STEPS to Produce a Sensible Theme Strategic Plan

 

There is a need to spend some time defining the limits of what each theme is  responsible for and doing - there is a bit of confusion on this.  Note, there is a role for management and a role for the Re-Organization theme while you can keep track of that. 

 

What each group needs to do is 

A. KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT REVIEW 

A1. Review the Past Digiatl Documents for the Theme -

    - review what was done in the Org Document - Ver 29

    - past reviews

    - past meeting reports 

          A2.  Review the past Paper Documents 

B. ARCHIVING AND UPDATING RELEVANT KNOWLEDGE 

Have an understanding of the role of Internal Page, Blogs, OSF and Document these well. 

B1. Is it well organized in the OSF and the blog and the Internal Page ? 

B2. OSF     - is the structure suitable 

    - identify shortcoming to be fixed

    - recommend a structure for the Theme and circulate to team

              - is it understandable for a newcomer?  

B3.     BLOGS 

    - are the blog posts comprehensive for the theme  

    - how can there be a guide / html for new users 

    - what are the gaps to be fixed 

B4.    INTERNAL PAGE 

    - Is the content relevant to the Theme captured 

    - what revisions / updates / additions are needed. 

C. SWOT ANALYSIS  

The OT of SWOT may not be as relevant for the Theme - but you can see what is most relevant from the overall SWOT and add - and add other items at a finer grain. 

C1. Review the SW/ SWOT for the Org for what is relevant for the Themes in question 

C2. Come up with SWOT for the Themes that you are working on 

C3. Review the past SWOT’s

D. MITIGATION AND CAPITALIZATION STEPS FOLLOWING SWOT ANALYSIS  AND PAST TASKS AND NEEDS OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS 

D1. Rank the items in the SWOT table - decide what must be addressed in next 3 months 

D2. assign - scores of 1-5 in importance and urgency for each of the task to be addressed  

D3. List the tasks to be done 

D4. Review all the work items presented by each person for  Tasks not done but talked about by each person - should be all gathered/  

D5. Review Work from Recent Departures - see here monthly and 6 monthly work reports - reports at time of exit. Identify follow up steps

D6. See what other tasks that come up which are not represented above 

Are there urgent Project Related / Tasks from Other Themes/ Programs coming up? This can be done iteratively. 

D7. Consolidate Tasks from SWOT, from Work Not Done, Work Pending and New Works 

         D8. Identify an Ideal Task Portfolio for the Theme ( for next month, next 3 months, next 6 months) given enough resources. 

         D9. Identify Resources needed. If there is a need for more people / resources - identify the roles or non-HR resources. 

         D9. Prioritize path forward with limitations in Resource Limitations  - esp Human - given   

E. ORGANIZATIONAL Structure Management 

E1. Review the Organizational Structure for each Theme - Try to establish a history of existing structure 

          E2. Discuss and come to consensus on how to change it - document this

          E3. Document changes and for what purpose. 

          E4 - Allocate responsibilities for each part of the Organizational Structure  

E5 - Allocate Collaboration Boards and knowledge management to specific persons.

F. WORK ALLOCATION 

- Develop a Work Plan for the Theme -  Come up with annual, 6 monthly, 3 monthly Needs and a monthly Needs  

- Allocate Responsibility for Each Person 

G. MONITORING AND REVISION PLAN 

What are  the arrangement to monitor the work progress of each Theme? 

   - weekly meeting reports? 

   - End of week / month reviews ?

   - Start of week/month planning ?

   - How often should there be a Report to Principal Scientist and Manager and rest of org - Monthly? 

