The Neighborhoods Project SharePoint as a Collaboration Tool at the American Red Cross

Agenda American Red Cross – mission and structure How we got started using SharePoint Upgrade from WSS 2.0 to MOSS 2007 Knowledge retention during RIF

American Red Cross – mission and structure

How we got started using SharePoint

Upgrade from WSS 2.0 to MOSS 2007

Knowledge retention during RIF

ARC Mission The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers, guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

ARC Structure This represents approximately 35,000 employees and over one million volunteers. NHQ 175 Regional Chapters 7 Biomedical Divisions 558 Community Chapters 37 Blood Regions

How it All Began Communities of Practice in KM Plan IT engagement Business need: Service Area startup The Convergence of 3 Factors

Neighborhoods Networks of people who, virtually and face to face, share information, insights, experiences and tools about a topic of common interest

Networks of people who, virtually and face to face, share information, insights, experiences and tools about a topic of common interest

Software Began with Windows SharePoint Services 2.0 Ease of use ARC is a Microsoft environment We already owned it NOTE – communities of practice not entirely dependent on a software!

Began with Windows SharePoint Services 2.0

Ease of use

ARC is a Microsoft environment

We already owned it

NOTE – communities of practice not entirely dependent on a software!

Social Networks Fuel Growth MEASLES NATIONAL AWARDS & RECOGNITION EXPLORING HUMANITARIAN LAW NATIONAL YOUTH COUNCIL MASS CARE COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING INTERNATIONAL SERVICES DELEGATES NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPARDNESS SERVICE AREA YOUTH LIAISONS HEALTH & SAFETY SERVICES RESPONSE HOUGHTON-LEGE COMMITTEE YOUTH

Neighborhood Creation Application Form: Tie to corporate business objectives Unit management approval Cannot duplicate ARC internal web site Must have a Neighborhood Coordinator Two hour training session Team site to support Coordinators Monthly conference calls

Application Form:

Tie to corporate business objectives

Unit management approval

Cannot duplicate ARC internal web site

Must have a Neighborhood Coordinator

Two hour training session

Team site to support Coordinators

Monthly conference calls

From WSS 2.0 to MOSS 2007 We had a lot of growth especially after enabling use of our active directory for user access. Common questions: What is the backup and/or restore process? What happens if the server goes down?

We had a lot of growth especially after enabling use of our active directory for user access.

Common questions:

What is the backup and/or restore process?

What happens if the server goes down?

WSS 2.0 Architecture

WSS 2.0 Architecture Challenges Single dedicated server application and database server without failover capability No test or staging environment The content database had expanded to nearly 40 GBs in size and had caused issues with regards to backup and the time it takes to accomplish this task Web tier was not load-balanced SQL/Database tier was neither clustered nor SAN-backed

Single dedicated server application and database server without failover capability

No test or staging environment

The content database had expanded to nearly 40 GBs in size and had caused issues with regards to backup and the time it takes to accomplish this task

Web tier was not load-balanced

SQL/Database tier was neither clustered nor SAN-backed

MOSS 2007 Upgrade Experience Time: 8 months Paperwork ADS with Microsoft Review all customizations before starting upgrade Creating test environment that exactly mirrors production when doing dry runs Keys to Success: A good project manager Minimal customizations so less to deal with Results: Positive feedback from coordinators and users Groups have presented some challenges

Time: 8 months

Paperwork

ADS with Microsoft

Review all customizations before starting upgrade

Creating test environment that exactly mirrors production when doing dry runs

Keys to Success:

A good project manager

Minimal customizations so less to deal with

Results:

Positive feedback from coordinators and users

Groups have presented some challenges

Knowledge Retention during RIF On May 16, 2008 one thousand staff cut from NHQ Approach to knowledge retention: Identified we really wanted to know/retain Identify where the knowledge was located: Hard copy Electronic In someone’s head

On May 16, 2008 one thousand staff cut from NHQ

Approach to knowledge retention:

Identified we really wanted to know/retain

Identify where the knowledge was located:

Hard copy

Electronic

In someone’s head

Chapter Info List

Document Archive

Results of Knowledge Retention Chapter Info List: worked well Started early Affected staff viewed work as final contribution We easily share data with multiple users Document Archive: mixed results Started too late Took a long time to get business units to determine disposition of documents Guidance to staff about 2.5 weeks before last day

Chapter Info List: worked well

Started early

Affected staff viewed work as final contribution

We easily share data with multiple users

Document Archive: mixed results

Started too late

Took a long time to get business units to determine disposition of documents

Guidance to staff about 2.5 weeks before last day

What’s Next? My Sites Wikis Blogs Workflows

My Sites

Wikis

Blogs

Workflows