Encouraging GIS Project Success with Business Process Diagrams and Functional Requirements
Whether a Utility is starting from the ground up and creating an enterprise Geographic Information System (GIS) or they’re looking to improve and enhance an existing system, it can be seen a grueling process for those involved. Having the right documentation in place to support your project from the start can ease the burden.
Starting Off on the Right Foot
A GIS implementation project is designed and completed in specific phases for management purposes. Discovery and Requirements, often the first phase, is critical to a GIS project’s success but it may be glossed over for many reasons.
It can be challenging to focus on this essential first phase of the project because:
- The project team is excited to get things started.
- Many internal discussions have taken place already, and it may be perceived that there is enough knowledge to begin.
- There is pressure from other Stakeholders to deliver based on a pre-defined schedule.
- Budget won’t allow for extensive research and requirement gathering activities.
During these challenges, keep in mind that it is imperative to establish and ensure that project goals are aligned between Business and Technical Stakeholders to support project success. Developing technical documentation will help ensure that alignment. This documentation would include items such as Business Process Diagrams or Use Cases and Functional Requirements or User Stories.
Business Process Diagrams are graphical representations of the Utility’s workflow or business processes, using flowcharts, data-flow diagrams or various graphing methods. Functional Requirements specify what the system should do and are used for development and testing.
Getting Technically Focused
To produce comprehensive technical documentation like Business Process Diagrams and Functional Requirements that reflect the needs of all stakeholders, many utilities turn to a team of professional experts to prepare, mediate, and take record of focused workshop sessions. Onsite, in-person workshop sessions with business and technical stakeholders reduce the possibility of misunderstanding each other’s goals, current process and future needs.
Why Technical Documentation should be prioritized…
There are many benefits to your project and its stakeholders from prioritizing technical documentation as the first phase of the project.
Improved Overall Solution – workshops between the customer and vendor will uncover driving factors for implementation and the vendor can propose alternative or additional solutions based on their expertise.
Creates Focus and Direction – defining details of the project objectives creates a vision for later phases such as development and deployment.
Considers User Wants and Needs – providing a system which satisfies the end user’s wants and needs increases user adoption and promotes optimal workflow for operational efficiency.
Provides Context – over the course of a project, there are countless decisions to be made and having documentation to support decision making will reduce misunderstandings.
UDC is experienced in providing utility project documentation including Solution Architecture, Road Maps, Business Use Cases, Functional Requirements, User Stories and Gap Analysis. Contact us to discuss your technical documentation needs.