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Implementing Electronic Document Management in a Community College Setting

Implementing Electronic Document Management in a Community College Setting. Recommendations for Success. Chuck Zettler, Director of Information Technology Project Management , Palm Beach Community College. October 29, 2008. Overview. Environment Challenges and Objectives Project Timeline

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Implementing Electronic Document Management in a Community College Setting

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  1. Implementing Electronic Document Management in a Community College Setting Recommendations for Success Chuck Zettler, Director of Information Technology Project Management, Palm Beach Community College October 29, 2008

  2. Overview Environment Challenges and Objectives Project Timeline Conducting a Technology Needs Assessment Project Analysis Methodology Results Recommendations for Success What to Look for in a Vendor

  3. Palm Beach Community College Serves one of the largest counties in Florida Approximately 47,000 students Comprehensive community college Urban, multi-campus environment One hour drive b/w some campuses Two failed attempts at implementing EDM

  4. Challenges (Continued)

  5. Challenges 4 million mission-critical documents — paper format only Located in Hurricane Alley Separation of campus locations Objectives: Reduce paper Provide Web self service Retain some paper-based processes (Continued)

  6. Challenges (Continued) • Paper-based processes • Hindered services • Made work distribution cumbersome (multiple campuses) • Required numerous phone calls to verify information • Led to customer service inequities • Unstructured information (PDFs, emails, web pages, scanned images) — not organized or managed

  7. Objectives Disaster recovery (three hurricanes in two years) Remote, simultaneous Web access to information Improved efficiency Ability to retrieve, track, share, revise, and distribute documents within / throughout all campuses (Continued)

  8. Objectives (Continued) Improved privacy measures Distribution of work via automated workflow Quicker turnaround time for students and staff Reduced incidence of lost/misplaced files Enhanced student and administrative services Scan documents at the point of receipt

  9. Project Timeline (Continued) March 2004 – Formed college-wide committee December 2004 –RFQ for consulting services January 2005 – Analysis and planning contract awarded to IMERGE Consulting

  10. Project Timeline (Continued) (Continued) October 2005 – Business Case/Value Proposition: Student Services November 2005 – Financial commitment from Board of Trustees December 2005 – Issued RFP for EDM system

  11. Project Timeline (Continued) November 2006 – Contract awarded to Optical Image Technology for implementation of DocFinity suite April 2007 – “Go Live”– Registrar & Financial Aid June 2008 – “Go Live”– Human Resources 2009 – Accounts Payable 2010 – Academic Departments

  12. Conducting a Technology Needs Assessment Identify Problems Current state Future state Gap Analysis Create roadmap to the future (Continued)

  13. Conducting a Technology Needs Assessment (Continued) Involve stakeholders Document your processes Establish realistic timeline Be sensitive to effects of change Match technology requirements to needs of users Point of entry scanning

  14. Process Analysis: Identify the following: Desired outcome of each flow People involved in each flow Decisions that affect processes (and the people who make them) Assets needed Images COLD reports Data from other systems Etc. (Continued)

  15. Process Analysis (Continued) Identify time constraints (for flows or individual steps) Designate reporting metrics Map work distribution Business requirements Business rules

  16. Results Multi-Phase Implementation Phase I: Student Services Admissions & Registration Financial Aid Phase II: Business Services Human Resources & Payroll Purchasing, Receiving and Accounts Payable Contracts & Reporting Phase III: Academics (Continued)

  17. Results (Continued) (Continued) • Phase I – Student Services • Installed scanners college-wide • Developed workflow applications for: • Registration & Admissions • Financial Aid • Year 1 • Scanned over 500,000 documents • Went from a 4-week backlog at some campuses to 1 day turnaround college-wide

  18. Student Services Scan Station

  19. Registrar – Transcript Workflow XXXXXXXXX WILSON, WOODROW XXXXXXXXX SMITH, SUSAN XXXXXXXXX WATERS, JEFFREY XXXXXXXXX COOLDEGE, CALVIN XXXXXXXXX BROWN, CHARLES XXXXXXXXX MONK, THELONEUS XXXXXXXXX KOTULA, ERICA XXXXXXXXX HADEN, MARTIN XXXXXXXXX CAMPBELL, AMANDA XXXXXXXXX THUMMA, JAMES XXXXXXXXX SHAFFER, CHAD XXXXXXXXX MCDERMID, FRANCES XXXXXXXXX JONES, ERIC XXXXXXXXX SANDERS, GRAHAM XXXXXXXXX FELDMAN, SYLVIA XXXXXXXXX SCHWEITZER, ALBERT

  20. Transcript Process Steps XXXXXXXXXX THOMPSON, PERRY 1

  21. Results (Continued) Can meet higher volumes during peak registration, hiring, and accounting cycles Process information quicker, without adding additional staff Create process integration between structured data and unstructured information Financial Aid Verification Components can be submitted separately (Continued)

  22. Results (Continued) Reporting tools can monitor: Student document status at any given time Processing levels of different campuses Adjustments can be made to processing levels Overall improvements: Accurate gauge of productivity levels Improved work distribution Centralization of work activities Improved productivity Converted file rooms (Continued)

  23. Results (Continued) Implemented Point of Entry “Quick” Scanning Streamlines student services Imports student information immediately Reduces need for data entry Paper documents are: Scanned Assigned a document type Sent to file or used to initiate a workflow process

  24. Recommendations for Success: Project Planning • Plan, plan, plan • Time spent: • 85% in project analysis and planning • 15% in execution • Followed college- accepted Project Methodology • Emphasized Design over Build

