Enterprise Infrastructure Experiential Learning Projects Spring 2015 LEAP

Enterprise Infrastructure Experiential Learning Projects

Spring 2015 LEAP

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www.commonimpact.org

Raleigh, NC

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Easter Seals UCPOffice 365 SharePoint Configuration & Migration Plan

Mission: To create opportunities, promote individual choice, and change the lives of children and adults with disabilities by maximizing their individual potential to live, learn and work in their communities. Easter Seals provides a wide variety of therapy, residential, employment and camp programs and services for children and adults.

Operating Budget: $80 M

President & CEO: Luanne Welch

VP of Development: Jennifer Crumpler

Location: 5171 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612

Website: www.easterseals.com

http://www.easterseals.com/

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Project Goal:

Create and configure a new Office365 SharePoint site and develop a strong, comprehensive migration plan to guide Easter Seals’ future migration of its large and complex data.

Reasons this Project is Compelling:

Easter Seals works in local communities across NC and VA to help more than 20,000 children and adults with disabilities live their best possible lives. Their main office is a hub providing supporting resources, such as information technology, to almost 3,000 employees dispersed among 120 sites in rural and urban communities. This Office 365 SharePoint migration will help Easter Seals manage costs and improve efficiency.


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Project Description:A team of skilled volunteers will:1. Discovery: Familiarize themselves with Easter Seals’ organization, confirm current pain points and

goals for this project, perform an initial review of relevant elements of its IT infrastructure and data sources, and develop an initial project plan to be further refined throughout the course of the project.

2. Assessment: Perform a comprehensive review of Easter Seals’ existing data across sources, work with Easter Seals to define the structure of its SharePoint site and desired user settings and permissions, and research migration approaches, being careful to verify assumptions regarding tools that would support the migration process.

3. Development & Migration Preparation: Develop the SharePoint site according to requirements developed in phase 2, incorporating an iterative review and refinement process until the final version is approved, and develop a plan to test and refine the migration process.

4. Migration Planning: Test and refine the migration process, then develop a document to guide Easter Seals through the final migration processes. This document should include a site map, and a guide for understanding choices made and any important considerations.

Project Milestones: 5. Present initial findings from discovery, the approach the team will take to achieve the final

deliverable and an initial project plan (eg. GANT chart) that maps phases against a timeline, which will be further refined throughout the course of the project.

6. Present findings from assessment, including the proposed site structure, findings regarding the quality and size of existing data, and any early findings regarding the migration process.

7. Receive approval for the developed SharePoint site, and present the migration testing plan.8. Present a summary of the project process, and final outcome to key stakeholders, and hand off the

SharePoint site and final migration plan.


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Merrimack, NH

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NH Center for NonprofitsWebsite Assessment for National Roll-Out

Mission: A statewide association dedicated to providing programs and resources that support nonprofit organizational capacity building, and partnering with sector leaders, businesses, and the broader community to elevate the visibility and status of the nonprofit sector. NHCNP acts as:• Convener – Bringing together colleagues across silos of the sector to

share knowledge and foster collective action.• Catalyst – Creating and leveraging opportunities to foster innovation,

growth and change in the nonprofit sector, communicating impact of the sector, building a united voice in sector-wide advocacy and policy development.

• Collaborator - Engaging with diverse stakeholders to provide the nonprofit voice on issues impacting the sector and foster collective impact.

Operating Budget: $900 K

Executive Director: Mary Ellen Jackson

IT Director: Deborah Clark

Location: 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301

Website: http://www.nhnonprofits.org/

http://www.nhnonprofits.org/

http://www.nhnonprofits.org/

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Project Goal:

NHCNP offers a comprehensive, multi-functional online resource for NH nonprofits, called NonprofitNext. They aim to roll-out this resource on a national scale, and have received funding and identified pilot organizations in 6 states. The current site works very well for New Hampshire, but they would like to engage a volunteer team to help them assess the site and associated process with the lens of their national roll-out to identify technical, process and policy improvements that will make the resource more accessible, user friendly and maintainable on a national scale.


NonprofitNext will provide comprehensive resources to support nonprofit effectiveness across the country. This project offers the opportunity ensure this product is ready to launch on a national scale.


