'Readiness to Computerise' Audits for Authorities About to Start in GIS
For Authorities, and Departments, which are about to introduce Geographical Information Systems, Peter Thorpe Consulting offers an easy to apply 'health check' which assesses how ready the organisation is for computerisation. The 'Readiness-to-Computerise' Audit measures how prepared the organisation is in six dimensions which are critical to its future success:
VISION - the clarity of the organisation's aims for using GIS in support of its key business objectives, and the extent of its plans to translate strategy into action.
COMMITMENT - the strength of the organisation's backing for the introduction of GIS, especially from Members and Senior Managers, and the level of resources which are pledged.
ORGANISATION - how well the organisation has established working structures, and allocated clear responsibilities for steering, implementing and monitoring the introduction of GIS.
STAFF - the extent of support from user staff for the plans for GIS, and the level of skills currently within the organisation and related training and awareness programmes which are in place to maximise return on investment.
SYSTEMS - the degree to which the key requirements have been defined, so as to provide a clear focus for the selection of systems.
DATA - the extent of the organisation's proposals for managing data as a key resource ('standards', 'quality', 'ownership') and the assessment of the tasks of data capture and conversion.
The Audit can be used as the introductory stage in a more extensive procurement project, or as a self-contained 'health check' carried out over one or two days. The starting point is the issuing of a questionnaire containing 24 questions which is completed either by one individual (e.g. the Senior Manager) or by a wider group such as the GIS Steering Committee. The scores are presented graphically as a 'Performance Wheel' which enables areas of weakness to be quickly highlighted and used as the basis for planning corrective actions.
Click here for Example 1 ('First Steps' Authority) and Example 2 ('Advanced' Authority).
To capitalise on the experience of Peter Thorpe Consulting, a number of Authorities have incorporated the results of the Audit into Training and Awareness Seminars for key members of staff, allowing presentation of the opportunities offered by GIS, and brainstorming of the major issues (for example through group exercises). To facilitate the review in detail of the issues identified through the questionnaire, Peter Thorpe Consulting has been given access to background documents and plans relating to GIS, and conducted interviews with selected staff.
Contact us for further information, and a printed copy of our Information
Pack.
E-mail to Peter Thorpe
at peter@ptcon.co.uk or telephone 01926 852799.
