Technology, Coordination & Planning

Technology Systems Project Managment (TSPM) is the art and science of assessment, criteria development, planning, designing, coordinating, project managing and facilitating the client's technology infrastructure needs, and doing it within the timeline, existing technology and cost constraints set by the client.

COMgroup's value, more than anything else, is in being the best source for technology information, the reducer of confusion, and the flexible resource that has captured the technology picture in our minds. We can also convey that picture quickly and succinctly to the architects, consultants and engineer(s) (ACE) and/or client team(s). In addition, we often serve as repository for critical information; a watchdog to assure that others are doing appropriate designs as required to coordinate systems. For TSPM, our mantra for client coordination is "No surprises."

There are five basic TSPM phases required to cover the full range of a successful project:

• Phase I: Assessment
• Phase II: Criteria Development
• Phase III: Design Coordination and Planning
• Phase IV: Construction Coordination
• Phase V: Operational Support and Ongoing Technology Consulting

Assessment is the process of researching our client's needs and assessing the present and future technology requirements, capabilities, physical capacities and limitations as well as financial considerations.

Deliverable: A comprehensive plan that includes a report as well as conceptual drawings defining our recommendations and reasoning. In this plan we also include: technology systems rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimates for budgeting, physical construction implications with ROM cost estimates from contractors.

In Criteria Development, we present our recommendations to the client, the senior management team, IT/IS department, the design team, construction project managers and possibly other staff members. This is often blended with the Assessment phase, but is frequently a separate phase. The final outcome and direction from this phase becomes the basis for starting Phase III Planning and Design Coordination.

Deliverable: Records of meetings and client directions, revised assessment documents, revised ROM costs estimates and revised construction impacts.

Planning and Design Coordination is the process of creating the actual designs for the various systems required, and then making sure that they work, fit, and can be supported by the infrastructure within the designs of the architects, consultants and engineer (ACE) team, outside vendors and external systems.

This phase brings together the owners reps, the ACE team and any other key parties to synchronize plans and designs, to fill gaps and to avoid duplications in technology systems, and the associated duplication of cost.

It is in this area where our project management skills become critical. In this phase it is also important to maintain vigilance, and advise the client, about problems and issues which are not addressed but which may impact the project.

Deliverable: For this phase, deliverables usually include review reports and recommendations. In the end, the main deliverable for this phase is a technology plan fully coordinated with the architectural, structural, electrical, mechanical and telecommunications plan.

It is in this phase that the smooth facilitation of a project is enabled. Having a Technology Systems Project Managment on board means that the owner has someone responsible for the broad range of technology systems that are going to be constructed who can be called upon to adapt (or coordinate adaptation) of designs to adjust to the changing project needs.

Deliverable: Meeting notes and documentation of client decisions, revised plan documents, revised ROM costs estimates and revised construction impacts. In addition, it may still be necessary to provide conceptual criteria designs or detail layouts for others. In this phase it is still critical to maintain vigilance and advise the client about problems and issues which are not addressed in the designs, but which may impact the project.

At this final phase, systems convert from being "under construction" to operational or "production systems" in the software vernacular.

Deliverable: As with any consulting engagement, the deliverables are variable and depend greatly on need. At this phase, we discuss maintenance and on-going support issues critical to the longevity and success of our client's long-term technological needs.