10 Things to Know About 10 Things to Know About Managing a GIS ProjectManaging a GIS Project

Gerry Clancy, ESRI DCGerry Clancy, ESRI DCGlenn Berger, ESRI AtlantaGlenn Berger, ESRI Atlanta

So what are they?So what are they?To Plan and Manage a GIS Project You MustTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project You MustTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project, You MustTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project, You Must

1.1. Start with a clearly defined vision and success criteriaStart with a clearly defined vision and success criteria22 Requirements requirements requirementsRequirements requirements requirements2.2. Requirements, requirements, requirementsRequirements, requirements, requirements3.3. Manage change Manage change 4.4. Identify and monitor risksIdentify and monitor risks4.4. Identify and monitor risksIdentify and monitor risks5.5. Use a phased approach Use a phased approach 6.6. Involve the users and key stakeholders early and oftenInvolve the users and key stakeholders early and often7.7. Promote communication among teamsPromote communication among teams8.8. Don’t get enamored with technologyDon’t get enamored with technology9.9. Get the IT team involved early…and keep them involved…Get the IT team involved early…and keep them involved…10.10. Keep it simpleKeep it simple

Start with a Clearly Defined Vision and Success Criteria Start with a Clearly Defined Vision and Success Criteria Know what you are buildingKnow what you are buildingKnow what you are building Know what you are building

•• What exactly are you trying to build?What exactly are you trying to build?•• Who is the customer?Who is the customer?•• Who is the champion?Who is the champion?•• Who is the champion?Who is the champion?•• What is important to your customer?What is important to your customer?

–– How do they define success?How do they define success?•• What are the real priorities?What are the real priorities?•• Are you creating a new process? Replacing one?Are you creating a new process? Replacing one?

St f dSt f d•• Stay focusedStay focused

Requirements, requirements, requirements Requirements, requirements, requirements Probably THE most important part of a projectProbably THE most important part of a projectProbably THE most important part of a projectProbably THE most important part of a project

•• Conduct interviews and workshopsConduct interviews and workshops•• Model the existing “as is” workflows Model the existing “as is” workflows

–– What is the processWhat is the process

–– What is workingWhat is working

–– What is not workingWhat is not working

–– What data is transmittedWhat data is transmittedWhat data is transmittedWhat data is transmitted

•• Model the future “to be” workflowsModel the future “to be” workflows–– How can the business process be streamlinedHow can the business process be streamlined

–– Validate data as early in the workflow as possibleValidate data as early in the workflow as possible

–– Interactions with other systemsInteractions with other systems

•• Do not be judgmentalDo not be judgmental–– Need to prioritizeNeed to prioritize

B k thi i t bl itB k thi i t bl it–– Break things into manageable unitsBreak things into manageable units

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Requirements, requirements, requirements Requirements, requirements, requirements Probably THE most important part of a projectProbably THE most important part of a projectProbably THE most important part of a project Probably THE most important part of a project

•• Requirements shouldRequirements shouldqq–– Describe WHAT not HOWDescribe WHAT not HOW–– Only contain one requirementOnly contain one requirement

B bi bl d hi blB bi bl d hi bl–– Be unambiguous, measurable, and achievableBe unambiguous, measurable, and achievable–– Be “testable”Be “testable”–– Map back to the scope of workMap back to the scope of work

•• Requirements form the basis forRequirements form the basis for–– Software design and application development activitiesSoftware design and application development activities

T ti d t ti itiT ti d t ti iti–– Testing and acceptance activities Testing and acceptance activities

•• Requirements must model workflowRequirements must model workflowDocument the toDocument the to be business processes and business rulesbe business processes and business rules–– Document the toDocument the to--be business processes and business rulesbe business processes and business rules

–– Document the user interaction with the (new) systemDocument the user interaction with the (new) system–– Help Help traceability throughout the different phases of requirements, traceability throughout the different phases of requirements,

d i d l t d d l td i d l t d d l tdesign, development, and deploymentdesign, development, and deployment

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Manage Change Manage Change It will happen get over itIt will happen get over itIt will happen….get over itIt will happen….get over it

•• Changes happen in every projectChanges happen in every project–– ScheduleSchedule–– RequirementsRequirementsqq–– PrioritiesPriorities–– BudgetBudget

RR–– ResourcesResources•• Be clear about the consequencesBe clear about the consequences•• Earlier they are identified the betterEarlier they are identified the betteryy•• Key elements of change communicationKey elements of change communication

–– SimpleSimple–– DirectDirect–– ConstantConstant–– ConsistentConsistent

Identify and monitor risks Identify and monitor risks Assess what is critical and focus on itAssess what is critical and focus on itAssess what is critical and focus on itAssess what is critical and focus on it

•• InternalInternal–– StaffStaff–– BudgetBudgetgg–– ScheduleSchedule–– User expectationsUser expectations

E t lE t l•• ExternalExternal–– Hardware failuresHardware failures–– Software release schedulesSoftware release schedules–– Contractors and subcontractorsContractors and subcontractors–– Integration issuesIntegration issues

Natural disastersNatural disasters–– Natural disastersNatural disasters•• Risks need to be reviewed and reevaluated on a regular basis Risks need to be reviewed and reevaluated on a regular basis

throughout the project life cyclethroughout the project life cycle

Use a Phased Implementation Approach Use a Phased Implementation Approach Take small stepsTake small stepsTake small steps….Take small steps….

