Education User Interface
Project Management Plan
Executive Sponsors
Public Education Department
Project Director – Robert Piro
Original Plan Date: July 25, 2007
Revision Date:
Revision:
Education User Interface (EdUI) Project Management Plan
table of contents
About this Document iii
Revision History iv
1.0 Project Overview 5
1.1 Introduction 5
1.2 Current State 5
1.3 Future State 5
1.4 Need 6
2.0 EdUI Scope 6
2.1 Project Justification 6
2.2 Project Objectives 8
2.3 Deliverables 8
2.4 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 13
3.0 EdUI Strategy 14
3.1 Project Management Life Cycle 14
3.2 Critical Success Factors 14
3.3 Project Logistics 15
3.4 Project Product Life Cycle 15
3.5 Technical Strategy 15
4.0 Project Organization 16
4.1 4.1 Stakeholders 16
4.2 Customers 16
4.3 Project Team 17
4.4 Project Governance Plan 20
5.0 Project Management and Controls 21
5.1 Staffing Planning and Acquisition 21
5.2 Assumptions 21
5.3 Constraints 22
5.4 Dependencies 22
5.5 Risk Management 23
5.6 Independent validation and Verification (IV&V) 25
5.7 Scope Management Plan 27
5.8 Issue Management 27
5.9 Procurement Management Plan 30
5.10 Change Control 30
5.11 Project Timeline 32
5.12 Project Budget 33
5.13 Communications 33
5.14 Measuring and Evaluating Performance 36
5.15 Corrective Action Plan 36
5.16 Quality Objectives and Control 38
5.17 Configuration Management 39
6.0 Project Close 39
6.1 Administrative Close 39
6.2 Financial Closure 42
6.3 Celebration of Success 44
6.4 Project Close-out Checklist 45
7.0 Glossary 45
7.1 Acronyms and Abbreviations 45
7.2 Definitions 46
8.0 Appendix 50
Appendix 8.1 Deliverable Acceptance Form 51
Appendix 8.2 Project Schedule 53
Appendix 8.3 Change Request Form 54
Appendix 8.4 Project Close-out Checklist 55
About this Document
The New Mexico Office of the Chief Information Officer has elected to align its program management development efforts with the Project Management Institute (PMI). The PMI is symbolized by a sum of knowledge within the project management profession known as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The body of knowledge includes best practices and standards that are generally accepted. The need to align with an established institution is to gain a common approach to project management. That is not to assume that the described approach herein should be uniformly applied across all projects. The described practices and standards are applicable to most projects most of the time, and there is widespread consensus about their value and usefulness.
This document provides a guideline to initiate, plan, execute, control, and close a project. The approach, concepts, tools, and terminology used within this document are in accordance with the Project Management Institute and the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
Revision History
Revision Number / Date / Comment /July 25, 2007 / Initial Release
Initial Release 10 July 25, 2008
Education User Interface (EdUI) Project Management Plan
1.0 Project Overview
1.1 Introduction
NMPED was charged to develop clear, concise, consistent guidelines, procedures, and protocols for the collection, verification, analysis, dissemination, and communication of all data collected, and used by the agency as well as that related data and information requested by outside entities. Following the CCSSO/DSAC recommendations, NMPED selected an e-Scholar based data warehouse and Cognos based decision support tool set. Following the evaluation and selection of the e-Scholar/Cognos based solution, an operational prototype of STARS was developed, reviewed and approved to validate the concept of the STARS design. Following the acceptance of the operational prototype, NMPED further developed the STARS design through a district based pilot program. 11 districts, representing the vast array of districts within New Mexico, volunteered to participate in the STARS Pilot Program. On May 30, 2006, the STARS team, with agreement with the participating pilot districts determined that the objectives of the Pilot phase were successfully completed. Of the 11 districts, 10 were able to complete the activities and objectives of the pilot. Pilot activities have progressed so well, that several districts, both pilot and non-pilot, have elected to commence the implementation activities of the project.
