Fillable Printable SharePoint Best Practices Project Brief
Fillable Printable SharePoint Best Practices Project Brief
SharePoint Best Practices Project Brief
SharePointBestPractices(Phase1)Project
ImprovingtheSharePointexperienceandshowcasingexemplars
PROJECTBRIEF
Projectabbreviation
SPBP1
ProjectTitle
SharePointBestPractices(Phase1)Project
StartDate
1June2012
EndDate
31May2013
Project
Sponsor
DrMichaelFraser
ProjectManager&
contactdetails
Name:
DrMarkNorman
Email:mark.norman@oucs.ox.ac.uk
Address:OxfordUniversityComputingService,University
ofOxford,13BanburyRoad,OxfordOX26NN
Tel:01865273287
Fax:01865273275
Collaborating
department(s):
PICTfunded.
SocialScienceDivisionalOffice,CouncilSecretariat
1.Purposeofthisdocument
Thisdocumentisalightweightprojectmanagementdocument,includingthe
businesscase,objectives,deliverables,scheduleandsignificantrisksoftheproject.
Thedocumentwillbeupdatedmonthly,withtherecentchangeshighlightedthus.
2.Background
TheNexusSharePointservicewaslaunchedinApril2011forthecollegiateUniversityafter
anearlyadopterperiod.Ithasbeenrecognisedthat,duetoitsbeginningfromalowstarting
pointofunderstandingthatpotential,theuptakeneedstobestimulatedinorderfortheservice
tobeassuccessfulaspossible.CurrentlytheNexusteamprovidesverylittleoutreachand
encouragementofbestpractice,butrunsarobust,highlyavailableservice.Intheearlylife
cycleofanewservice,thisisnotenoughandtheGroupwareProgrammeDevelopmentPanel
hasacknowledgedthisintheirrequestforenhancedsupportforseveralhighprofile
committeesand/oroffices.Theseexemplarsshouldserveasbeaconsofbestpracticeatalater
stage.
3.OutlineBusinessCase
SharePointhasbeenamajorinvestmentand,inordertoseeareturnonthatinvestment,some
stimulationofitsuseandthelevelofexpertiseavailableacrosstheUniversityisneeded.
BeforeSharePointreachesaselfsupportinglevel(oradequatelysupportedbylocalunit
ITSS)someexpertisemustbegeneratedregardingdesign,butalsoinhowclientsaccessthe
service.
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CurrentlySharePointisabletoautomatehighlybureaucraticandtimeconsumingbusiness
processesthatarerepeatedaroundtheUniversity.Itwillnot,however,beemployedforthese
purposesuntilmorepeopleengagewithitandachievealevelofcompetenceinotherareas,
suchassimpledocumentstorage.Thisprojectneedstobuildexemplarsandhow-to
documentation,giventheexperienceofsolvingsomehighprofilecommittees’andoffices’
needs.This,inturn,shouldincreaseexpertlevelsacrosstheUniversityanduptakeofthese
businessprocessopportunities.
4.Intendedtimescale
June2012–May2013.
5.Objectives,DeliverablesandRequirements
5.1.ProjectObjectives
Engagewithamajorcommitteeandoffice(suchasadivisionaloffice)inorderto
providetheexpertiseandresearchinordertoaddresstheirend-to-endSharePoint
needs(fromsitedesigntoissuessuchasprinting,documentdistributionandpreferred
clientaccess,includingmobiledevices,iPadsetc.)
ImprovetheSharePointsitesfortheabovetwosetsofuserstoincreasepopularity
andengagementinthosesites
Interactwiththecoreuserbaseoftheabovetwosituationsinordertotroubleshoot
andimprovethegeneralqualityofinteractionwithSharePoint;thisincludes
assistancewithclientsoftwareandhardware
Producebestpracticedocumentation,exemplarsites/lists/librariesandhow-to
documentationinorderforthesetobecomebeaconsofbestpractice
Lookintothespecificneedsoflargevolumesofdocumentationformeetings(e.g.
singlepaginatedPDFsofmanydocuments)andattempttomeettheseneedswithin
thelifetimeofthisproject
Seekofficialrecognitionfromrepresentativesfromthesetwogroupsofusersthatthe
serviceisabletomeetthefunctionalityexpectedbythemandmeetstheirneedsin
termsofeaseofuse
Investigatespecificareasoffunctionality,whichareknowntobeneeded,suchas
providinguserseasylook-upstoshowthedifferentcommittees(andsites)ofwhich
theyaremembers
5.2.ProjectDeliverables
BusinessprocessescapturedanddeliveredviaSharePointforCouncilSecretariat.
