Project Management Framework
MLS Example

Download the complete MLS Example in WORD format

PROJECT STATEMENT:
Extend the Master License Service (MLS) to cities and other potential partners in Washington State by winter 2003, and for a total cost of less than $280,000.

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BUSINESS DRIVERS/BACKGROUND:
Points from Governor’s Executive Directive 02-02
  1. Help create a single face of government for the public.
  2. Save time for businesses, increase compliance with licensing requirements and reduce administrative burden for local governments.
  3. Help business owners comply with state and local government requirements in one step.
  4. Simplify the licensing process and provide a central point of collection for data and fees.
  5. Reduce the burden on small businesses applying for state licenses through a one-stop licensing approach.
  6. Extend the MLS to local governments and to more state agencies, improve the quality of services to small businesses.
  7. Implement one of the recommendations of the Washington Competitive Council (making Washington a better place to do business).
  8. Make it easier for new business to get started in Washington and for state agencies and municipalities to work together.
  9. Reduce the cost of government through investments in efficiencies.
  10. Remove barriers and complexity to new business creation.
  11. Assist new businesses in complying with licensing requirements.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
For Government Agency Partners:
  1. Higher compliance with licensing requirements, therefore, higher revenues for partners.
  2. City public image improves.
  3. Simpler and more convenient process through reduction of data entry.
  4. More accurate and complete information received from MLS.
  5. Reduces follow-up contacts for the Partners.
  6. Offers Businesses additional points of service delivery.
  7. Reduces follow-up phone calls to the business for each Partner and time consuming "phone tag".
  8. Reduces expenses related to data entry, printing, postage, and form management.
For Businesses:
MLS availability through partners makes the business registration process:
  1. Simpler and more convenient, reduces number of contacts required with governmental agencies.
  2. More Accurate (questions are explained as the applicant goes along)—if on Internet, only
  3. Reduces follow-up contacts from multiple agencies.
  4. Offers Businesses another point of access.
  5. Provides for additional payment options—if on Internet, only
BUSINESS IMPACTS
Area/OrganizationImpacts
DOL MLS program area1. Participate in development
2. Business support for development of service delivery model
3. Update/modify business rules
IS IT Support1. IBM Security requirements
2. Technical support for development of service delivery model
3. Desktop / user equipment may need to be re-configured.
Partners added to MLS1. Change in how licensing will be handled
2. Potential for new hardware, software required
Governor’s Office1. The degree of success of which Directive 02-02 is met and extent that the Governor can reflect direct benefits to constituencies.
Washington Competitive Council1. The degree to which they can claim advancements in the ease of doing business in Washington State


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VISION:
“By simplifying the licensing process and providing a central point of collection for data and fees, the MLS will help business owners comply with state and local government requirements in one step . . . ”
Governor Gary Locke (Feb. 27, 2002)


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GOAL STATEMENT:
The goal of this project is to remove barriers to new business creation by assisting new businesses in complying with licensing requirements and by transforming the business licensing processes with Washington cities. The deliverables of this project are to result in expanding the usability of the Master License Service (MLS) to local governments and enhance user / customer experience through the reduction of time and redundant processes. Success in this project also means establishing new collaborative and working partnerships between the Department of Licensing (DOL) and Washington cities.

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OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the MLS Extension Project we will have:
  1. Identified, contacted, and worked with the interested partners.

  2. Chosen the most effective solution for adding partners into MLS by:
    1. Bringing the community together to identify the various options for delivering and developing MLS for multiple partners.
    2. Assessing the feasibility, the roles, and the resources required of the various options for delivering and developing MLS for multiple partners.
    3. Minimizing the incremental cost and complexity of adding new partners to MLS.
    4. Determining when DOL can move licensing (MLS) services to the Internet.
    5. Developing a service delivery approach (external side to the customers) from a standpoint of timing (the “how” and what timeframes).

  3. Created the business case for partners to use MLS by:
    1. Identifying and confirming the business value and positive benefits to the state, cities and business community for forming a partnership through MLS.
    2. Identifying a set of criteria required for entering into MLS and processes that are highly acceptable to partners.

