creating ministry ownership of the software development process jeffrey wood information systems...
TRANSCRIPT
Creating Ministry Ownership of the Software Development Process
Jeffrey Wood
Information Systems Director
Compassion International
ICCM June 1997
Goals for this session
Background Practical Ideas Comments, Q&A
Background
Long projects that didn’t meet the organization’s needs when completed
Projects done from a technology perspective Preference for in-house developed applications
and system programs Long project request lists that needed to be
prioritized and then re-prioritized Use of non-mainstream technology
Background - 2
Lack of confidence in IS Turning Point: Compassion’s executives
could live without any new software if we could solve two major problems:– Speed of software development– Flexibility of computer systems
Primary issue presumed to be leadership
Background - 3
IS Assessment– Staff– Technology
Buy vs. Build vs. Convert Study Software Selection Task Force
– Ministry lead task force– Result: Task force recommends the need to build!
Additional Funding Received
Practical Ideas
Principles for improved ownership Planning for the ministry’s long-term needs Participation with the ministry Purge techno-babble Promote the project
Principles
Customer Focus - New MissionServing Christ with leadership and expertise in information technology, providing creative business solutions that enable the staff of Compassion to meet the needs of children around the world and to serve people that care about those children.
“Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry”
Ministry vs. Technology Focus Information Technology is not a department!
Principles - 2
Start small and learn lessons in new technology with low risk projects
Build with the long term picture in mind Leverage your knowledge of your ministry
with technology that changes everyday Build it with the ministry not for the ministry Value Stream Focus (Business Process)
Principles - 3
Make sure you don’t repeat past mistakes– Old methods with new tools– Design for the platform you are using– Design with flexibility at the core
Predict the future of the ministry– Changing organizational model
Use release based approach Develop a comprehensive plan
Planning
We believe in Business Plans, Marketing Plans and Financial Plans. How can we say we don’t need an Information Plan?
“Master Plan”– Towns don’t require a plan but if you want it to
grow efficiently you better have a plan» Teddington, UK
» Boston
» Colorado Springs
Developing an Information Plan
Admit the need for one– “Master Plan” concept
Seek help– Hire consultants for skills you don’t need all
the time Determine roles
– Like building a house– Owner, architect, builder
Developing an Information Plan - 2
Educate people for their roles– Ministry staff need to understand the whole
plan Force people to play their role
– Don’t assume anyone else’s responsibilities Be willing to quit if the ownership doesn’t
materialize– How is it going to work if the owner walks?
Data Model
Constituent
Commitment
Need
Developing an Information Plan - 3
Allow the ministry to own the plan Don’t resolve all the details Note unresolved issues that don’t matter at a
“master plan” level and move on– We don’t need the street names for our “master plan”!
Have Information Systems “abstain” from voting on ministry issues so the ministry can really own the plan.
Participation Ministry Executives
– Need to understand the impact of technology on ministry effectiveness
– Must empower and equip ministry staff to employ relevant technology
Managers/Supervisors– Need to understand balance between short-term and long-
term needs Users
– Need to participate in the development process
Participant Roles
Builder Owner
Architect
InformationSystemsDivision
Compassion International(US & foreign operations) andPartner Countries
All of Compassion with Information Systems Division as Facilitator
Participation Roles
ExecsExecs
ProjectProjectBoardBoard
ProjectProjectLeaderLeader
BusinessBusinessResourcesResources
TechnicalTechnicalResourcesResources
DevelopmentDevelopmentTeamTeam
Requirements for Each Role Execs
– Determine overall funding of IS
– Determine priorities of large projects
– Select the “killer” value streams in the organization that require custom solutions
– Grant authority to Project Board
Project Board– Determine project
requirements given the funding provided
– Hold project leader accountable
– Designate the business resources for the project
– Give final approval
Requirements for Each Role - 2
Project Leader– Coordinate various
resources committed to the project for successful completion
– Communicate with the Project Board and IS management
– Keep big picture in mind
Development Team– Produce the code for
the project based on requirements
– Use IS developed standards in the development process
Requirements for Each Role - 3
Business Resources– Provide business
knowledge of the detail level business requirements
– Participate in the GUI development
– Aid in testing the software during development
Technical Resources– Provide specific
technical knowledge in specific areas such as:
» Network performance
» Object Architecture
» Data Administration
» Database Administration
Project Boards
Members– Owner - Non-IS person with a vested interest
(and some clout!)– Other interested parties
» Customers of the business process» Managers of the business process
Project Notebook - Communication tool– Consistent format
» Overall and release sections» Goals/Schedule/Risks/Issues/Requests
Project Board Issues
Balance the three factors in software development– Quality– Speed– Cost
Two other factors– Change (Introduction of new technology, ...)– Flexibility of software as a requirement
Purge Techno-babble
Understanding comes before ownership People learn differently
(Think of your marketing people!) Pictures help people see what you mean
(not just think they hear what you mean) Pictures encourage us
to think through what we are trying to communicate
Logical View of Compassion
Children/Needs
Donors/Sponsors
Shared Concern, Commitment & Impact
Feedback/Communication
Physical View of Compassion
Donors/Sponsors
Children/Needs
Feedback/Communication
PartnerCountry
CompassionInternational
FieldOffice
Project
Compass
Shared Concern, Commitment & Impact
Compass Components
Compass (Production Oriented)
Operational Data Store (Report & Extraction Oriented)
Decision Support/EIS(Analysis Oriented)
Data Warehouse
Compass Components
InternetDial-up
Dedicated Line
PartnerPartnerCountryCountry
CI CI ProgramProgramAgencyAgency
FieldFieldOfficeOffice
Promote the Project
Talk about it anytime you get a chance Give it a name Get your project board and users talking
about the application to other people in the ministry
A little marketing never hurt anyone
New Compassion System
Compassion’s
On-line
Ministry,
Program &
Administration
Support
System
What has worked for you?