Strategic Planning 10 Critical Success Factors and Sure-Fire Ways to Fail!

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Strategic Planning 10 Critical Success Factors
and Sure-Fire Ways to Fail!

• Kelly J. Harris
• SEARCH Deputy Executive Director

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Information Sharing Initiatives Are Difficult!

• Requires in-depth understanding of
• Agency business processes
• Independent but Interdependent Organizations
• User needs
• Legal requirements
• Procedural issues
• Technology
• How to align all of these elements

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IT is a Strategic Issue

• Multiple budget cycles to build
• Multiple funding streams that must be leveraged
• In regional and/or integrated justice efforts
  that involve multiple agencies and different
  disciplines
• Independent agencies
• Separate branches of government
• Independent systems for collecting and
  maintaining data

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Standish Group Findings
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Top 10 Critical Success Factors

• User Involvement
• Executive Management Support
• Clear Statement of Requirements
• Proper Planning
• Realistic Expectations
• Interim Project Milestones
• Competent Staff
• Ownership
• Clear Vision and Objectives
• Hard-working, Focused Staff

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Youre Project Is At Risk If
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Dont Establish a Governance Structure
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Establish a formal governance structure
• Employ a steering committee with executive
  participation
• Create and use subgroups
• Hire or assign a dedicated project manager

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Sample Governance Structure
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Dont Honestly Assess Human Resources You Have
Available to Dedicate to This
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Secure executive management support
• Involve Users
• Have an invested and competent staff
• Have a hard-working, focused staff

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Dont Analyze Business Process Information
Exchanges
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Get information sharing partners together
• Analyze business processes
• Use an accepted methodology and Tool
• Find ways to improve and enhance processes and
  capabilities

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Dont Develop a Strategy Document
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Formalize Your Plans, including goals and
  objectives
• Determine priorities
• Constantly assess those plans
• Define scope and agree upon scope with project
  team
• Develop/execute change management process

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Its All Related
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Dont Set Realistic Timeframes or Manage
Expectations
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Prepare a realistic timeline
• Identify resources within a Gantt chart
• Identify measurable interim milestones
• Develop/execute change management process

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Dont Create A Realistic Budget
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Prepare one-time/recurring cost estimates
• Budget for all project-related costs
• Develop and use detailed payment plans
• Develop cost controls

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Dont Develop Performance Measures
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Establish Goals
• Create mechanisms for measurement
• Identify minimum acceptance criteria
• For Technology develop and execute acceptance
  test plan(s)

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Dont Communicate
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Develop a Communications Plan
• Include/Inform All Stakeholders
• Analyze and Report Progress/Performance
• Use a Website

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Dont Adopt Standards
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• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Understand standards efforts underway
• Use models where available
• Where standards are lacking, create them in your
  jurisdiction base them on open standards

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Do Not Improve Participating Agency Information
Systems

• Pitfall Avoidance!
• Recognize the need to prioritize

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Process, Not a Project
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Resources

• SEARCH Technical Assistance
• No cost to you
• Funded by Bureau of Justice Assistance
• www.search.org