Getting to “GO-LIVE” AND Staying “ALIVE”

1. Getting to “GO-LIVE” AND Staying “ALIVE” USM Internal Conference - June 14, 2002 Athar Rafiq, Project Manager University of Baltimore

2. Ground Rules for this session • My Personal & Professional Tools • For Sharing IF needed (only use as needed) • Background • Definition of objectives for using these tools • Personal • Professional • List of specific tools • Personal • Professional

3. Hopi Wisdom by The Elders, Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation “You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh hour. Now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered. Where are you living? What are you doing? What are your relationships? Are you in the right direction? Where is your water? Know your garden. It is time to speak your truth. Create your community. Be good to each other. And do not look outside yourself for the leader. This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold onto the shore. They will feel that they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. . . .

4. Hopi Wisdom …. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water. See who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and celebration. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” (The Effectiveness Institute, Inc., Teamwork, Teambuilding & Team Effectiveness, Tom Champoux)

5. Situation Understood = Correct Tool • What am I working on? CYA C A • What am I measuring? Mistakes – theirs • What is the daily goal? Stay out of trouble • What is desired results? No one blames me • What is the vocabulary? Evaluate, Discuss, Delay • Long term goal – • What is long term? Short term? Goal? my

6. Implementation Methodology vs. Culture • Existing Culture is: • Comfortable • Understood • Familiar • PS Implementation is: • Extremely uncomfortable (will I have a job) • Totally misunderstood (software can do it all) • Awfully unfamiliar (downright scary)

7. Specific New Process Requirements • Phase I • Change Management process • Information Gathering & Storage process • Communication process • Team building process • Phase II • Education on new terminology • Deliverable • Timeline • Testing • Change Management education • Personal fears • Personal issues • Team issues • Phase III • Implementation • Training • Testing, Testing, Testing . . . .and more Testing

8. Defined Situation Changes • Changes may occur in: • Business Processes • Technical Processes • Organizational Structure (occasionally) • May impact on: • Individuals Daily Routine • Job Definition (Pay scales) • Team hierarchy • Short term (2-3 years) requirements: • Deadline driven (with consequences) • New skills to be developed • Bring out the dirty laundry

9. Daily professional requirements • Repeat my standard timeline phrase to the team: • Today + 2 weeks = Current • Manage FEELINGS, risks, timelines, resources • Deliver results DAILY • Manage information efficiently & rapidly • Lots of incoming information via email, paper, phone calls, tasks, walk ups, meetings • Locate & Share lots of different information instantly • Communicate with everyone

10. Professional Tools • Software Tools • Nelson Email Organizer (caelo.com) • SnagIt (techsmith.com) • David RM’s The Journal (davidrm.com) • Task Manager 2003 (orbisoft.com) • MS Project 2000 (microsoft.com) • Project Central (projectassistants.com) • Knowledge Central (projectassistants.com) • Fine Print (fineprint.com)

11. Professional Protocols • Email protocol for fast filing & response • Document template protocol • Document storage protocol • Courtesy protocol • Deliverable protocol • Sharing protocol • Risk Management protocol

12. Email protocol for fast filing & response • Nelson Email Organizer • Sorts by day & correspondent • Can file by date to respond • Bulk mail handler for filing • Workflow enabled • MS Outlook Rules Wizard • File messages & responses immediately • Eliminate junk • Never, Never, Never open or publish cartoons, jokes, etc.

13. Document Template Protocol • Specific directory for standard forms used previously • Create MS Word or MS Excel templates • Subscribe to Tech and Project Sites for purchase of template documents • Use standard design standards to match corporate guidelines

14. Document Storage Protocol • Organize shared directories ASAP • Organize standards for storage • Conduct weekly housekeeping • Help discuss & request new ideas • Move final versions to PDF or locked copies • Everyone can read & store

15. Courtesy Protocol • Listen • Lots & Lots of food • Thank You emails, phone calls, cards • Humor • Leave my ego, pride and pomp outside

16. Deliverable Protocol • Create deliverables at short time spans • Signoffs • Testing script • Short report • New instance, etc. • Recognize the individuals • More food • Recognition in front of the team • Listen for personal issues

17. Sharing protocol • Confirm sharing is supported by the organization • Meet with other institutions frequently on an individual basis • Listen for their problem areas • Offer to help to research and locate a solution • Follow courtesy protocol • Research web sites & publish links to specific areas • Locate white papers • Ask other institutions

18. Risk Management Protocol • Today + 2 weeks = Current • Ask EACH individual implementer: • What will you need next week? In two weeks? • What is going slow today that will hold you up? • What bothers you about this week’s events? • NOT everything is on the project plan • Look down the road

19. Strive to realize a state of inward happiness, independent of circumstances. • J. P. Greaves

20. Personal Requirements • Family • Friends • Professional recognition • Clear moral baseline • Personal agreements

21. Personal Tools • Four agreements • Be impeccable with my word • Don’t take anything personally • Don’t make assumptions • Always do my best • Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements

22. Appendix –Audience Questions June 14,02 • Describe floor plan? • How are decision made with such a short timeline? • Explain build day? • How can the long hours be reduced? • Where are the trainers located? • How do you suggest training on MS Office products? • What are the go live dates?

23. Floor Plan Layout 28’ x 68’

24. Answers • Decisions – Users are enabled and chairs of their own committees for making rapid decision with functional teams meeting earlier in the week and technical meetings at the end of the week. • Build day – All migration of patches, new instances, copies of instances, etc. are done on Fridays when the functional users are catching up with their notes and documentation. • Reducing long hours – One’s efficiency is directly related to the proficiency of MS Word and MS Excel and the ability to type notes directly and rapidly on the computer system. Also establish procedures for filing documents electronically. I also use David RM Journal software to capture all my notes for quick word searches. • Trainers location – All training will be conducted in a separate lab area designed for training and under construction. • Training of MS Products – Step by Step learning series are available in the state contract and are excellent for self learners. It is important to identify the learning style of the individual and if they require classroom training then you would have to use public courses or on campus professional courses. • Go live dates for HR is November-December 2002 and Admissions is Mid-September 2002. The other modules follow closely behind.