Self-Directed Reality

Actions are greater than Thoughts

technical writing

Jamf – Philadelphia Museum of Art

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As the subject matter expert on JAMF, I was tasked with figuring out how the system worked, what Apple hardware the Museum had, and how to best document that knowledge for future reference.

I started this complex project with a simple concept: “How does this software work in perspective as a new user?”

I automated the setup of iPads, tracked down and remove old devices, and created an easy to maintain Asset Management system while documenting everything to make it easier to teach to someone else.

RESOURCES: Markdown Markup Language, HTML, Skitch, Snagit, Microsoft Power Canvas Apps, Microsoft Excel, technical writing, video editing, Adobe Creative Suite

Brief/Challenge

This multi-faceted process covered 3 aspects (Assessment, Deploy & Document, and Tracking & Management) of the SaaS Jamf as a Mobile Device Management (MDM) of Apple hardware in the Museum.

This covered the assessment of the Apple hardware and software at the Museum, management the deployment of Apple hardware and software, and of course the tracking (documentation) of the hardware at the Museum.

Jamf is a massively integrated MDM for Apple hardware and software in an enterprise environment. As of January 2021, Jamf is managing 20 million Apple devices around the world (source).

Needless to say, it is a big challenge to prepare for the rollout of this software in our own environment. I was tasked with the rollout of JAMF in our environment. To get started, I viewed this project as 3 separate parts (Assessment, Deploy & Document, and Tracking & Management) with the major focus point being well documented and streamlined processes.

Solution

Step One – Assessment

The first step of the process was to determine the exact state of relevant Apple hardware that was accessible at the Philadelphia Museum of the Art. In the flowchart below, I laid out my thought process for determining what hardware we have and the following steps.

Determining which products were worth keeping and which devices would be e-wasted took a considerable amount of time. Prior to my involvement, no one every took an inventory of all the iPads, iPhones, iMacs, MacBooks and other devices on site at the Museum.

According to my records, we had more than 250+ Apple devices floating around in various stages of usability in addition to the fact that the exact location of most of these devices were unknown.

Step Two – Deploy & Document

The second step of the process was to make sure Jamf worked for our needs and document the process for future reference.

In the images below, there are 2 iPad home screens, one setup normally and one setup through Jamf:

  • the iPad home screen on the left is the home screen of a brand new iPad from Apple that was setup normally (i.e. you buy an iPad and go through the normal setup).
  • the iPad home screen on the right is the home screen of a brand new iPad from Apple that I enrolled into Jamf prior. The actual setup (including my custom branded wallpaper I designed and the apps and folder placement) was automatically performed by Jamf (i.e. you turn this iPad on and it connects to the server and pull the configuration files).

In addition to the time savings for each iPad and the associated setup, iPads can be easily repurposed for different departments or needs since Jamf handles the rollout of applications as well.

Step Three – Tracking & Management

Using the Microsoft Power Apps platform, I used Canvas apps to create an asset management system for Active Assets and e-waste Assets with data being supplied from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that I painstakingly assembled.

Active Assets Excel Sheet Sample (sensistive info is blurred out)
eWaste Assets Excel Sheet Sample (sensistive info is blurred out)

The Excel spreadsheets (and by extension, the canvas apps) track a few important details of each hardware record.

The Apple eWaste Assets tracks the following information:

  • Discontinued Year: The year Apple stopped manufacturing the device
  • JAMF Status: The device should be listed as REMOVED from Jamf for ewaste
  • Model Name: The moniker provided by Apple (i.e. MacBook, iPhone)
  • Model Number: The model number provided by Apple and begins with an A (i.e. A1286, A1486)
  • Release Year: The year Apple released the device
  • Serial Number: The device’s serial number printer on the back/bottom of the device.
  • Year E-Wasted: The year that the device was ewasted at the Museum.

The Apple Active Assets tracks a bit more information:

  • Serial Number: The device’s serial number printer on the back/bottom of the device.
  • Model Name: The moniker provided by Apple (i.e. MacBook, iPhone)
  • Assigned User: The user that the device is tied to (i.e. Paris Hunter)
  • Assigned Department: The department that device is tied to (i.e. IT)
  • Location: The location of the device/user (i.e. Building A > IT Dept > Apple Office)
  • AppleCare+ Until End Date: The date AppleCare ends. Expired is listed otherwise
  • Current OS: The OS version (and release year) installed at the time (i.e Big Sur (2020))
  • Maximum Supported OS: The maximum OS version (and release year)(i.e. Monterey (2021) and beyond)
  • Screen Size: The size of the screen if relevant. A Mac Pro has N/A for a screen size
  • Model Number: The model number provided by Apple and begins with an A (i.e. A1286, A1486)
  • Release Year: The year Apple released the device
  • JAMF Status: Is the device enrolled or not enrolled in Jamf? (i.e. Enrolled)
  • Additional Notes: Notes relevant to this hardware (i.e. Ticket #12345 for cracked screen)

Also the counts on the home screens for both apps update in real-time either from records added in the applications OR manually added to the underlying Excel spreadsheet.

