iWise Request Management Overview

It is extremely difficult to describe a piece of music in words rather than sounds. In the same way, iWise software is a "see" rather than a "what." But we will do our best to describe it in both words and images. Below is a summary of iWise Request Management.

The iWise Request Management application aids in the effective recording, planning, approval, tracking, and implementation of data processing and network distributed requests for service. Request Management, with companion iWise products, provides a simple, easy-to-use methodology to ensure requests are processed within established time frames.

Although a major role of Request Management is to streamline the request process, it is also a valuable tool for your system's security, audit, and resource planning departments.

Request Management automates and separates - by responsible area - the administrative tasks necessary for successful request management. It accomplishes this by providing task-oriented data entry, coordinator-controlled data collection, and automated processing.

The key features, functions, benefits and objectives of iWise Request Management include:

• Easy submission of requests, including information necessary for their completion, using the iWise Windows client or the iWise Web browser interface.
• Validation of requests at entry, thus reducing the risk of a delayed request rejection or return.
• Historical data necessary for audit and security reviews.
• Improving processing of requests from both a user and implementation viewpoint.
• Considerable reduction of the requirements for understanding support structures and process flow.
• Automatic notification of personnel who must approve requests via e-mail notification.
• Automatic generation of the approval required based on request type, system, and products involved, such as applications or configuration items (CI).
• Automatic creation and scheduling of the change required to complete and implement the request.
• Obtaining reports in a variety of forms using Crystal Reports or an equivalent ODBC reporting tool.

iWise Request Management provides an efficient, streamlined, and flexible request management application that grows in capability if other service management processes are controlled using the iWise product family. By entering requests, you begin to build a knowledge base - including such statistics as average request completion time for a system or request type. Once built, this knowledge base can be used to predict completion dates, the success of initial implementation schedules, and other functions.

This application is designed for a wide range of users, with various levels of data processing expertise. Requests can be made to change a variety of system or application areas, ranging from complex data and voice circuit alterations to simple requests for material.

Requests reside in an Enterprise Information Base (EIB). The organization need not be aware of the format or processing of this EIB, but you must be aware of how to enter a request, and the type of data that should be entered if Request Management is to be effective. There are several pages or panels involved in direct entry of a request; however, many functions can simplify or accelerate this process, including using iWise shortcuts or copying an existing request, model request, or a request project.

Sample request types available in Request Management are listed below.