Manage Your Implementation

Overview

Once your business case has been agreed you will need to plan and manage your implementation. You may already have a well-established process for managing projects. The AmbITion approach is flexible enough to allow you to use whatever project management techniques you would usually use.

Digital projects are no different than other projects. However, it is likely that you will be working with external suppliers who are specialists in technology. Making sure that you understand enough about the technology to manage this relationship is key to a successful implementation.

Appoint Project Manager

It is key that you appoint a project manager for your implementation who is responsible for the delivery of the project. This project manager should report regularly to your management team, and should coordinate the work programme.

When working with external consultants (e.g. a web company) they should also assign a project manager to the project, but it is vital that you have your own project manager to coordinate the project from your end. This person should act as a single point of contact with other staff, funders, and external suppliers.

How you will manage the project

It is useful to set up some project management procedures at the start of any new project. These may be ones that you already use in your organisation.

You might wish to use software tools to plan your project milestones and work packages. Regular minuted meetings are also a good way of ensuring that the project runs effectively. If the project has a number of different work packages or you have to report to funders or other stakeholders, then some formal reporting mechanisms can be useful.

At the start of the project it is useful to set up a system for managing documentation on the project. Depending on the size of the project this might include a “risk log” or an “issues log.” Having a procedure in place for authorising changes to the project is useful, in that it can make clear what the project manager can decide for themselves, and what they need to get agreement for.

Planning

However detailed your business case, you will almost certainly need to break down your project into different work packages, and these will involve different people or different roles and take place at different times. Managing timescales, activities, budget and resources are all different aspects of good project management.

Reporting

Your project is likely to have specific reporting requirements set by your funders, or internally. For longer projects you may be expected to provide an update every six months or every year.

The managed implementation that AmbITion arts organisations undertook included a commitment to report at a number of key “gateways” or “milestones.” An easy to understand “highlights report” was provided, and this detailed what had been done to date, and what was to come. We also provided a change request form, to formally agree to any changes to the business case.

Templates: Highlights Report | Change Request Form

Types of Implementation

It is likely that your digital development may involve a number of different activities, particularly if it’s the result of a grant application. In each case you will be looking to work with a number of different service providers, for instance, web developers, digital artists and digital marketing experts. You also might be using existing staff, freelancers or interns, developing their skills as they go along.

Some general advice around implementation :-

1. Write a specification – your business case may have identified that you want a new website, but what will the website actually provide? This is where writing a specification is important. A simple web specification document is provided as a resource below under Website Development.

2. Plan your procurement schedule – if you are using external suppliers then it is useful to plan this process. If you’ve already developed a specification ask around for suggestions of who to send it to, or distribute it via your website and through partners. If you haven’t got the necessary technical expertise see if you can get someone with expertise to be on the tender panel. They may not have the time to run the project for you, but they might be able to help you choose the right supplier.

3. Do what you can do for yourself – the more work that you put into planning your digital development the better it is likely to be, since whatever the technology is, you know your organisation better than anyone.

4. Training and skills – think about what would be better to be done “in house.” You might want to get a website developed externally, as it’s unlikely that you’ll need the skills again. However you might want to train your staff in making videos for the website or looking after your digital marketing, as these activities might happen time and again.

5. Get the right equipment – often you might be spending a lot of time and money on using external suppliers, because you haven’t got the right equipment yourself and a small investment (for instance in video editing software), may be cost-effective.

6. Look at your options – we developed an “options summary” during preparation of your business case, and you might want to look at the options more closely during the implementation. For instance, see if you can compare different software or hardware before you’ve bought them, to see what it is that you really need. Much software is available as a “trial” or in a cut-down version. It might be worth you trying out two or three options before you make a decision.

7. See what advice is out there – it’s likely that there are a range of seminars, workshops and conferences that are covering some of the issues that you are addressing. Hopefully these will be in your own city or region, but even if not, it might be worthwhile sending staff to the right conference or workshop, if it’s right for your project. Even the contacts you meet at these events are invaluable.

8. Ask your peers for advice – use whatever networks and partnerships you have to share good practice, and use social media platforms and browsing the internet to find out what other people are doing. Chances are they’ll be happy to share their experience.

Arts organisations who have undertaken the AmbITion approach have undergone a wide range of projects, including the following. Signposting to more information about these from AmbITion and elsewhere is below.

Information management

 Information management document | How to ... syndicate your data

Organisational development

Developing Digitally Video | Bluecoat: a case study video

Back office systems

AmbITion technology audit guide and template | Technology planning template | How To... Do CRM on a shoestring

Website development

Successful Web Development for the Arts video | Web Specification document

Marketing and audience development

Successful Digital Marketing for the Arts video

Social media

How to... Social Media for Audience Development and Community Building | Twitter for Arts Organisations

Rich media production

How to... Digital Video

Using External Consultants

During the implementation for organisations undertaking the AmbITion approach, external consultants with expertise in digital technology and the arts were appointed to work with the organisations. These consultants acted as a “critical friend” to the project, and particularly offered support and mentoring to the internal project manager. Having being involved in the diagnostic and the development of the business case, they continued to work with the project during the implementation. Having this external experience was helpful in bringing their own experience to the project, and the knowledge transfer to the internal staff.

Video insights from AmbITion consultants: David Potts, Beth Aplin, Pam Henderson, Roger Tomlinson

Completing the implementation

Every type of digital project might have different tasks that you should undertake as the project comes to an end. For example, a website development is likely to require  user acceptance testing, training in the content management system, and a “snagging period” where any errors discovered during use, can be quickly corrected.

All projects should have a start and an end, and just as you will have formally agreed to start a project, you should look to formally close down the project.

This should include :-

-       ensure completion of all financial spend

-       completion of a file containing all project documentation (including throwing away anything that is no longer relevant)

-       storing any assets (e.g. photographs, videos

-       reflection and evaluation (see next section)

What’s Next?

You have successfully followed the AmbITion approach through the diagnosis of your needs, the development of a business case, and through the implementation itself. Throughout that process you should have been reflecting and evaluating, and that should continue once the project ends.