Information system for urban planning documents – Learning launch

Challenge:

As in many countries in the world, my country has signed up for a dematerialization strategy and  the expansion of digital services. As an institution operating in urban planning, we had to take up  the challenge of designing an information system for monitoring and tracking the procedures for  drawing up urban planning documents. That system has to include all the steps for elaborating an  urban planning document, which means allowing to all our partners to enter data in real time.

Selection:

Once the problem, needs, constraints were fixed and clear, and the architecture of the platform has  been developed, the scope statement of the project dictated to deploy the solution for use right  after. Technical data processing tests were planned to be done but not a learning launch!  Somehow, the solution would be imposed to the partners.

Now I don’t have the ability to change that project scope statement but if I could, I would probably  have proposed to adopt a learning launch before deploying the solution. Learning launch is an  amazing experiment, an adventure to test the solution, and to learn more about it and about  possibilities of improvement.

Application:

Before mobilizing time, people and resources to deploy the information system, I would definitely  recommend to share the architecture of the platform (kind of screenshots) with all our partners  (local community, provincial and regional representativeness, national urban agencies…). Round  tables would be organized to exhibit the content of the solution, to discuss how deeper and detailed  the information could be provided by every partner, employees predisposition and their technical  qualification to use the platform etc. Then a summary of the solutions adopted by all of the partners  should be established and prioritized so that we can adapt the platform.

Insight:

Applying the learning launch tool here would definitely avoid sabotage our own project: big  resources has been mobilized by our institution to design this information system. But deploying  the solution and impose it to the partners without passing by a learning launch process would  generate a total failure. The solution could be established and operational but if none of the partners  or some of them do not implement the needed information (urban planning documents tracking)  then the solution is absolutely useless.

By adopting a learning launch experiment, our institution makes sure, rather than rely on theoretical  hypotheses, that the partners effectively adhere to the project and that the system information does  fit their technical and human resources. An information system with little reliable and sufficient  information will always be better than another with lots of unfilled information fields.

Approach:

I think that learning launch should necessarily be a component of our scope statements from now  on for this kind of projects.

Concretely, applying the learning launch tool in this case may not be possible for my institution  because of the time and cost that could be generated since this was not planed at the initial project  scope. So, maybe the improvement won’t be operated right now, but eventually, if financial  resources can be mobilized in the future, fields and possibilities of improvement would already be  ready to exploit.


Information system for urban planning documents – Learning launch Challenge : As in many countries in the world , my country has signed up for a dematerialization strategy and the expansion of digital services . As an institution operating in urban planning , we had to take up the challenge of designing an information system for monitoring and tracking the procedures for drawing up urban planning documents . That system has to include all the steps for elaborating an urban planning document , which means allowing to all our partners to enter data in real time . Selection : Once the problem , needs , constraints were fixed and clear , and the architecture of the platform has been developed , the scope statement of the project dictated to deploy the solution for use right after . Technical data processing tests were planned to be done but not a learning launch ! Somehow , the solution would be imposed to the partners . Now I do n’t have the ability to change that project scope statement but if I could , I would probably have proposed to adopt a learning launch before deploying the solution . Learning launch is an amazing experiment , an adventure to test the solution , and to learn more about it and about possibilities of improvement . Application : Before mobilizing time , people and resources to deploy the information system , I would definitely recommend to share the architecture of the platform ( kind of screenshots ) with all our partners ( local community , provincial and regional representativeness , national urban agencies … ) . Round tables would be organized to exhibit the content of the solution , to discuss how deeper and detailed the information could be provided by every partner , employees predisposition and their technical qualification to use the platform etc . Then a summary of the solutions adopted by all of the partners should be established and prioritized so that we can adapt the platform . Insight : Applying the learning launch tool here would definitely avoid sabotage our own project : big resources has been mobilized by our institution to design this information system . But deploying the solution and impose it to the partners without passing by a learning launch process would generate a total failure . The solution could be established and operational but if none of the partners or some of them do not implement the needed information ( urban planning documents tracking ) then the solution is absolutely useless . By adopting a learning launch experiment , our institution makes sure , rather than rely on theoretical hypotheses , that the partners effectively adhere to the project and that the system information does fit their technical and human resources . An information system with little reliable and sufficient information will always be better than another with lots of unfilled information fields . Approach : I think that learning launch should necessarily be a component of our scope statements from now on for this kind of projects . Concretely , applying the learning launch tool in this case may not be possible for my institution because of the time and cost that could be generated since this was not planed at the initial project scope . So , maybe the improvement wo n’t be operated right now , but eventually , if financial resources can be mobilized in the future , fields and possibilities of improvement would already be ready to exploit .