Elements of a Successful Computer System ver 1.0
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Covers Unit V of MIS & EDP of MBA (UoM)
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Elements of a Successful Computer System ver 1.0
- 1. Key Elements of a Successful Computer System
Editor's Notes
- THE CLIENT "SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR": THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE SYSTEM We define the system administrator as the person who "has responsibility for the successful implementation and daily operation of the system.“ ( Clearly Defined Role as Systems Administrator) The person who takes on this responsibility should have several characteristics: Management authority An overall understanding of the company At least a basic understanding of accounting systems A commitment to the success of the system In other words, the person should be both capable of performing the job successfully, and committed to the success of the project. The System Administrator is the most important element in the system, more important than the computer, more important than the software, and more important than any other element. Many churches have “unsuccessful computers systems” because the system administrator (or person in charge) is lacking in either capability or commitment; AS WELL AS … I have seen relatively poor systems succeed quite well because of an excellent system administrator. Knowledge of the System The system administrator should be trained in all aspects of the system, and be the central system authority within the client organization. S/he may delegate responsibility for portions of the system to others, but final accountability remains with this person (coordinating efforts with their church staff point person) . S/he is also the principal contact to assist in the scheduling, planning, delivery, training, problem solving, and all the other tasks involved in the installation, implementation, and operation of the system. Willingness to Learn about Needs & Concerns of the Staff On an on-going basis, the system administrator coordinates new program design and development projects, reviews designs and cost estimates, reviews demonstrations of the resulting programs, and works with our people to implement them. Who Performs this Role? In almost all cases, the system administrator should NOT be the Education Minister or the Church Administrator. For one thing, s/he is too busy taking care of the business of the church to take on such a time-consuming new job. Another mistake is to allow a member to do the job “because he likes computers." What is needed is someone with experience in the ministry. Attributes beyond the experience factor are communication skills, attention to detail, and preferably some experience with accounting. Remember, this person is the most important element in your new system. With the right person, the system will succeed well. With the wrong person, the system will fail, regardless of the excellence of the system or the amount of time, effort, and money spent to make it successful. The System Administrator is a key element, both during the implementation of the system and throughout its successful life. Ministries who focus on this role keep their system successful permanently. It is the most important investment in the system, and one that pays dividends every business day. Availability The staff must have access to this person or persons as needed. Either on-staff, via telephone, email or whatever! Hiring a member is limited and often ends in disaster. They typically have other jobs, busy lives, and limited ministry mindsets.
- Organized Procedures The computer cannot take poor records and create manageable information. Staff and their Workload Help the staff have adequate work load (not too much or too little) Volume of Work VS. Quality of Work If church staff is doing work manually (payroll), than using a computerized version should greatly reduce the workload Don’t expect the staff to know how do accomplish everything immediately. Use a PHASED system implementation Start with EASY items Publishing the church newsletter online Automating the Payroll system Using the basics of the software Introduce “HARDER” items one step at a time Integrating the CMS with the Accounting Publishing more elaborate features on their web site Advanced features of the software
- Standardization of Software Keep EVERYONE using the same major software programs The software applications must help you process your work more efficiently… otherwise it is just “in the way”. Microsoft Office offers the majority of the features most ministries will use. Keep away from avoiding software because of personal feelings… What is best for the ministry? Church Management Software Best Suited for Your Ministry With so many options available today, it’s critical to spend the time discovering what is the best for your church. ASK for as many references as possible. The Ability to Customize The staff must have at least some options to customize or modify the software or reporting options to fit their specific needs For software to be successful, or rather for the system (organization) to be successful with it’s software, the software must fit the ministries’ needs (at the most detail level). Key Criteria in Software Selection 1. Does the software program fit your ministry as well as possible? 2. Can the software or the output of the software be customized by the user? 3. Is the software developer willing to modify the software to meet your needs?
