Scope:

The purpose of this project is to help those involved in the process of choosing a learning management system to make an informed decision. The project presents a range of considerations for choosing a system. Although this project is focused on learning and training management system, we give some consideration to the broader scope of learning-related systems: course management systems, learning content management systems. You must account for these in the process of choosing a system to manage and deliver your learning, since you must first determine the high-level, basic functionality you need; if you need your system to manage instructor-led training classes, or include authoring capabilities, one of these systems might be a better choice than learning and training management system. In an effort to include the total decision process and options available, we present high-level descriptions of these systems in this project, although we are mainly focused on system designed to deliver and manage support learning.

In line with our mission to promote reusability and interoperability in learning, it recommends systems with built-in features that allow managing and delivering successful learning.

Inclusions

The scope of the Implementation Project includes:

Defining the requirements for content migration, specifically forum topics, postings and support pages.

Linking to public website

Front-end design

Interface / data exchange among staff.

Training requirements for staff.

Ascertaining the business requirements, e.g. will empolyees be able to update their personal data and if so what particular fields? What interim solutions will be required for deployment?

Planning for support services.

Deployment of Project Upgrade and implementation of associated plans.

Stakeholder approval for deployment.

Exclusions

The scope of the Implementation Project excludes:

Risk Assessment:

A formal risk assessment will highlight any potential business and project risks and will provide a containment measure for each risk.

The initial Risk Assessment (following page) attempts to identify, characterize, prioritize and document a mitigation approach relative to those risks which can be identified prior to the start of the project.

The Risk Assessment will be continuously monitored and updated throughout the life of the project, with monthly assessments included in the status report (see Communications Plan) and open to amendment by the Project Manager.

Because mitigation approaches must be agreed upon by project leadership (based on the assessed impact of the risk, the project’s ability to accept the risk, and the feasibility of mitigating the risk), it is necessary to allocate time into each Steering Committee meeting, dedicated to identifying new risks and discussing mitigation strategies.

The Project Manager will convey amendments and recommended contingencies to the Steering Committee monthly, or more frequently, as conditions may warrant.

Risk Categories

The following types of risk categories may be used as a high level view of potential risk areas. The major risk categories are

Category Examples

Financial Cost overruns, budget constraints, funding issues

Resource Availability of people and facilities, attrition, skills limitations

Schedule Completion date slippage, target date constraints

Technical Failure to meet performance requirements, new or untested technologies

Management Inexperienced project manager, project complexity

Communication Failure to satisfy user requirements / expectations

Operational Failure to meet usability, trainability, and/or maintainability requirements

Political Impact of loss of service to citizens, possible exposure and liability to state / county government.

Organizational Alignment to strategic goals / vision

Risk Management Responsibilities

Risk management is the responsibility of the Project Manager. However, all project stakeholders should participate in the risk identification and analysis process. Overall the extended project team carries out risk management and mitigation activities.

Risk Management Tasks Responsible Party

Overall direction of risk management plan Project Manager

Plan development and execution of risk management plan

Project Manager

Provide counsel and assistance regarding risk identification/assessment/analysis/handling

Business Analyst, Development Team, Quality Assurance

Risk Watch List Project Manager

Preparation and issuance of risk reporting Project Manager as part of normal project status reporting

Potential Areas of Risk

Areas of Potential Risk

New Technology Application User/

Client

Project Team

Organization Project

Manager

DatabaseSoftware

Project Size SystemsKnowledge

Contract orFull Time

Stability ofOrganization

Contract orFull Time

CommunicationsSoftware

FunctionalComplexity

ChangePropensity

TransitionalTime

Stability ofUser Organization

ProblemSolving Skills

ProgrammingLanguage

Newvs.Replacement

Turnover ofKey People

TechnicalSkills

SeniorManagementCommitment

ManagerialIdentity

CommunicationsNetwork

Vulnerabilityto Change

Readinessfor Takeover

StaffAvailability

Continued BudgetAvailability

AchievementDrive

TestingResource

Intensity ofBusiness Need

Changeprocess

ApplicationsKnowledge

Project StandardsUsed

Experiencewith Application

PCs orDesktops

OrganizationalImpact

Level ofCommitment

StaffTurnover

Accountabilityfor Change

Experience withOrganization

InformationCenter

Interface ExitingApplications

Attitudetoward IS

Familiaritywith Each Other

Availability ofSupport Organization

Experiencewith Technology

Reliability ofPersonnel

ConversionDifficulty

AcceptanceTestParticipation

Size of Team

Conflict ResolutionMechanism

Planning Skills

ConfigurationManagement

ImplementationTime Frame

Sign-off/approvalprocess

Estimating Skills

Staff / Resource PersonnelTurnover

CommunicationSkills

Possibility ofTurnover

Initial project risk assessment:

Risk Likelihood Mitigation Strategy

1.Project Size (Duration or Effort)

Decomposition (Break into smaller phases)

Phased implementation

2. Project Scope Decomposition

Add another analysis phase

Detailed specifications

Early prototype/review of functionality

Add more time to the project schedule.