1
BusinessprocessescapturinganddeliveredviaSharePointforSocialSciences
DivisionalOffice
2
Bestpracticedocumentationandtwobeaconsiteexemplars
Asetofrecommendationsregardingfavouredsoftwareandwaysofoperatingwith
regardtomobiledevicessuchasiPadsandAndroidtablets(N.B.Thesewillbe
point-in-timerecommendationsastodemonstratedsolutionworkingadequately
withinthetimescaleofthisproject)
1
Thenumberofbusinessprocessescaptured(andwhichtheyare)istobedefinedwithinthe
project.
2
Dittotheabovenote.
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Atleastonesolutionaddressingthespecificchallengesoflargevolumesof
documentationformeetings
Plansoractualimplementedsolutionsregardingspecificareasoffunctionality
oe.g.,providinguserseasylook-upstoshowthedifferentcommittees(and
sites)ofwhichtheyaremembers
oe.g.CollationandPDFproductionofdocumentsformeetings
Publicityofnewmaterialsandexemplars
Statementthatthesoftwareis,inprinciple,consideredfitforpurposeforthetwo
groupsselectedforenhancedsupport
Statementthatthesoftwaremeetstheneedsofthetwogroupsintermsofeaseofuse
Statementofrecommendedsupportmodel,followingconsultationwithusersfrom
CouncilSecretariatandSocialSciencesDivisionalOffice
5.3.Requirements
Thisprojecthasnoformalrequirementsgatheringstage.Boththemajorgroupswillbe
engagedintwophases;initiallytoestablish3-4requirementsorinitiativesandlater,toreflect
ontheseandtoraisefurtherrequirementsforworkordevelopment.
6.Stakeholderand/orUserGroups
OurintentionistousetheSharePointNexusUserGroupandtheGroupwareProgramme
DevelopmentPanel,aswellastheProjectBoardasgeneralstakeholdergroups.Theactual
stakeholderswillcomprisethemembersoftheCouncilSecretariatandSocialSciences
Divisionaloffice,andinformalliaisonwithmembersofthesegroupswillbecontinuous,and
formalliaisonisanticipatedtooccureverytwomonths.
7.People,teamandprocess
7.1.TheProjectSponsor
MichaelFraseristheProjectSponsor
7.2.ProjectManagement
7.2.1.TheProjectManager
MarkNormanisProjectManagerwithsupportingco-ordinationworkfromDarylTheobalds.
7.2.2.TheProjectBoard
TheProjectBoardiscurrentlybeingassembled.Theexpectationisthattheboardwillmeet
threetimesduringthelifetimeofthisproject.ItwillbechairedbyMichaelFraser.
7.3.TheProjectTeam
TheProjectTeamisthegroupofindividualsinvolvedinthemajorworkoftheproject.Itmay
ormaynotincludetheProjectManager.
MarkNorman,projectmanager,0.2FTE
DarylTheobalds,systemsadministrator,userliaison,taskco-ordinator,0.5FTE
RobEadie,userliaison,businessanalyst,0.4FTE
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Wehavesomefundstotemporarilyco-optexpertiseintotheteamasneeded.
7.4.Constraints
Generalconstraintsinclude:
Desktopsupportbeingprovidedfromavarietyofplaces.Wewill,occasionally,need
desktopsupporttore-configureadesktopwhereadministrationrightsarerequired.
oHowever,partoftherationaleofthisprojectisfortheProjectTeamtogive
directsupport,whichincludesupdatingthedesktopsupportteamsofthe
users’requirements
UrgentserviceworkwithintheNexusTeamcanoccasionallyaffectscheduling(see
Risks)
DirectsupportfromtheProjectTeamtotheusersintheprojectmaybeunavailable
onsomedays(duetothepart-timenatureofpeopleonthisproject)
Limitationsofthird-partytools:forsomepurposesthiswillbelimitedtowhatthe
markethasavailable
7.5.Dependenciesonotherservices
Seenoteaboveregardingdesktopsupport(deliveredmostlytoourusersviatheICT-
STandBSP)
OccasionallywehaveadependenceontheOUCSwebteaminordertoassistwith
documentationandCSS(screenlayoutetc.).Theteamisnotalwaysavailable.
