Training Module for Electronic Community NGOs and other interested parties
Developing an Information Management Master Plan
A Primer for the Development of a Long Term Technology Plan
Index
What is an Information Master Plan?
Why should my organization have an Information Master Plan?
Plannaging – Planning and Managing Change with your
Information Master Plan
Taking Inventory
Backplanning
Budgeting for Your Plan
Explanation & Example of the Template
View & Save A Blank Template
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What is an Information Master Plan?
An Information Master Plan is a carefully drafted, organic,
plan for adding and utilizing technology related to information systems.
Carefully crafted because it requires you to think through the process of
adding or upgrading technology based upon the needs of your organization and
its financial capability; Organic because it is an evolving, growing and
changing document reflecting the above. In other words as your organization
grows, shifts mission focus, sees changing financial support patterns, etc.
your IMP should be revised to reflect these changes. Thus allowing you to
monitor your success and shortcomings.
An IMP allows your organization to utilize technology as it
was intended. Owning a computer or printers are not an end in and of themselves
but , rather, they are a means for achieving the mission of the organization
more efficiently and effectively. Otherwise your hardware is in danger of
becoming little more than an expensive paperweight sitting on your desk – or
the desk of a colleague or employee.
If the development of an IMP does not reflect the mission
and goals of your organization – and,hopefully, an overall long term strategic
plan that you have adopted – then it will do little to assist you in either
budgeting or enhancing your mission.
The three most important questions to ask about an IMP are:
1.
Does it reflect the mission and goals of my organization?
2.
Does it reflect the mission and goals of my organization? And ,
3.
You guessed it - - Does it reflect the mission and goals of my organization?
In truth, there are indeed important questions to ask
yourself about an IMP but none is more important than the question of whether
it helps you reach the goals that you have set for your organization – no
matter how humble or grand.
Why should my organization have an Information Master Plan?
Table of Contents
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Why should my organization have an Information Master Plan?
While engaged in the never ending struggle for funds to keep
your organization alive sometimes seems as if it is the measure of your success
and strength, the real strength of an organization comes not from financial
capital but from its human capital . . . in other words, the people within your
organization and those that you serve are the lifeblood of your organization
and its reason for being.
Effective planning for information systems that enhance the
ability of your organization’s staff to carry out their mission will add
tremendously to your capacity to serve the people your organization was
intended to serve. Unplanned, additions to your hardware or software or
training capacity may contribute little to the effectiveness of the
organization and its mission and may drain critical financial resources that
could have been used for other mission specific activities.
This primer is intended to assist you in the development of
an IMP by describing the considerations, the categories and the methodology of
crafting a plan. However, it is largely dependent upon your vision as an
organization. If you find that you are simply guessing about numbers of staff,
computers, printers telephone lines etc, then you have probably not done long
term strategic planning for your organization – or you are not utilizing the
planning that you have done. Every organization should be “visioning their
future” and attempting to determine where it will be in 5 years based upon its
mission and the changing landscape. This does not necessarily mean that your
organization will be bigger. Perhaps your mission does not require growth in
terms of numbers of employees. It does, however, mean that you will be more
effectively and efficiently fulfilling the tasks that you have set before
yourself to accomplish.
Plannaging – Planning and Managing Change with your
Information Master Plan
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Plannaging – Planning and Managing Change with your
Information Master Plan
There are many methodologies that have been developed for
creating long term plans – whether they are general plans of technological
ones. One of the simplest and most efficient methods for doing this is a method
developed by Fred Jervis who is the spark behind an organization called the
Center for Constructive Change, located in Durham NH, USA. Their term for it is “Plannaging” an abbreviation
for planning and managing change but very simply it can be viewed as
“Backplanning”.
What is “Backplanning”?
Simply put Backplanning involves 3 simple steps:
1.) Taking inventory of where you are now.
2.) Envisioning where you would like to be in a specific period of time;
and,
3.) Planning backward to create a timeline for achieving your goals.
