ira revels digital project manager cornell university library

Ira RevelsDigital Project Manager

Cornell University Library

Workshop participants will have a strong understanding of the

functions, tasks, and partnerships necessary for successful completion

of the project.

Introduction to project life cycle management

Understanding of why we are doing this in-house (rather than outsource)

Knowledge of the functions that need to be supported – and the staffing and budgetary requirements

Awareness of what the project will support – and what they may wish to provide

Be able to identify functional requirements for the project and the staff needed to meet them

Understand what is offered through the project – and what has yet to be solved

By the end of the session, have a better sense of the management steps when you return.

Setting realistic timelines, goals, and expectations

Translating goals into deliverablesCorrelating deliverables to resourcesDetermining processes

Project Management Wheel

Pre-project activitiesRamping up: from initiation to

production Production: bell shaped curve Project wind down and conclusion Post project activities

Developing project timeline Determining ways and meansQuantifying tasks and sequencingMonitoring progressBalancing competing requirementsMaking adjustments

Cost containment and limited riskLower costsVolume and throughputBroad range of options and servicesExpertise/training/obsolescence

incurred by vendor

Institution removed one step from imaging

Vulnerability due to vendor instability Hard-sell by vendor Inexperience with library/archival

needs Lack of standards and “best

practices”

Quality assurance designed for business market

Challenges in communication, contracting

Security and handling

Learn by doingDefine requirements incrementallyRetain direct controlSecurity, handling, and accessibilityEnsure primacy of library/archives

requirementsMaintain quality requirementsBuild production capability

Large investment and ramp-up timeNo set price per imageLimits on production capabilities and

facilitiesRange of staffing expertise

Supporting the full digitization chainStaffSpace and facilitiesEquipment and suppliesWorkflow analysisBudgeting

SelectionBenchmarking/planningPreparationConversionMetadata creation Quality controlSystems supportAccessManagement

Types, levels, and numbers of staffRatio of managers to workers to

studentsStaff training, staff experienceAdministrative home for project staff

Preservation, Special Collections, IT, other?

Facilitating communication regularly scheduled meetings with all

project staff smaller informal group meetings collaboration across functional units mainstreaming decision-making documenting decisions celebrating project goals

Physical space: 75 to 150 sq. feet per person, depending

on work performed “rent,” utilities, services (often

calculated in the overhead or indirect rate)

Renovation/upgrading Electrical supply Temperature/relative humidity/air filtration Controlled lighting (overhead and ambient) Painting, window shades

Communications needs Phone/data lines, installation and monthly fee LAN connections UPS protection

Ergonomically correct furnishings Cornell CTS study: 23% of staff at high

risk, 67% at some risk over $3,000/staff member to upgrade

equipment/facilities, including specialized panel-driven system of workstations

desk ($700), chair ($300), table ($600), cart ($300-$600), shelving ($700)

Hardware scanning devices high resolution monitors workstations (PC’s, Unix, Windows NT) peripherals servers and storage devices printers

Software operating system, networking/server, graphics

support, programming packages scanning, image editing, viewing, color

management, quality control derivative creation file management, workflow management indexing, OCRing, structuring database management system Web database access solution

Copy stands/cradles/lights/filters/lenses

Quality control equipment and supplies

Normal office suppliesStorage media, paper, ink cartridgesDocumentation, technical manuals,

reference publications

Documentation and project tracking Decision matrixes for selection Software tools, e.g., our spreadsheets;

Microsoft Project Written procedures, manuals,

instructions

Identify factors affecting process time Process efficiency Batch processing Task sequencing Room configuration Avoid unnecessary effort, bottlenecks,

redundancy Touch the files once; perform multiple

tasks

Salaries/wages and benefitsEquipment and suppliesServices and contractsMaintenance, licenses,

communications feesContingencyRamping up

Development/programming efforts Establishing workflow processes Documentation System configurations/scaling Staff training Factor a “generous curve” from startup

to production

Digital Imaging Workshop

Staff: 222 day work year (excluding vacation, sick,

personal and holidays) 7.3 hour work day (excluding breaks) 1,621 hours/year at work Assume 75% “production time”: 5.5 hours/day

and 1,216 hours/year “Weighted hourly rate” = salary + fringe 1,216

Annual hours worked: 1,216 Beginning salary: $18,825 Benefit rate: 37% Hourly wage: $9.28 “Weighted hourly rate”:

$18,825 x 1.37 = $21.21 1,216Weighted rate is 2.3 times the hourly

wage.

Selection Benchmarking/planning Preparation Conversion Metadata creation Quality control Systems support Access Management

Project manager Selection, planning, management,

budgeting, tracking, documentation, liaison

Scanning technician(s) Conversion and metadata creation:

scanning, rescanning, file naming, document structuring, and related tasks

Preparations assistant(s) Preparation and quality control:

retrieval, charge/discharge, disbinding, collation, repair/replace, inspection

Student assistant(s)Systems administrator(s)

Systems support, network administration, access/interface design,image processing