  4. Developed processes and templates for adding new partners to MLS by:
    1. Identifying and implementing core processes that are common for all partners.
    2. Developing cost effective repeatable processes for adding new partners to MLS.
    3. Developing a scalable approach to allow ease of adding new partners and handling future system modifications.

  5. Implemented the MLS Extension in a phased approach for selected partners by:
    1. Developing the architecture, functionality, construction, and implementation steps required for the MLS Extension in a phased, incremental approach.
    2. Completing a migration cycle to bring initial set of Partners into MLS.

  6. Completed other objectives as follows:
    1. Developing a funding model.
    2. Be able to share data electronically between Partners and MLS versus paper-based transaction(s).
    3. Identifying legal, policy, financial, architectural, technical, and workflow issues and resolving these, if possible.
    4. Applying architectural components consistent with acceptable state and agency standards.
    5. Devising appropriate system and user documentation as part of the service delivery method and system.
    6. Mapped the project results back to Directive 02-02.

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HIGH LEVEL DELIVERABLES:
PhaseDeliverableDescription
1Elaboration & Preparation 
 Focus GroupsA series of analytical assessments conducted with various business group owners and city licensing representatives.
 “As-Is” Architectures DefinedSeparate models representing each city's business and technology components of their “today’s” licensing operations. Includes events and participants of the existing licensing process.
 Business Case DevelopedA written compelling business case that ties into the overall needs of cities and business owners.
 Cities & Municipalities Contacted for PartnershipsWritten then verbal contacts completed with Washington State cities and counties.
 Plan for Internet EstablishedA high-level written plan of brainstormed objectives for Internet presence for both business owners and for cities and the Department of Licensing’s Master License Service (MLS).
 Service Level Agreements Signed with PartnersWritten agreements established between each participating city and the Department of Licensing.
 Partners’ Requirements DefinedA list and collection of well-defined, categorized and prioritized features and functions as jointly determined among all participating cities. Includes written feedback from business owners / customers.
 “To-Be” Architecture DesignedA “To-Be” model representing the targeted and desired architecture of both business and technology components. Includes events and participants of the enhanced and transformed licensing process.
 Service Delivery Methods CompletedA written compilation of the various services and products and their anticipated metrics that will be newly provided and rendered as a result of the new “To-Be” architecture.
 Licensing Transition PlansA written plan developed by each partnering city that identifies changes that cities and the DOL MLS will need to undertake in order to get themselves to a “To-Be” operations. Scripts out the changes, things going away, things that are new for each architecture component (participant) area.
 Training PlanA written plan that helps implement changes identified in the Transition Plan.
 Conduct ”Lesson's Learned” between MLS, Academy, MOSTD consultantConduct ”Lesson's Learned” between MLS, Academy, MOSTD consultant
2Design & Development 
 Hardware / Software Acquisition PlanA plan outlining the equipment and support software required for the new “To-Be” architecture.
 Maintenance & Staffing PlanA plan identifying what equipment and software will require ongoing maintenance and licensing. Also identifies staff positions and ongoing requirements for certification of knowledge and skills that are required in order to proficiently sustain and address changes to the system.
 Identify legal, policy, financial, architectural, technical or other issues and resolved these if possible.A written document for Phase 2 that highlights key legal, policy, financial, architectural, technical and other risks along with mitigations or contingencies.
 Web Content ComponentsWritten narratives put to coded templates. The template are then ready to plug into various modules.
 Development PlanA written plan drilled down from the project schedule that articulates how and where resources are applied to the Web modules development.
 Test Strategy & Performance PlanA written document with categories of criteria to test, and acceptable standards of performance / metrics to test against. (Effectiveness, Infrastructure, Core Functionality, Multi-enterprise Interoperability and Scalability, Knowledge Transfer, User Acceptance Testing Criteria).
 Test ScheduleA written document reflecting time and resources for when to test what.
 Release 1 alphaThe first completed “build” with code, content and logic to MLS core system ready for alpha testing.
 Release 1 betaThe revised first “build” ready for initial release and customer use.


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SCOPE:
In Scope
  1. Includes identifying the first group of Partners and what template(s) to develop and use to fit groups of Partners. Includes implementation of the first group of Partners being added to MLS using a given template.

