Episode 4.
All information technology professionals know the first step in any project is to define
the scope of the project, the deliverables, and that's closely followed by defining the
system requirements.
IT projects in schools begin in much the same way, but it can be more complicated than it
is in other businesses and organizations.
How are they different?
Well, let me tell you a story.
I was on a search committee looking to hire a technology coordinate for a school a few
years ago, and this person was going to serve primarily as a network administrator.
We were in the second round of interviews, so of course there were fewer questions and
more discussions, and the applicant asked, so what can you tell me about the environment?
The superintendent who admitted that she knows a little about technology began describing
the efforts they had made to improve the working climate in the schools, and these were worth
talking about.
They had made some really great changes.
The candidate looked puzzled, but he listened for a few minutes, and when she paused to
take a breath, I interrupted and said, I think he was asking about the network environment.
He said, yes, I'm glad to have heard all that, but I was asking about the servers and stuff.
That really made it clear to me that IT professionals and educators may not be speaking the same
language even if they're using the exact same words.
That story is fine, but how can we avoid this potential miscommunication?
What advice do you have when designing IT projects in schools?
I like to focus on the tasks that are going to be done, specifically tasks that will be
done by students.
The deliverables and scope and system requirements all become clear as it's described, and IT
gets to ask questions of educators and educators get to ask questions of the IT folks.
I usually begin these in the classroom or the space where the project will be implemented.
Teachers describe the number and the nature of the students.
The devices the students will use, the software they need, the data they will have to access.
The IT folks will be looking around for electrical outlets and network jacks, and maybe even
taking out their phones to check the Wi-Fi coverage and strength.
You'll also be talking about storage of special equipment as they are always focused on security
and reliability.
Of course, IT professionals will ask educators about the specifics of how they want things
set up.
Educators are likely to answer whatever is going to be easiest, but that really doesn't
work because the educators need to be clear about what they're trying to do, and the IT
people will always say, well, hey, we can build whatever you want just as long as it's
reasonable.
While it may seem unnecessary to explain planned activities in great detail, it does prevent
anyone from proceeding under false assumptions.
It also helps to reduce the possibility that there are misunderstandings between the two
groups.