List of Trello Boards - Version 2

FECT PROJECTS

·         PINGA OYA - https://trello.com/b/UhV1iJ5c/pinga-oya

·         HAZARDS PROJECT – FORMERLY DROUGHT - https://trello.com/b/NWnP8k7C/hazards-project-formerly-drought

·         STEM - https://trello.com/b/Pu8m8tBb/stem-project    

·         DENGUE CENTRAL PROVINCE PROJECT - https://trello.com/b/JdwM6AGG/dengue-central-province-project  

·         DS PROJECT - https://trello.com/b/zu2AGIzq/ds-project

·         E-SUWABHIMANI - https://trello.com/b/8zxL2JWR/e-swabhimani-2020

 

THEMES

·         FECT ADMIN - https://trello.com/b/NUxbJrpL/fect-admin

·         FECT HR - https://trello.com/b/5ys4nydD/fect-hr

·         COMMUNICATION - https://trello.com/b/Sq4eFS8C/communication

·         DATA BASES - https://trello.com/b/DSESqk71/data-bases  

·         FECT FINANCIAL - https://trello.com/b/xcrh43rY/fect-financial  

·         LEGAL

§  FECT LEGAL - https://trello.com/b/2njt2NGk/legal  

§  ZY CASES - https://trello.com/b/4tgbY2wu/zy-cases-lt-dc-mc-coa

·         IT

§  FECT IT - https://trello.com/b/beY5G5rY/fect-it

§  INSTRUMENTATION & MONITORING https://trello.com/b/NvJNVPWe/instrumentation-monitoring

§  IT MASTER LIST TASKS - https://trello.com/b/D8UAtZSO/it-master-list-tasks  

·         SOCIAL SERVICE AND ADVOCACY

§  VSO FECT & TC - https://trello.com/b/9lbGvl0B/vso-fect-and-tc

§  AWWA - https://trello.com/b/jqcwRIhl/awwa

§  RESOLVE THE ISSUE IN AWWA - https://trello.com/b/hYjezZuG/resolve-the-issue-in-awwa 

§  TC/DS/TRUST - https://trello.com/b/SNHUfQhB/tc-ds-trust

 

STAFF

·         FECT TASKS - https://trello.com/b/YjNkEY3a/fect-tasks

·         STAFF PRODUCTIVITY ONLINE - SPO - FORMERLY OCW -https://trello.com/b/25dLEqCg/staff-productivity-online-spo-formerly-ocw

·         BLOGS/TRELLO/OSF/ASANA - https://trello.com/b/wkmAoh3S/blogs-trello-osf-asana

·         OFFICE MAITAINENCE 

§  AKURANA - https://trello.com/b/VulMLsCU/akurana-office-maintenance

§  DIGANA - https://trello.com/b/wZa7N4Mu/digana-office-maintenance

·         WORK REPORTING - https://trello.com/b/Cc5HyJog/work-reporting

 

PLANNING

·         STRATEGIC PLANNING - https://trello.com/b/SEPEkwQe/fect-strategic-planning

 

PROGRAMS

·         MALDIVES COMMUNICATION - https://trello.com/b/5vFl4Jny/maldives-communication

·         AQ IMPACTS - https://trello.com/b/p5maTBH1/aq-impacts

·         DENGUE & CLIMATE SL - https://trello.com/b/Z59PKKqe/dengue-and-climate-sl

 

INSTITUTIONAL

·         DISASTER SERVICES - https://trello.com/b/dHseME3Z/disaster-services

·         SETTING UP TROPICAL CLIMATE - https://trello.com/b/SNHUfQhB/setting-up-tropical-climate

·         SWOT ANALYSIS FECT - https://trello.com/b/4ClNmOWE/swot-analysis-of-fect

·         KMV DOCUMENTATION - https://trello.com/b/G0wRlNk7/kmv-documentation 

 

FECT ADMIN

·         FECT ADMIN - TH, RZ, FS, NS HISTORY – ARCHIVE - https://trello.com/b/QFU4sm4G/fect-admin-th-rz-fs-ns-history-archive

·         FECT ADMIN OPERATIONAL TASKS - https://trello.com/b/J8T85WGc/fect-admin-operational-task 

 

LZ BOARDS

·         GENEALOGY - https://trello.com/b/tavNt1Dz/genealogy

·         ZUBIAR FAMILY LEGAL - https://trello.com/b/a4oYPz0z/zubair-family-legal

