Jira Ticketing system lab

Project: Mastering JIRA Service Managment for IT Support

This project was a hands on exercise designed to gain proficiency in a professional ticketing system. My goal was to simulate the core responsibilties of a Level 1 IT Support Technician by mastering the ticket lifecycle, from a user's intial request to its final resolution, all within the JIRA Service Management platform.

Technologies Used:

• JIRA Service Management

Steps:

1. Setting Up The Service Desk

First, I configured a personal service desk project within a free tier instance of JIRA. I customized the project settings, including different service request types (VPN Access, Password Reset, New Software Request), to create an organized environment for managing incoming requests.

2. Simulating and Managing the Ticket Workflow

I acted as both the end user and the IT technician to gain a full understanding of the ticket's journey. I practiced the core phases of the ticketing process:

• Ticket Creation and Initial Review: As a user I submitted various support tickets. As the technician I reviewed the incoming request, identified their purpose, and took ownership by assigning myself the ticket.

• Documentation: I used the comment section to document my thought process, the steps I would take to hypothetically reslove the issue, and to provide status updates to the user. 

• Escalation of a Complex Issue: For one of the simulated requests, I practiced professional escalation. I documented my review and indentifeid that the issue was outside the scope of Level 1 support. I then changed the ticket status and "escalated" it to a simulated Level 2 support. (After I escalated to level 2 support, they fixed the issue and left an internal comment, and I conveyed the fix to the user.)

• Resolution & Closure: For a seperate ticket regarding a VPN connection issue, I walked the user through the troubleshooting steps. Once the issue was resolved I provided them with a direct link to a knowledge base article that I had created for common VPN issues, empowering them to resolve similar problems on their own in the future.

Conclusion: Key Skills Gained

This Project provided invaluable hands on experience in a professional IT support environment. I gained and refined essential skills that are directly transferable to any IT support role:

• Ticketing System Proficiency: Gained expertise in a real world ticketing platform (JIRA) to manage, track, and close issues.

• Documentation and Communication: Maintained detailed records of all actions and provided clear, professional communication throughout the ticket's lifecycle.

• Process Management: Understood and followed a professional workflow for managing support requests from start to finish.

• Escalation Procedures: Practiced knowing when to escalate a ticket and how to do so professionally.