Chapter 4 – Information Technology

It is the policy of the Department to create an automation organizational structure that is conducive to the successful implementation, maintenance, and control of the EDPElectronic Data Processing (see IT) environment.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that an EDPElectronic Data Processing (see IT) infrastructure is created which meets the needs of the Department and fixes responsibility and authority for the development and maintenance of EDPElectronic Data Processing (see IT) systems.

EDPElectronic Data Processing (see IT) project management is project team oriented. Maintenance and development projects each have a technical project manager. New development projects also have a user project manager. Each project, whether maintenance or new development, is uniquely and individually staffed with a separate project team. DOMDepartment Operations Manual 43030.4 describes the structure of project teams.

Team Concept

Project Team Structure

• The project team is a self-sufficient unit staffed with the appropriate technical and managerial resources to address the complexity and size of a project through its life cycle-from initiation through the development, implementation, and maintenance phases. A project team shall have the following composition:

  • A core technical staff of analysts and programmers to construct the system.

  • Users to participate in requirements definition, design “walkthroughs,” and test planning and execution.

  • Trainers to develop user manuals and to train users.

  • Administrative staff to support project tracking and management reporting.

• Each project shall have a technical project manager and an associated user group. New development projects shall also have a user project manager who shall stay with the project through implementation. The user project manager shall be responsible for “what” needs to be automated. The technical project manager shall be responsible for the technical aspects (i.e., the “how”) of the project. DOMDepartment Operations Manual 43030.5 (User Project Manager) and DOMDepartment Operations Manual 43030.6 (Technical Project Manager) outline the roles and responsibilities of the user and technical project managers, respectively.

User Project Manager

• The user project manager is selected by CDC executive management from one of the functional areas affected by the project and reports to the appropriate Deputy Director on the MISManagement Information Systems Committee.

• The user project manager provides overall guidance to the technical project manager. The user project manager keeps fully apprised of the status of the project through regular written project reports from the technical project manager, although the technical project manager reports formally to ISDInformation Services Division (see EIS) management.

• The user project manager is fully responsible for the project and, in effect, is subcontracting for technical expertise. Therefore, this contract is with ISDInformation Services Division (see EIS) rather than a specific technical project manager. This means that the usual reporting structure for ISDInformation Services Division (see EIS) is maintained.

• The user project manager is responsible for securing the necessary project funding and project resources. In addition, the user project manager is responsible for ensuring that the IMAPInformation Management Annual Plan, BCSBudget Concept Statement, BCPBudget Change Proposal, FSRFeasibility Study Reports, Special Project Report (SPRSpecial Project Reports), Quarterly Project Report (QPR), Post implementation Evaluation Report (PIERPost Implementation Evaluation Report), and any other required documentation is prepared and approved by departmental management. ISDInformation Services Division (see EIS) shall be responsible to review, log, and submit these reports to EDPElectronic Data Processing (see IT) control agencies as required.

• The user project manager communicates project needs and priorities to the technical project manager, as reported by the user group. The user project manager is also responsible for ensuring that the user community provides the necessary time and resources required throughout the project, such as needs and requirements analysis, data conversion, and user training, as addressed in the approved project management plan.

Technical Project Manager

• The technical project manager is appointed by ISDInformation Services Division (see EIS) and reports to a unit manager within the Applications Systems Section who, in turn, reports to the ISDInformation Services Division (see EIS) Application Systems Manager. The technical project team members report directly to the technical project manager.

• The technical project manager has full authority over and responsibility for the technical aspects of the project and the technical project team members. This responsibility includes:

  • Detailed planning.

  • Staff recruitment and management.

  • Project budget control.

  • Requirements specifications.

  • System design.

  • Programming and testing.

  • System implementation.

  • Data file conversion (responsibility for this task shall be shared with user staff depending upon the resources allocated to the project and the conversion approach approved in the implementation plan).

  • System maintenance.

  • User training (responsibility for this task may vary depending upon the resources allocated to the project and the training approach approved in the project management plan).

User Groups

• Each project (whether new development or maintenance) shall establish an associated user group comprised of representatives from the user community. The purpose of these user groups is to provide a forum for communication between the project teams and those who use the application systems, in order to facilitate more effective use of existing application systems and assist in the development of new systems.

• The user group representatives prioritize requests for system enhancements, exchange information on system usage, and provide feedback on system modifications.

The Assistant Secretary, EISEnterprise Information Services (formerly Information Services Division), or designee shall be responsible for ensuring that the contents of this Article are kept current and accurate.

DOMDepartment Operations Manual §§ 43030.4 – 43030.6.