Problem

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Statemen

MIT desk workers are central to the smooth operation of each dorm. Most desk workers only work a couple hours a week and don’t know how to address every issue that arises on their shift. Thus they need an efficient way to clearly and concisely share information with each other. Each dorm has a different but cumbersome system for doing this.

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• High school/college students
• Have busy schedules
• Work few hours per week
• 18-22 year olds
• Tasks: staff desk, checkout equipment, let guests in, receive guests, check logbook

Desk Captains

• Represents desk workers in house government
• Responsible for scheduling desk shifts
• Dorm resident 18-22 years old
• Tasks: create shift schedule, student worker tasks

Desk Manager

• MIT employee
• Non-resident
• 30-40 years old
• Long-term employee
• Authority on desk problems
• Tasks: handle unusual issues from logbook, clear logbook, handles exceptions to dorm policy (ex. room reservations), keep desk stocked with supplies

User Needs and Goals

Information Sharing: Access and update information; maintain persistence of information between desk workers and across shifts

• Student workers: 
  • at the beginning of each shift, need to check notes from other desk workers (ex. lost/found items brought to desk, outgoing packages)
  **
  • leave new messages

• Desk captain and desk manager: 
  • need to handle issues that other desk workers didn’t know how to deal with
  • delete outdated messages

Scheduling Shift Assignments: Create a schedule such that all shifts are covered and seniority is maintained; reschedule shifts in a timely manner

• Student workers:  
  • need to be able to submit schedule preferences
  • need to be able to have shifts rescheduled

• Desk captain** :
  • create schedule that takes seniority and preferences into account

Ensuring Safety of the Dorm: Limit admittance to dorm; report incidents or issues to appropriate parties

• Student workers and desk captain:
  • make sure non-residents sign in and are received by a resident
  • report dorm issues (ex. broken facilities)

• Desk manager:**
  • ensure follow-up on dorm issues