CALL CENTERS (CENTRES) - Faculty of Industrial Engineering and ...

help desk system developed at an information technology company. With the proliferation of
diverse software and hardware, the center provides support to a large variety of client systems.
The number of calls increases while the turnover rate of employees is high, which means the cost
of training escalates. The objective of this project is to develop an automated case-based help
desk system to support both call center personnel and customers. The system would contribute
to shortening the response time on incoming calls and reduce training time for new employees.
The focus of the paper is on the knowledge engineering process of the system. We discuss in
detail the knowledge acquisition, knowledge representation, system implementation and verification
processes, and we emphasize the structured and automated development methods adopted.
Keywords: Knowledge engineering, Intelligent case-based system, Help desk operations, Computeraided
environments, Customer support centers, Frontline support, External customers, Internal
customers, Automated help desk system, Information technology company, Client systems, Employee
turnover rate, Automated case-based help desk system, Call center personnel, Response
time, Incoming calls, Training time, Knowledge engineering process, Knowledge acquisition,
Knowledge representation, System implementation, Verification processes, Automated development
methods
23. Cramp, D.G. and E.R. Carson. A model-based framework for public health: a vehicle for
maximising the value of telecare? Proceedings 2000 IEEE EMBS International Conference on
Information Technology Applications in Biomedicine. ITAB-ITIS 2000. Joint Meeting Third
IEEE EMBS International Conference on Information Technology Applications in Biomedicine
(ITAB’00). Third Workshop of the International Telemedical Information Society (ITIS’00).
IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 2000, 272–277.
Abstract. Information and communication technologies (ICT) play a pivotal role in enabling
health care provision, particularly in the light of changes in delivery mechanisms which emphasise
the primary and community sectors and embrace substitution policies that include home
care, day care and call centres. However, the complexity of these systems means that it is difficult
to determine the best ICT strategies to adopt in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. If
public health strategies are to be devised so as to maximise the benefits of advances such as those
in telemedicine and telecare, it is necessary to address the issues adopting an approach which
is holistic and which encapsulates all causal relationships and influences. Conceptual models
for such a systemic approach are developed using signed digraph and cybernetic feedback formalisms.
The importance of addressing not only the needs of the population which are of public
health concern, but also the factors giving rise to such needs is emphasised. The implications of
this modelling approach are illustrated in the context of two telecare systems: home haemodialysis
and Web-based services for the management of diabetes.
Keywords: Model-based framework, Public health strategies, Telecare value maximization, Information
technology, Communication technology, Health care provision, Health care delivery
mechanisms, Primary care, Community health care, Substitution policies, Home care, Day care,
Call centres, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Telemedicine, Holistic approach, Causal relationships,
Influences, Conceptual models, Systemic approach, Signed digraph, Cybernetic feedback, Population
needs, Home haemodialysis, Worldwide Web-based services, Diabetes management
(Appears also in Section VIII.)
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