Step 2: Establish Project Plan and Structure for Data Integration Work

The CIID Data Integration Toolkit: Step 2

Establish project plan and structures for data integration work

In Step 2, project teams will use the Data Integration Project Planner to document (1) the project team membership, roles, and responsibilities; (2) a communication plan; (3) a calendar of key dates for each IDEA Part B data collection; and (4) a project plan for data integration work.

Why complete step 2?

Reviewing key responsibilities, dates, and tasks, as well as drafting comprehensive documentation at the beginning of a project can help reduce risks and promote success. A project-specific communication plan can help keep relevant stakeholders up-to-date on the project team’s progress, ensure that key resources are available, and promote the project’s visibility with State Education Agency (SEA) leadership. A calendar and project plan set benchmarks for completing the work and inform allocation of personnel resources at specific times.

Process and Timing

SEAs may complete step 2 of the toolkit in a two-day meeting or across a series of shorter in-person or virtual meetings. Each tab of the Data Integration Project Planner will take 1 to 2 hours when completed in a group. Following initial writing sessions, each project team member should review the document and confirm agreement or offer feedback. The team should update the project plan and supporting documents periodically (e.g., quarterly) throughout the life of the data integration project. Plans can also be adapted if SEAs expand or contract their integration work, team membership changes, or additional members are added (including technical assistance [TA] providers or vendors). At a minimum, calendars will need to be updated annually to account for changes in due dates for IDEA files.

Task 2.1: Establish project roles and responsibilities

The first step in executing a successful data integration project is identifying key project team members and making sure everyone is clear on their assigned responsibilities. Clear lines of authority and task assignments prevent duplicating efforts or dropping work.

Activity 2.1.1 Identify project manager and team members, define team responsibilities

The Roles and Responsibilities tab in the Data Integration Project Planner helps project teams document who will be responsible for each activity or work stream. As your team assigns staff roles and responsibilities, consider the following:

• Who has authority to make project decisions and lead the project team?

• Do members of the project team collectively understand the SEA’s data integration plan, current data systems, data governance processes, and have experience managing data coordination projects?

• Does the project team have representatives from different offices and stakeholder groups within the SEA?

• Is there a back-up assigned for each role to mitigate risk in case of turnover or extended absences?

• When will the project team meet for updates on data integration activities and to make project decisions?

• How will subject matter experts (SMEs) and data stewards within the SEA be kept aware of the project work and their role in reviewing data mapping; Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) Checklists; business rules; and data verification?

• What role will consultants or vendors hired by the SEA to complete the data integration work play, and how will the roles be documented in the Roles and Responsibilities tab?

• How can the project team maximize efficiency by convening subgroups of the team to accomplish specific objectives that don’t require the whole team?

In the Roles and Responsibilities tab, SEAs can document staff responsible for:

• project management and coordination;

• Common Education Data Standards (see Step 3);

• ETL Checklist (see Step 4);

• EDFacts and reporting;

• Generate release and server management; and

• subject matter expertise.

Resource

Data Integration Project Planner

Activity 2.1.2 Document data stewards and sources

The Data Stewards and Sources tab in the Data Integration Project Planner helps project teams document the data steward and data source for each data collection. For each EDFacts file, this tab contains the yearly due date, file numbers and titles, content area, data stewards, and local data sources. For each file, record the name and position for each data steward, and the location of the local data source. This tab serves as a quick reference resource and should be updated as staff turnover, or as data sources shift. This information will also be used in the Project Plan tab and in Step 5 in the IDEA Part B Data Submission Organizer.

Resources

Data Integration Project Planner

Task 2.2 Complete communication plan

Timely communication with stakeholders ensures all relevant parties are aware of the data integration work and the progress toward implementation. A strong communication plan informs and engages stakeholders throughout the integration effort and establishes decision-making processes for the SEA. A communication plan may also increase awareness of the project timeline and create an accountability structure for the project team.

Activity 2.2.2 Develop a plan for communication with project team and stakeholders

SEAs can use the Communication Plan tab in the Data Integration Project Planner to facilitate discussions and document to following decisions:

• Which internal and external stakeholders should receive communication about the integration efforts, who are the stakeholder points of contact, and what communication method will be used?

• What internal modes of communication will be used by the project team, including recurring meetings?

• What project documents are available or need to be developed, including details about the purpose of the documents, when they will be developed, and the project team members responsible?

• How will the project team keep SEA leadership updated on the integration work, including the content, frequency, and mode of communication?

• How will the project team differentiate among stakeholder groups in the levels of engagement and different modes of communication? For instance, SEA leadership may need only a brief overview of progress, while data stewards may need more frequent and in-depth updates.

