The project, which was started in 2018 by an interdepartmental team at Finance & Services, is a self-service portal (SSP) where all services and user information are easily accessible. At the core of the SSP is a know-how database that contains hundreds of contributions on a wide range of frequently requested topics. The most important facts on selected topic are explained succinctly, and anyone who needs more in-depth information can see all the related documents at a glance. The database is constantly being updated with contributions from the various departments of Finance & Services.

Put to the test during lockdown

After thorough usability tests, the portal was activated for the more than 3,000 ZHAW employees in April 2020 – just in time to meet the high demand for support during lockdown, when almost all employees were working from home. Since the autumn semester, the SSP has also been available to the approximately 14,000 students. The new portal enables staff and students to solve routine cases themselves around the clock, which in turn allows the service desk to devote more time to complex cases. Based on user feedback and user needs, the SSP is constantly growing in terms of services, related support and complexity. For Finance & Services, the introduction of the SSP represents a big step forward in the digital transformation of the ZHAW.