STARS development and roll-out is complete in SY2007. For SY2007 and SY2008 districts submitted their data for 40th, 80th, 12/1, 120th and EOY via STARS. All student and staff reporting comes directly from STARS data utilizing STARS Decision Support Tools. AYP was reported through STARS, School Budget utilized STARS to compute their 40th day Growth calculation for SEG. School Budget utilized STARS to calculate the SY2008 budget projects from 80th and 120th data. Educator Quality calculated and report Highly Qualified Teacher utilizing STARS. Federally required data has been submitted to EdFacts utilizing the STARS Eden Functionality. Special Education’s performance indicators are being calculated and reported utilizing STARS.
In short, STARS is fully operational. After only 24 months, from concept through implementation, to collecting a full year of Student, Staff, and Financial data, New Mexico Public Education Department has been recognized as having one of the nation’s leading accountability data systems.
1.2 Current State
After a successful implementation of Phases 1 and 2, the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) is prepared to move to Phase 3 of its STARS Project Plan. The emphasis of this project is focus on interfaces and support at the LEA level. This project will extend STARS to allow access to disaggregated educational data to District and School decision makers. This project will finalize the development and implementation of the NMPED Education User Interface (EdUI). EdUI will implement a data management environment that provides: 1.) the end user with quality information (reports and data), 2.) Build the framework for PED support staffs the ability to be responsive without the need to create one-of-a-kind applications and reports, and 3) Provide 7 X 24 system availability and scalability to meet future demands.
With the implementation of STARS, the demand for timely and current information (versus data) has become a reality. This new capability has stretched the PED IT Infrastructure and Services to the limits of its capacity. The need for immediate information has moved PED from a traditional ‘batch/legacy’ set of systems into the ‘on demand’ environment. PED now has the task to be responsive to the dynamic needs of the agency and to the needs of 900+ schools (and districts). This creates more demand on PED systems compared to the current support of 89 school districts. To support the Education Reform Strategy, PED requires better data quality and improved access to the information this data represents. Also, the increasing requirement to associate funding to specific programs and their outcomes requires that PED institute processes and procedures that will allow New Mexico to get a better handle on expenditures.
With last year’s appropriations NMPED was able to develop the proof of concept for the NMPED Education User Interface to provide PED and districts with the tools to communicate, collaborate, and mange content and data across the state.
1.3 Future State
NMPED has successfully deployed the STARS data warehouse. The collection, validation and reporting model is the first major step towards being able to utilize data both at the state and district levels. The roll out of the NMPED Education User Interface will allow access to key users to make quality decisions through the use of information. Key customer needs that will be addressed in EdUI of this project are outlined below.
v EdUI will feature a powerful and actionable means with which to examine present and apply data.
v EdUI will enable easier compliance with district and school reporting through enhanced tools and processes for reporting and decision making.
v EdUI will further train key stakeholders on effective ad-hoc reporting and data query techniques.
v EdUI will position the State to include Pre-K and post secondary student data into STARS
v EdUI will enable districts to make standards-aligned benchmark testing an integral part of the data warehouse.
v EdUI will provide a framework to integrate curriculum and instruction and diagnostic data from ongoing assessments to help curriculum and instruction leaders, as well as teachers, influence student performance
v Widespread adoption, along with consistent use of “best practices,” is the critical key to tapping the true power of STARS. EdUI will develop the framework to incorporate end-to-end professional development services to facilitate these objectives.
v EdUI will provide the framework to apply to tools to create a “connected learning community” - an engaged and flourishing community across all PED stakeholders.
v EdUI will offer a powerful collaboration and communications solution.
Fulfilling these needs will help meet the guidelines of the State of New Mexico’s IT architectural plan and infrastructure plan while following the Framework for Enterprise Architecture. With improved data and information systems, PED is positioned to be able to supply the information and agility required for prompt, informed decision making. As PED continues to provide a leadership role by providing ‘decision making information’ to accomplish its strategy to improve the quality of education and to close the ‘achievement gap’, the legacy PED IT environment requires a reduction of complexity of our electronic systems (consolidate data bases, improve response time, create a simple & secure sign on process, manage financial data better, and provide high customer response to enhance customer service and improve satisfaction) to provide the 7x24 services needed.
