Project Closeout Report

Presented to the IT Committee August, 2010

Project Name: Business Intelligence PeopleSoft Project

Objectives
Measurements
Met/
Project Objectives Not Met Description
Objective 1: Met Measurement 1:

• Identify Business reporting • Complete project assessment sessions and create a detailed list of
requirements regarding the use of reports representing business requirements.
PeopleSoft Financial and Human Response: Completed Assessment sessions as outlined in contract.
Capital management data used
within the Business Intelligence
reporting solution.
Objective 2: Met Measurement 2:

• Provide a user friendly tool enabling • 2.1 Supply a reporting environment with user friendly tools enabling
End users without IT experience end users ability to produce reports. Yes/No.
with the ability to access Response: Project team completed an in scope report list
PeopleSoft HCM and Financial data • 2.2 Conduct end user survey identifying if the reporting solution
and create reports above what the meets their needs. (Post Project survey)
Psft transactional system could Response: Business/Functional team response indicating the Cognos
provide. solution met their expectations.

Objective 3: Met Measurement 3:

• The tool should be intuitive for • Follow industry best practices with developing Cognos reports.
Business/Functional users to create Conduct end user acceptance testing of prototypes to ensure end
queries, reports and distribute user needs are met.
reports Response: User acceptance testing approved results

Objective 4: Met Measurement 4:

• Expand the number of users • Enable access to Agency Managers, Supervisors and IT
accessing and receiving PeopleSoft Coordinators which need the capability of publishing info. (ie; Report
HCM and Financial reports. distribution, Bursting, Portal integration). Establish the current
number of agency manager, supervisor and IT Coordinators which
access info. prior to the project and determine count after the project
concludes.
Response: Cognos application security enables Agency user to
distribute access to any agency user. OMB & ITD Security created
security structure. Ie; DHS & DOT were example agencies of a
layered security implementation scheme.
Objective 5: Met Measurement 5:
• 5.1 Ability for management to • 5.1 Build functionality matrix and measure the function has been built.
monitor Key Performance Yes/No.
Indicators (metric) for HR and FIN. Response: Drill downs, cube access and reports were outlined within
 Project Closeout Report
Presented to the IT Committee August, 2010
• 5.2 Ability to drilling into the details a functionality matrix
of these KPI’s • 5.2 Functionality is provided. Yes/No
Objective 6: Met Measurement 6:
• The solution should provide • Build functionality matrix and measure the function has been built.
predefined reports and ability to run Yes/No. Perform detailed report specifications during assessment
on demand sessions and outline reports required. Part of SOW #1 deliverable
Objective 7: Met Measurement 7:
• Agencies require the ability to • Build functionality matrix and measure the function has been built.
access reports throughout a Month, Yes/No.
Fiscal year, Biennium and at times
a previous Biennium. Currently the
PeopleSoft reports are limited to
storing reports for 90 days. The
BI/DW solution will need to
accommodate the duration and
access to reports which fit agency
needs.
Objective 8: Met Measurement 8:
• While end users build reports the • 8.1 Build functionality matrix and measure the function has been built.
data pulled into queries needs to be Yes/No.
easily identifiable/recognized from a • 8.2 Develop data labeling and reporting standards. Measure quality
Business/Functional perspective and effectiveness during iteration testing and end user acceptance
testing.
Objective 9: Met Measurement 9:
• Run adhoc reports without • 9.1 Perform Load tests and measure responses during system
impacting production transactional iteration testing. Gain sign off from Sys Admin and Tech Arch
system (Reports run on demand) regarding performance.
• 9.2 Following implementation; build compuware performance reports
(if product supports Cognos) New Product-Zenos will be set up as
the products functionality is deployed at ITD.
• 9.3 Survey users on response time. Yes/No.
Objective 10: Not Met Measurement 10:
• Reduce the number of Shadow • 10.1 Determine if Department of Human services deletes the Psft
systems used for reporting, interface to the DHS access data base and reporting tools used
budgeting and forecasting. today. The replacement of the DHS access database will extend
beyond the term of this project.
Response: The DHS access database encompasses additional data
elements outside of this project scope so the elimination of the
database will take longer than this reporting period. The PeopleSoft
data and associated security has been configured to deploy to DHS
users.
• 10.2 Identify system DOT uses and measure change of use. Yes
Objective 11: Met Measurement 11:
• Retain more years of data in the • Meet record retention requirements within the HCM and Fin reporting
reporting system system.
• Response: Currently retrieves all data from PeopleSoft. PeopleSoft
archiving project will outline further retention needs and will be
applied to BI application. Also, BI is able to store reports past the 99
day duration available in PeopleSoft.
Objective 12: Met Measurement 12:
• Provide an environment capable of • Technical requirement - Ensure application is designed to be scalable
expanding the user base beyond along with objective 4 measurement. Yes/No
back office financial and HR staff to
front line program managers
Objective 13: Met Measurement 13:
• Provide an environment capable a • Technical requirement - Ensure application is designed so users are
 Project Closeout Report
Presented to the IT Committee August, 2010
means of publishing to the public. able to publish to public facing applications. This project’s scope
does not include giving public access to run reports.

