October 2001 Tidemark User's Conference

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Session: 2.6 Conversion Lessons Learned

Panelist: Art Henriques, City of Santa ClaraSean Hurley, Synergetic ConsultingLaurie Sherriff, City of Corvallis

Date: Thursday October 4, 2001

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Lessons Learned From Fremont and Santa Clara

Implementing a Tidemark Upgrade

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Session Agenda

Santa Clara and Fremont Recap Important Components for a Successful

Implementation Issues that Arise During an Upgrade Brief Recap by Art Henriques from Santa

Clara Brief Recap by Ida Fu from Fremont General Discussion

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Recap of Fremont and Santa Clara’s 2.61 Upgrade Fremont went live with 2.61.aj on July

16 Conversion took approximately 57 hours

Santa Clara went live with 2.61.01d on August 27 Conversion took approximately 2 hours

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Important Components for a Successful Implementation Planning

Clearly defining and limiting the scope of work

Allocating the necessary resources Project manager Computer support Power users

Clearly define the expectations on Tidemark

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Important Components Cont.

Project Management Build a Responsibility Matrix Set-up weekly conference call with

Tidemark Project Manager and Implementation Expert

TEST EVERYTHING THOROUGHLY Develop a method for tracking issues Get an early handle on Crystal Reports

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Important Components Cont.

Project Management Cont. If your municipality has anything out of the

ordinary with your network or computer, then run an on-site test conversion

Build a conversion events timeline Build a workstation upgrade checklist Allocate time to training your staff

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Issues that Arise During an Upgrade Tidemark sends a bad conversion You discover new bugs Your business rules may have to

change to accommodate the upgrade You do not know how to go about

testing You do not have the resources

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Issues Cont.

Your Tidemark support group is not responsive

Your computer group wants to incorporate a network change at the same time as the upgrade

You cannot keep track of all the new reports

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Issues Cont.

Tidemark seems to run slower after the upgrade

Tidemark will not print reports A particular workstation may not work

with Tidemark or gives an error

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Crystal Report Inventory List

Objectives - 1 To differentiate between Tidemark provided

and home grown (customized) report – through standardized naming convention

To verify what is registered against what are in the forms folder

To get a sample of the reports as part of the system documentation

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Crystal Report Inventory List

Objectives - 2 To provide our in-house customers for review

and determine what report is to be kept / tossed

To record what work needs to be done on the kept reports

Standardize look and feel of the customized reports

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Crystal Report Inventory List

Established Standard Report Requirements Reports sent out of the City offices will have

the new City logo Page header will have proper title with report

owner (dept) and selection criteria displayed All reports will have report name, Date and

Time the report is run displayed on the page footer (bottom)

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Crystal Report Inventory List

Elements on the List Department owner Before (old) & After(new) report names Action on the report (delete, enhanced,

kept as is, etc.) Run Frequency Selection Criteria and other special

pertinent requirements.

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Tidemark 2.61 Upgrade

Art Henriques

City Planner

Smart Permit Project Manager

City of Santa Clara

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City of Santa Clara

Active member of Joint Venture Smart Permits

Member of Bay Area Smart Permits Version 2.52 October 1999 Upgraded to 2.53 Version 2.61.01d since August 2001 Tested eConnect 1.1

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Clearly Define the Objectives

Limit Objectives to Manageable Number Update of the IVR System was a main

item

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Detail in Contract

Scope of Work Responsibilities Timelines Review thoroughly with

Key staff Consultant(s)

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Detail Project Internally

Management Why is this needed How does it improve customer service How does it improve internal process

Staff Why do this How does this help their work Listen to possible concerns, do some cheerleading

Contract Service They are a key part of the process

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Management Support/ Consultant Resources Agency Staff Time

By milestone & overall

Independent Database Audit Helpful second look

Key Staff Focused on Upgrade This has to be their top priority

Ensure No Conflict with Other IT Projects No bonus confusion/challenges

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Keep Tidemark Upgrade on Target Key Agency Staff Consultant Services Stay Focused on Contract Timelines

Daily/weekly meetings Weekly calls to Tidemark at a minimum

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Document

Document, document, document Communicate vertically & horizontally

At least at key milestones More often as you need to

Serve food & drink Try to have fun!

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More Information at the City of Santa Clara Art Henriques, City Planner (408) 615 - 2450 Ahenriques@ci.santa-clara.ca.us