Chapter 7 Summary

Business skills are increasingly essential for technical professionals, regardless of company size. Foundational skills like communication, customer service, and time management are universally applicable and can be learned through various methods. Service desk professionals, in particular, can leverage their daily interactions with customers to identify improvement opportunities and support business goals using data analysis and financial metrics. Presentations are key to sharing and gaining support for ideas, and advanced skills such as project management and ROI analysis become critical as professionals advance. By acquiring these skills, technical professionals gain greater career control and the ability to propose impactful solutions.

Glossary

  • abandon rate
    The percentage of abandoned calls compared to the total number of calls received.
  • acceptance criteria
    The conditions that must be met before the project deliverables are accepted.
  • business and IT alignment
    A process aimed at ensuring that information technologies support corporate goals and objectives.
  • change control plan
    A description of how the project scope will be managed and how agreed upon changes will be incorporated into the project deliverables.

Glossary continued

  • Gantt chart
    A type of bar chart that is often used to illustrate a project schedule.
  • project charter
    A short document that formally authorizes the project and gives authority to the project manager.
  • scope creep
    A term used to describe unplanned changes to a project’s scope.