Example and Template: Implementation Workplan

Objective

Write the project implementation plan.

We have included a comprehensive implementation plan from Uganda as an example for writing your own implementation workplan. Use the workplan template spreadsheet for planning implementation activities. This will be the basis for the comprehensive implementation plan. While this template is for an iHRIS Manage implementation, it can be modified for any iHRIS implementation project.

Implementation Workplan: Concepts

The implementation workplan is a detailed action plan for how iHRIS will be deployed in the country or organization. It includes a timeline, budget, and risk analysis. A pilot site is identified, and a method for assessing the success of the pilot is determined. The implementation plan should be divided into milestones to measure progress against objectives and identify specific people responsible for each milestone.

Many people underestimate the costs of information systems projects, focusing only on the costs of the initial development and piloting. iHRIS is an open source software solution, meaning that the software itself is completely free. But that doesn’t mean that it is without cost, although the costs won’t be as significant as when implementing a commercially licensed HRIS. Costs to take into consideration include:

  • programming expertise for customizing and upgrading the system
  • ICT support
  • training needs
  • data collection, entry, and management
  • infrastructure and security needs.

Just as costs are often underestimated, so is the time it takes to implement an information system successfully. Hurrying the process may result in unclear requirements or skipping quality controls, which may lead to costly mistakes or even project failure.

Understanding and managing risk is a key component of project management. If you don’t take risk factors into consideration when planning the project, you will not be able to minimize their impact. The implementation plan should include a risk assessment highlighting the likelihood and severity of risks, along with mitigating action.

Tool filenames (offline version):
Deliverable1a.pdf; download tool (Internet connection required)
Deliverable1b.xlsx; download tool (Internet connection required)