through is included in our planning. We anticipate work on these items will start during this year, to allow a number of these to appear in our next major release.
Other activities related to this are background work on our communication with our customers. There are exciting changes around how we plan build and deliver product value to you, both in the cloud and on premise, and we are looking at ways to keep you continually informed and involved in the conversations. Watch this space.
Anyway, in summary. Your input and enthusiasm for LANDesk Service Desk is greatly appreciated. We are hard at work continually moving Service Desk forward, and your comments – particularly your ER voting – do of course play a major part in enhancing LANDesk Service Desk.
Thank you,
Lara
LANDesk Service Desk Product Management
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