Developing a Strategic Technology Plan

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Developing a Strategic Technology Plan
02.01.01
5/13/02
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Lets talk about...

• Why plan?
• Some planning strategies
• The planning process
• The final plan structure
• Some standard areas to address
• Funding and helpful resources

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Why Develop a Plan?
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Key Planning Strategies

• Begin - even with a quick starter
• Engage all the right people
• Learn whats possible
• Align with strategic goals
• Focus on outcomes, not inputs
• Set priorities
• Make sure it really happens

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Eight Planning Process Steps

• 1. Get started
• 2. Look inside
• 3. Look outside
• 4. Think big
• 5. Decide how you want to travel
• 6. Plan the stops along the way
• 7. Find out how to pay for the trip
• 8. Present the road map
• .And have a good trip!

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1. Get Started

• Recruit your planning team
• Set the scope of your planning work
• Set your time horizon (not too long)
• Determine if you will address operating budget
• Develop the planning task plan
• Assemble needed resources

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2. Look Inside

• Review any previous plans
• Assess current IT resources
• Assess staff (and student) skills
• Assess progress on using technology in learning,
  if a school

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3. Look Outside

• Assess demands placed on you
• Learn what others are doing
• Friends and neighbors
• Professional groups
• Industry sources
• Internet, etc.

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4. Think Big

• Identify
• Mission
• Vision
• Goals
• Planning areas

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5. Decide How to Travel

• Determine strategies, possibly by planning area
• Examples of strategies
• Provide necessary training to staff
• Provide software linked to curriculum
• Provide Internet access in all rooms

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6. Plan the Stops

• Identify projects, seeking strategic
  opportunities to add value using IT
• Examples of projects
• Conduct PowerPoint training for all
• Extend network to Church Center
• Implement Finale software for music minister

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7. Find Out How to Pay

• Prioritize the projects
• Develop an action plan of the prioritized
  projects
• Develop a multi-year budget for your plan

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8. Present the Road Map

• Put pen to paper and write the plan
• Identify who needs paper copies
• Identify who needs personal and group
  presentations
• Start implementing

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Have a Good Trip

• Begin the highest priority projects
• Determine who will monitor progress
• Require periodic reports?
• Present status reports to oversight bodies at set
  intervals
• Start planning the next revision of the plan

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Final Plan Structure

• Plan out the final structure of your plan early
  on.
• To some extent, your plan structure follows your
  process.

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Planning Hierarchy

• Breaking down your plans from a grand vision to
  specific tasks is made easier by using a
  hierarchy.

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Possible IT Plan Outline

• Organization Mission and Goals
• Technology Vision
• Current Status
• Opportunities
• Technology Goals and Strategies
• Projects and Tasks
• Overall Budget
• Overall Project Time Frame

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Structure by Areas

• Alternative - Group goals, strategies, and
  projects by area
• Example -
• Area 1 - Networking - Goals, strategies, projects
• Area 2 - Data Systems - Goals, strategies,
  projects

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Special Schools Outline

• Private schools in Wisconsin use a standard
  planning outline. This is available on the
  Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent
  Schools (WCRIS) web site at http//www.wcris.org/T
  echPlans.html.

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Standard Areas to Address

• Your IT management and support
• How you manage your IT projects
• Providing hardware and software
• Maximizing electronic communication
• Using technology in ministry

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Standard Areas (cont.)

• Developing your computer network
• Enhancing your portfolio of data applications
• Managing technology in learning
• Developing the technology skills of your staff,
  students, etc.

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Standard Areas (cont.)

• Lets consider some typical issues you may want
  to address for each of these areas...

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IT Management Issues

• Who will serve as the IT manager?
• Who will provide your day-to-day support?
• Should you have an ongoing IT oversight committee?

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Managing IT Projects Issues

• Who will maintain the list of planned projects?
• What sort of standard schedule will the projects
  follow?
• How will you review project status?

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Hardware and Software Issues

• Who still needs PC access?
• When will you replace existing PCs?
• When will you upgrade your existing office suite?
• Are there special hardware or software items you
  need to add?

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Electronic Communication

• When will you develop and/or enhance your web
  site?
• What features will your site have?
• How might you use broadcast e-mail?
• Would you benefit from applications such as
  on-line retreats, etc?

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Technology in Ministry?

• Traditional sound and music systems?
• Video?
• Display of hymn lyrics?
• Presentation technology for homilies?
• Remote or after-the-fact audio and video?

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Computer Networking Issues

• How will you develop a single network covering
  all your buildings?
• How will you obtain high speed Internet access?
• How will you implement security?
• When and how will you upgrade your phone system?

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Data Applications - Parishes

• Replace your census system?
• Replace your financial system?
• Do your own payroll, or outsource?
• Other special applications? (e.g., Finale)

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Data Applications - Schools

• Will you provide teacher grade books?
• How will you gather school-wide grade and
  attendance data?
• How will you generate report cards?
• When will you replace your financial and payroll
  systems?

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Technology in Learning Issues

• Student access
• Staff access and building skills
• Introduction into curriculum
• Vision of evolution...

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Technology in Learning Issues

• How will you evolve your use?
• Teacher uses to show (use to teach)
• Students learn technology (learn to use)
• Students use technology (use to learn)
• Technology transforms learning in all subjects
  (use in all)

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Developing Your Staff Issues

• What training must you provide?
• What books, professional groups, and other
  resources would help?
• How can staff support each other?
• Who can staff turn to for resolution of
  problems?

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Funding
?

• Parish or school operating budgets
• Parish or school capital funds
• Special technology fund raisers
• Technology grants (see http//www.archmil.org/abou
  tus/ShowResource.asp?ID633)
• State and federal schools grants (see
  http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/grants.html)

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More Funding
?

• State of Wisconsin Teach subsidy for T1 line
• School federal e-rate funding
• IBM matching employee grants (http//www.ibm.com/i
  bm/ibmgives/grant/giving/match.shtml)

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Funding

• Parish or school operating budgets
• Parish or school capital funds
• Special technology fund raisers
• Student technology fee
• Classes or rentals in lab

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Grants

• State and federal schools grants
  http//www.dpi.state.wi.us/dpi/grants.html
• School federal e-rate funding
• State Teach subsidy for T1 line
• Other technology grants http//www.archmil.org
  /aboutus/ShowResource.asp?ID633
• IBM matching employee grants http//www.ibm.com/ib
  m/ibmgives/grant/giving/ match.shtml

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School IT Planning Resources

• Archdiocese School Tech Plan Workshop
• North Central Regional Educational Lab
• Critical Issue Developing a School or District
  Technology Plan (www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/m
  ethods/technlgy/te800.htm)
• Learning Through Technology A Planning and
  Implementation Guide (http//www.ncrel.org/tandl/h
  omepg.htm)
• Technology Connections for School Improvement
  Planners' Handbook (153 pages) (http//www.ncrel.o
  rg/tplan/tplanB.htm)

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General Resources

• Techsoup (www.techsoup.org) Go to Resources,
  Technology Planning, especially Write the Plan
• Strategic Technology http//www.strategictechnolog
  y.net

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Sample plans?

• Search Web for school district technology plan,
  Catholic school technology plan, etc.
• e.g., Fort McMurray Schools at www.fmcsd.ab.ca/mai
  n.html