Project Charter Template

Project Charter Revised October 23, 2007 A. Business Need or Opportunity Over the past five years, various groups across Minnesota have completed research, needs assessment, and planning efforts to explore how services and outcomes might be improved for the people of Minnesota with disabilities. These studies have been sponsored, requested, and executed by many different groups, including the State Legislature, independent service agencies, state agencies, advocacy groups, and associations. Though their methods, questions, and areas of focus have been different, some common themes have emerged about desired outcomes. Those outcomes can be summarized with the acronym CHOICE: • Community membership; • Health and safety; • Own place to live; • Important long-term relationships; • Control over supports; and • Economic stability. It is clear that services should be person centered, accessible, and adapted to a wide range of disabilities and preferences. The people of Minnesota who live with disabilities need new supports delivered in ways that better respond to their situations in an effective and cost-efficient manner. The following guiding principles will shape the work of this project: • Relationships that are promoted, nurtured, and honored so that people with disabilities are able to plan with, and be supported by, those who know and care about them. • Coordination of primary and acute healthcare and community supports so that the quality of life for people with disabilities is maintained and enhanced. • Personal authority and responsibility is expected so that, whenever possible, people with disabilities have control over and accept the consequences of their decisions regarding their support and services so that choice and risk are balanced within their lives. • Equity is the common method used for assessing needs and assigning resources so that people with disabilities with similar needs have access to comparable resources. • Health and safety protections are established to balance each person’s vulnerabilities, right to accept reasonable risk, and responsibilities to society. • Flexibility in system design and funding so people can develop support in ways that best meet their needs. • Cultural diversity is considered when developing information, communication, and supports so that people with disabilities understand their options in a culturally relevant context. • Transparency in actions so people with disabilities can make informed decisions and the public can evaluate the system. In spite of the investment in data collection and analysis, there are still significant recommendations that have not been implemented that could spark broad-based change in the lives and outcomes of people with disabilities. We have generated wonderful descriptions of problematic situations, but we have not always moved together with effective change strategies and action. The lack of action does not reflect the commitment and concern of any of the stakeholders. Rather, it reflects the failure of our traditional planning and implementation methods in today’s world of complex interdependencies, customer focus, community-based services, diversity of needs, and expectations for measurable and costeffective outcomes. A group of stakeholders who influence the delivery of services to people with disabilities in Minnesota came together as a “Design Team” to explore new and innovative ways to facilitate individual and organizational action in the complex landscape experienced by people with disabilities in Minnesota today. The intent was to establish requirements and design a process that could facilitate action in response to the wellresearched and documented needs. This project is a result of the work of the Design Team. It does not define solutions or specify actions or determine resources for action to be taken. Rather, it defines a process by which individuals and organizations across the state will be enabled to select and execute solutions, actions, and resources that respond to their own local concerns. The outcome will be a loosely-coupled network of autonomous groups who work together in many different ways to realize shared goals, and influence priorities for state policy and infrastructure development. 10/23/2007 Page 2 Project Charter for CAN DO B. Business Objectives As a result of this project, the following goal will be achieved: That individuals, communities, and organizations across Minnesota will work together in a network to establish efforts and take actions to improve services and outcomes for people with disabilities. The business objectives include: • Inspire and facilitate action in response to the documented recommendations and issues, and current state policy and infrastructure development activities, regarding services and outcomes for people with disabilities. • Facilitate connections among individuals, communities, and organizations that have a passion and responsibility to improve services and outcomes for people with disabilities. • Document plans for at least 10 efforts launched in each of seven regional “Action Conferences”. • Sustain the efforts of the network by conducting quarterly review and rejuvenation meetings of the CAN DO Team, including leaders from across the state. • Maintain a knowledge map that identifies action and linkages between efforts and state initiatives. 