Getting the System You Expected
Making sure the system
you need is what gets
delivered….
Leesa Shem-Tov
Re-engineering Project Manager
NAPHSIS
The Expectation
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Your project will meet milestones
You won’t go much over budget
Your IT and functional folks will work well
together
Your business rules are documented
Your developers understand how you
operate
The new system will improve how you
work
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
The Reality
“Just 29% of all IT projects conducted
in 2004 were completed on time, on
budget and with all features and
functions as originally specified.”
The Standish Group, 2006
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Are Problems Inevitable?
Legacy business logic is difficult to
extract
 People who build systems don’t
necessarily understand vital records
 Project management is a profession,
not a side line
 Over time, a lot of things change
 People don’t like change
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
State Your Vision
Clearly describe how your
organization will operate after the
project is successful
 Convey your vision to upper
management and get their buy-in
 Share the vision with the team
 Sell the vision to stakeholders
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Keep Upper Management
Involved
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With sustained involvement
More visibility, more pressure
 Make pressure a positive force
 Accountability is reinforced
 People will cooperate better
 Team will take ownership
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Without it, projects wither
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Define Critical Objectives
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On the system “go live” date
What is absolutely has to work, and
work correctly
 What is needed but is not a show
stopper if delayed
 What is nice to have if affordable
 What is best to postpone for later
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Hold people accountable
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Understand the System Lifecycle
Each phase requires planning,
monitoring, measuring progress
 Your team’s role changes with each
phase
 Formal methodologies can help
 Don’t short change the end phases
 It’s not over when you “go live”
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Build a Virtual Team
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Have a dedicated project manager
Inform your team about what’s expected
Require team members to commit
Don’t exclude people from the team who
don’t have the big picture
Everyone has a stake in the project’s
success
Have an “insider” joke
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Have Effective Meetings
Same time, same place, same folks
 Have a written agenda in advance
 Always review progress first
 Limit meeting time; focus discussion
 Not everyone needs to be at every
meeting…but keep everyone
informed
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Know Your Operation
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Formally map your workflow from start to
finish on paper
Hold a group walkthrough
Document your business rules on the spot
Develop a Concept of Operations
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How people will work after the system is
operational
Now how the system will function
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Own Your Project
Never let a vendor take control of
your requirements
 Stay involved with all details
 Couple your people with the
vendor’s people so they can learn
 Protect your assets
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Your people
 Their knowledge
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Get a Good Start
Don’t let the project plan be your
first deliverable
 Make sure your knowledge experts
are ready when developers start
 Have your documentation ready
 Control unnecessary impacts to
development schedule
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Don’t Fear Being Clear
Don’t assume….clarify
 Revisit project plan often
 Use tables, diagrams and charts to
support your textual documentation
 Keep “to do” lists concise and well
organized (maybe online)
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Keep Navigating Change
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Plan for change mechanisms right from
the beginning
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Adjustments for slippage
Alternatives for unmet objectives
Plot your current “reality” against your
future “reality” often
Expect your requirements to change
Expect to find things you missed
Keep your task plan and timeline updated
and posted publicly
Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Call A Time-out If Needed
If the vendor is controlling your
knowledge
 If targets are always slipping
 If vendor cannot demonstrate what
is reportedly working
 If team is not working together
 TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Ask NAPHSIS For Help
On site consulting
 EBR Online Library
 National model requirements
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Use cases
 State diagrams
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NCHS Test Deck for EBR
 Comparative state data
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
To Get What You Expected
Vision and objectives are clear
 Management buy-in
 Virtual team owns the project
 Ready, willing and able to be in
control
 Plan for change and embrace it
 Get help when you need it
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006
Celebrate Every Success
Keep positive and forward thinking
 Check off accomplishments
 Recognize achievements publicly
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Improving Security, Systems, and Statistics
San Diego, CA
June 4th – 8th, 2006