Exception Process for Earlier Replacements of Notebooks

Introduction

This document provides a guideline for employees who work on client projects and need to request an earlier replacement of their notebooks. The general rule is that the lifecycle of notebooks is 4 years, meaning that employees are expected to use their assigned notebooks for 4 years before they are eligible for a new one. However, there might be a valid reason that require an earlier replacement due to negative impacts on the quality or efficiency of the client projects. This document outlines the probable reason, the procedure, and the criteria for earlier replacements of notebooks.

Possible Reasons for Earlier Replacement

The following is the only reason that might justify an earlier replacement of a notebook:

The notebook has performance issues that affect the speed, reliability, or functionality of the project work. For example, the notebook is too slow to run the required software or has insufficient memory.

Procedure for Requesting Earlier Replacement

If an employee believes that they have a valid reason for requesting an earlier replacement of their notebook, they should follow these steps:

Fill out the respective Notebook Order Service Request and provide a detailed explanation of the reason, the impact on the client project, and the expected benefit of the replacement.
Attach any supporting documents or evidence that can verify the reason and the impact, such as screenshots, error messages, performance reports, or client feedback.
Submit the form and the attachments to the IT department for review and approval.
The IT department will consult with the practice head or the Engagement/Project Lead to ensure that the budget, business need, and value of the earlier replacement are met.
Wait for the decision and follow the instructions for returning the old notebook and receiving the new one.

Criteria for Approval

The IT department and the Engagement/Project Lead will review the request and the evidence and decide whether to approve or reject the earlier replacement of the notebook. The decision will be based on the following criteria:

The reason is valid and directly related to the client project.
The impact is significant and measurable and cannot be resolved by other means.
The benefit is clear and outweighs the cost of the replacement.
The replacement is feasible and available within the budget and timeframe of the project.

The employee will be notified of the decision. If the request is approved, the employee will receive instructions on how to return the old notebook and obtain the replacement device. Depending on the age of the current device, the notebook will (subject to availability) be replaced either by a used device in (very) good condition of the same age or by a (nearly) new device. The old notebook cannot be purchased by the employee and must be returned to the IT department.