The Year 2000 project is a Project Management Challenge!

The Year 2000 project is not a Technical Programming Challenge!

We will succeed! MCCCD formally initiated the Year 2000 (Y2K) Project by assigning Jim DeVere as MCCCD’s Y2K Special Project Manager. Jim officially started the project July 1, 1997. Jim was selected based on his mastery level skills in Information Systems and for his longevity and breadth of knowledge of Maricopa’s organization and Information Systems. The first step in any successful Y2K Project is to get a project leader with these attributes. Under the leadership of Ron Bleed, Jim DeVere’s initial activity was the development of a "draft" MCCCD Year 2000 Planning Document which includes following milestones:

1. Organization and Awareness
2. Discovery and Research
3. Conversion Planning
4. Corrective Action
5. System Testing
6. Implementation
7. Production and Follow-up

Organization and Awareness is the first phase of MCCCD’s Y2K Project Plan. Several activities have been completed or are in progress, while other steps are being planned. Ron Bleed provides project direction and weekly monitoring of the Y2K project progress. Informal planning meeting with Sam Harris, District Auditor, was very successful in the exchange of general project planning topics such as methodology, milestones, testing, and quality assurance. Identification of AEST as the project steering committee is under discussion. Working with John Schroeder, Janet Gesin and Tom Russo, a Technical Advisory Team is being formed from within District ITS with suggested representation from other District and/or College departments welcomed. Y2K presentations have been made to LCS DWI and Computer Coordinator District-wide committees. Presentations to CEC and AEST by Ron Bleed are being scheduled.

Keane Inc, Year 2000 consulting company, was employed to perform a "Year 2000 Impact Awareness Analysis for MCCCD’s Major Administrative Information Systems." The report provides analysis on the impact of Y2K upon these systems. A description of the Year 2000 challenge, some recommendations and alternatives and costs were projected based on this "Keane phase zero" report. Keane’s Resolve 2000 White Paper provides a suggested framework for a Y2K project plan. A separate document entitled "Managing Risk" provides some suggestions and insights about Testing and Quality Assurance for Year 2000 Projects. The report concludes with a glossy about Keane, Inc.

Discovery and Research is the second phase of MCCCD’s Y2K Project Plan with the following three target areas:

1. MCCCD’s Enterprise-wide Information Flow and related Year 2000 Issues
2. Year 2000 Automated Tools and Methods
3. Other project resource requirements (Staffing, Equipment, Project Planning Tools…)

Within two weeks, we have identified and contacted more than 125 potential Year 2000 companies who provide automated conversion tools. Extensive use of WEB and electronic communications made this possible. Many of these companies will take (any or all parts of) the Y2K project for varying costs. Maricopa released a RFP for Software Services which enables MCD to contract with these companies for Software Services without having to process a separate RFP for each special personnel requirement instance.

The first month of the Year 2000 Project has been very productive. As we finalize these first two milestones, we will have accomplished these project goals:

1. Defined the MCD Enterprise-wide Information Flow and the Year 2000 impacts on each system
2. Identified potential tools for automation of identification, code conversion, and testing
3. Identified Conversion Method to apply to each system

Once we achieve these goals, we will be able to move forward with the Y2K project planning to estimate project feasibility and identification of alternatives to complete the project in a quality, timely and cost effective manner. Planning, Planning, Planning, ……