The role of the help desk in the strategic management of information systems

Draws on a recently completed British Library Research and Development‐funded project investigating key factors in help‐desk success. Describes the methodology of survey by questionnaire and case studies. Summarizes the results briefly and focusses specifically on the results which feed into a discussion of the potential of the help desk in enabling an organization or its customers to gather data on systems use, plan and implement IT development strategies and assess their impact on attitudes to IT.