(ND Public Reporting will leverage platform used in BI)
Objective 14: Met Measurement 14:
• Ability for IT to deploy and maintain; • Technical requirement – Ensure Tech developers and IT staff receive
ease of building and deploying product training as well as knowledge transfer from Infolink
additional data marts. Consulting.
• 14.1 Build deliverable into the statement of work, project plan and
project schedule.
Objective 15: Met Measurement 15:
• Product must deliver High • 15.1 Determine core business hours and maintenance window.
Availability. • 15.2 Establish thresholds and measure unintended outages
Response: Mirrors PeopleSoft Application support
Objective 16: Met Measurement 16:
• Security standards must be met • 16.1 Include ITD Security group in Assessment requirements
(authenticate and application level gathering.
security) • 16.2 Gain signoff from ITD Security group regarding application and
system level security.
Objective 17: Met Measurement 17:
• Provide regular and appropriate • 17.1 Build communication process within the project plan document.
communication to the State • 17.2 Application Managers will provide that list of agency
agencies. stakeholders.
• 17.3 Utilize a project management and collaboration tool

Schedule Objectives
Met/ Original Baseline Schedule Final Baseline Schedule Actual Schedule
Variance to Variance to
Not Met (in Months) (in Months) (in Months) Original Baseline Final Baseline
Met March 2009 – Oct 2009 March 2009 – March 12 months (4 mo /8mo ) = (12 mo /
2010 (12 months) 50% Over 12mo) = 0%
(8 months)

Budget Objectives
Met/
Variance to Variance to
Not Met Original Baseline Budget Final Baseline Budget Actual Costs Original Baseline Final Baseline
Met $ 929,531.56 $ 929,531.56 $ 853,117 8.2% Under 8.2% Under
 Project Closeout Report
Presented to the IT Committee August, 2010

Major Scope Changes

The technical scope increased to include a formal data stage as opposed to an operational data store. The scope change and schedule
variance prompted a re-planning effort. The project team conducted a lesson learned/project evaluation session at the conclusion of the
first deployment. The project incorporated the lessons learned and enhanced the project’s schedule/tasks to include additional
templates, QA measures and additional iterations of system testing. A project variance presentation was presented to the State’s SITAC
committee. The Project Steering committee approved the re-baseline and the contract with Infolink Consulting was completed at the
conclusion of the second deployment (2 of 3 deployments). The State only team completed the final segment of the project’s
deployment.

Lessons Learned
Key Lessons Learned;
• The Cognos platform and BI methodology was new to the State resulting in a larger than anticipated learning
curve.
• The deployment required an iterative cube building approach
• A better user friendly tool needed for project team collaboration
• Additional time needed for building and acceptance review of deliverables
• Additional sponsor role needed for project decisions
Recovery Strategy implemented;
• The team recognized issues during the initial deployment.
• Conducted a lessons learned session and re-planning effort.
• Used Sharepoint as the collaboration tool
• Added Business Sponsor to the Organization chart
• Increased the schedule by allowing additional time for deliverables and deliverable reviews.
• Concluded Vendor contract following the second deployment (HCM). State only resources used for the remaining
deployment.

Success Stories
The Cognos cubes, drill downs and reports are well received by Business Groups. A key objective was to supply Financial
and HR data in an easy to use format. This project enables users to view data in the business format which is useable and
in an efficient manner. The BI solution also takes report processing pressure off of the production environments by
running Statewide reports and adhoc queries on the BI system. The Business Group relayed they are “Very Happy” with
the solution and foresee the upside potential on solving additional reporting needs. The BI solution is; fast, accurate and
easy to learn and use.
The scope change to include a Data Stage rather than accessing the production database proved to be a benefit and is
being leveraged in an additional project (ND Public Reporting project).