3.Project Decision-Making

Specify decision-makers’ role in project documentation

Add tasks to the Project Plan for involving decision-makers and managing relationship with them

4.Environmental State (Software/Hardware/Network)

Additional testing, particularly stress testing

Training on new environment

Find other projects using a similar environment to compare notes

Get a prototype deployed ASAP on new environment

5.Team’s Experience (with environment/project size/scope)

Additional team training

Cross-training

Consider hiring consultant with additional experience for initial period

6. Impact on other Project Operations

Additional User Training

On-site assistance for cutover period

Phased cutover

Expose key stakeholders to prototype early

7.Political Defined from legislative mandate.

Impact of project objectives for the employees.

The potential exposure to learning areas to cover and cope with failure.

8.Financial Project funding based on work-level estimation.

Is project funding secured?

Is project funding sufficient?

Cost / benefit analysis.

Senior management approval of the cost / benefit analysis.

Verifiable expected benefits.

Detailed budget for the project.

Contingency plan for budget overruns.

Discuss the value of the project discussed with the client and the users.

9.Resource Identify key personnel needs in the project management plan.

Contingency plan for resource variances.

Train project team members.

Clearly defined project team skill requirements.

Adequate technical and professional training available to the project team.

Qualified project engineers, technical staff, and infrastructure support staff.

Well established vendors with a strong financial background and good track record.

10.Schedule Detailed project schedule at the task level.

Identify the project critical path

Contingency plan for schedule variances.

Regularly compare actual progress to the project schedule.

Realistic project schedule.

Achievable project schedule.

11.Technical Stable business functional requirements.

Define the business functional requirements.

Discuss project limitations with the client.

Use of appropriate technology to support project efforts.

Defined project milestones and checkpoints.

Selection of an appropriate system development lifecycle.

Define a change management process.

12.Organizational The project alignment with the organizations overall business strategy. Clearly defined expected outcomes.

Defined project stakeholders.

Establish metrics to verify completion of each phase.

Senior management commitment to the project objectives.

Analyze the impact of cost overruns.

Analyze the impact of delayed functional outcomes.

Ensuring the project comply with the Technical Architecture.

13.Management Upper management support.

Upper management share responsibility for ensuring project success.

Senior management approval of the project.

Provision of upper management support infrastructure necessary to ensure successful project deliverance.

Detailed plan (including time, schedules, milestones, and resource requirements) for completion of the project.

manage projects at the task level

Quality management plan.

Need for business processes re-engineering.

14.Communication Ensuring the project goals in line with the organization goals

Ensuring the project’s goals and objectives verifiable, defined, and clearly stated

Ensuring are project outcomes clearly

defined

Communicate the basic goals of the project to the team

Consent of the project team with the goals

Identify all external (outside the organization) project stakeholders.

Inform all project stakeholders of the project status

Prepare adequate project presentation to the client and user communities

Do the users know whom to contact in the event of problems?

Monitor project progress with the project stakeholders at regular meetings.

project team receive feedback from status meetings

reporting and tracking of all “open issues”

Identify major project risk factors.

Milestones:

Activity Activity Stages Date Responsible Others Concerned

Need assessment, vendor search and proposal presentation

Start: 1.6.2014

First Major Milestone: Management buy-in and approval to initiate process

Human Resources

Senior Management – CEO/MD/OM

Completion: 30.6.2014

Evaluation of shortlisted vendors

Start: 1.7.2014

First Major Milestone: Vendor finalization and agreement signed,

Human Resources

Senior Management,

payment done on confirmation of project (50%)

Software vendors,

Finance/IT department

Completion: 31.7.2014

Software implementation kick-start

Start: 1.8.2014

First Major Milestone: Basic module implementation & integration with current system, payment after first phase implementation (10%)

Human Resources, IT

Finance, Software vendors

Completion: 15.8.2014

Second Major Milestone: Training module implementation, payment after second phase implementation (10%)

Human Resources, IT

Finance, Software vendors

Completion: 31.8.2014

Assumptions:

Project Assumptions

The following assumptions were made in preparing the Project Plan:

Management will ensure that project team members are available as needed to complete project tasks and objectives.

Management will support budget required to implement Failure to identify changes to draft deliverables within the time specified in the project timeline will result in

project delays. Project team members will adhere to the Communications Plan. Mid and upper management will foster support and “buy-in” of project goals and objectives. All project participants will abide by the guidelines identified within this plan. The Project Plan may change as new information and issues are revealed.

The system must comply with minimum accessibility requirements.

There will be a clear system solution at the end of Phase II.

A change management process will be used to monitor and control scope.

A Training and Learning Management System is a strategic component of the organization’s infrastructure and will continue to be a supported service.

The staff will be allocated sufficient time to resource project.

LMS use will continue to grow.

Maximum of funding will be made available to support project needs.

Constraints:

Moving to a well-adopted Training and Learning Management system represents a significant amount of effort for the managers, other instructors, support staff, and employees who are already in the system. This will take time and significant support, likely requiring additional people (e.g., co-ops).

The mass migration of courses training and retraining efforts must be addressed.

Costs will be a constraint.

Time to execute the project in a thorough and rigorous manner is a constraint, as all project participants have many other job responsibilities, including supporting the current manual system.

Project funding sources are limited, with no contingency.

Due to the nature of law enforcement, resource availability is inconsistent.

Related projects:

Avanza Portal Project

New Staff Information system

Distance Learning Web Support.