• When and how will TA centers be involved in integration efforts?

In the Communication Plan tab, SEAs can document:

• stakeholder names, roles, contact information, and the type of communication they will receive;

• regularly scheduled project meetings, including the type of meeting, the frequency, staff leading the meeting, participants, and meeting location;

• a running list of project documents, including document names, descriptions, owners, and document distribution lists; and

• other communication vehicles, including communication methods, frequency, owners, and document distribution lists.

When creating their communication plan, project teams will determine who will be responsible for managing, updating, and distributing the plan. Having a dedicated team member, often the Project Manager, oversee communication can keep the work on track. Routinely reviewing the communication plan and making updates, as necessary, is essential to keeping internal and external stakeholders well-informed.

Resources

Communication Plan Tab of the Data Integration Planner

Task 2.3 Create IDEA Part B Data Calendar

Prior to developing a project plan (see Task 2.4), project teams should create a calendar of key dates for IDEA data collections to ensure that work will align with internal and external deadlines and that team members are aware of them. SEAs can use the Calendar tab in the Data Integration Project Planner to document key dates and deadlines.

Activity 2.3.1 Record key dates in an IDEA PArt B data collection calendar

A calendar for IDEA data collections is not only important for current members of the project but also new team members if there is turnover on the project. When creating this documentation, the team should determine how they will maintain the calendar so changes initiated by the SEA or the federal government are reflected. The calendar should include not only the EDFacts and SPP/APR due dates but also tasks or deadlines needed to maintain legacy data systems while integration work is being done.

While developing the calendar, keep the following questions in mind:

• Have all parties involved with IDEA data collections contributed to or approved the calendar, including SEA staff outside of the project team and in other program areas across the SEA?

• Has the project team consulted documentation, such as EDFacts file specifications for the IDEA data collections, to confirm due dates and any changes to the collections?

• Does the calendar incorporate all the important dates for IDEA data collections, not just the dates or months when files are due? For example, consider including data quality review processes for each collection and when SEAs can resubmit IDEA data collections and data notes.

• Has the project team adopted plans to update the calendar so it remains current and reflects changes in systems, programs, or timelines?

• When is each type of data ready for analysis, review, verification, and submission?

Resources

Calendar Tab of Data Collection Planner

Task 2.4 Develop project Plan

After documenting roles and responsibilities, developing a communication plan, and creating an IDEA Part B data collection calendar, the project team should establish management structures and processes for the data integration project.

Activity 2.4.1 Develop a plan for managing the data integration project

The project team should identify members who are responsible for managing the project plan and associated activities. These activities may include:

• developing agendas and facilitating scheduled regular project team meetings;

• taking and distributing notes from project team meetings;

• collecting regular status updates from the project team;

• developing and maintaining a system for tracking data integration progress;

• maintaining and updating the project plan; and

• elevating relevant issues and decisions to SEA leadership.

In Step 5 of the Toolkit, we will introduce The Data Collection Organizer, a resource SEAs can use to document brief, step-by-step information on how they plan for, collect, verify, and maintain each IDEA data collection. The calendar that project teams create in Step 2 will serve as a base for documenting steps for submitting IDEA Part B data files.

Create a Resource Repository

Project teams should also establish a resource repository (e.g., SharePoint site, Teams channel, network directory) and assign someone to maintain it. This repository should be accessible to all members of the project team and used to store relevant files, including project planning documents, meeting notes, data systems documentation, and technical documentation. When creating the repository, consider solutions that may already be available and familiar to the project team members and the tool’s usability, flexibility, and support of system users.

Develop a Project Plan

Using the Roles and Responsibilities tab of the Data Integration Project Planner, develop a project plan that lists activities in the data integration effort, a timeline for each activity, and the specific individuals responsible. The project plan can be reviewed in project meetings to document what tasks have been completed and what needs to be done to meet deadlines. While SEAs may elect to use diverse project management tools/software to map out data integration work in greater detail, the Project Plan tab provides the broad activities that must be completed to fully integrate your data. These activities might include for example:

• creating CEDS alignment maps;

• developing ETL documentation;

• loading the data in both development and production environments;

• reviewing and validating data submission files; and

• submitting data submission files in the EDFacts Submission System.

Project teams should identify which members of the project team are responsible for these activities and who will be responsible for maintaining, updating, and communicating the project plan. If contracted consultants or vendors are part of the team, the SEA should incorporate key dates and activities related to the contracts for these consultants or vendors within the project plan.

Resources

Data Integration Project Planner