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The ITS Blog provides helpful hints for users.

When Information & Technology Services (ITS) decided it needed an easier way to handle commonly asked questions, Kathryn Kellie, computing trainer, knew that it was time for the ITS Blog, an idea six years in the making, to finally come to fruition. With the help of colleague and contributing poster, Linda Macaulay, instructional technologist, Kellie has been able to post tips that she feels any computer user will find useful.

The goal in creating the blog was to make an easily updatable source that was more user-friendly, or in Kathy’s words, “We wanted to create something easier, more appealing and slick.”

Kellie adds that the Blog is designed to be convenient for everyone, from faculty members to students. For example, a tagging feature makes it easy for a user to search by topic.

“We wanted to create something easier, more appealing and slick.”

The main source of the blog’s content comes from questions asked by clients of the ITS Help Desk. Kellie and Macaulay also post tips that they feel may be unknown to users, such as hints that make programs like Outlook become even more convenient. For example the post titled “Outlook Calendar: Drag and Drop to Create Appointments” gives a tip many users may not be familiar with. Another post, “E-mail Efficiency Using Outlook Today” is an example of a general tip from which anyone can benefit. Kellie and Macaulay also take user suggestions and update new blog posts that are timely, such as writing about the processes for joining the E-town network at the beginning of the school year.

Both Kellie and Macaulay get a sense of accomplishment from their efforts on the blog project.

“It’s rewarding to see the faculty members get excited when they realize all the features of the programs they are using, like Blackboard,” said Macaulay.

With the blog being a more accessible information base for all users, her excitement might possibly spread around campus.  Read the ITS Blog now.