Ian Bays

Project Managing

an implementation of

a Library Management System

Who am I? Who are you?

◦ will you manage the project?

Project Managing an implementation of a LMS

Changing your LMSSetting up your Project

Planning and MonitoringWhat Works well?

Handover and Ongoing SupportProject Phases

The implementation project in context

Reasons for change: economic, function, other◦ document reasons in Business Case

Mandatory and desirable features of new system Funds available (or not) Staff resources available (or not) Tender process for external supply of software

and/or services Evaluating options Decide how formal procedures to use…

Changing your LMS

Project Management is…

Delivering what is specified, on time and to budget within quality constraints with available resources.

Understand external time constraints:◦ Financial Year◦ Support contract on existing system◦ Must spend budget by dd/mm/yy

Do you want or need to phase the project?◦ availability of funds / equipment / people

ALWAYS plan extra time for the unexpected

On Time…

To Specification…

Project Initiation Document – as a reference You can often use the tender and the supplier’s

response as the basis of what has to be supplied This may also be the basis of acceptance testing Carefully make your list of tasks to be done and any

known time, resource or dependence constraints. Seek advice and assistance from supplier and

others with similar experience in drawing up and reviewing this list.

To Specification…

Within budget… External costs Stage payments and milestones Internal staff and resource costs Procedure for additional approvals Budget for ongoing support

…with available resources… Project manager

◦ for organisation and supplier◦ internal vs external◦ part-time vs full-time◦ library or IT person

Cover all bases:◦ PR, technical, catalogue/data, training, integration

Allow time for “day job” Holidays & absence Escalation procedures

Planning and Monitoring

Take your list of tasks to be done… Work out where dependences are Plan tasks with lead times early (eg IT purchase) Avoid external dependence (eg building work) Expect delays testing 3-way interfaces (eg EDI) Do not skimp testing data conversion Plan number of test data loads Check all peripherals (eg barcode scanners) Test custom work (and related areas) Test external interfaces…

Planning and Monitoring…

Test external interfaces…◦ external access for users, staff and suppliers◦ patron upload◦ bibliographic import and export◦ authentication◦ Z39.50 interfaces◦ EDI communication◦ etc, etc

Planning and Monitoring…

At planning meeting agree frequency of meetings with supplier(s).

Internal meetings each week at regular time Record and agree notes from meetings Encourage open reporting Seek solutions to problems and delays Some project dates should be almost

“immovable”. You do not want any surprises

Planning and Monitoring…

It works well if… you were involved in the selection process you have full support of your team and

management you start the project with a full planning

meeting you keep your eye on the timeline you strike up and maintain a positive

relationship with suppliers you know your library’s requirements you have a separate test environment

It works well if… you are practical and pragmatic you are able to embrace change you adopt a blame-free culture the success of the project is a priority for

you and the team you communicate freely and openly you are enthusiastic you can negotiate, delegate and motivate

both your own team and suppliers you make use of your supplier’s experience

You do not need … to be an expert, qualified project manager to be able to use project management

software to be an expert in all topics – delegate and

share this responsibility to replicate your old system – take

advantage of the opportunity to introduce change

… and finally things a project manager does not want to hear… 1. “I have a challenge for you.” 2. “One minor change.” 3. “Rearchitecting” 4. “This new technology would be perfect.” 5. “I was too busy firefighting to finish.” 6. “I’ve been reassigned.” 7. “Let’s add more people to this!” 8. “It would be technically impossible.” 9. “Do you want full functionality or on

time?” 10. “It’s not really what I expected.”

Any questions?

Project Managingan implementation ofa Library Management

System Thank You

If time allows… A quick walk through a typical Gantt chart

Workshop to explain configuration

options, document and set up new

system configuration

System setup – either SaaS or your

own server. No client software to

set up.

We can help extract data from your old system, and advise

data conversion mapping.

We convert and load the data onto

your newly configured system.

We train you and your team in

detailed use of the system

You review the data and we re-extract,

re-convert and reload your data for

live running

Live running on new system