8.Risks
8.1.Riskstotheproject
Possible riskLikelihoodSeverity
Risk factor
(LxS)
1.Staffinunitsidentifiedforengagementinthis
projectaretoobusy/preoccupiedatcriticalstages
22
4
Risk:Projectstallsduetolackofprogressanditerationbetweenthestakeholdersandproject
team.
Mitigation:Frequentcommunicationsareneededtokeepinteresthighinallofthe
participants.Wewilltrytosustainfrequent,shortmeetings,betweentheteamandindividual
stakeholdersratherthanleaveextendedperiodsbetweenmeetings.Amonthlyupdate
shouldbesenttostakeholderstomaintaininterest.
2.AbettertoolthanSharePointisclearlyavailable
forthetasksidentified
13
3
3.Membersofstakeholdergroupchange(e.g.due
toworkpressures,changeofroles)duringproject.
31
3
4.Difficultyinschedulingmeetings.
32
6
Risk:Time.
Mitigation:Scheduleallfuturemeetingsatfirststakeholdermeeting.Amendthisschedule
whennecessary.
5.Anycustomdevelopmentperformedduringthe
projectisdifficulttomaintainthereafter
23
4
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Possible riskLikelihoodSeverity
Risk factor
(LxS)
Risk:Projectbenefitscannotbesustained.
Mitigation:Arelativelysmallamountofcustomdevelopment(outsideofthefunctionality
alreadyprovidedinSharePoint)islikelytobeundertaken.Also,scopeexistswithinour
‘Developmentbudget’todevelopin-houseortoobtainexternalexpertise.Wehavebudgeted
fortraininginordertotraininternalstafftosupportanynewcode/configuration.
6.Ongoingexpertsupportisabsentafteraperiodof
enhancedengagement
32
6
Risk:Projectbenefitscannotbesustained.
Mitigation:TherecurrentbudgetforSharePointisnotsufficienttocovertheclose
engagementthatthisprojectgives.Therefore,theprojecthastimeallocatedforanexit
strategy.Also,oneimplicitaimoftheprojectistoraisethegeneralexpertisewith
SharePoint,whichmitigatesthisrisk.
7.Dependencyondesktopsupportcausesadelayin
deliveringfunctionalitytousers
22
4
Risk:Projectdelayandstakeholderfrustration
Mitigation:Thisisathreatthathasbeenconsidereddeeply,andisamotivationbehindthe
project.If/whenthefirstsetofissuescomesupthatrequiresdesktopchanges,wewill
scheduleameetingwiththelocalITSupportinordertoinvolvethem.Itislikelythatmany
desktopchangescanbemadewithoutthedirectinputoflocalITSupport,butweneedtobe
proactiveinengagingthesepeople.
8.PDFconversion/compilingfunctionalitybenefits
cannotbejustifiedbycosts
33
9
Risk:Thereisachancethatthenumbersofusersbenefittingfromthesophisticatedfeatures
ofPDFconversionandlargedocumentcompilationwillbesolowastomeritanon-
SharePointsolutionforthisfunctionality(i.e.adesktopconversionusingstand-alonePDF
software).
Mitigation:Weshouldeitherseekmorefundssothatthisfunctionalityisavailablein
SharePoint‘justoneclickaway’ordocumenttherecipefordoingthiswithSharePointwithin
theSharePointsupportdocumentation
9.EmailingSharePointgroupsfunctionalityproblem
32
6
Risk:One–previouslyconsidered–quickwinwastoenablethosewhocanmanaged
SharePointgroupstobeabletohavethemasemailablegroups.Thisissomethingwehave
beenaskedwithinandwithouttheproject.Theremaybeabugasthisfunctionalityfailedto
workinDecember.
