Planning, Needs Assessment, Project Management
On this and most weeks, each student will present their topical reading, with handouts for the class, and the instructor will present a lecture based on recent developments since publication of the texts. Make sure the handout provides a full bibliographical citation for your reading.
Planning for Public Information Systems
The Role of the Federal CIO
Strategic Planning
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
The Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA)
Portfolio Management
Risk Management
Records Management
Summary
Discussion Questions for Garson, Chapter 11
1. What lessons for IT can one draw from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001?
2. What was the vision of the office of CIO at the federal level? How has the OMB's primary authority in IT planning oversight impacted the office of CIO?
3. In your own words, describe the process of strategic planning for IT. What essential actions must occur in order for a strategic plan to succeed?
4. What is the Federal Enterprise Architecture? What "incentives" exist to encourage agency adherence to FEA standards?
5. The FEA's Performance Reference Model includes a set of outcomes and metrics which agencies can use to measure their performance against best business practices. How does this model fit or not fit into existing agency frameworks?
6. What are the five FEA reference models? What is their overall purpose? What overlays exist?
8. What criticism has been brought against the OMB's FEA efforts?
9. How does a portfolio management approach to managing IT investments differ from the traditional approach? How does the GAO's ITIM framework work?
10. How is risk management a form of contract management?
Discussion Questions for Rocheleau, Chapter 2:
Planning for Information Technology in the Public Sector
1. How prevalent are formal IT plans at the local level, according to Rocheleau? p. 24.
2. What reasons does Rocheleau advance for relative lack of IT planning? pp. 24-26.
3. What five components appear in typical IT plans according to Rocheleau? pp. 26-27
4. What are the main points of Rocheleau'ss ection on "Obtaining Input for Strategic Plans"? pp. 27-31.
5. What is "technophilia"? p. 34
6. What is COTS and what is the main issue associated with it? pp. 35-36.
7. What does it mean to establish an "IT architecture"? pp. 38-40.
8. What main points does Rocheleau make about assessing existing sytems?
Needs Assessment and Project Management
Needs Assessment
Business Process Analysis
Feasibility Studies
The Role of the Project Manager
Project Management Protocols
Summary
Discussion Questions for Garson, Chapter 12
1. In your own words, what is the purpose of a needs assessment. What are pitfalls to avoid?
2. What are four basic steps in an IT needs assessment? Pick one and describe why it is necessary for a successful needs assessment and what would happen if it were omitted.
3. What is a functional specifications document and what relation does it have with regard to vendors?
4. What is a BPA? Is there a generally accepted standard for IT-related BPAs?
5. What are feasibility studies used for? When are they generally undertaken?
6. What is the role of the project manager? Why might an agency reject calls for using a professional project manager?
7. Use the Internet to find the OMB's "Interpretive Guidance for Project Manager Positions." Describe the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with IT project management.
8. What is a project management protocol?
9. What is the Capacity Maturity Model? When is this model most appropriately used?
10. In what way can the methods discussed in this chapter be considered extensions of systems theory?