  2. Provide new partners with licensing services covering initial licenses and renewals. Provide a full licensing package for the partner. What the partner utilizes may be negotiable, driven by the partner’s processes and compatibility with MLS’ needs.

  3. The licenses brought into the MLS system for new partners will be for business entities, not individuals. Business license account structure will be based on the Unified Business Identifier (UBI) process.

  4. Business license clients of new partners will receive a master license endorsed with all applicable licenses and registrations issued them. The license applicant or licensee will file a single, combined application, and pay a single, combined fee amount. The MLS system will distribute the information and fees collected to the various partners represented in the list of business license endorsements.

  5. MLS and prospective partners will develop criteria for participation in MLS Extension. New partners can include state agencies or groups that match up to and are willing to meet MLS criteria. Criteria will reflect joint needs and requirements in such a way that will not unduly compromise current customers’ needs. Partners who are selected will be willing to assess their business processes and align them with the criteria.
Out Of Scope
  1. Does not include licenses for individuals.
  2. A city with a license renewal volume too low to justify a business case.
  3. Temporary licenses for the partners (temporary person has come and gone by the time the license is processed). Therefore, partners will not get rid of all their upfront licenses (e.g., event, temp, parade).
  4. Partners unwilling or unable to change their complex fee schedules (those that require some calculation or additional information) to interface with MLS. This would make the licensing process unnecessarily more complex or not add sufficient value to the business that we are serving.
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SCHEDULE:
Phase & Key Milestones (MS)Summary ActivityTiming
Phase 1Elaboration & Preparation 
MSIdentify interested partnersMarch '02
MSAssess partners fit & requirementsMarch '02
MSNegotiate changes for partners or MLSApril '02
MSDevelop mutually beneficial business case for partners and state agenciesMay '02
MSVerify the business value(s) to the state, partners, and business community.)Late May '02
MSFinalize identified partners and agencies willing and able to participate in MLS expansionEarly June '02
MSDetermine the best service delivery approach and business planJuly '02
MSMake service delivery decisions with executive management and stakeholders.August '02
MSConduct “Lesson’s Learned” between MLS, Academy, MOSTD consultantSept. '02
Phase 2Design & Development 
MSDevelop the rest of the business plan.August '02
MSIdentify legal, policy, financial, architectural, technical or other issues and resolved these if possible.Sept. '02
MSPhase 2 check back and check in point for policy, opportunities, identifying obstacles.Oct. '02
MSPlan the project and rollout in detail based on the results in Phase 1 above.Oct. '02
MSInitial migration cycle completed and initial Partners using MLS in production.Jan. '03


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COST PROJECTION:
 Total Project CostSubsequent Annual (e.g., Maintenance)
Organizational Readiness
Training for Technology Awareness12,300 
Planning for Internet Presence218,400 
Access for Agency Staff and Other Users
Hardware for End Users300
Software for End Users400
Network and Internet Access for End Users500
Other Vendor Services61,9000
Human Resources  
Start-up Process for Equipment Procurement75000
Establish and Manage Vendor and ISP Contracts800
End User Support
Vendor Services91,9001,000
Human Resources  
Establish and Manage Vendor Contracts (if line 9 > 0)100500
Development and Delivery of User Training113,8000
User Time in Training123,8000
Help Desk for Users131,9000
Content Development and Maintenance
Hardware for Content Developers14  
Software for Content Developers151,500100
Network and Internet Access for Content Developers16  
Other Vendor Services17  
Human Resources  
Start-up Process for Equipment Procurement18  
Establish and Manage Vendor Contracts (if line 17 > 0)1900
Development and Delivery of Staff Training20  
Staff Time in Training21  
Webmaster2212,0001,200
Editorial Review239,000900
Content Creation and Coordination2418,0001,800
Web Site Design and Development256,000600
Staff Support for Service2632,0003,200
Programming Support (Web-services enhancements)2727,0002,700
DB Admin./ Design (mid-ware, ESRI, Zip code etc.)2815,0001,500
Other Management Support2900
Other Clerical Support301,500150
Host of Site-Infrastructure
Hardware3140,0004,000
Software3220,0002,000
Network and Internet Access3300
Other Vendor Services3400
Human Resources
Front-end Research and Technical Evaluation356,0000
Start-up Process for Equipment Procurement366,0000
Establish and Manage Vendor Contracts (if line 34 > 0)3700
Development and Delivery of Staff Training38  
Staff Time in Training39  
Network and Systems Administration40  
Web Server Management413,000300
Operations Support423,0000
Clerical Support43  
INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER SUBTOTAL$86,000$7,100
HUMAN RESOURCES SUBTOTAL$148,500$12,850
TOTAL COSTS$234,500$19,950


