Routine maintenance will save you a ton of headaches in the long run, and will help your device lab’s users have the best experience possible. Check in on the device lab weekly to make sure there aren’t any major issues with devices, and quarterly to iterate on the efficacy of the lab.
| Time Frame | Check on |
|---|---|
| Weekly | Have any operating systems or applications been upgraded? |
| Weekly | Is any device missing from the shelving but not checked out in your system? |
| Weekly | Are there any new scratches, bumps, or broken glass on the devices? |
| Weekly | Is every device plugged in and charging? |
| Weekly | Does every passcode still work? |
| Weekly | Is every device connected to the right Wi-Fi network? |
| Weekly | Have any new applications been installed? |
| Weekly | Has anyone connected their personal accounts (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to the installed apps? |
| Weekly | Do the mail applications still use the correct device lab email address? |
| Quarterly | Check your site’s visit traffic. What devices might you need to budget for next quarter? |
| Quarterly | Check your device lab’s usage. Are there any popular devices that are always checked-out? Should you purchase more of them so that coworkers have more access for testing? |
| Quarterly | Purchase new devices based on last quarter’s visit traffic trends. |
| Quarterly | Are devices grouped well? Should there be space made for new devices, or should devices be decommissioned? |
| Quarterly | How are devices looking? Go through and screen wipe everything, fix iffy labels, realign cabling. |
| Quarterly | How much energy is the lab consuming? Have usage behaviors changed? Can you optimize for better energy efficiency? |
| Quarterly | How full are the bins for cables and other items for coworkers to “borrow”? Should they be replenished? |
| Quarterly | Survey your device lab’s users. How are they finding the experience? Is there anything that could be improved upon? |