10/23/2007 Page 3 Project Charter for CAN DO C. Project Description This effort includes the following: • • • • • • Review and summarize findings of completed studies that articulate what people with disabilities need and desire to improve their lives. Document state initiatives and system change activities currently underway. Host eight regional, one-day, “Action Conferences” to bring stakeholders together to define and plan efforts based on the needs, resources, passion, and responsibility of those who attend. Improve communications among individuals, communities, and organizations across Minnesota who wish to take action to improve services and outcomes for people with disabilities. Monitor and report performance against goals, objectives, and measures established by each effort team. Establish and maintain a CAN DO Team, made up of leaders from stakeholder groups, who will meet quarterly to review actions and to continually rejuvenate effort teams that move toward their goal. This effort does not include the following: • • • • Centralized control of efforts. Funding to support efforts. Changes to or replacement of existing efforts and initiatives except in so far as they might be linked together toward shared goals. Any single administrative and/or regulatory body. Effort teams will be defined and executed by individuals and organizations who collaborate on a shared passion and responsibility towards a goal(s). The effort process includes the following phases: Phase 1: Design the Process 8/3 – 9/7 The Design Team pools their collective knowledge and information from previous studies to: • • • Determine 5 to 7 domains for network attention. Develop the project charter, materials, communications, and evaluation plan. Establish the network foundation. Phase 2: Invite Participation 8/15 – 9/3 A save-the-date communication, description of the project, background information, and invitation to participate in the Action Conferences will be distributed to the public. Stakeholders across Minnesota will be specifically invited to attend, but the call for participation will also go out to the general public through news releases. The assumptions and expectations for participation - passion and responsibility to “ACT” to improve services and outcomes for people with disabilities - will be emphasized. This phase will provide required background information and invite people from around the state to be engaged in the project and its options for action. A CAN DO website will be developed and made available so that a wide range of information can be available to participants prior to each regional one-day meeting. Phase 3: Planning for Action 10/24 to 11/28 Stakeholders attend one or more of the eight regional one-day meetings. During each meeting, the group will break out into interest groups involved in each of the outcome domains. Findings from the meetings will be documented and shared. 10/23/2007 Page 4 Project Charter for CAN DO Each one-day meeting will cover the following agenda (see the CAN DO Action Conference Design Document for more detail): • • • • Pre-reading of a “Knowledge Base” document that is a short summary presenting the research and recommendations defined by previous studies; Present initiatives underway (hard copy descriptions and/or short presentations); Barriers and bridges for issues related to the domain; “Open Space” opportunities for groups to coalesce around activities that the participants present feel the most passion and responsibility about. Each group will define for their activity: Title Partners Measures Outcome(s) Interdependencies Milestones Sponsor Summary of activities defined by the groups. • Phase 4: Implement, Evaluate and Adapt. Qtly 12/1/07 to 12/1/08 The regional Action Conferences will spawn a diverse set of efforts. Each effort will be defined in the course of the meeting and executed by committed participants in the days, weeks, and months following the Action Conference. To minimize the cost, distribute control, and avoid the politics of traditional programming, the network will be defined as a self-governing body. The following processes will serve to provide maximum accountability and autonomy for each of the efforts within the larger state-wide network. • • A website will be available that provides information of shared interest, Web 2.0 features and functions to support shared work, and a variety of communication tools. Each effort will be accountable to submit a quarterly report to share information about progress, lessons learned, performance against self-selected measures, and recommendations or requests for other partners. The MnSCOD will review the reports quarterly and prepare a summary that describes themes and issues rising from the efforts. The summary will be posted on-line to inform the work of each of the partners. In subsequent years, regional Action Conferences will be held annually to: • • • • Review actions of the previous year. Consider shared barriers and bridges. Plan for actions in continuing efforts. Initiate new action efforts that meet the passion and responsibility of participants. • • Phase 5: Supporting Processes Continually 9/7/07 to 11/1/08 Though the substance of the effort activities will be managed, staffed, supported, and evaluated by each team, some system-wide functions will be required to support this effort. • Communication and Marketing. Frequent and effective communications about the plans and accomplishments of the efforts will be critical to garnering support over time. This would include the development and maintenance of the website and preparation and publication of reports. Evaluation and Measurement. In addition to the effort-specific evaluations, measurement of outcomes and changes across the system will help sustain commitment and action over time. • 10/23/2007 Page 5 Project Charter for CAN DO D. Constraints The following limitations and constraints have been identified for this project: • • • • Additional funding will not be available to support efforts. The focus of the project is on ACTION informed by the many research and needs assessment work completed in the past five years. Findings from those studies will determine the focus of efforts. New institutions and organizations will not be founded as a result of this work. Efforts will involve existing communities and/or institutions. It is expected that this project will take: • • Two months to complete the regional Action Conferences and establish initial project plans. Quarterly efforts by each effort team to reflect on their own accomplishments, by MnSCOD to report system-wide progress, and by partners across the system to review and reflect on others’ findings. Annual commitment to repeat the Action Conferences in regional areas to report on previous findings and to plan for future and continuing action. • • It is expected that this project will require resources to provide: • • • • • A variety of resources (provided by participating partners) to support local action on specific efforts; Logistical support for 8 annual regional Action Conferences; Communications via email, press, and presentations; Quarterly analysis, assessment, and reporting of system-wide findings; and Design, facilitation, and documentation of changes. 