Mitigation:Therearesomenotesonforumsshowingthatothershavehadsimilarproblems
buttheirworkaroundsdonotseemtoworkforus.WemayopenaticketwiththeEducation
SupportCentretogettheirand(possibly)Microsoft’srecommendation.
8.2.Riskstotheorganisation,department,teametc.
Themainrisktothedepartment(OUCS/ITServices)ofthisprojectnotbeingundertaken,or
performingbadly,isthatthevalueofSharePointtotheUniversitywillnotbefullyrealised
untilafuturedate.ThereisalsoariskthatSharePointcouldbeperceivedasanunnecessary
overheadiftheengagementlevelisnothighenough.
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9.Budget
Thebudgetforthisprojecthasbeenapprovedand,initiallybrokendownasfollows.
However,budgetlinesforClientSoftwarespecialistand‘Developmentbudget’maybeused
differentlyasopportunitiesarise.
Cost/resourceFTEGradeDuration
(months)
Cost to
project
Notes
Sysadminbackfill0.25712£10,440TobackfillaGrade8systems
administrator(L2support
duties)
Userliaison
specialist
1812£50,023Requirementsgatheringbut
excellentSharePoint
expertise
Clientsoftware
specialist
172£6,960Researchintoclientsoftware
andmobilehardwareuse
Project
management
0.2912£12,033
Development
budget
£16,000(eitheroutsourcedprimary
development,buttrainingan
internalindividual,oroneor
moremembersofUniversity
developmentstaff)
Trainingbudget£3,000Whatevertechnicaladvances
aremadeordeveloped,they
mustbesupportedin-house
inthefuture.
Total
£98,456
10.Basicplanwithtimelines
Work package
2012
JunJulyAugSeptOctNovDec
2013
JanFebMarAprMay
1ProjectManagement
2Stakeholderliaison
3Clientissuesfocus
4Site(re-)development
5Howtodocumentation
6Beaconsitereprod.
73
rd
-partytooldeploymt
8Devofnewtools
9Finalstkholderfeedbk
10Exitstrat/supptmodel
11Finaldocamendmts
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10.1.Milestonesummarytable
Deliverable /Milestone:Due Date:
Revised
Date:
% Complete
Completed
Date
ProjectkickoffmeetingJun2012100
June2012
KickoffmeetingwithSocSciDOJun2012100
June2012
Kickoffmeetingwith
PRAS/CoSec
Jul2012100
July2012
ProjectplanfirstiterationJul2012100
July2012
Keyareasfordevelopment
selectedforSocSciDO(round1)
Jun2012100
July2012
Businessprocessanalysisfor
keypracticesatSocSciDO(r1)
Jul2012100
July2012
DemonstrateSharePoint
TemporaryAccount
FunctionalitywithEstherByrom
(SocSciDO)
Jul2012100
July2012
Keyareasfordevelopment
selectedforPRAS/CoSec
(round1)
Aug2012Oct2012100
Nov2012
Iteration1:Findingpeoplewith
similarinterests(SocSciDO)
July2012Aug2012100
Aug2012
3
Iteration1:Suggestedsite
improvement/permissions
managementofpersonnel
records(SocSciDO)
Aug2012100
Aug2012
Iteration1:Centralcalendarand
possbulletinsforleave,WfH,
importantabsenceetc.
(SocSciDO)
4
Aug2012Sept2012100
Sept2012
ReproduceSocSciSection3–
AcademicAppointmentswithin
theirHoDhandbook,in
SharePoint
Aug2012Stalled70
5
Businessprocessanalysisfor
keypracticesatPRAS/CoSec
(r1)
Sept2012
6
50
Gradual/
constant
Iteration1:Demonstratorof
guidanceInformationsupplied
todepartments(SocSciDO)
Sept2012Stalled80
7
3
DecidedthatWebLearnmaybethebettervehicle
4
N.B.Thescopeofthistaskhasbeenlimitedastherequestor(MiiaLaurikainen)has
simplifiedtherequirements
5
Slowprogress:TheabilitytoconvertWordDocstoHTMLwentliveinearlyOctober(asa
service).WaitingforcontentfromSocSciDO.
