Lesson
Anticipate and plan for potential institutional barriers, especially in multi-agency deployments.
Alaska DOT&PF’s experience integrating a common technology into its ITS and IT plans.
12/1/2003
Alaska,United States
Background (Show)
Lesson Learned
Anticipate and plan for potential institutional barriers to project deployment.
Institutional issues can become barriers to progress. Each organization has to overcome the natural desire to continue the status quo. Not all members in the organization will want to embrace new technologies. Change management then becomes the most dynamic of the variables the project manager will have to control. Disseminate information frequently through newsletters, presentations and training. Information dissemination is the best control mechanism for change management. In addition, ITS projects are relatively new to administrators. An administration change in the middle of a multi-year ITS project can delay the schedule while the new administration feels out project worthiness and defines priorities. This process can add months to the timeline especially when multiple organizations are involved.
Anticipate risks associated with having multiple partners. One risk is that not all partners will secure funding in a timely manner and deployment plans will change due to unfounded requirements. If one organization loses or fails to obtain funding, the entire project can be delayed or jeopardized. Use creative thinking to managing this risk and employ a team effort to encourage other organizations to provide funding to keep the project on schedule.
Institutional issues can become barriers to progress. Each organization has to overcome the natural desire to continue the status quo. Not all members in the organization will want to embrace new technologies. Change management then becomes the most dynamic of the variables the project manager will have to control. Disseminate information frequently through newsletters, presentations and training. Information dissemination is the best control mechanism for change management. In addition, ITS projects are relatively new to administrators. An administration change in the middle of a multi-year ITS project can delay the schedule while the new administration feels out project worthiness and defines priorities. This process can add months to the timeline especially when multiple organizations are involved.
Anticipate risks associated with having multiple partners. One risk is that not all partners will secure funding in a timely manner and deployment plans will change due to unfounded requirements. If one organization loses or fails to obtain funding, the entire project can be delayed or jeopardized. Use creative thinking to managing this risk and employ a team effort to encourage other organizations to provide funding to keep the project on schedule.
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Lesson ID: 2005-00065
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