Project charter

For large scale projects with a lot of stakeholders there may be a need for a project charter. This is regarded as a useful communication tool which helps to show that user consultation has taken place and consensus has been reached. A project charter can help reinforce the key objectives of the project for a wider audience. The role of the project charter is considered in more detail in step three where we look at the need for a change control and communications plan.

Stakeholders

JISC infoNet has produced a useful stakeholder analysis template which is available via the project management infoKit. If you are planning to implement a corporate EDRM system then key stakeholders will include the Head of central administration services/Registrar; Deans of Faculties/ Heads of Schools; the Head of Learning and Information Services (ICT) and Head of records/archives.

Building the project team

This is a vital area. You will almost certainly need to include third party experts on this team in the form of consultants.

Internally your project team should include the records manager or the archivist if you have one; a senior ICT person with experience of implementing other IT systems; representatives of the user departments which have been identified as pilot users or users who have expressed a strong interest in being early implementers. These would include a representative from the central administration area and a representative from at least one faculty/school.

For consultancy you have a choice of using one organisation that has expertise in both records management and in supporting EDRM system procurements or two organisations/individuals - one for records management consultancy and the other for EDRM system procurement support.

Setting up the project infrastructure

Ideally you will set aside a small office area where the internal project team can be based and where the model office or prototype system will also be located. Consultants would work from there when on site and not conducting interviews etc.

You should agree the software and versions that will be used to manage the project and ensure that consultants use the same software. Ideally consultants need access to e-mail and the intranet and the team should have shared space for posting project documents.

Again JISC infoKit has a useful link on the project management infoKit to a Project Infrastructure checklist.