When managing and maintaining services, it's essential to distinguish between different types of requests, each serving a unique purpose and requiring a specific approach. Three common categories that help define the nature of these requests are Ticket Incidents, Change Requests, and Project Requests. While they all involve modifications or actions to improve systems or services, they differ significantly in terms of urgency, scope, and the level of planning required. This ensures that resources are appropriately allocated, issues are addressed in a timely manner, and the correct procedures are followed for effective resolution. Below is a breakdown of each type of request, highlighting their key characteristics.
Please Note: We understand that there will be situations that may not seem as straightforward. In such cases, special scenarios will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and assigned the appropriate request type accordingly. This approach ensures that each situation is handled with the necessary attention and that resources are allocated effectively.
Ticket Incident vs. Change Request vs. Project Request
1. Ticket Incident : A Ticket Incident is when something goes wrong with a service, like a system crash, an app not working, internet problems, or broken equipment. It needs to be quickly fixed to get things back to normal. These incidents are recorded in a ticketing system like FreshService, and are fixed based on how serious and urgent they are.
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Unplanned, requires immediate attention.
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Goal is to restore service to normal operations.
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Short-term resolution (often via troubleshooting or workarounds).
- Examples: Escape crashes for one person, someone cannot log in, printer is malfunctioning.
2. Change Request : A Change Request is a formal request to update a system, process, or service. Unlike urgent fixes, these changes are planned, reviewed, approved, and tested before implementation. Some require approval from a Change Approval Board (CAB). Examples include software upgrades, adding new features, or creating a new job classification.
Key Characteristics:
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Planned modifications to systems, applications, or processes.
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Requires review, approval, and sometimes testing such as User Acceptance Testing (UAT) before implementation.
- May be part of a larger initiative but not necessarily a full project.
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Takes less than four weeks to be fully completed.
- Examples: Escape System Upgrades, implementing an addon in Escape, requesting a new job class to be implemented.
3. Project Request : A Project Request is a formal way to start a big task that involves many people, resources, and a schedule. Projects take more than four weeks, have clear goals, and require careful planning and progress tracking. Examples include setting up new software, launching a service, or upgrading equipment.
Key Characteristics:
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Larger, more complex effort with specific goals, scope, and timelines.
- Initiative takes longer than four weeks to implement.
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Requires project management oversight and resource allocation.