1. Presenter: Igna Visser Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2015
Session 78: Project Management: System Upgrades vs New System Implementation
Presenter: Igna Visser
Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2015

2. Management of a project
Buy-in of all role players
Client
Service Provider (Adapt IT)
Other service providers (e.g. printing, hardware, networks
Buy in of management
Commitment of resources
Provide authority and support to project manager
Successful management of project
Appointment of project manager on part-time basis sets project up for possible failure

3. Project Manager’s Role
There can be only one Principle project manager!
Manage the team of project managers responsible to deliver all aspects of the project.
Good understanding of processes to be carried out and ability to adapt to procedures of contracting parties
Initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and closing out of project
Communicate clear objectives, build project requirements and manage project constraints within cost, time and quality
Recognise risks that may impact the project and make decisions to minimize the risks

4. Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation – Initiation of Project
Discuss requirements to deliver on the objectives of the project and to meet the agreed scope.
Liaise with project managers of service providers to obtain clear understanding of project processes
Agree on the different role players who will participate in the project and their responsibilities
Steering committee
Project team
Work stream Leaders (Finance Administration, Student Administration, HR/Payroll Administration, Facilities Administration, Technical work stream)

5. Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation – Initiation of Project
Confirm status of all contracts related to the project
Licensing agreement
Maintenance contracts
DBA contracts
Local software contracts
Contracts with third parties other than Adapt IT
Computer literacy of staff members
Confirm minimum requirement
Computer literacy and access to computers = End users
Confirm the computer literacy and access to computers of the end users and include plans to address problem areas

6. Confirm Implementation requirements
Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation – Initiation of Project
Confirm Implementation requirements
Network Access
Hardware and Work Station Requirements (staff and training venues)
Oracle Licensing Requirements
Staff involvement and impact on their normal duties
Overtime
Confirm basis on which overtime will be approved
Confirm arrangements regarding payment for overtime work
Travel and Accommodation Requirements
Staff – mode of travel, re-imbursement for travel and accommodation etc.
Service Providers

7. Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation - Planning
Careful planning is essential to successful delivery of a project
Confirm the scope with all service providers and agree on deliverables
Confirm quality expectations and how quality will be measured with service providers
Do a risk assessment
Discuss the communications requirement for the project
Prepare a work breakdown schedule for all the project processes

8. Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation - Planning
Minimum literacy requirements
Evaluate staff’s minimum level of literacy
Create a training plan for staff who does not meet the expectations to be up skilled.
Do assessments of staff after training and confirm conformance to minimum
Access to computers – end users and staff
Identify staff who do not have access to computers (e.g. staff who need to use iEnablers to apply for leave)
Plan provision for end-users to have access to computers.

9. Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation - Planning
The project manager is responsible for all project documentation
Project charter. Agreement on management of project, project scope, deliverables and milestones.
Quality Plan. Quality requirements and measures
Communications Plan. Types of communication, stakeholders, responsible persons and frequency of communication
Risk Management Plan. Risk analysis and escalation processes
Cost Management. Project budget and reporting on expenses
Project Plan. Allocate resources and dates to work breakdown structure

10. Project Managers Role during New Systems Implementation - Planning
Confirm Implementation requirements
Network Access
Hardware and Oracle Licensing Requirements
Work Station Requirements (staff and training venues)
DBA Training required
Training venues
Campus where training will be done
Venues with data projectors, works stations and network access
User Involvement
Expected involvement in collecting data, verification of data, attending workshops, attending training and participation in business acceptance testing.
Travel and Accommodation Requirements (Staff)
Arrangement regarding travel and accommodation
Public Affairs/Marketing and Communication requirements
Advertising, newsletters, web-site links, launches
Auditors Requirements
Go-live approach (per system or all systems simultaneously)

11. Project Managers Role: Execute and Monitor Implementation phases
Technical Phase
Confirm delivery dates and custom clearance for new servers, , arrange for resources to prepare the new servers
Check on progress and confirm when servers have been prepared.
Confirm with Adapt IT project manager the installation of the ITS software on the test environment and preparation of production environment
Obtain sign-off of the technical installation milestones and monitor invoicing against agreed billing milestones.
Communicate progress to all identified stakeholders
Confirm work station adherence to minimum requirements
Confirm level or training required by DBA’s

12. Project Managers Role: Execute and Monitor Implementation phases
VOR Phase (Processes, Customization and Migration)
Arrange the venues for the workshops, invite the staff who must attend the workshops and keep track of invitations versus attendance.
Document decisions taken at workshop, confirm due dates for activities agreed to and confirm responsible resources. Verify that agreed due dates fall within project timeline.
Follow up on progress, ensure delivery on agreed due dates.
Manage any risks and address all issues raised
Arrange meetings with the various work streams to monitor progress and identify issues and risks.
Arrange for project team meetings to address issues and report on progress
Prepare project status reports for the steering committee and escalate issues that could not be dealt with
On completion of all deliverables, obtain sign-off of the milestone, update the project plan and monitor invoicing against agreed billing milestones and communicate progress as per communications plan.

13. Project Managers Role: Execute and Monitor Implementation phases
System Implementation
Implementation of code structures.
Confirm responsibility for capturing the collected data.
Follow up on progress, identify any issues and risks and ensure delivery according to agreed due dates
Quality Audit
Schedule staff to do the verification of the data captured against the data submitted on the templates.
Obtain sign-off of the implementation of code structures.
Data Migration
Identify in conjunction with work stream leaders and Adapt IT staff what information is available for migration
Agree to due dates to provide the data to Adapt IT and the formats in which the data must be submitted
Check that data is submitted in the agreed format
Monitor progress against due dates
Arrange for verification of migrated data
Customisation of software – identify, confirm, test and implement
Obtain sign-off of the system implementation milestones.