Be sure to create measurable goals and benchmarks, so that
you have a means for determining whether you are sticking to your plan or
diverging from it: For each aspect of your IMP create an inventory statement
(or simply a number); a measureable statement about where you will be in 5
years. Then, fill in the space in between with measurable goal statements or
numbers describing where you will be at each particular point in time.
Taking Inventory
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Taking Inventory
Unlike an inventory that a grocer or shop owner would take,
your inventory will require you to look at both technology resources, human
resources and goals (preferably already outlined in a general long term
strategic plan for your organization). It will require you to take stock of
where you are, to envision where you hope to be and to construct a “roadmap” of
how you will utilize technology for getting there.
When you have finished reading this and answered the
questions, go to the IMP form and fill them in. Or download an excel
spreadsheet template for easier updating and fill it in. If you use the HTML
form, be sure to leave the form open in order to fill in all the information.
Mission Driven Inventory
What is the overall mission of your organization? Okay,
you’re getting tired of being told this. However, it is critical that you
consistently keep this in mind as you inventory, envision and map your
technologic future.
How many offices do you currently have? Are there too many,
too few, or just the right number to serve your mission today?
How many phone lines do you have currently? Are they
sufficient to meet your current needs?
Personnel Inventory
How many people are employed by your organization? Are they
dispersed among various offices or all under the same roof? Is your staffing
adequate to meet your current needs?
What are the technology skill levels of your employees
today? Are they adequate? What changes need to be made to assure their adequacy
- particularly in, light of where your IMP will take the organization?
Equipment Inventory
How many computers, printers, laptops, servers, etc., does
your organization have currently? Are there enough to meet your current needs?
(Don’t forget that if you don’t have employees who know how to use the
computers they will not be of any use to you and the longer they sit idle the
greater the chances become that they are less helpful in meeting your needs and
more intimidating to your staff).
Are there other types of technological equipment that your
organization might need to more successfully fulfill your mission? Ie:
Scanners, binding equipment, sound or video editing equipment? How will you
plan for adding these things?
What is Backplanning?
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Backplanning
Utilizing the two ends of the spectrum that you have created, plan
backwards for achieving the goals you have outlined, using measurable
objectives in the form of a number or a statement.
A measurable objective is exactly what it sounds like. An
objective that you can measure, thus allowing you to determine at any point
your progress in meeting the goals outlined in your masterplan.
What if you haven't met your objectives?
There are several possible reasons for an organizations
failure to meet their measurable objectives.
*
Unrealistic Goals: Perhaps you hoped for too much. If this is the case you will
want to make revisions to your master plan to make it more realistic. An Information
Master Plan is only helpful to your organization if your goals and objectives
are realistic. Overstating those goals will lead to frustration among your
staff, and disappointment among your supporters. Review your Information Master
Plan, in all areas and determine if you need to make revisions that reflect
more reasonably your operating environment.
*
Organizational Crisis: Perhaps an unexpected problem within the organization
created a more immediate crisis that required the expenditure of either human
or monetary resources that diminished the capacity to reach your goals. Assess
first whether this crisis is really unique or whether you just failed to
anticipate at least one unexpected problem that would require immediate
attention. How often does your organization experience these kinds of
"urgent" problems and how does that effect your ability to focus
attention on those things that are "important". If you are regularly
trying to put out "fires" within your organization, this may be a
sign that your planning process is flawed. It is critical that your
organization does not lose sight of what is important to its mission because it
is always facing a crisis that is urgent.
Understand that you are not obligated to the first number or
statement that you put down. As you look at the plan on a line by line basis
and on an overall basis, you may see inconsistencies. Go back and make
adjustments to reflect a realistic point of view.
Budgeting for Your Plan
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Budgeting for Your Plan
Now that you have what you consider to be a well thought out
roadmap to your technological and mission driven future, how does this plan
impact your budget? Can you raise sufficient funds to match the challenges that
you have set out for yourself? Are there ways of achieving similar results with
less expenditure (for example – peer to peer training may be sufficient for
some kinds of skill training. It is less expensive – but you must still plan
for it and execute your plan).
