IT Project Management for Nonprofits - Net Tuesday March 5 2013
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Transcript of IT Project Management for Nonprofits - Net Tuesday March 5 2013
A CASE STUDY
IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR NONPROFITS
Overview of pm-volunteers.org™ Case study: bc211 Information
Management System Implementation Project
Q&A Wrap up
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AGENDA
Mobilize the project management community to generate skilled volunteer PM services for NFP
organizations
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MISSION
Connecting volunteer project managers with not-for-profits
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HOW?
HISTORY November 2009: PM-V founded
February 2010: 1 volunteer & 1 not-for-profit
Today: Engaged with 83 NFP organizations 73 projects completed/in progress 5100+ hours of skilled volunteer
community service
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NOT FOR PROFIT CLIENTS
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PROJECT EXAMPLES
Information Technology
Facilities Renovation & Construction
Training & Development
Human Resources
Event Management
Social Services/Research
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WHY NFPs ENGAGE SKILLED VOLUNTEER PMS
Complement employee skill set
Define, initiate & plan major projects
Deliver key projects on time & on budget
Manage risk
Build internal PM capacity
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WHY PMs VOLUNTEER Meaningful engagement
Being involved in sustainable projects w/ legacy benefits to the community
Career Development – exploring other sectors
Networking
Earn professional development units (PDUs)
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Shawn Hawkins VOLUNTEER PM
PROJECT CASE STUDY
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bc211 Information Management System
Implementation Project
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Group 1 : work on internal project teams developing software.
Group 2 : work in IT companies in client-facing roles (actual contact such as customer rep or account rep).
Group 3 : work in client companies on the receiving end of IT programs or services.
Group 4 : work in project management roles and are on top of everything.
Project Summary (Hand out)
Put yourself in my boots:
-unfamiliar with the bc211 organization
-unfamiliar with the IMS software
-new face
Project Summary Sheet useful to:
- describe the project to recruit a PM
- concise communication base
- provide a reference point when project scope questions arise
Scope of Work
- Create a Strategic Plan ….stakeholder plan, scheduling, training, resource and budget requirements…
- Coaching and templates…..implementation
Deliverables
-Written assessment current strategic plan
-Project Plan including schedule, resource plan, risk analysis and implementation…
Time Commitment
- Estimated 50-70 hours over 4 months
Discussion # 1. Project Summary Sheet
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- Initial reading pretty straightforward
- List of Q’s for first project discussion with XD
Q. What questions would you ask the Executive Director in your first project-focused discussion?
What actually happened….
XD took strategic plan off the table
Based on readiness questions, distinct impression 4 month timeframe was just not realistic
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Q. Now what would you do?
What actually happened…. Review all information and re-meet 1
week
Outline best guess realistic timeline, approach and deliverables
Let go of strategic plan review task – focus on delivering the IMS project
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Discussion # 2. Assessment Stage
Organization and Environmental Factors
bc211 unionized, 30-40, divided into functional areas:
Information & Referral (I&R) - largest staff & operate a specialized 24/7 call centre
Reporting & Publication (R&P) maintain data and develop reports
Mgr. of Operations (Finance and HR); Mgr. of Resources/IT; Mgr. of Information; referral specialists
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Discussion # 2. Assessment Stage
Mgr. of R&P most involved in development of the project
On first day learned he would be leaving in 10 days
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Q. How would you handle that situation? What would you do or not do? (5 min)
What actually happened….
bc211 culture quite positive & individual quite conscientious
Met, shared background and history of the project including legacy systems
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• Senior staff unfamiliar with formal project management
• Familiar working with & around each other
• Had to define my role as PM – whole scale of possibilities with no right or wrong
• Spectrum:
- central, insider, advisor
Discussion # 3 Project Management Role
Q. What would you do? (5 min)
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• Stayed towards the advisor/guide end of the spectrum
• Brought in MS Project 2010
• High level Project Plan with dates and tasks, accountabilities and links
• Weekly in person team meetings & weekly conference calls
• Prepared initial:
- Risk Register
- Change Management Plan (including communications and consultation)
•Met one-on-one with all leads away from dynamics of group meeting
• Prepared initial:
- Critical Success Factors (internal and external)
- T-minus timetable
- Parking Lot for out-of-scope ideas
• Project Completion Report (for future bc211 leaders)
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Discussion #4 Go Live
After months of planning, decision crunch within 24 hrs.
Some factors momentum oriented (programs not perfect but good enough to move forward)
Some risk-avoidance
Key member of team just leaving for another job
XD just returned from business trip to east coast.
Discussion # 4 Go Live
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Q. How would you help the team reach a go/no go decision? What would be on your checklist of essentials that need to be in place on launch day?
Discussion # 4 Go Live
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What actually happened….
No burning platform or hard driver to launch
XD very committed to doing it right
Deciding element became training – new cohort of staff members & staff schedules
Preparation work paid off
Launch unusually smooth
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1. The value of great Sponsorship should never be under-estimated
2. Flexible project management wins over doctrinaire approaches hands down
3. Simple does not equal easy
4. Communications needs to be multi-dimensional
Best Practices / Lessons
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Myrna Holman, executive Director, BC211
“When BC211 was about to take on the implementation of a new Information Management System, we knew for this initiative to be successful, we needed some professional project management skills. When I learned about pm-
volunteers.org I was a bit skeptical.
It’s really quite something to get such a commitment from a volunteer like Shawn who has years of experience and
expertise to share with us.”
LET’S CONNECT! e. [email protected]
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Website: PM-Volunteers.org
Twitter: @pmvolunteersorg
LinkedIn: PM-Volunteers.org
Facebook: PM-Volunteers.org