  25. PBCC Project Management Process Steps Project Manager, Business Analysts & Project Team Initiator/Executive Sponsor, Project Manager & Business Analysts Project Manager, Business Analysts & Project Team Initiate Project Execution & Control Plan Create the Project Plan - PM/BA  Work Breakdown Structure - Project Plan  Communications Plan  Risk Management Plan  Resource Plan Full Project Charter/Scope Completed by IT PM/BA & Initiator and Approved by Executive Sponsor & IT Director  Project Goals and Objectives  Deliverables - Identify All In-Scope Items  Key Milestones with Target Dates  Assumptions and Constraints  Known Risks  Success/Acceptance Criteria- How will you measure success?  Key Stakeholders  Project Team Members with Roles & Responsibilities  Systems Affected Project Initiation Worksheet Completed By Initiator & Executive Sponsor  Project Description  Goals and Objectives  Business Case  Key Deliverables Active Projects • Manage to the Project Plan • Status Reports/Minutes • Issues/Decision Log • Change Management Log Approved Projects Screened Ideas Closeout the Project  Document Lessons Learned  Report Project Success  Document "Brought Forward" Items for Future Projects  Release the Team Close Project Portfolio Monitoring  Annual IT Project Roadmap  IT Management Project Status Meetings  Monthly Status Update Meetings with Key Business Owners

  26. Recommendations for Success: Assembling a Project Team Involve executive managers, users from all stages of the process, and technical staff Focus on shared objectives and trust Sponsoring committee — senior managers Issues escalation Resource management Implementation team End users IT technicians

  27. Project Team Define Sponsoring Committee Responsible for overall project direction, staff resource allocation and policy decisions. Reports to the VP/Provosts Deans of Student Services Scott MacLachlan, Palm Beach Gardens, Chair Freddie Bennett, Glades Leonard Burton, Boca Raton Penny McIsaac, Lake Worth Tony Parziale, Chief Information Officer IT Steering Chuck Zettler, Director IT Project Management, Reporting and Business Analysis, Chair Geoff Schlakman, Director IT Enterprise Systems Mike Merker, Dir IT Infrastructure Project Leader Chuck Zettler Implementation Team Chuck Zettler, Dir IT Project Management, Reporting & Business Analysis - Chair Alex Calderon, IT Microcomputer Specialist David Bodwell, Director of Financial Aid Jennifer Devine, Project Analyst Amy McDonald, IT Business Analyst Ed Mueller, Acting College Register Julie Reiman, Campus Fin Aid Co-ord – LW Geoff Schlakman, Dir IT Enterprise Systems Paula Souza, Campus Registrar – BR Bob Voelker, IT Document System Analyst Suzanne Watson, OIT Project Manager, Consulting and Training Kevin Cojanu, IT Help Desk Manager Training & Support -Campus Teams Amy McDonald, Chair Ella Cassidy, Registrar District Kevin Cojanu, IT Help Desk Janet Cosher, Financial Aid LW Shirley Diah, Financial Aid BR Jennifer Donn, Financial Aid District Irene Johnson, Advisement LW Ronnie Malave, Registrar PBG Roz McFarland, Registrar Glades Carol Oleska, Registrar LW Felicia Phair, Financial Aid PBG Christine Sheppard, Financial Aid BR Ken Schwartz, Registrar LW Cherly Philippeaux, Registrar BR

  28. Recommendations for Success: Setting the Project Scope Choose a scalable solution Begin with a manageable project Clearly define and document all deliverables • For Example • Phase I: Registrar – Point of entry quick scan and three workflow applications • • Applications • • Transcripts • • Limited access documents (Continued)

  29. Recommendations for Success: Create Detailed Function and Requirements Documentation Document as is process flows Create to be process flows Build prototypes Test and validate using actual end users Do not allow end user managers or technical staff to impede results for end users Stay focused on process improvement (Continued)

  30. Recommendations for Success: Initial Implementation Select small area to implement Keep scope narrow Motivate staff Recognize the need to adjust to change Set success criteria Celebrate success! Feed people! (Continued)

  31. Recommendations for Success: System & Process Integration Look for ability to Integrate with legacy systems Integrate with different departments and campuses Pull data from administrative systems Push data where it is needed System and processes should: Be well integrated Support each other (Continued)

  32. Recommendations for Success: Roll-out and Support Be prepared: Scale the roll-out so that it is manageable If you are moving from paper-based to online processes, have support channels in place (Continued)

  33. Recommendations for Success: Factors to Consider Short-term needs vs. long-term goals Departmental vs. enterprise-wide solution Budget Timeline

  34. Recommendations for Success: Check customer references Look to organizations of a similar size Ask your vendor for references from: New customers Implementing customers Long-term customers

  35. What to Look For in a Vendor Questions to ask when choosing a technology vendor: Customer install base size Higher education experience Financial status Support levels Product road map Corporate culture User group support (Continued)

  36. What to Look For in a Vendor Technology road map Application APIs Licensing model Support and maintenance costs Patch and upgrade schedule Availability of professional services Compatibility with institution’s technical standards and infrastructure (Continued)

  37. What to Look For in a Vendor Total document management Strong web presence In-house development and integration of software Open architecture/link with various 3rd-party applications A truly integrated suite of ECM products We chose the DocFinity suite, by Optical Image Technology (Continued)

  38. ROI Considerations Hard-dollar ROI Money saved on physical storage space, space rental, filing cabinets, and records management staff Faster turnaround time Soft-dollar ROI Increased employee productivity/efficiency Ability to process student materials more quickly Increased student satisfaction Improved document security and recovery

  39. Questions: Chuck Zettler Director of Information Technology Project Management Palm Beach Community College ph: 561.868.3240 email: zettlerc@pbcc.edu www.pbcc.edu

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