1.4 Need
With the availability of a District’s Student, Staff, and Financial data all resident in one system and readily accessible, districts have an unprecedented ability to access and utilize the data to enhance student and staff performance. Many districts, however, do not have the capability to effectively access and utilize the data. With this project PED will develop the tools necessary to provide additional support to such districts and allow them same opportunity to improve student performance through use of data, than larger urban districts.
2.0 EdUI Scope
2.1 Project Justification
As detailed in previous Project Plans, the justification of STARS was to adhere to federal requirements. To meet these requirements the New Mexico legislature appropriated State funds to develop, pilot, and implement STARS. Phase 0 executed the design, procure, and prototype activities of the project. Due to the results of the procurement activities, the selected solution will allow us to implement not only Phase 1, but most of Phase 2 also. Results of the Pilot program, allowed STARS to implement the proposed solution. STARS has now completed
The main objective for this project is to provide district’s users with an easy-to-use interface to access disaggregated student information which can be utilized to improve instruction and student achievement. EdUI will develop the framework and deliverer mechanism for a comprehensive web-based program interface that enables users to create reports, manage curriculum, administer benchmark assessments, track teacher professional development, manage district website content and provide access to individual student performance data. The system functionality will be supported solely by the STARS data warehouse and will be uniformly configured to support all districts.
EdUI further develops the agency’s goals and objectives as defined in the initial STARS Project Plan where New Mexico recognizes the need to develop a system that:
v Meets requirements of Federal and State Law
v Addresses Concerns/Directives of the Legislature
v Capitalizes/Builds on existing and future technologies
v Ensures cost effectiveness and accountability
v Emphasizes student performance
v Ensures the validity, reliability, and reportability of respective data sets
v Presents information in a meaningful way to clients, and
v Is easy to use
STARS Phase Three was targeted to emphasize interfaces and support at the school level. Disaggregated data compared within the district would provide information that improves teaching and learning through the identification and support of highly qualified teachers, identifies best practices across school types and student needs, promotes individualized instruction, and allows for site based decision making. At the end of Phase Three, it was anticipated that principals and teachers would have comparative state district, and school data to identify best practices to assist with student instruction and site management. Unfortunately Phase 3 was not fully funded. The funding for FY2009 was reduced from the $7,300,000 to $1,200,000. Therefore the design, functionality, and roll-out strategies designed during the EdUI Proof of Concept development have been revise to fit the reduced funding. The following table discusses the revised strategies:
Primary Strategy / Requested Funding / Existing Funding / Impact to StateEdUI Content / District relevant data, including Instructional Management data including Short Cycle Assessments, curriculum, other district relevant data / Existing STARS Data / Data will not be available to be delivered to teacher desktop
Development / Design, programming, testing, and training led and primarily executed via contractors / Design, programming, testing, and training primarily executed by PED staff utilizing contractors only in a staff augmentation and coaching role. / Reduced expertise in specific portal skills increase timeline.
Roll-out / Vertical development including all districts rolls and responsibility, i.e. all responsibility within a district. / Horizontal development including tasks for assigned rolls, i.e. Data Coordinator, PED Programs. / Data access limited to specific rolls.
This project will divide the funds appropriated into three major components:
2.1.1 Maintenance, License, and Hosting Contracting
During the FY2008 Appropriation Cycle NMPED requested operational budget to fund the annual maintenance, license, and hosting fees for STARS. These funds were transferred from capital to operations. The fees associated with this transfer are approximately $900,000. Although these funds do not require certification, the contract vehicle that allows for the billing of these fees expires in December of 2009. NMPED requires a new contract vehicle for the procurement of these line items. It is NMPED’s intent to include a new procurement activity within the scope of this project to allow continuation of operations after the December 2009 date.
2.1.2 Educational Interface
A majority of the FY2008 appropriation will be used to provide support to further develop the tools, reports and training necessary to assist users to fully optimize their use of STARS. Support will include: