1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 Episode 4. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:16,560 All information technology professionals know the first step in any project is to define 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,800 the scope of the project, the deliverables, and that's closely followed by defining the 4 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:22,320 system requirements. 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:27,320 IT projects in schools begin in much the same way, but it can be more complicated than it 6 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,720 is in other businesses and organizations. 7 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:31,720 How are they different? 8 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,480 Well, let me tell you a story. 9 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:38,400 I was on a search committee looking to hire a technology coordinate for a school a few 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,120 years ago, and this person was going to serve primarily as a network administrator. 11 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,440 We were in the second round of interviews, so of course there were fewer questions and 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,920 more discussions, and the applicant asked, so what can you tell me about the environment? 13 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,680 The superintendent who admitted that she knows a little about technology began describing 14 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,960 the efforts they had made to improve the working climate in the schools, and these were worth 15 00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:00,960 talking about. 16 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,680 They had made some really great changes. 17 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,800 The candidate looked puzzled, but he listened for a few minutes, and when she paused to 18 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:13,000 take a breath, I interrupted and said, I think he was asking about the network environment. 19 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,640 He said, yes, I'm glad to have heard all that, but I was asking about the servers and stuff. 20 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,920 That really made it clear to me that IT professionals and educators may not be speaking the same 21 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,280 language even if they're using the exact same words. 22 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:31,080 That story is fine, but how can we avoid this potential miscommunication? 23 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:36,240 What advice do you have when designing IT projects in schools? 24 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,520 I like to focus on the tasks that are going to be done, specifically tasks that will be 25 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,120 done by students. 26 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:47,960 The deliverables and scope and system requirements all become clear as it's described, and IT 27 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:53,920 gets to ask questions of educators and educators get to ask questions of the IT folks. 28 00:01:53,920 --> 00:02:00,040 I usually begin these in the classroom or the space where the project will be implemented. 29 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,280 Teachers describe the number and the nature of the students. 30 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,000 The devices the students will use, the software they need, the data they will have to access. 31 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:11,000 The IT folks will be looking around for electrical outlets and network jacks, and maybe even 32 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,560 taking out their phones to check the Wi-Fi coverage and strength. 33 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:20,320 You'll also be talking about storage of special equipment as they are always focused on security 34 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:21,320 and reliability. 35 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:27,120 Of course, IT professionals will ask educators about the specifics of how they want things 36 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,600 set up. 37 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,480 Educators are likely to answer whatever is going to be easiest, but that really doesn't 38 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,000 work because the educators need to be clear about what they're trying to do, and the IT 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,320 people will always say, well, hey, we can build whatever you want just as long as it's 40 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:41,320 reasonable. 41 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:46,840 While it may seem unnecessary to explain planned activities in great detail, it does prevent 42 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,000 anyone from proceeding under false assumptions. 43 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,280 It also helps to reduce the possibility that there are misunderstandings between the two 44 00:02:54,280 --> 00:03:12,760 groups.