The AeRO IT User Support Project has adopted 4 key objectives:

1. Save Everyone Time Collecting Research Service Information

The project will create an open repository of research support knowledge and make that repository available directly to researchers and all known service and support providers

2. Improve User Support Practices with Templates and Protocols

The project will provide standardise support templates and protocols to enable developers and service providers to incorporate mature consistent practices based on these templates and protocols. Example templates and protocols are for: embedding Tier 0 self-support in services, providing Tier 1 FAQs, resolving Tier 2 complex support issues, and communicating Tier 3 service events proactively.

3. Improve Service Usability and Researcher Tier 0 Self-Support

The project will establish a directory of User Experience (UX) specialist services, and use these UX services to conduct lightweight UX reviews of existing services. A UX review will also be conducted on the service knowledge base itself. These UX service reviews will assist in improving usability, reducing support need and lift quality of provided research services.

4. Support New Research-Led Services from RDSI and NeCTAR

The project will support the inclusion of the wave of new research-led services, created from RDSI and NeCTAR such as the Virtual Labs and Research Tools, into these improved support arrangements. The project will provide a consistent UX style guide for RDSI and NeCTAR RC node services. The project will assist in ensuring higher researcher usability, enabling more self-support, lower support demand and improve access to support when required.