14. Project Managers Role: Execute and Monitor Implementation phases
Training
Invite identified staff to the training sessions
Obtain feedback on issues identified during training and address the issues
Keep record of staff who did not attend training and agree on how this issue will be addressed.
Business Acceptance Testing (BAT)
Schedule staff to prepare BAT plans and submit plans and arrange resources, venues and times for the testing
Follow up on problems reported and obtain sign-off of the testing milestonee

15. Project Managers Role: Execute and Monitor Implementation phases
Go-live of each system
Decide on a go-live schedule
Get sign-off that all implementation and training requirements have been finalized
Obtain approval from the work stream leaders and the steering committee to go-live.
Communicate the go-life date to the identified stakeholders
Follow up on any issues experienced after go-live
Obtain reports from work stream leaders on their experience of using the system
Identify functionality that is not used and prepare a schedule for when this functionality will be used
Manage expectations of staff and managements

16. Project Managers Role: Execute and Monitor Implementation phases
The following activities must be managed throughout the cycle of the project
Quality evaluation and control
Communications
Work stream meetings to discuss operational requirements, deliverables and progress
Project team meetings to report progress
Steering committee meetings to report on project status, the process followed to meet the business requirement of the project and progress and adherence to the quality, time and cost of the project.

17. Project Managers Role: Project Close-out
Confirm that all project activities have been completed, quality requirements were met and issues have been resolved.
Obtain approval from the work stream leaders and project team to recommend project closure to the steering committee. Prepare a project close-our report.
Obtain approval from the steering committee to close the project
Release all project resources
Prepare a post-implementation document to ensure that there is continuity iro training after project and proper support systems in place for the maintenance of the systems.

18. Project Managers Role: Lessons learned
Identify key users for each system to maintain the systems and to assist staff who has queries
Training assessment. Staff should be assessed after training to evaluate their ability to use the system
Implementation plans should be set-up per system to ensure that staff make use of all functionality offered by the system
Training of new staff. Their should be an ongoing training plan to train new staff and up skill existing staff.
Re-evaluate the use of the systems and the skills of the staff after working on the new system for a year.
Ensure staff understands the difference between a workshop and training in order to manage expectations.

19. Project Manager’s Role - Upgrade
Basic responsibilities of the project manager remains the same but the project cycle is much shorter and there are fewer activities to plan, execute and monitor.
An upgrade project typically has a pre-planned work breakdown structure

20. Project Managers Role – Upgrade
Initiation
Confirm scope of the project, management of the project and work breakdown schedule from Adapt IT
Arrange a kick-of meeting with the staff to discuss possible dates for the upgrade activities within the Institution’s calendar
Confirm project sponsor, steering committee and project team and their roles and responsibilities
Do a risk assessment
Identify quality requirements

21. Project Managers Role – Upgrade
Planning
Identify project requirements such as new hardware, Oracle licensing and work stations
Compile a project charter, communications plan, risk management plan and quality plan
Agree on work breakdown schedule with the Adapt IT project manager
Allocate dates and resources to the work breakdown structure based on availability of both Institution staff members and Adapt IT staff and create a project plan
Get approval for the project plan from the project team and steering committee

22. Project Managers Role – Upgrade
Execution and Monitoring
Confirm delivery and preparation dates of new hardware if applicable
Arrange venues for workshops and training as per the agreed project plan and invite relevant staff
Document decisions taken at workshops, allocate resources for identified activities and liaise with Adapt IT project manager regarding deliverables.
Finalise list of local software that must be converted after liaising with the relevant staff at the Institution. Monitor project of conversions

23. Project Managers Role – Upgrade
Business Acceptance testing
Agree on the development of test plans, monitor the progress and keep record of plans submitted
Arrange resources responsible to do the testing and keep copies of the test results for auditing purposes
Obtain sign-off of the testing and permission to recommend to steering committee for the cutover to the new release
Auditor Requirements. Confirm auditor requirements, discuss this with the Adapt IT project manager and plan to meet these requirements during the production upgrade

24. Project Managers Role – Upgrade
Production install
Communicate the dates for down-time to all identified stakeholders
Obtain approval from steering committee to continue with the upgrade
Agree on the time that the current system will be shut down and handed over to Adapt IT for the upgrade.
Ensure that auditor requirements are met
Arrange for on-site assistance during the go-live period
Arrange that all post-upgrade activities as identified in conjunction with Adapt IT project manager is completed before allow users to start working on the upgraded environment.

25. Project Managers Role – Upgrade
Project Close-out
Confirm that all deliverables have been met and conforms to quality requirements as stated in the quality plan.
Confirm that all milestones have been signed off
Prepare a project close out report indicating to what extent the project met the quality, costs and time constraints.
Conduct a lessons learned exercise to identify processes that worked well and processes that should be improved
Release resources.

26. In Conclusion
Project management is a team effort. The project manager is the leader of the team but the success of the project relies on all team members taking responsibility and accountability for those aspects of the project they have been charged with. A project is can only be successful if the importance of the project manager to manage a project through its life cycle is recognized and the project manager is supported by both management and team members.

27. Thank you.