The webinar will begin at approximately 3:00 PM EST.

1. Contingency Planning The webinar will begin at approximately 3:00 PM EST. Information on how to join the teleconference can be found on the “Info” tab in the upper left of this screen. Please be sure to use the “Attendee ID” when dialing in to associate your name with your phone. In order to cut down on background noise, please mute your phone by dialing *6 upon entry into the meeting. For the Question and Answer portion at the end of the presentation: • You can re-dial *6 to unmute your phone and ask a question; or • Type your question into the Q&A panel below the participant list and click “Send.” • A copy of this presentation and a link to the recording will be available at http://nces/programs/slds/webinars.asp SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

2. Webinar Overview Panelists Christina McDougall, P-20W Program Manager, State of Washington Office of Financial Management’s Education Research and Data Center Kim Nesmith, Data Quality and Management Director, Louisiana Department of Education Facilitator Jeff Sellers, State Support Team SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

3. Contingency Planning Washington SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

4. Risk Management Contingency Planning is a function of Risk Management on a project Say you’re piloting a plane… you need to be on the lookout for birds. SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

5. Risks and Issues Some birds are smaller and not so close… …but some can be large and quite close. Each bird in the sky represents a risk to the plane to watch and plan for. But once one of those birds hits the plane…it’s no longer a risk, it’s an issue! And you better put that contingency plan in motion! SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

6. Washington’s “Big Bird” Our P-20W program contracted with a data warehouse vendor who was a known organization to the state, but who we also judged to present a significant level of risk. While we worked hard with the vendor to mitigate risk and be successful… • Spent a lot of additional time explaining and re-explaining concepts to the vendor • Took on additional activities to assist the vendor …at the same time we began heavy contingency planning • Ensured vendor contract was deliverables-based and placed “gates” after deliverables—where continuing to go forward was entirely at the discretion of the state • Identified specific milestones/events that if not met by the vendor, would “trigger” specific contingency plans to be set in motion • Discussed these risks and contingency plans with project sponsors; alerted the vendor that we had major concerns SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

7. Washington’s “Big Bird” (cont.) When the vendor did not meet the milestones, the issue materialized and the trigger was pulled. • Moved swiftly to sever ties • Two months from missed milestone to final vendor payment • Pivoted to the new plan • Began a new RFP • Kept staff productive and moving forward with “solution neutral” activities • Had ensured much hardware/software already purchased could be reused under new solution SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

8. Risk Management Methodology Disciplined approach to reviewing risks regularly(at a minimum, monthly) Identifying risks, regularly reviewing them for changes (“What if…”) Logging them, describing them Determine how “likely” something is to happen (is subjective/can change) Determine what level of impact it has (is subjective/can change) Identify mitigation activities—what can be done to avoid the risk turning into an issue? SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

9. Risk Management Methodology (cont.) Identify contingency plans should a risk become an issue • Amount of effort to put into contingency planning is based on the likelihood and level of impact to the project identified Identify the “trigger” • What event/action turns the risk into an issue and starts the contingency plan activities in motion Communication is key • Letting project sponsors or key stakeholders know and ensure they understand the risks, understand and approve of mitigation and contingency plans, and the “trigger” for the contingency; • Keep them apprised as the risk “gets bigger in the windshield” • If you plan and communicate, then once the “trigger” occurs and you need to pivot to the new path, none of this should be a “nasty surprise” to anyone SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

10. What doescontingency planning look like? Depends on the type of “bird” (risk)—how impactful, how likely • Small bird, hundreds of miles off (small impact/not very likely) • Not so much • Small bird, up close (small impact/very likely) • Use risk mitigation activities and minor amount of contingency planning • Big bird, up close (big impact/very likely) • Use lots of risk mitigation activities, lots of contingency planning • Full-blown contingency plan (or plans) should the risk be big enough Communication can make or break a contingency plan • Ensures the contingency plan can be launched quickly and effectively and not launch another issue Contingency planning is not personal, it’s business • Just because you are planning for it doesn’t mean you caused it • It’s not about targeting people or organizations, but recognizing a defined risk to a successful project where it lies • Good business practice includes planning for when things go wrong SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

11. Another of Washington’s “Birds” Sudden Loss of P-20W Project Manager Performed an RFP and selected a P-20W Data Warehouse project manager Within a day after coming on board he began to push a different software solution than what had been purchased The state soon learned that this contractor had a major conflict of interest that he had not disclosed—he sold competing software and services that he was now pushing He was told to stop, but didn’t, causing a toxic atmosphere on the project He was let go after six weeks Contingency Plan The project had three other people on staff identified as possible back-up/interim project managers One was asked to run the project and did so for the next 15 months SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

12. Another of Washington’s “Birds” (cont.) Contingency Plans for Staff Loss Knowing the skill sets of your staff • Planning for/thinking through who can immediately replace whom if required • Maintaining flexibility in roles and staffing where possible • Broader staff job descriptions • Identifying additional skill sets in vendor contracts, in case the project may need to leverage them Identifying other means to quickly obtain needed resources • Existing contracts • Borrowing from other agencies SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

13. Contingency Planning Louisiana SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

14. Contingency Planning • Contract Management • Conflicting documentation • Lengthy implementation of a project phase • Solutions • Establish detailed costing • Have staff on site • Retain a percentage until completion SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

15. Contingency Planning • Human Resource Changes • New administration • Loss of staff • Solutions • Have the buy-in of a large group of stakeholders • Tie the SLDS to the priorities of the new administration SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

16. Contingency Planning • Underestimating Complexity • Historical assessments • Accountability system • Algorithm behind historical reports • Solutions • Run parallel work streams • Know when the costs outweigh the benefits SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

17. Contingency Planning Questions? SLDS Webinar 3/24/14

18. Contact Information Panelists • Christina McDougall, Christina.McDougall@ofm.wa.gov • Kim Nesmith, Kim.Nesmith@la.gov SST Jeff Sellers, Jeff.Sellers@sst-slds.org SLDS Program Lauren Wise, Lauren.Wise@ed.gov SLDS Webinar 3/24/14