10/23/2007 Page 6 Project Charter for CAN DO E. Assumptions Who are we and why are we here? Our scope is based on the people who will benefit from this effort. We will focus on things that are important to people with disabilities in Minnesota. This includes people of all ages who qualify for PCA, waivers, state grants, long-term care, or who are on, or at risk of being on, Medical Assistance. Why do we want to launch this effort? • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Improve outcomes for people with disabilities. Get to action, there’s been enough talk. On-going effort, not just an event. Embark on a shared strategic direction. Align action. Improve communication with legislature. Understand parts of the system and their relationships to each other. Align/connect pathways to coordinate the whole. Get everyone at the table. Staying connected to implement plans. Connect state-wide committees to identify overlaps, gaps, conflicts, inconsistencies. Use previous work, don’t reinvent. Remember that differences are good. We do not want or need to create a system that is homogeneous. Tensions of difference can support conscious, intentional decision making and action. Behavior change will emerge for individuals and for the system. Ensure accountability to taxpayers and to other stakeholders. Be transparent and prudent in our work. Provide meaningful quality assurance, health, and safety measures for performance. Serve more people with available resources. What outcomes do we expect from our effort? • • • • • • • Improved accountability across the system. Sustainable supports so that people can rely on the future. Cross-agency initiatives. Innovations. Identify and preserve what works. Coherent policy stance for the entire system. Move beyond grand plan to grand action: • Establish process • Build communication • Agree on key areas for focus Simplify and streamline. Greater control for people with disabilities and their families. Meaningful change in people’s lives. Better and more collaboration (meaningful and thoughtful). Stable support system for people with disabilities. More respectful language that acknowledges people first. Greater fluidity and adaptability to respond to changing needs and resources. Politically viable at the state and county levels. • • • • • • • • What would an excellent collaborative process look like? • Measurable objectives connected with our work. • People and processes that include the diversity of voices across the state. 10/23/2007 Page 7 Project Charter for CAN DO • • • • • • • • • • • People with disabilities see changes in their lives that focus on individual choice more than on system convenience. Fiscal sustainability for people with disabilities, for the system, and for the society at large. Reduce dependency. Strong partnership between the business sector and people with disabilities as a workforce. Involve individuals with disabilities and, when appropriate, their families in the process. Consumer-directed lives—nothing about me without me. Efforts and resources making the biggest positive differences possible. Include both system and community resources. Don’t make people with disabilities dependent on others: • Look for interdependence • Provide the right support to the right people at the right time • Form a shared and actionable understanding of this goal Gain public recognition that people with disabilities enrich our communities. Broader understanding and public support for people with disabilities. 10/23/2007 Page 8 Project Charter for CAN DO F. Risks Risk Inadequate reinforcement, follow-up, and on-going communication to meet expectations of participants Single individual or institution seen as more central than others People wanting to be included in design team and feeling excluded Raise unrealistic expectations for change and not show change Response Send out quarterly survey to check-in Continue to reinforce that the CAN DO network is a collaborative network Continue being transparent and inviting them in at any point. Underscore that the planning has been for form, not substance. Sustain communications and updates Tell stories about things that are happening in other parts of the network. Link back to share information about what’s happening. Look for grant funding for CAN DO and for efforts going forward Set realistic timeframes and take realistic perspectives. 10/23/2007 Page 9 Project Charter for CAN DO G. Authorizations The innovative nature of this project means that there is not a list of authorities who approve the whole. Rather, individuals, communities, and organizations who choose to participate will provide authorizations for themselves and their institutions. The following roles will be available for participation in the project. • • • Design Team member—determine requirements, design, and development of the effort activities to establish the CAN DO network. Action Conference Participant—participate in planning for action to respond to the issues and concerns addressed in previous needs assessments and reports about people with disabilities. Action Conference Convener—call together a group of people who share a passion and responsibility for a particular effort that responds to issues and concerns addressed in previous needs assessments and reports about people with disabilities. Action Conference Effort Leader—lead implementation and execution of an effort and provide quarterly reports of performance against goals set by the effort team. CAN DO Team member—participate in quarterly meetings to review and rejuvenate activities of the Network and effort teams. • • 10/23/2007 Page 10 Project Charter for CAN DO