Knowledge Management Tools and Techniques ... - Index of - Free

Figure 3.1
May-Sept
2001
Oct-Dec
2001
January
2002
Looking for
Elaboration
an answer:
of user
Assessment
requirements
of existing
and
processes
Assessing
vendors with Better
new ideas understanding
strawman
Result: We of what we
knew what wanted,
we did not assessed three
want to do vendors,
selected one
Solution time line
February
2002
Plan, Design, Execute . . . Reap? 85
Business Case Plan & Design Implement Maintenance
Design and
develop
wireframes
and conduct
content
audit
The executive team then appointed an executive champion, who in turn picked a
team to design a solution. The core team initially consisted of an executive sponsor, a
project manager, and the IT director. Their challenge was time. The decision was made
in late October 2001, and the site had to be delivered in early April 2002 (see Figure
3.1).
Designing and Deploying a Solution
Vendor Assessment
March
2002
Construction
and content
input
April
2002
April 15,
Launch
May
2002
Phase 2
Support
Identifying
requirements for
Phase 2 and
focusing on clean
content
The first step was to determine what the solution should look like. A critical
requirements session was conducted with the executive champion, project manager,
and technology director, as well as marketing and product group representatives. An
external consultant in application and Web site deployment facilitated the session. The
group identified two key elements: an initial set of functionality for the site and the
realization that center staff would need external assistance in deploying the system.
With the requirements in hand, APQC again approached vendors. APQC’s position
to these vendors was, “We don’t know what technology to use or what solution we
should have. Here are the requirements; you propose a solution.” Three solutions were
proposed:
1. A custom solution based on software developed for other customers
2. Content management software, a search engine, and a custom portal for Web
delivery
3. Content management software, a search engine, and a portal application for
content delivery
To support the decision-making process, the vendor suggesting a custom solution
created a prototype of the site so that the team could visualize what the application
might look like. This was an eye-opening experience for the team. With no business
analyst to guide the effort, the vendor created a prototype that was visually dismal.