The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

Application support ASUP

Delivering management, technical and administrative services to support and maintain live applications.

Guidance notes

Activities may include — but are not limited to:

  • investigating and resolving issues
  • implementing working practices to support iterative/agile development and/or cloud-based applications
  • monitoring performance of applications
  • providing guidance or training to users — including enhanced levels of support following new/updated software releases
  • devising permanent or temporary corrections and workarounds for faults
  • adhering to established safety, security and quality standards
  • capturing user feedback for subsequent analysis to inform future application development
  • implementing general or site-specific modifications
  • updating documentation
  • maintaining application data
  • defining enhancements.

Support typically involves close collaboration with application developers and other specialist areas. Application maintenance and support services may be delivered directly to users of the systems or to service delivery functions.

Levels

Defined at these levels: 2 3 4 5

Application support: Level 1

This skill is not typically observed when working at this level of responsibility.

Application support: Level 2

Assists with specified maintenance procedures.

Assists in the investigation and resolution of issues relating to applications.

Application support: Level 3

Follows agreed procedures to identify and resolve issues with applications.

Uses application management software and tools to collect agreed performance statistics.

Carries out agreed applications maintenance tasks.

Application support: Level 4

Maintains application support processes, and checks that all requests for support are dealt with according to agreed procedures.

Uses application management software and tools to investigate issues, collect performance statistics and create reports.

Application support: Level 5

Ensures that all requests for support are dealt with according to set standards and procedures.

Drafts and maintains procedures and documentation for applications support.

Manages application enhancements to improve business performance.

Advises on application security, licensing, upgrades, backups, and disaster recovery needs.

Application support: Levels 6-7

This skill is not typically observed when working at these levels of responsibility.