LIST OF BLOGS - Version 2

Staff

•           FECT Standard Operating Procedure - https://fectsop.blogspot.com/
•          Strategic Planning and Projects for FECT - https://fectstrat.blogspot.com/

Institutional

-          Disaster Services Internal - https://fectds.blogspot.com/

-          Disaster Services SL - https://disasterlk.blogspot.com/

Themes

1.      IT – https://fectit.blogspot.com/  

2.    Publication - https://fectpub.blogspot.com/

3.      Communication -  https://fectcom.blogspot.com/

4.      Admin

·         HR - https://fecthr.blogspot.com/ 

·         Admin - https://fectadmin.blogspot.com/

·         Management - https://fectmgmt.blogspot.com/

·         FECT Organizational Notes - https://fectorg.blogspot.com/

·         Weekly Reports - https://fectreports.blogspot.com/

5.      Projects - https://fectprojects.blogspot.com/

·         Tea & Climate - https://teaclimate.blogspot.com/

6.      Research – Climate - srilankaclimate.wordpress.com,  maldivesclimate.wordpress.com

7.      Data - Data Library                                                                                                              

Programs

-          Indian Ocean

·         Chagos - chagosclimate.wordpress.com

·         Zanzibar -  ZA.blogspot.com,  

·         Comoros - Comoros.blogspot.com

-          Maldives - MV.blogspot.com

Projects

·         MDP – https://mdpsl.wordpress.com/

·         AgMIP – https://agmipsl.wordpress.com/

·         PEER Water - https://peersl.wordpress.com/

 

Work Reporting on Trello and Freedcamp Mandatory from November 2020

 Much Improvement is called for in the Work Reporting - otherwise we shall not be working well together - and your work shall be slowed down or misdirected - and lots of tasks are being dropped. 

To fix this, starting the next week - we are going to require that you always 

1. Sign in to Trello as you start work  on the Work Reporting Trello Card for the Day (FS shall not be updating based of fectboard emails - she shall check only at the end of the day) 

 

2. Check what are the tasks due by filtering the tasks under your name. 

 (For those who have been here a while - we need to really catch up on this) 

3. For those engaged in IT and related work you can check Freedcamp as well by filtering by your name. 

 

4. Check whether you work fits under the Tasks under the Trello or Freedcamp board - 

if not, it represents a weakness in our weekly planning - so check your weekly plan - or it could reflect a change in priorities as the week progresses. 

5. Check whether your work is defined SMART in the Trello Boards or if relevant in the Freedcamp. 

- you can  represent it there after defining it SMART and consulting your collaborators - shall be happy to help with this. 

6. At the end of the day/week/period, go back and update 

You can add comments on specific Trello cards as to the updates you have - similar to what you shall send by email. 

All of this can be done in 15 minutes - that is unless our work is not properly planned - then you can take the time to plan properly 

Refer: 

http://fectorg.blogspot.com/2020/04/why-weekly-planning-is-critical-for.html

http://fectorg.blogspot.com/2020/04/making-your-tasks-smart.html

FECT COVID 2nd Wave Risk Management - October 2020

 

2nd Wave is Here

The evidence is now that there is a 2nd Wave - there has been community transmission and there are reports of higher levels of virulence - i.e tendency to spread. Here are some observations. 

• - there is a higher risk of transmission now than at any time before as there are 1195 active cases per disease.lk exceeding previous records.
• - the SL covid task force is not taking the threat seriously - the head is not following HPB guidelines
• http://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Thisara-Chandimal-adorned-with-Major-Insignia/108-197585
• To be fair later the Army stopped its 71st Anniversary Celebrations. 
• - the UK embassy stopped one of its Directors - in charge of promoting prosperity from coming to Kandy this weekend - as they have gone into crisis mode - he was due to talk to me about formulating their response to CCA.
• - there are political reasons why curfews are not declared now. In any administration, early on opposition is weak.  
• - when there was one family affected in Akurana, the area was lockeddown for 40 days with no road traffic and we could not even go to the road on foot  - now there seems to be many families affected and there is not even a curfew in general. 

