Forests Sourcebook - HCV Resource Network

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expertise of the consultancy team
experience and track record in similar FMIS projects
proposed cost of development, implementation, and
training
estimated cost and requirements (especially those related
to human resources) for continued operation of the
system
estimated ongoing maintenance and support costs
technologies, protocols, and standards proposed (including
facilitation of future development and evolution of
the system)
intellectual property ownership and rights
realism of schedules
realism and acceptability of commitment required of the
client
ability to provide long-term support
Specific tasks
Besides the work described above, specific tasks and operating
methods are suggested as ways to increase the likelihood
of success in an FMIS project. Most of these are related to
education, communication, and participation.
Phase I. Interview officials who are responsible for the strategic
direction of the organization to gauge their clarity of purpose
and understanding of modern forest management and
the capabilities of IT. Undertake a review of the context in
which the FMIS must fit. Based upon the results of these
interviews and the evaluation of the context, design and hold
a workshop that fills knowledge gaps and leads to a consensus
on the objectives and strategies of the FMIS on the part of
upper management. To ensure the outcomes of the workshop
are appropriate:
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for example) may maintain databases that could augment
the FMIS and vice versa. It is not efficient, from an
overall government perspective, to duplicate data-gathering
and storage efforts or, even worse, to have agencies
develop incompatible systems.
After a consensus on objectives and strategies has been
reached, present the conceptual design recommendations
to upper management (articulating the needs, functionalities,
and development strategy; estimating costs and time
needed for the various development options and for the
various functionalities; reviewing and disseminating
information on the various turn-key options) for their
approval. Upon receiving this approval, the conceptual
design (with functionalities) should be presented to
intended users of the FMIS, to get their feedback and suggestions
for improvements. It is strongly recommended
that a well-defined and stable user group sign off on the
final design (and then monitor the development of the
FMIS). An agreed on process of staged development and
implementation is necessary to avoid future conflicts
within the user group or between users and developers.
Phase II. The design phase will require that interviews and
workshops be held with all major user groups, first to help
establish draft design specifications, then to gain acceptance of
the final specifications and the major elements of the Development
and Implementation TOR (including acceptance of
their responsibilities in the development, testing, implementation,
and training processes). Successful implementation of an
FMIS will require, or will be undertaken in combination with,
work process changes, which may necessitate a cultural change
in an organization. The human resources management issues
must be considered, both in terms of the FMIS requirements
and their impacts upon the FMIS project.
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The various user groups in an organization need to be
educated about what the new FMIS might do for them.
Often they do not have a clear idea about how an FMIS
might work and what it implies for their work processes.
It needs to be made clear that the FMIS is not just about
computerizing their existing manual processes. Existing
work processes may need careful review and redesign as
a prelude to the detailed design and development of the
FMIS, which adds to the size of the task.
The FMIS project design should recognize that the
requirements of an FMIS will change over time, as will
the technologies employed.
It should be recognized that other government agencies
(related to land and water management and agriculture,
Phase III. An important element that should not be forgotten
in the development, testing, implementation, and training
phases is the ongoing communication and feedback processes
that must be developed and maintained to ensure the best
possible final product, reduction in lost time due to misunderstandings,
and eventual buy-in from the users. It should
be made clear to Phase III bidders that their proposals will be
evaluated in part by how well they have responded to this
requirement.
Process and Reporting Arrangements
Specify the line agency to which the consultants would
report. That is, specify the agency that would be managing
272 CHAPTER 7: MONITORING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR FOREST MANAGEMENT