The iDM EPSS was designed from the beginning to be an all-in-one service and training resource for a server product that KLA-Tencor recently developed.

What is an iDM?
The iDM is an Integrated Diagnostics & Monitoring service tool that is used in the semiconductor industry. An iDM sits in a fab and is connected to multiple pieces of capital equipment used to make semiconductor chips. The iDM continually monitors the operational status of these tools and can let service personnel know of problems as soon as they happen. Service personnel can even control a tool from anywhere in the world through the iDM

Performance Issues
The iDM EPSS was planned as the only source of information to address service performance and training. No stand-up instruction was ever planned to address this issue, so it had to address essentially all related performance issues for this product. Those issues include that the performers be able to:

• Install the client software and complex security offerings
• Operate the client software to view and set-up monitoring information and reports
• Execute all preventative and corrective maintenance on hardware components
• Troubleshoot most software and all hardware issues
• Locate parts and part numbers quickly
• Train themselves to execute any and all of these tasks

Overview
The iDM EPSS is performance information software that is installed on both the user's computer and iDM's computer, instantly available to any user of the iDM. Great pains were taken to make this a tool that would be a practical performance support tool that performers would actually use in the field. The EPSS also needed to be used for off-line training. Practical tools that end up actually being used on the job are rare in this industry so the task would be a challenge.

To the left is a picture of the EPSS Main Menu. From here the performer can choose from the resources and information listed.

Information Access
The types of information and resources on the main menu were designed to get the performer to the information that they needed fast and efficiently. When a customer pays quite a bit of money for their product, the last thing they want to see is that it is not working. This puts considerable pressure on service personnel and operators to keep it working, and that means that they need timely access to any and all information on the unit.

Documentation Support
All documentation that supports the operation and maintenance of the iDM is included. The user can click on the document here and a PDF version will be launched into an Acrobat reader.

Also included are links on other sections of the EPSS that will open any of this documentation directly to the page required for that specific tasks. For example, if the performer is viewing a certain part in the Part section, they will see a documentation link. If clicked, that link will open an ActiveX PDF viewer that will take them, say, half way down page 56, directly to the information related to that part.

Training Support
In addition to real-time, service support, the EPSS includes extensive off-line training. This includes how to operate the software with extensive simulations (shown below), how to do a "PM" (Preventative Maintenance), and how to troubleshoot and fix hardware problems (also shown below).

The performer can launch the CBT in stand-alone, off-line mode where it will let them practice tasks on their own time and then score their performance. This performance will then be mailed back to headquarters, where they will be given official credit for having completed the practice sessions.

Or the CBT will step the performer through a performance task in real-time as they are doing that task. This mode is accessed through other sections of the EPSS (like the Parts or How To... sections shown below), where special links are set up to activate the CBT in this performance mode.

Intelligent Agent
As soon as the performer clicks one of these performance links, they are taken to help on that subject. For software related tasks, an intelligent agent called Dr. Diag is comes up and steps them through the procedure. All steps are clearly explained by the doctor and if, by some chance, the Doctor can't help, links to other resources are given. Dr. Diag even speaks all of his parts out with voice-overs.

Practice make perfect
If the performer wants to practice or try these procedures off-line (in stand-alone mode), the Dr Diag will take them through a simulated interface and have them practice clicking buttons and typing in text boxes until they feel comfortable enough to try them in the real world. The emphasis here is making the practice as close to real- world as possible.

Hardware Help
Although not usually done in a software performance support product, we have used the EPSS to step the performer through procedures involving the repair and troubleshooting of hardware problems. Care is taken to try to simulate the real-world as close as possible for off-line practice.

Rich Media
Practice, photographs, and 3D animations are included where and when they help the most.

Other Support Provided
Other support provided here (seen at the bottom of the page) include a Help section on how to use the software, a Notes section that will allow them to save notes to their computer, and a Glossary.

Software Support
Operators actually operate the iDM from a remote computer using a Java application that runs on their browser. Since security is such an important part of the picture with the iDM, performers have to install quite an array of security software. The EPSS steps them through each step and marks that step done when completed. This status is "remembered" so that they can pick up where they left off if needed. Troubleshooting tips are given if any step does not go as planned.

As you may imagine with a complex, technical tool such as the iDM, getting best practice information is key to the success of the product. Great pains were taken to get input from the top minds in the iDM development camp. Plus, best practice information was gathered for all procedures from the field, tech support, and installers. Along similar lines, the storyboards were extensively redlined by the developers, yielding a full two inches thick worth of papers full of redlines. This best practice information was passed along to the performer as shown below:

Step-by-step guidance given to install security software.


DR Diag guides the performer on how to best perform a task and then lets them do it in off-line practice mode.