Using the Excel Template you should fill in a budget
estimate for each of the items that you list (each of your measurable
objectives). At the bottom of your template you will note a budget total line
where the running total for that year appears. This is the bottom line cost for
your goals. If it is unrealistic in terms of your fundraising abilities then
you must rethink your IMP or your strategies for fundraising - whichever seems
a more likely avenue for success.
Rethinking the IMP requires of course that you substitute
new (realistic) budget estimates next to each of your measurable objectives and
determine whether you now have a budget that is within reach of your
fundraising capacity.
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Sample IMP Matrix
Today
One
Year Two
Years Three
Years Four
Years 5
Years Measurable
Outcome Statement
Mission
Offices A
separate plan should be created for each office with an overall plan for the
full organization
Personnel
Total 2
10
There
will be ten employees
Management 1
2
employees will manage the enterprise
Technical 1
1
technical person will administer the technology
Mission Oriented 1
4
people will focus on the mission of the organization
Public Relations 1
person will do publicity & media relations
Development/Funding 1
person will focus their energy on fundraising & development
Maintenance 1
person will maintain the facilities
Hardware All
mission critical staff will have a computer
Desktop Computers 1
3
5
6
7
9
All
auxilliary staff will have access to a shared computer
Laptop Computers 0
1
2
Servers 0
1
1
Telephones 1
2
3
Cellular Phones 0
1
2
Printers
Software
General Compatability
Unified Platform
Mission Specific
Website
Training
Technical Training Intro
for 1 staff 1
intermediate, 1 beginner 1advanced,
1 intermediate, 1 beginner
Unified Software Training Inform
Staff Unified
software training All
staff will utilize a unified selection of software
email Training 1
person trained Peer
to peer training for all Peer
to peer training for all Peer
to peer training for all Peer
to peer training for all All
staff will be trained to send and receive email (
WWW Training 1
person trained Peer
to peer training for all Peer
to peer training for all Peer
to peer training for all Peer
to peer training for all All
core staff will be trained to browse & use the Web
Mission specific software Tr None
Currently Acquire
mission specific software
Procure
training for current employees Peer
to peer training for all mission staff Peer
to peer training for all mission staff Peer
to peer training for all mission staff Will
have mission related software
Infrastructure &
proved training for all mission specific personnel
Network None
Peer
to peer network
Printers one
email None
1
address & email Desktop
email for mission critical, shared email for auxillary staff
WWW Access None
1
Access Point 10
Access Points Desktop
access to WWW for all Mission Critical, Shared for Auxilliary
Website Web
address & email link Informational
Page FR,
ENG, PTG Commerce
Enhancing Full
Commerce A
website with an electronic storefront selling member products
Data Management
No
Data management All
staff able to manage individual Create
Server for Shared Files All
employees able to utilize network By
year 5 all data management will be overseen by a Technical specialist
desktops
appropriately &
other documents. Institute Unified to
manage data effectively
Software
Platform. Remove all other
unauthorized
software
User Management
Backup Management
Budget Costs
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Blank Information Master Plan Matrix
Today
Budget
One
Year Y1
Budget Two
Years Y2
Budget Three
Years Y3
Budget Four
Years Y4
Budget 5
Years Y5
Budget Measurable
Outcome Statement
Mission
Offices
Personnel
Total
Management
Technical
Mission Oriented
Public Relations
Development/Funding
Maintenance
Hardware
Desktop Computers
Laptop Computers
Servers
Telephones
Cellular Phones
Printers
Software
General Compatability
Unified Platform
Mission Specific
Website
Training
Technical Training
Unified Software Training
email Training
WWW Training
Mission specific software Tr
Infrastructure
Network
Printers
email
WWW Access
Website
Data Management
User Management
Backup Management
Budget Costs
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