As those who are advocating under Disease.lk and of Risk Management we should practice what we preach. Take some tougher action and over-ride usual HR guidelines. We want your cooperation so shall be happy to discuss any issues. 

e.g. what shall NAITA think of remote work? 

As noted,

1. Risk management means preparing in advancing and pre-positioning

 - so we have got started with the SLIATE folks in charge of the OCW Trello Boards and OSF page with TH guidance. On getting all ready. 

 - the health guidelines have not been uploaded to the internal page - RZ

 - the work from home guidelines have not been uploaded to the Internal page - TH

2. It is easier and possible to make arrangements earlier than with a curfew.

 - lets fix everyone's home computers and computer access

 - as per the work from home guidelines, we shall support you on fixing all this.

3. Getting our Work on the Cloud updated is part of preparation for work at home

 - we have let our guard down - e.g. -many things including the Work From Home Guidelines are not on the cloud.

 - Trello Boards, OSF, gdrives shall have to be updated. 

4. Reduce Risk of exposure

 - Avoid travel

 - Avoid visitors esp to office - including departed folks who are travelling

 - e.g. - I should have not let the ETF people talk to others - and should have been wearing a mask - although I asked them to sit far away.

  - we shall have to stop in person interviews and new recruitments

5. Do a Vulnerability Analysis

 - Identify the folks with higher risk in travel and work with them to limit exposure. 

6. Operational Management of Risk

 - we may need to plonk the 20K to get radiative thermometers for the two offices. 

But that may only give false security - need to look into that.

- we may have to have some self-reporting of exposures such as at events and travel 

7. Run a Drill on Working from Home 

 - Before an actual curfew - lets decide to run a drill with at least half the folks on a day later this work on working from home. 

8. Develop Personal and Institutional Contingency Plans 

 - for funtions at home 

 - for work - what can you do well, what needs prepation, what cannot be done 

 - work planning becomes important - and so please send the weekly plans early and we shall review the monthly plans too.

See the April post on this blog on Preparations.

Daily and Weekly Reports Formats

We do need daily reporting  so that we can mark attendance and contributions - we are expecting this only on 5 days a week or if you send your weekly report on Friday then on 5 days. If you worked on Saturday and Sunday - you can also send. 

Send email to lareeffect@gmail.com and fectboard@gmail.com and your direct supervisor or close collabator as well.  

 

However, use a separate email to write about details of your work - so that it can be copied and forwarded and has the appropriate subject lines.

You can use a subject line such as 

Daily Report: LZ 

Or 

Weekly Report: LZ

And keep that same subject line the next day. 

In these emails, do not add descriptions of research or particulars of admin work - you can add links to your gdrive however - also send a separate email with a suitable subject line for substantive responses. 

Details are below - we welcome any feedback on this. 

------------

Weekly reporting essential - sent to lzfect and fectboard and your direct supervisor as well. 

Plan for the Week

Include 

Time worked 

Work Undertaken: 

Outputs: 

By day and the overall outputs, carryover to the next week, tasks to be reassigned, abandoned 

Plans for Next Week: 

——————————

The Daily report Should have: 

Time worked 

Work Undertaken: 

Outputs: 

Plans for Next Day: 

Google Form:  

For both daily and weekly output to be tried out. 

As suggested by AA and practiced in the past, we shall look at alternatives such as a google sheet/form.

Why Weekly Planning is Critical for Team Work

Let me try to persuade you that weekly planning is critical 

Without the weekly report 
- no opportunity for the supervisor to provide sensible feedback
- key tasks get stuck
- tasks  that are critical for the work of others to follow  

- tasks that are urgent is not priortized 

- tasks can be duplicated 

- tasks that others can do more efficiently is not allocated 

- there seems to be a need for repeated emails  

If the weekly report is done late then it is no longer a plan and we also lost time with priority tasks. 

If someone is overburdened or unable to complete tasks, we should drop tasks such as that or re-assign. If you are overloaded, we can re-assign tasks, and some tasks can be done 80% with the available time. 

Therefore, we should consider weekly planning as the highest priority.