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Project Description:A team of skilled volunteers will:1. Discovery: Familiarize themselves with NHCNP’s organization, confirm the goals for this project, and

perform an initial review of NonprofitNext, meeting regularly to fill in any information gaps.2. Assessment: Work closely with NHCNP to understand the processes involved in maintaining

NonprofitNext, the user permissions and policies in place, and how the site is maintained on the back-end to identify any areas that may create challenges when NonprofitNext rolls out nationally.

3. Recommendations Development: Develop recommendations for changes to NonprofitNext processes, user permissions and policies, and back-end specifications based on assessment findings and feedback..

4. Finalize Recommendations & Requirements: Craft a recommendations and requirements document that outlines the project process, assessment findings, recommendations (and any decisions that may have been made), and detailed technical requirements for any necessary development.

Project Milestones: 5. Present initial findings from discovery, the approach the team will take to achieve the final deliverable

and a high level timeline for project phases.6. Present the results of the assessment, indicating the top strengths and challenges identified, and

receive feedback from NHCNP to guide future research and recommendations development.7. Present recommendations to NHCNP, and gather feedback needed to finalize the recommendations

and document requirements for the national site.8. Present a summary of the project process and final recommendations to key stakeholders, and had off

the final recommendations document.


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Westlake, TX

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Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort WorthOffice 365 SharePoint Configuration & Migration

Mission: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth serves more than 14,000 youth through seven branch locations and outreach programs in the schools and community. Their mission is to provide enriching programs for youth from disadvantaged circumstances to develop the qualities needed to become responsible citizens.

Operating Budget: $7.1 million

President & CEO: Daphne Barlow StiglianoCOO: Jim Larkin

Location: 3218 E. Belknap Street, Fort Worth, TX 76111

Website: http://www.fortworthkids.org/

http://www.fortworthkids.org/

http://www.fortworthkids.org/

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Project Goal: Create and configure an Office 365 SharePoint site and migrate data from various sources to the new site, ensuring that the site is either connected to active directory or is built with that goal in mind (TBD pending initial assessment).

Reasons this Project is Compelling:BGCFW has been trying to implement an intranet for some time, yet has thus far been unsuccessful. At present, their organizational content is spread out in various locations (shared drives, google drives, etc.), making it hard to access and analyze. An Office 365 SharePoint site will provide them with a user-friendly, centralized, platform where staff can go to access the files that they use on a regular basis (such as forms, trainings, collateral, etc.). This will enable staff to spend less time searching through convoluted systems and more time serving BGCFW’s kids.


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Project Description: A team of skilled volunteers will:

1. Discovery: Familiarize themselves with BGCFWs organization, confirm current pain points and goals for this project, perform an initial review of relevant elements of its IT infrastructure and data sources, and develop an initial project plan to be further refined throughout the course of the project.

2. Assessment: Perform a comprehensive review of BGCFW’s existing data across sources, work with BGCFW to define the structure of the SharePoint site and desired user settings and permissions, and develop a detailed migration plan, being careful to verify assumptions regarding tools that would support the migration process.

3. Development & Migration Preparation: Develop the SharePoint site according to requirements developed in phase 2, incorporating an iterative review and refinement process until the final version is approved, and perform as much preparation for data migration and roll-out as possible.

4. Migration & Roll-out: Migrate the data from existing sources to the new SharePoint site, document and train staff on system administration and maintenance, and roll out the site.

Project Milestones:

5. Present initial findings from discovery, the approach the team will take to achieve the final deliverable and an initial project plan (eg. GANT chart), mapping phases against a timeline, which will be further refined throughout the course of the project.

6. Present findings from assessment, including the proposed site structure, findings regarding the quality and size of existing data, and an initial migration plan.

7. Receive approval for the developed SharePoint site, and present the final migration plan, and initial roll-out plan.

8. Present a summary of the project process, and final outcome to key stakeholders, and hand off the SharePoint site along with accompanying documentation.


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Metrocrest ServicesIT Infrastructure Assessment & Strategic Roadmap

Mission: The mission of Metrocrest Services is to provide programs for individuals, families and seniors that lead to self-sufficiency and foster independence.

Services include rent and utility bill aid, financial and budgeting assistance and food, employment counseling, gas cards/bus vouchers for job-seekers, minor home repairs, home-delivered meals benefit seniors, school supplies for students, Sack Summer Hunger food for youngsters, and November and December holiday programs.