2. Establishes, or aids in establishing, goals.

Once again, a main goal of the EPSS was to get the performer the information that they needed quickly and efficiently. All this to aid them in completing their tasks quickly and successfully, typically being their goal. All of this is accomplished in the following ways:

Intuitive and simple navigation given right from the start, in the Main Menu, letting all levels of performers find the info and guidance that they need, fast.

Drill-down access to questions that the performer has, starting from high-level subjects that they know, and drilling down to more detailed subjects covered in the EPSS. Links to performance guidance and documentation get them to their goals as quickly as possible.

3. Minimizes terminology translation or interpretation.

One of my tongue-in-cheek goals is to always design for the "guy off the street". To that end, we take great pains to talk to the layman. Since our audience is service personnel and operators and not business executives, another goal is to talk informally in the EPSS. This takes the cold, computer edge off of the product and helps to hold interest longer. Here are some examples of taking a highly technical subject and making it accessible to all levels of performers:

Informal talk, with voice-overs, help with quick processing of the information.

Another example of informal talk, helps take the cold, hard, formal, sleep-inducing edge off of the information.

Straight forward guidance with an informal twist (this direction came after having been told how to shut off an irritating alarm).

4. Provides access to supporting and learning resources.

Providing access to support and learning resources is what this product is all about. The iDM EPSS provides access to:

• All iDM documentation
• Real time performance support
• Extensive off-line training support with real-world practice through simulations using an intelligent agent
• Visual parts information location, with links to performance support, off-line training, and documentation for each applicable part
• Drill-down "How To" support, guiding the performer directly to performance support, off-line training, and documentation based on "How To" questions that they may have
• Software installation and operation performance support

Visual examples:

Main menu lists different resources available to performers (see Solution Section for more info).

Intelligent agent guides performers through step-by-step simulations in off-line practice sessions.

Interactive messages help guide students perform in accordance with best practices. Also tips are given whenever possible (shown in blue text).

When appropriate, video taped demonstrations are available and played through the EPSS in MPEG format.

5.  Focuses on task(s), processes, and the natural flow of work.

Performing tasks and processes successfully is, once again, the reason for the EPSS. The location of performance guidance, off-line training, and documentation for tasks and processes is facilitated throughout drill-down processes in the How To... and Parts sections. When the user picks, say, a software process to obtain guidance on, and intelligent agent steps the performer through the step using best practices in the correct order to perform that task successfully. Tips and cautionary statements are provided when ever needed to help them deal with real world situations. In the real world, when a performer needs to do a task, the guidance of the intelligent agent will be (should be) enough to complete a task. Examples are shown above. Here is another:

Guidance given is designed so that it may be used in real-time situations, for off-line practice/simulation sessions.

Hints used for off-line practice sessions can be used in real-time situations when the spoken guidance is not enough.

6.  Stretches the PCD/EPSS paradigm.

Where the iDM EPSS stretches the paradigm is in its richness and comprehensive coverage of support for the performer. In the semiconductor industry, products like this are pretty much unheard of. Most of the performance enhancing information is passed down in "tribal knowledge" format. Performance support is done through a live "technical support" person who may or may not be accessible in a timely manner. Documentation is usually collected over the years and is scattered so much that practical use of it is near impossible. Parts information is usually difficult to find, and must, many times, be collected through contact with a live expert. Tips, tricks, and best practices information are very often not even collected. So, clearly, this product is cutting-edge in our industry, and I would bet in most industries that deal with complex multi-million dollar capital equipment.

Also, the performance support afforded by this product, combined with the world-wide communication capabilities of iDM, create a truly unique performance support combination. Using the EPSS and the iDM itself, service personnel can communicate in real-time with headquarters to collaborate to solve problems and complete tasks regarding the iDM (since the iDM is used for this with other pieces of equipment). Some of these tasks may include, real-time parts ordering, real-time configuration by someone in a remote location, and other real-time troubleshooting tasks.

New Product
Since this is a new product, and this type of performance support had been planned from the beginning, we do not have "prior state" information to compare with.

How it is typically done
As stated in the last section, performance support is typically done calls to "technical support" and just through tribal knowledge. Documentation is hard to find and access. Best practices information is often never collected. And Parts information is difficult to find. This is probably what the EPSS would have been compared to.

A typical user is a person that is already either an operator of semiconductor capital equipment or service personnel for the same. Operators are familiar with operating complex and technical machinery, so they should be "computer literate". Service personnel are familiar with maintaining complex and technical equipment, so don't usually have a problem picking up on technical concepts. Most service personnel are good with computers, but many do not have experience with networking computers (a part of setting up the iDM).

The issue with us is not changing the audience, but getting the audience up to speed faster than would have happened before. Since only standup classroom training and access to Technical Support would have been all that was offered before (see above), it is clear that real-time performance support would meet that goal (if done up to a certain standard).