6
Insteadofbeingcarriedoutinwideiterations,thishasbeenagradualprocessbasedupon
regularmeetings.IthasbeenfocussedonCommitteeSitedesignandPDFconversionthus
far.
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Deliverable /Milestone:Due Date:
Revised
Date:
% Complete
Completed
Date
ReviewuseofSmartphones/
tabletsbySocSciDO
Sept2012100
8
Sept2012
Iteration1:Showavailable
functionalityto‘findsitesyou
participatein’(SocSciDO)
Sept2012Oct201290
Oct2012
InvestigateCambridgeUniv.
useoforinterestincommittee
sitesandPDFconversion
Sept2012Jan2013
9
40
TeamCalendaraccessedvia
SharePointforSocSciDO
Oct2012100
Oct2012
PDFcreationfunctionality(to
meetCoSecreq.mts)
investigatedonline+offline
Oct2012Nov2012100
Dec2012
SocialSciencesSiteCollection
restructured
Oct2012100
Oct2012
Committeesitetemplate
restructuredandsimplifiedfor
CoSec/PRAS
Oct2012Jan201390
10
Review,endingin
recommendationsofsoftware
(orbrowser)formobiledevices
andSharePoint
Oct2012Jan201380
11
Iteration2:Suggestedsite
improvement/permissions
managementofpersonnel
records(SocSciDO)topossibly
includeworkflows
UserfeedbackreRef2014Site
(SocSciDO)
12
Nov2012Feb201340
13
GeneralplanforCouncil
committee(setof)sites
Nov2012Feb201340
Member(s)ofCouncil
Secretariatappointedto
managepermissionstoCoSec
(etc.)sites
Nov2012Stalled20
7
ThisactivityisnowfocussedonpurchasinganddeployingAlertPlusto‘push’informationto
recipients.AlertPlusispurchasedbutuserdocumentationandSocSciDOcontentis
outstanding.
8
Divisionaloffice,notmuchinformationbutwenowhavealistof6membersofthedivision
(outsidetheSocSciDO)hencethelaterSharePointmobiledevicemilestoneaddition.
9
AftersomedifficultiesgettingaresponsefromtheSharePointcontactatCambridge,now
have2interestedpartiesthere.LikelytohaveajointprojectmeetinginJanuaryorFeb.
10
GoodrecentprogressbutawaitingfeedbackfromCoSec(PRACsecretary’sevaluation).
11
Weverynearlyhavetheknowledgerequired,butneedtowriteupa
report/recommendation.
12
Thesiteisfinishedbutwewouldlike(end)usercomments.
13
Probablytrivialworktocomplete,butwehavebeenaskedtoholdofffromcontacting
participantsuntilJanuary.
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Deliverable /Milestone:Due Date:
Revised
Date:
% Complete
Completed
Date
EmailingSharePointgroups
functionality(SocSciDOand
CoSec)
Nov2012Feb2013
14
60
Developexemplar(forsupport
site)ofwebparttolistrelevant
sitesbasedonthegroup/roleof
theviewer
Feb201250
Documentexemplar
functionalityofTeamCalendar
accessedviaSharePointfor
SocSciDO
Feb2012
SocialSciencesSiteCollection
finalstructure(ongoingproject
work)
May201340
Exitreportrecommendationsfor
SharePointexpertiseontheITS
HelpDesk
May2013
11.Acronymsandabbreviations
Abbreviationsusedthroughoutthisdocumentaresummarisedbelow.
CoSecCouncilSecretariat
ITSS(Local)ITSupportStaff
PRASPlanningandResourceAllocationSection
SocSciDOSocialSciencesDivisionalOffice
DocumentHistory
Version
Date
Comments
0.713July2012Projectcolleaguesagreethatthisisagoodstarting
point.
1.022Aug2012InterimversiononthewaytobeingtheAugustfinal
version.
2.028Sept2012VersionforendSept
2.126October2012VersionforendOctober2012
3.04December2012ForNovember2012(buttoinclude3Dec)
4.03January2013ForDecember2012monthlyreport.
14
Thisdeliverableputbackduetodeploymentproblems:seerisk9.