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PROJECT ORGANIZATION — Roles and Responsibilities:
Team NameMembershipProject Responsibilities
DIS Academy 
  1. “Phase 1” project management and leadership
  2. Conceptualize the approach to bring the community of partners together
  3. Create the collaborative environment between DOL and prospective partners to define the degree of requirements fit
  4. Help DOL define the fit between partner requirements and MLS requirements
  5. Bring in / recruit technology industry experts as needed
  6. Help DOL develop business and technical approaches
  7. Conceptualize the approach and drive to completion the activities and deliverables in Phase 1
  8. Project communication and management of expectations
  9. Define requirements for phased and incremental approach
  10. Help anticipate and prepare for cultural, business, and technological impacts for Transition Planning.
  11. Introduce practices or mechanisms that will help anticipate and handle reinvention and need for change.
  12. In coordination with DOL, review any available “Lesson’s Learned” (formal or otherwise)
MLS Licensing (In General) 
  1. Actively participate and collaborate with the partners in Phase 1
  2. Issue resolution
  3. Business area expertise
  4. Project ownership
  5. Provide overall project management and leadership
  6. Project communication and management of expectations
  7. Develop / revise MLS system
  8. Assess feasibility of how services will be delivered and developed
  9. Define requirements for phased and incremental approach
Core (Resolution) Team
  1. MLS Administrator
  2. DOL Project Manager
  3. DIS Project Manager
  4. MLS/IS Application staff (lead?)
  5. MLS Management Analyst (lead?)
  6. BPD Assistant Director (as needed)
  7. Chief Information Officer (as needed)
  8. Public Affairs Director (as needed)
  1. Attend regular team meetings and additional meetings as required
  2. Ensure project goals and objectives are met
  3. Render decisions on change in project scope
  4. Resolve issues escalated by project managers or other project team(s)
  5. Provide expertise and guidance
  6. Formulate and approve project communications
  7. Elevate major policy issues to DOL Director/Deputy Director
Community or Stakeholder Feedback Team
  1. UBI Board Members (DOR, L&I, ESD, DOL and Sec State)
  2. *UBI Field Office Representatives (DOR, L&I and ESD)
  3. MLS Administrator
  4. OTED UBI Representative
  5. DIS Academy Representative
* Denotes appointment to be made by agency director
  1. Attend scheduled team meetings
  2. Provide timely feedback on project status and issues to and from represented groups/agencies
  3. Provide data on project's potential impact on affected groups together with recommended mitigation to these impacts
  4. Recommend communication/training issue to DOL/Core Team
Resolution Committee
  1. Chief Information Officer (as needed)
  2. Project Sponsor
  3. Administrators
  4. Information Services Managers
  5. Project Directors
  6. Central IS Support staff
  7. System Managers
  8. Project Lead
  9. Business Liaison
  10. Program Staff
  1. Meet only on an as-needed basis
  2. Resolve issues escalated by other project teams
  3. Render decisions on change in project scope
Design Team
  1. BPD IS Manager/Project Director
  2. MLS Administrator
  3. Program Staff (assigned by Administrator)
  4. Business Liaison
  5. Project Manager
  6. IS System Manager
  7. IS Project Lead
  8. Conversion Lead (as needed)
  9. Technical Team (as needed)
  1. Attend regular team meetings and additional sessions as scheduled
  2. Provide expertise and guidance
  3. Define and approve overall project requirements
  4. Ensure that the project solutions support the defined requirements
  5. Approve system prototypes
  6. Participate in project process and planning decisions
  7. Review appropriate project documents
  8. Identify and assist in the resolution of project issues
Migration Cycle Core Team
  1. MLS Administrator
  2. Program Staff (as assigned by Administrator)
  3. Business Liaison
  4. Project Manager
  5. IS System Manager
  6. IS Project Lead
  7. Conversion Lead
  8. Other Design Team members (as needed)
  9. Partners being added in the migration cycle
  1. Attend regular team meetings
  2. Provide expertise and guidance
  3. Define mandatory system requirements, design changes and desired future enhancements for the cycle specific program areas
  4. Handle conversion related tasks for their program
  5. Participate in project process and planning decisions
  6. Review system prototypes
  7. Identify and assist in the resolution of project issues and risks