•• Break overall project into manageable phases/spiralsBreak overall project into manageable phases/spirals•• Use 4,8,12 week incrementsUse 4,8,12 week increments

–– Clearly define requirements and workflows that will be in eachClearly define requirements and workflows that will be in eachClearly define requirements and workflows that will be in eachClearly define requirements and workflows that will be in each–– Try and complete a workflow in each spiralTry and complete a workflow in each spiral

•• Communicate overall planCommunicate overall plan–– MS ProjectMS Project

Identify and Involve Your StakeholdersIdentify and Involve Your StakeholdersEarly and OftenEarly and OftenEarly and OftenEarly and Often

•• Who is providing projectWho is providing project•• Who is providing project Who is providing project funding?funding?

Wh ill b i t d b thiWh ill b i t d b thi•• Who will be impacted by this Who will be impacted by this project?project?

•• Who will provide resources? Who will provide resources?

•• Who will determine success?Who will determine success?Who will determine success? Who will determine success?

•• Who can make decisions?Who can make decisions?

•• Who does not support the Who does not support the project?project?project?project?

Promote CommunicationPromote CommunicationUpward, Downward and Across TeamsUpward, Downward and Across TeamsUpward, Downward and Across TeamsUpward, Downward and Across Teams

•• Create a communication planCreate a communication plan•• Create a communication planCreate a communication plan–– ArtifactsArtifacts–– TimelyTimelyTimelyTimely–– PurposefulPurposeful–– ConciseConcise

•• Who needs information?Who needs information?

Wh t i f ti i i d?Wh t i f ti i i d?•• What information is required?What information is required?

•• Don’t forget informal Don’t forget informal communication!communication!

Do Not Get Enamored with TechnologyDo Not Get Enamored with TechnologyFocus on Key Business FunctionsFocus on Key Business FunctionsFocus on Key Business FunctionsFocus on Key Business Functions

•• Remember what you are trying to deliverRemember what you are trying to deliver

–– Be careful of the “shiny object”Be careful of the “shiny object”

Does it address the mission need?Does it address the mission need?–– Does it address the mission need?Does it address the mission need?

–– Will this technology meet the goals of the business case?Will this technology meet the goals of the business case?

–– Don’t build/deliver a sports car if you need a truck Don’t build/deliver a sports car if you need a truck

Engage IT DepartmentEngage IT DepartmentAndAnd Keep Them InvolvedKeep Them InvolvedAndAnd Keep Them InvolvedKeep Them Involved

•• Key stakeholderKey stakeholder

•• Understand policy and standardsUnderstand policy and standardsp yp y

•• Identify hardware and network impactsIdentify hardware and network impacts

•• Consider security model and impactsConsider security model and impacts

•• Identify who will support systemIdentify who will support systemIdentify who will support systemIdentify who will support system

•• Plan to educate and train IT staffPlan to educate and train IT staff

Keep It SimpleKeep It SimpleAvoid complexity and eliminate confusionAvoid complexity and eliminate confusionAvoid complexity and eliminate confusionAvoid complexity and eliminate confusion

•• Identify the “right” project rhythms and processesIdentify the “right” project rhythms and processes

D i d b ild f h 90% h 10%D i d b ild f h 90% h 10%•• Design and build for the 90% use case not the 10%Design and build for the 90% use case not the 10%

•• Do you need to customize or configure?Do you need to customize or configure?y gy g

•• Don’t reinvent the wheel Don’t reinvent the wheel –– leverage when you canleverage when you can

To RecapTo RecapTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project You MustTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project You MustTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project, You MustTo Plan and Manage a GIS Project, You Must

1.1. Start with a clearly defined vision and success criteriaStart with a clearly defined vision and success criteria22 Requirements requirements requirementsRequirements requirements requirements2.2. Requirements, requirements, requirementsRequirements, requirements, requirements3.3. Manage change Manage change 4.4. Identify and monitor risksIdentify and monitor risks4.4. Identify and monitor risksIdentify and monitor risks5.5. Use a phased approach Use a phased approach 6.6. Involve the users and key stakeholders early and oftenInvolve the users and key stakeholders early and often7.7. Promote communication among teamsPromote communication among teams8.8. Don’t get enamored with technologyDon’t get enamored with technology9.9. Get the IT team involved early…and keep them involved…Get the IT team involved early…and keep them involved…10.10. Keep it simpleKeep it simple

DiscussionDiscussion

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources

•• ESRI project methodologyESRI project methodology–– http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=projectCenter.gateway http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=projectCenter.gateway

•• ESRI architecture overviews ESRI architecture overviews –– http://resources.esri.com/enterprisegis/http://resources.esri.com/enterprisegis/

•• Business case resourcesBusiness case resources–– Measuring UpMeasuring Up——Outlines a number of case studies and general methodology for Outlines a number of case studies and general methodology for easu g Upeasu g Up Out es a u be o case stud es a d ge e a et odo ogy oOut es a u be o case stud es a d ge e a et odo ogy o

doing costdoing cost--benefit analysis benefit analysis

•• BooksBooks–– Object oriented Object oriented design design –– Grady Grady BoochBooch–– Object oriented design Object oriented design -- Peter Peter CoadCoad

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