Developing and implementing ict project plans

Developing & implementing ICT Project Plans

author: Eric Kluijfhout, eric.kluijfhout@gmail.com

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Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, 24-08/28-08, 2009

Developing & implementing ICT Project Plans

Dr Eric Kluijfhout

Workshop on ICT Policy Development, August 24-28, 2009,

Bahir Dar University&

VU University

Outline

• Context and purpose of ICT project planning• Components of an ICT project plan• Project types and their management• Staffing your project• Example

ICT implementation and ICT exploitation

Inst. ICT Policy Plan

ICT Master Plan

Project plan Project plan Project plan

exploitation

implementation

90% of stafftime

9 % of stafftime

1 % of stafftime

Takes: Responsible for:

90 % of final ICT succes

10 % of finalICT succes

Purpose of an ICT Project Plan• An ICT Project Plan describes the implementation process for an ICT

function (system or infrastructure component) in such a way that it assists in planning (before), guiding and monitoring (during) and evaluating (at the end) activities, required resources and expected outcomes.

• At the closure of the project the user-organization should be fully prepared to start exploitation.

• ICT project characteristics:– has a starting and end date– duration 3- 6 months, otherwise create sub-projects– has its own budget– has its own staff

• If you as a project leader feel any of these four conditions is not met, either redesign your project or do something else!

Common mistakes and pitfalls

• Mistaking a Policy Plan (what and why) for a Project Plan (how, when, by whom, with what)

• Implementing without a specific and approved Project Plan

• Hard- and software installation = implementation• Putting ICT in the lead of system implementation• Implementation without planning data conversion and

addressing organizational change requirements• Not planning for exploitation• ..................................

Project Plan components

• Aims & outcomes: what• Resources & structure: with what and by whom• Activities & time plan: how and when• Optional:– Risk analysis & contingency plans– Evaluation plan

But first ......

Project types

I II

IVIII

Simple Complex

Certain/stable

Uncertain/instable

TASK

CONTEXT

Type I: simple - stable

• Relatively simple planning

• Possible to copy plan from elsewhere

• Internal progress monitoring

Type II: complex - stable

• Detailed analysis & planning required

• Expert validation of plan• Close milestone and

quality monitoring during execution – preferably by external body

Type III: simple - unstable

• Easy to plan task• Emphasis on risk

analysis & reduction strategies

• Separately plan for interaction with the environment

• Close monitoring of the environment during execution

Type IV: complex - unstable

• Define ambitions and global time line

• SWOT analysis• Divide project in sub-

projects• Plan various project

cycles: plan – implement – learn – (re)plan

Project aims & outcomes

• Aims to be copied or derived from the Policy Plan

• Define project outcomes that are directly – and veryfiably – derived from the aims

• Define milestones (critical intermediate products or decisions that need formal approval/acceptance)

• Define responsibilities for each milestone and outcome (delivery and acceptance)

Project resources & structure

• Resource types:– Staff (roles, quantity, quality)– Funds– Facilities– External services

• Project structure options (next pages):– Independent structure– Delegation structure– Matrix structure

Independent structure

User organization ICT organizationProject

Delegation structure – Iexternal manager

User organization ICT organizationProject

Delegation structure – IIuser - managed

User organization ICT organizationProject

Delegation structure – IIIICT - managed

User organization ICT organizationProject

Matrix structure – IICT - managed

User organization ICT organization

Matrix structure – IIUser - managed

User organization ICT organization

Matrix structure – IIIexternal manager

User organization ICT organizationProject

Project activities & time plan

• Define activities directly related to the delivery of milestones and/or outcomes

• Link activities to roles• Identify dependencies between activities• In case of dependency, check whether a

milestone delivery is required• Combine all into a time plan

This is an iterative planning process!

Sample ICT Project Plan

• Implementing the Virtual Learning Environment ‘Moodle’ at the UNESCO/IHE Institute for Water Education

• As part of the institution’s vision to strategically employ ICT to remain the number-1 international centre of excellence in the field of Water Education

• Starting from a context of little experience with techhnology enhanced learning

Thank you

eric.kluijfhout@gmail.com