Contents | February 2007 | Volume 2, Issue 2
Transition Highlights
December 2006 through March 2007 are important months for the 27 agencies participating in the Data Center Services (DCS) contract. On March 31, IBM assumes operational responsibility for data center services , and these months have seen a host of activities related to transition and preparation for transformation.
Planning Meetings. On December 7, 2006, agency IT directors and staff began meeting with IBM’s Team for Texas to plan commencement. Initial Agency Kickoff Meetings established the foundation for all future activities. They included discussions of roles and responsibilities, the timelines for transition and transformation, and unique agency needs. In-depth Meetings between each agency and the Team for Texas included an overview of key milestones for transition, discussion of potential risks to the agency, and description of critical commencement day processes. IBM’s Team for Texas and key staff from the agencies continue technical discovery and planning as necessary to prepare for transition.
Planning Documents. Information gathered during the planning meetings forms the basis for agency Transition and Transformation Plans. These documents are critical deliverables produced by IMB that provide a roadmap for agencies and the Team for Texas, including descriptions of transition responsibilities, contingency and risk mitigation strategies, detailed work plans, and service commencement readiness checklists. These living documents will guide transition and transformation activities and will be updated as additional information about agency operations and requirements is identified.
Human Resources and Knowledge Transfer. In December, 329 State of Texas employees received employment offers from one of the four Team for Texas partners (IBM, Unisys, Pitney Bowes, and Xerox). IBM’s Team for Texas is pleased to report 85 percent of these employees have accepted . The Team is excited to welcome these individuals to their companies; however, additional resources will still be needed to support data center services, particularly in agencies with large numbers of vacant positions. To ensure service delivery continues uninterrupted on commencement date, IBM began an analysis of acceptances and open staffing needs. As needs are identified, they will be filled through staff from one of the four Team partners, one of the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) partners, or from resumes submitted by staff from participating agencies. Interested employees with relevant data center services skills should submit resumes to Joelyn Weeks for consideration. As new members join the team, they will work closely with the agencies to learn unique agency processes and gather knowledge from the agency staff.
Countdown to Commencement
To prepare employees for commencement day, targeted bulletins will be distributed every Wednesday between now and March 31, 2007. These bulletins will contain up-to-the-minute details on training activities, answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), definitions of key terms, and other important information on commencement preparation. The Countdown to Commencement will be distributed:
- 5… Wednesday, February 28 (this article)
- 4… Wednesday, March 7
- 3… Wednesday, March 14
- 2… Wednesday, March 21
- 1… Wednesday, March 28
The Scoop on Training
With commencement day nearing, inquiries about training are increasing. This answers the basic “who, what, when, where, and why” questions about the upcoming training program.
WHO. Using an approach called “Train-the-Trainer,” IBM will train select personnel from agencies and the Team for Texas, who, in turn, will provide training for their respective organizations. Agency trainers will teach “authorized users,” agency staff who have a role in data center services and may contact the new DCS Support Center with service issues. Team for Texas trainers will teach their staff, including transitioned employees (affected employees who have accepted Team for Texas job offers and will transition to the Team on March 31) and other staff members, including all Support Center employees.
WHAT. The training curriculum contains a number of topics and different levels of detail. All participants will receive the training required to support their roles. Not all participants will be trained on all topics. The topics include:
- Web Portal. The portal will provide a central point for accessing information about services. The Portal curriculum will include procedures to access reports, the Policies and Procedures Manual, training material, and Remedy ® (incident tracking tool).
- Policies and Procedures Manual (PPM). The PPM will hold all data center services policies and procedures. The PPM will be developed in phases, with training accompanying the release of each new/updated process.
- Chargeback Account Conversion. A small group of finance and accounting employees received training on completing tables used for cost allocation and chargeback.
WHEN. Train-the-Trainer sessions will be conducted in phases. Phase One is scheduled for the first two weeks in March; Phases Two and Three will occur in May and August, respectively. Training for authorized users will be scheduled after the completion of the Train-the-Trainer sessions. Training for transitioned employees and other Team for Texas staff will be scheduled by their respective employers. All training participants will receive notification of their class schedule. Additionally, the schedules will be posted on the DIR Web site on the Agency Resources page.
WHERE. All Train-the-Trainer and Chargeback Account Conversion sessions will be held at IBM facilities in Austin. Specific locations will be provided on the DIR Website. Training locations for authorized users and Team for Texas staff (including transitioned employees) will be announced very soon.
WHY. Transitioning operational responsibility for Texas data center services to IBM will require the agencies, DIR, and IBM’s Team for Texas to work together in new ways. These changes include updates to processes, new technology, and shifts in roles and responsibilities. The training program has been designed to provide all participants with the skills and information they need to be successful on commencement day.