- Meet More than the Basic Requirements Consider the requirements of ALL the programs you may run (at one time) Most software today runs quite adequately on current CPU speeds Ability to Scale Up the System This certainly meant more a few years ago, but will relatively lower prices of computers, this is less of an issue than ever before. Is hardware reusable in the future (2-3 years from now?) This is difficult because the industry DOES change the technology to enhance it and to get you to buy more Plan to UPGRADE the computer within 1-2 years AT LEAST… 2-4 years plan to REPLACE it. Ask Various Systems Administrators Their “Requirements” Call around and know what the REAL requirements for success using various applications are. Use Fast Network Technology Current standards are 100BaseTX as opposed to 10BaseT (10x faster than 10BaseT) 1 Gigabit (1000TX) Network standards are relatively new to the market and still relatively expensive to implement. Stay “In the Mainstream” of Technology PC’s with Windows operating systems Major brands such as 3Com Make sure the hardware can easily and quickly be replaced.
- If a Workstation “Crashes”, Have a Backup Plan Always know that if a workstations “crashes” what to do. Have a backup computer or access to one quickly Keep Equipment Running Including printers, scanners, monitors Downtime with printers is very costly Know Who or How to Get Replacements If you use a consultant, get a hold of him immediately If you have a hardware supplier, call and get replacements If replacing DEAD Equipment, CONSIDER upgrading at the same time Backups… Check out the next frame
- Backup Server Regularly - Use a backup (DAT) drive We suggest DAILY backups for servers Daily – Change Cartridges – Take One Home (or lock it up) Two Weeks worth for server is critical Backup Workstation Data Files - Use a Zip or CDRW drive We suggest MONTHLY backups for workstations Backup with Consistency - Be organized in your backup patterns Have a reliable, consistent person who is at the office daily be responsible Verify Backups Regularly – If you don’t, you will regret your laziness.
- Staff Needs: Find out what are major concerns or issues of the staff. Discover what they need… maybe a printer or scanner maybe just simple help Ask staff WHAT WORKS … WHAT DOESN’T? Is the technology meeting “YOUR” needs? If you could have whatever you wanted, what would that be? Discover WHY it doesn’t do what the staff wants and try to discover if you can fix this Learn about (be aware of) new technologies or methods to perform their job better ASK AROUND
- Money Invested In Training Is Vital A Computer System Without Training Is Useless Staff are not able to take FULL advantage of software without training TRAINING is normally worth EVERY dollar. Implement Into Daily Routine The computer system needs to be implemented into the daily routine of a office personnel Daily Routines are hard to break… be “gentle” yet “firm” Provide On-Going Training On-Going training is small bits of information at a time… Allows the employee to “soak in” what they have learned and put it into practice Small bits of training is worth a lot more than large chunks! Avoid One Day “Complete” Workshops Avoid training that is either too general or too many participants This limits asking questions or focusing on what YOU need Usually OVER-CROWDED Usually just an OVERVIEW Too Much Information for One Day Most Trainees come out with very little actual useful information “All the training you need” turns out to be less than you might think you need. Avoid “FREE” Training Many vendors provide “Free” training with their salespeople, not trained instructors You get what you pay for
- Plan to Buy Upgrades & Replacements Upgrades will happen 1-2 years of purchasing the computers Replacements typically happen 2-4 years after purchasing computers Budget in your ministry for technology Don’t Make Your Staff use older technology They won’t be as productive or effective in their ministry This will reduce frustration and aggravation A happy staff member is usually a more successful staff member
- Qualified Trained Personnel is critical to the success of today’s modern ministries. It may be advantageous to outsource (hire an outside firm) to manage your technology. It may be less expensive or possible the ministry may have to invest more than just hiring an individual however, remember how important the message of Christ is and the critical nature of making sure the technology is fully operational at all times. It is rare for a ministry to have to convert data from one church management software to another as most ministries keep what they have used for many years.
- These are the basic elements of any good computer. A noticeable difference in “wait time” between a 800 MHz or less to a 1.8 GHz or higher DVD is an extra bonus, but in most cases not a necessity CD RW Drives are worth their extra price! DVD RW Drives are not needed for every staff member but it is a good idea to have at least one in the office. This technology is still in the early stages of development and prices will continue to go down as the speed and quality of software will only naturally get better. Hard Drives are less expensive than ever before, so larger hard drives are common place Of course you have your sound card, speakers, keyboard, mouse…
- More and more churches are specifically putting line items into their budgets for computer and other technology based items The thinking process of the local church is evolving/changing Churches are not only having to factor in the cost of purchasing computers but the cost of maintaining them. Upgrades, replacements and add-ons are becoming a “norm” in the local church