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PROJECT ORGANIZATION — Governance:


The governance model is designed to balance all the perspectives and interests. There are two equal spheres of influence, the user organization and the MLS designer organization. Each in turn is balanced equally between the business and IT interests. There is a partnership between the Academy and the executive team, and the Academy also facilitates the relationship between the User and MLS spheres. Finally, the Academy collects and injects input from the stakeholders.

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PROJECT ORGANIZATION — Team Composition:


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APPROACH:
The overall approach for this project is to address the most pivotal business, organizational, and technical/technology issues first, in order to minimize expense, time and risk.

This project contains two phases and additional phases will be added as necessary. In Phase 1, the MLS Extension solution will be further defined and the service delivery approach will be determined. Phase 2 will be the design stage, development stages, and completion of the initial migration cycle. Ultimately, the result of this project will allow partners to conduct MLS licensing-related services.

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PROJECT ASSUMPTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS:
ASSUMPTIONS:
  1. There are sufficient numbers of partners interested in and financially committed to participating in receiving services through MLS using the criteria and processes developed during the MLS Extension Project.
  2. Partners are able to make necessary changes to implement and use MLS in their operations.
  3. Partners are accepting of the standards and requirements DOL deems as necessary in order not to compromise the MLS system and combined licensing concept.
  4. DOL will provide licensing services for the Partners through the Internet when feasible.
  5. There are sufficient resources and timeframes needed to complete the project.
  6. Appropriate MLS and Partner staff will be available during the Requirements, Design, Testing, and Training phases.
  7. Mandatory requirements will be defined during any and each Partner migration cycle over and above the baseline set of common system requirements.
  8. Conversion requirements and data clean-up tasks will be defined specifically for any Partner migration cycle.
  9. The project will follow the current DOL Project Methodology standards.
  10. MLS currently charges a $9 fee for each license renewed. This is currently MLS’ operational revenue.
CONSTRAINTS:
  1. New MLS operational revenue comes through adding new licensee accounts to the MLS system, when those accounts do not currently file a renewal through MLS. Adding initial license registrations does not create new MLS operational revenue.
  2. The project is dependent on the shared resources of the agency.
  3. The MLS Extension project must comply with agency standards.
  4. Dealing with Partners that are geographically dispersed could hinder coordination and communication.


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PERFORMANCE MEASURES/OUTCOMES:
  1. Identified a compelling value proposition that warrants and motivates partners interest, involvement and financial commitment.
  2. The MLS extension provides the necessary end-services and information as defined by the formal requirements developed from Partners and DOL.
  3. A number of new Partners are on board that use MLS services. (Identifying how a new Partner would benefit – e.g., transfer of knowledge? Cost containment, redirection of resources, savings, etc.) .
  4. MLS services have added value to partners and the business community.
  5. Having simplified the process for the business community. (Perceptions of)
  6. Whether or not we can do this (MLS extension) with multiple partners at one time without having to start a new project.
  7. Ability to not adversely impact our existing Partners and UBI stakeholders.
  8. DOL finds a way to add new Partners at a low, incremental cost.
  9. Initial migration cycle completed and initial Partners using MLS in production.


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ACCEPTANCE:
We, the undersigned project members, have reviewed this document and approve its contents.
Charter Approval
Project MemberSignatureDate
DOL Director, Fred Stephens  
DOL Deputy Director, Gerry McDougall  
DOL Business Sponsor & Project Director, Alan Rathbun  
DOL Chief Information Officer, Bill Kehoe   
DIS Director, Gary Robinson  
DIS Digital Academy, Dave Kirk  


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