This solution allows for easy management in the future (since a variety of devices can access the Asset apps) and easy to manage since Excel is easily understood at a base level for most users. The app allows the data in the Excel spreadsheet to be searchable even using partial matches. Also, this information allows management to make an easy decision as to what hardware should be updated.

43 second demo of the Apple Active Assets app on iPhone hosted through Microsoft Teams

Outcome

Assessment of Inventory and Hardware

Our records originally reported 250+ Apple devices when I started this project. After the project, I was able to reduce the active devices down to 116, with JAMF licensing costs required for only 90 of those devices.

Regarding the JAMF licensing costs, I have saved at least $2600 per year in additional licenses costs that were no longer needed regarding active devices.

In addition, I was able to ewaste 103 devices that were no longer being used at the Museum, saving on potential license costs, employee time and mangement of the outdated hardware.

In addition to all of the above, almost every Apple device in the Museum is now accounted for and easily tracked to a user and/or department making hardware management easier in the Windows dominated environment.

Deployment & Documentation of JAMF

I created a 55+ page technical guide with images written in Markdown showing exactly how to use Jamf in the scope of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I went through extensive detail showing the exact settings and common solutions to Jamf issues (such as updating annual certificates to keep the system working).

This document was shared with all of the IT department so that future management can be

Tracking & Management of Hardware

The main focus of the App method was to get ahead of the digital clutter where critical data lives in a bunch of files spread across various locations in multiple stages of completion (i.e. Apple_Assets_2021_2022_v3_Work_In_Progress.xls). I am sure we all had to deal with some level of this in our life and careers.

The added purpose of creating the apps were to have a central place to manage and update information regarding Apple hardware at the Museum. As it currently stands, the apps are easily accessible through Microsoft Teams through any device (mobile or otherwise) as long as the user has proper credentials.

Another benefit of the apps (as a whole) is to provide future technicians an easy way of recording and updating devices on the go using in-house resources (i.e. an old iMac was tossed due to a cracked screen or Paris gets a new 14″ MacBook Pro which should be reflected in the Active Asset records).

I have laid the foundation for work that can easily be expanded for the future of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Desktop Reclaim Process – Philadelphia Museum of Art

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Due to the Pandemic, the workforce of Philadelphia Museum of Art was being migrated to a laptop-first setup. To speed up this process, I decided to create process to speed up that system for the support staff.

I created a Microsoft Form that allowed an end user to sign up for a time/date on my schedule. In addition, I also created a detailed FAQ as part of the initial email chain explaining the process with the intention of reducing follow up emails from the affected users.

The updated process and supporting emails boosted the response rate by a whopping 76% on average.
The additional docking station multimedia guide reduced related Help Desk tickets by at least 25%.

RESOURCES: Microsoft Forms, OBS Studio, Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat DC, DaVinci Resolve, copywriting, technical writing, video editing

Brief/Challenge

Have you tried to schedule and coordinate something through email for hundreds of people?
Especially removing hardware and replacing it with newer hardware (and all the relevant files and programs)?

Terrible idea.

It generally takes at least 2-3 emails for someone to respond to you AND/OR understand what you want.

So I decided to let technology and the written word do the work (which is why I study copywriting as well).

In addition, you will notice I created an Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) section that is framed from the mindset of the end user answering most people’s concerns AHEAD of time. This is important as part of the first interaction, they can see how it benefits them and frames their expectations going forward in this process.

Solution

STEP ONE – Initial Email to the End User
I open the email with a brief explanation of what I am doing and when I am doing it. I included the FAQ as well which is also repeated on the sign up form. This is important for the people who skim emails. I didn’t ask them if this date or process worked for them. I gave them time frames on the form that works for me and they get to choose which one works for them. Notice that I said will handle the data transfer (if needed) and create the ticket (for the work). I also send them a calendar invite so they have a personal record and reminder of the desktop removal.

STEP TWO – The Linked Form Created in Microsoft Forms (Office 365)
Secondly, I decided to create a form inside Microsoft Forms that focuses on the 3 things I needed from an end user to smoothly handle the process:

  1. Full Name
  2. Department & Location
  3. Service Date (based on my availability)

STEP THREE – The Follow up Email
After I removed people’s desktop computer and set up their dock, I have sent a follow up email with a link to a video (hosted internally) I created showing how to set up dual displays and changing power options on the laptop. I also included written instructions as well for those who prefer to read and follow along.

The documentation helped reduce related Help Desk tickets by at least 25% related to the setup of

Click the image above to WATCH the VIDEO guide
Click the image above to READ the PDF Guide

Outcome

The results from the form: out of 17 people in the initial test group, 14 people signed up in a little over 2 days.

That’s an 82% response rate. This form was rolled out to the remaining 100+ end users which generated roughly the same response rate.

Previous attempts required multiple dates of back and forth emails with an abysmal response rate (single digit %).

The FAQ and streamlined form worked with the End User rather than against them.