Innovators Exchange Technology Upgrades and Virtual Service Delivery Lynn Bajorek.

Innovators Exchange

Technology Upgrades and Virtual Service Delivery

Lynn Bajorek

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Challenges: IT Upgrades

• Quick timeframes Pressure to get things done can lead to rushed

decision-making

• Integrating new ideas into an existing structure Have to be willing to re-write parts of your

system

• Getting staff on board with the change System tends to look the same which makes it

harder to change the way staff think about it

Challenges: Full System Development

• Managing the magnitude/Keeping up w/ Deadlines Human nature to procrastinate w/far away deadlines Tempting to “rob” time from an equally important area Need to chunk out project and set realistic deadlines for each

chunk

• Keeping up with technology changes Technology moves forward faster than the project ever could Adapting to new technology is risky

• Staff turnover Can slow down/kill a project or impede success New management may not be on board Can lose knowledge, background & momentum w/key staff 3

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Challenges: Overall

• Effective communication between IT and program staff

• Need “interpreters” who are: Close to both Policy and Technical Are well respected by all

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Lessons Learned

• Make data-driven decisions• Provides a solid basis for explaining

decisions later• Do your research on IT products• Lots of reputable freeware products out

there• Have lots of smart people working on the

project• No one person can or should have all the

answers• Find a “power champion”• You will always have “naysayers” but a

power champion can you carry you past them