Operating Budget: $3.7 million

CEO: Tracy EubanksCFO: Charlie Limner

Location: 13801 Hutton Drive, Suite 150, Farmers Branch, Texas 75234

Website: http://www.metrocrestsocialservices.org/

http://www.metrocrestsocialservices.org/



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Project Goal:

Develop recommendations for changes or improvements to MS’ IT infrastructure and core applications to help MS fully leverage cloud-based solutions, and craft a 3-5 year strategic IT Infrastructure Investment roadmap to guide MS towards their ideal infrastructure, and optionally, implement approved recommendations.


After having completed a successful merger in 2012, MS is now beginning long range planning to ensure the organization is prepared to meet the anticipated needs of the community. A major component of this outlook involves the technology required to support the mission of the agency as the community needs grow and change. MS requires technology assessment of all the technology within the organization and a set of associated expert recommendations, to ensure their strategic plan has the appropriate technological support.


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Project Description: A team of skilled volunteers will: 1. Discovery: Familiarize themselves with MS’ organization, confirm pain points and project goals ,

and perform an initial review of IT infrastructure and core applications, meeting regularly to fill in any information gaps. – Milestone 1: Present initial findings from Discovery, the approach the team will take to

achieve the final deliverable and a high level timeline for project phases.2. Assessment: Assess MS’ technology infrastructure and core applications including workstations,

network, phone system, email & calendaring systems and donor management system, taking care to identify potential areas of targeted assessment or implementation that may fit into the scope of this project (e.g. comparing & selecting alternative donor management software). – Milestone 2: Present findings from assessment, being sure to identify any areas of high risk

and share any initial recommendations, including areas for potential implementation or targeted assessment. Guide MS through the decision making process for any choice points and receive feedback to inform recommendations development and potential implementation.

3. Recommendations Development & Implementation: Develop recommendations for improvements to MS’ infrastructure, including side-by-side feature and cost comparisons, and begin any approved targeted assessment or implementation. – Milestone 3: Present a first draft of recommendations to MS, guide them through the

decision making process for any choice points, and receive feedback to inform final IT Infrastructure roadmap.

4. Finalize IT Infrastructure Roadmap & Implementation: Produce a roadmap that MS can use to guide future IT strategy and implementation, and present to funders. The roadmap will include a summary of the project goals, assessment process, alternatives considered, and decisions made. Complete any approved implementation, train staff to use and maintain new or improved systems, and document processes and best practices for ongoing use and maintenance. – Milestone 4: Present a summary of the project process, assessment findings, alternatives

considered, decisions made, final recommendations and any implementation completed to key stakeholders, and hand off the final IT Infrastructure Investment Roadmap and any accompanying documentation.


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Gill Children’s ServicesIT Infrastructure Assessment & Strategic RoadmapDatabase Vendor Selection & Quickstart

Mission: Gill Children’s Services is a funding source of last resort that provides a safety net for Tarrant County Children whose medical, dental, physical, social, psychological and educational needs have not been met by other community resources.

Operating Budget: $603,000

Executive Director: Peyton Salavarria

Location: 555 Hemphill Street, Suite 200, Fort Worth TX 76104

Website: http://www.gillchildrens.org/

http://www.gillchildrens.org/

http://www.gillchildrens.org/

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Project Goal:

Develop recommendations for changes or improvements to GCS’ IT infrastructure and core applications to help GCS minimize costs and streamline systems, and craft a 3-5 year strategic IT Infrastructure Investment roadmap to guide GCS towards its ideal infrastructure, and optionally, implement approved recommendations.


GCS requires help evaluating the effectiveness of their current server, phone service, Wi-Fi, website hosting, etc. At present, they have different service providers for each and are considering the perks and drawbacks of consolidation. However, GCS does not have technology staff in-house and knows little about their own systems and their capabilities. A team’s expert guidance and advice will enable GCS to assess, streamline, and leverage their tech infrastructure to better meet their organizational needs.

Gill Children’s ServicesIT Infrastructure Assessment & Strategic Roadmap

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Project Description: A team of skilled volunteers will: 1. Discovery: Familiarize themselves with GCS’ organization, confirm pain points and goals for this

project, and perform an initial review IT infrastructure and core applications, meeting regularly to fill in any information gaps.

