Welcome to the Iamdata Solutions Asset Management Monthly Newsletter - February 2022
What is the main thing holding you back? Is it a lack of systems and processes in your organisation, or too many disparate systems and too many overly complicated processes in place, where you spend more time entering data into forms than anything else?
I’ve had quite a few people asking about implementing Asset Management across the Council. As well as the obvious technology and IT systems, I would have to say that the main thing is to engage with your staff and end-users right at the beginning of the process to ensure you have a clear understanding what they need to help them be more efficient in completing and delivering their day-to-day tasks.
Implementing a new system
Developing and activating a new system is a long process. I’ve known it to take between 2 to 3 years, and realistic timeframes should be taken into consideration. Implementing a new idea, a new process, a new collaboration between departments, and new technologies is difficult, therefore it is important to break the process down into smaller stages. Each stage will require a different skill set. Here are things to consider before embarking on a project of this scale:
The Process - Systems Analysis
There are four main stages to setting up any new computer system and setting up an Asset Management System follows the same steps - 1. Analysis, 2. Design, 3. Implementation, and 4. Evaluation.
Step 1 - Analysis
During this stage the systems analyst will investigate how the current system works and what needs to be improved. This involves finding out whether a new computer system is needed at all and exactly what it will be used for.
Analysis is all about looking at how a job is done currently and seeing if the job could be done better or more efficiently by upgrading or developing a new system
With this goal in mind, the systems analyst might:
observe staff at work
interview staff about their work
send out questionnaires about working practices
inspect documents such as user guides, data capture forms and any printouts the current system creates.
Feasibility Study
Having investigated the present system, we will produce a feasibility study. This will look at whether the new system is:
Technically feasible - is the new system technically possible to implement in the time available?
Economically viable - will the cost of the new system be offset by savings once it is implemented, ie will it save the organisation time, money or increase its performance?
The project will only continue to the next stage if the answer to both of these questions is yes. At this point the decision makers in the organisation, e.g. the board of directors, decide whether or not to go ahead.
When you reach this point, you may decide you actually don't need a whole new system, but with a little development to your existing system, and/or adjustments to current processes, you will have fixed the pain points that have been holding you back. This is great! You'll certainly save time and money if you can eliminate identified issues without investing in a whole new system.
Step 2 - Design
The Requirements Specification
The next step is to draw up a requirements specification that outlines exactly what the new system will do. For example, it will mention:
what hardware is needed
what software is needed
what inputs are needed
what processing must take place
what information needs to be output
The Testing Plan
A Test Plan will be included in the design phase to explain exactly how the new system will be tested and the expected outcomes for each test. Testing is important because computer software is usually very complex. Any mistakes made by the designers or programmer can have a dramatic effect depending on what the software is used for. Usually software is tested with three distinct types of data:
typical data – this is normal data the system should be working with
extreme data – this is data at the boundary between typical data and invalid
data invalid data (sometimes known as erroneous data) – this is data that should cause the system to tell the user that there is a problem with data entered into the system
Testing helps to ensure that the system always acts as expected.
Step 3 - Implementation
Implementation is the next stage of developing a new system, after design. This is where the new system is created and installed. Tasks that might take place include:
writing programs
purchasing hardware and software
writing user documentation
testing the system using the test plan
installing networks
training staff
If the tests are not satisfactory then any problems will need to be corrected and the system tested again.
User Documentation
User documentation will be written to help staff become familiar with the new system. It will include:
a user guide
installation details
input and output samples
screen shots
details of what error messages mean, ie troubleshooting advice
Methods of Changeover
When the system is ready to go on-line there are different ways of moving from the old to the new system:
Parallel running
Running both the old and new system until you are certain the new system is working correctly. Parallel running is likely to be the most expensive as it involves doing the work twice for a period of time. However, it is the safest. If there are any bugs in the new system, you can always go back to the old system while the problems are corrected.
Step 4 - Evaluation
Once the system has been installed it will be monitored to check whether it is working correctly. Sometimes problems with a system will not be found until it is being used by a large number of people or an unusual situation occurs.
Evaluation is really re-analysing - starting the same systems analysis process all over again. Many of the same techniques can be used, such as interviewing staff or sending out questionnaires.
The Process - Plan for Success
Implementing a new system is hard, and success rates for these types of projects succeeding is anywhere between 56% - 74%. To ensure you don't end up wasting millions of dollars and at least 2 years work on a white elephant that doesn't do what you need, and nobody wants to use, here are some key points to consider before you embark n the journey.
Engage with Staff and Stakeholders in the first instance to ensure everyone understands what is required from the new system, and so you can SET YOUR GOAL - Be Specific!
Don't be blinded by the sales talk. All vendors want to sell you their product. If you have worked through the Analysis Stage, you will know exactly what your organisation requires. Have faith in your experts - your end-users will know what they need, and your IT Staff will know what is required to ensure the technology is compatible. Visit Organisations where they have implemented the same software. Ask to see 'live' demos with live data (not just a PowerPoint Presentation). Ensure you speak to the end users, they are the ones who will be able to tell you the good things and the bad things about the system.
Any new IT project will be complex. We want to ensure the system will still be viable in years to come, and we need to be ready to embrace the big data, and smart cities movement. Complex projects do take time.
Projects often fail because of poor management. Complex projects do need resources, but quantity doesn't automatically mean quality. The phrase, 'too many cooks spoil the broth' comes to mind. Everyone involved with the project should be clear what their specific role is and is accountable for their part on the project.
Have you implemented a new system recently? I would love to hear how the project went for you, what was your project approach, and if you have any lessons learned you would like to share that could help anyone else embarking on a similar process. Or perhaps, after the analysis, you discovered that you could achieve your goal with some development to your existing systems? I'd love to hear your story?
I have worked on many different projects with my Local Government clients, from designing and developing Power BI Reports, to building SQL Server databases for spatial data, to managing and maintaining the GIS and the Asset Management systems. If you'd like to discuss how we might work together, then please email Jill at ➡️iamdata@internode.on.net
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