– Milestone 1: Present initial findings from discovery, the approach the team will take to achieve the final deliverable and an initial project plan that maps phases of work against a timeline (eg. GANT chart), to be further refined as the project progresses.

2. Assessment: Assess GCS’ technology infrastructure and core applications including workstations, network, phone system, and email & calendaring systems taking care to identify potential areas of targeted assessment or implementation that may fit into the scope of this project.– Milestone 2: Present findings from assessment, being sure to identify any areas of high risk, and

share any initial recommendations, including areas for potential implementation or targeted assessment. Guide GCS through the decision making process for any choice points, and receive feedback to inform recommendations development and potential implementation.

3. Recommendations Development & Implementation: Develop recommendations for improvements to GCS’ infrastructure, including side-by-side feature and cost comparisons, and begin any approved targeted assessment or implementation.– Milestone 3: Present a first draft of recommendations to GCS, guide them through the decision

making process for any choice points, and receive feedback to inform final IT Infrastructure roadmap.

4. Finalize IT Infrastructure Roadmap & Implementation: Produce a roadmap that GCS can use to guide future IT strategy and implementation, and present to funders. The roadmap will include a summary of the initial goals, assessment process, alternatives considered, and decisions made. Complete any approved implementation, train staff to use and maintain new or improved systems, and document processes and best practices for ongoing use and maintenance. – Milestone 4: Present a summary of the project process, assessment findings, alternatives considered,

decisions made, final recommendations and any implementation completed to key stakeholders, and hand off the final IT Infrastructure Investment Roadmap and any accompanying documentation for implementations

completed.

Gill Children’s ServicesIT Infrastructure Assessment & Strategic Roadmap

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Project Goal:

Help GCS select a user-friendly, highly customizable, cloud-based client database platform, and perform a “quick start” by customizing the database to meet GCS’ critical, need-to-have requirements, migrating existing data to the new database, and helping GCS prioritize and plan for future customization.


GCS processes significant data on their clients and on the services they provide. However, they lack a program which enables them to responsibly track and effectively analyze and report out on this data. At present, all of their data management is accomplished on excel spreadsheets. An intuitive, customizable database will enable GCS to more easily track organization-wide measures such as numbers of clients served, client demographics, services provided, cost of services, etc. This will allow GCS to efficiently manage their data and to better convey their impact to funders and the community at large.

Gill Children’s ServicesDatabase Vendor Selection & Quickstart

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Project Description:

A team of skilled volunteers will:1. Discovery: Meet with GCS as needed to understand their organization (particularly

program management and fundraising), confirm the goals for this project (including the features that the database platform must have), identify and perform an initial review of all existing data that will ultimately be migrated to the new database, and identify any information gaps that you will need to fill in order to proceed.– Milestone 1: Present initial findings from discovery, the approach the team will take to achieve the final deliverable, and

an initial project plan that maps phases of work against a timeline (eg. GANT chart), to be further refined as the project progresses.

2. Vendor Selection: Identify the top 2-3 database platforms that meet the criteria identified during discovery, perform demos for the top candidates and make a recommendation, being sure to demonstrate side-by-side feature and cost considerations to aid in the decision-making process.– Milestone 2: GCS makes final vendor selection for the database platform.

3. Requirements Development & Migration Planning: Develop detailed requirements for database customization (fields, objects, relationships), being sure to identify priority levels so that you can focus development on critical need-to-have features, while setting the stage for future enhancements. Identify the steps you will take to clean, format and import data from existing sources into the customized database, being sure to quickly verify any assumptions regarding tools or processes that will support migration, and update the timeline, phases of work and responsibilities in the project plan.– Milestone 3: Present requirements identified (noting priority level and which elements will be included in this quick start

project), and the migration plan (being sure to update the project plan to reflect this).

4. Implementation: Customize the database according to requirements developed in phase 3 through an iterative process of development, review and refinement using sample data, clean and import program data from external sources into updated database, and document and train staff on how to navigate, use and maintain the database.– Milestone 4: Present a summary of the project process and final deliverable to key stakeholders, and hand off the database and accompanying documentation

Gill Children’s ServicesDatabase Vendor Selection & Quickstart

Documents

Enterprise Infrastructure Experiential Learning Projects Spring 2015 LEAP