Product & Process Team

Team Vision

We are a team of leaders. We lead projects, initiatives, implementations and lead by example.

We embody the DPS Core Values as well as our own shared team values of:

• Professional Ethics & Trust
• Work Ethic & Responsibility
• Growth & Development
• Teamwork & Social Responsibility
• Individuality & Independence
• Social & Emotional Wellbeing

What We Do (Our Mission)

Our primary function is to support Central Office teams and DoTS teams meet their business needs and objectives that support and align to the DPS Strategic Roadmap through:

• Strategic use and configuration of existing IT platforms and tools in the DPS ecosystem,
• Support in the identification of potential tools in the marketplace when existing ones aren’t capable, and
• When necessary, lead a custom software development effort to satisfy the business need(s).

The P&P Team has four main charges:

• Product Management, Intake, & Prioritization: Lead the intake, analysis, prioritization, and execution of Central Office and DoTS requests for an IT solution to a specific business problem or need. We also standardize the adoption and usage of the platforms Jira and Confluence.
• Business Analysis: Provide business analysis to various projects, efforts, and initiatives throughout the organization. As business analysts, we document requirements, analyze potential solutions for fit, and fill in other gaps as needed to ensure the business needs and objectives are met.
• Process Development & Adherence: Develop and implement processes for solution implementation & product management based on industry standards and best practices. Ensure adherence to those processes.
• Support Data Organization & Usage: Support the development and implementation of a cohesive strategy for the organization, analysis, and usage of data across our ecosystem of applications.

Who We Are

The Product & Process Team is comprised of Product Owners (PO) and Business Analysts (BA) responsible for analysis and documentation of potential IT projects, data-related requests and initiatives, other DoTS-only initiatives, and to function as the voice of the customer when executing those projects, requests, or initiatives. Our team also has a Jira & Confluence Product Manager who functions as a subject matter expert (SME) for these two platforms, and is responsible for the standardized implementation and usage of these tools.

Our Services

Reach out to the Product & Process Team if you…

• Have a business problem or initiative in need of an IT solution, but aren’t sure where to start,
• Want to request DoTS resources for a technology effort and you want to follow the correct process,
• Want to learn more about using Jira or Confluence for your team’s work,
• Have a specific data need, and are not sure where to start,
• Want to learn more about product management for your own team’s or department’s improvement,
• Are interested in having DoTS build you a custom software application,

Ready to get started? Fill out a DoTS intake request using the following instructions:

1. Visit dotshelp.dpsk12.org and login with your DPS credentials.
2. Under the "Browse by Category" section, click "Applications," and then select "Build a Custom Software Application."
3. Fill out the form with all relevant information, scroll to the bottom and click "Save Incident."

NOTE: Use this form for all requests to the Product & Process Team; even if your request is not a custom software application.

How We Do It (Our Process)

The P&P Team designs and implements transparent, equitable, and sustainable processes and systems for handling IT solution requests, covering everything from start to finish for both Central Office and DoTS needs. We handle this through the following four(4) steps.

1. Intake: Begin by submitting a DoTS Intake form. This is the formal initiation of the request by the customer, and is meant to function as a single place to formally initiate a request. A Product Owner or Analyst from our team will be assigned to your request, and typically acknowledges and contacts the customer about next steps within one week of submission.
2. Discovery & Project Proposal: In this stage, the P&P Team will meet with the business to learn more about the nature of the request, the need(s) it fills, the value it adds, and the necessary features and functionality of the solution. We focus on creating agile, light-weight documentation that captures just enough detail to make a future determination of whether or not the project should move forward. Typically takes 3-4 weeks, however, it can take longer if additional analysis is required for solutions outside of the DPS ecosystem of existing IT platforms.
3. Architecture Review: This is a technical conversation with only DoTS team members. The purpose of an Architecture Review is to discuss how a project should/would be executed if approved and to determine whether the proposed solution is fit to advance to the next step of this process: Sizing and Estimation.
   
   Based on the analysis conducted and the Project Proposal, there are typically three decisions that can be made after an Architecture Review:
1. The solution should be implemented using an existing IT platform (e.g. IC, Ivanti, Schoology, Jira, etc.);
2. The solution cannot be met using existing DPS IT platforms and the business should consider purchasing a third-party solution identified during discovery;
3. The solution should be implemented as a DoTS custom software solution.
   
   The Architecture Review typically takes place 1-2 weeks after the Project Proposal has been finalized and approved by the business. Please note that each of the three potential decisions has its own path for implementation.
   
   
4. Sizing & Estimation: Once the Architecture Review is complete and a recommendation/decision is given, our team along with other DoTS technical teams will use the list of features and functionality gathered from the Project Proposal to estimate the relative size of the project or request. Relative size is not an estimate of time or resources, but rather an assigned value that is used to compare the “size” of projects relative to each other. A project’s relative size is expressed in story points (e.g. 27 story points, 53 story points, etc.). As projects are completed, the Product & Process team tracks the amount of time and resources needed in order to measure the team’s velocity, improve future sizing estimates, and deliver reliable projections for future requests. Sizing typically occurs approximately 1-2 weeks after the Architecture Review has been completed.

Resource Constraints, Prioritization, & Execution

Various teams within DoTS support the implementation of IT solutions. Our teams also have responsibilities in addition to implementing these requests. Because we rarely have the resources to meet all of Central Office’s and DoTS’s business needs, proposed projects will sometimes find themselves competing for the same resources and a prioritization exercise is needed. Should there be no resource constraints and the necessary teams have the resources to implement a solution, we move directly to an implementation cycle, execution, and delivery.

Collective Prioritization: We implement an equitable, transparent, and sustainable process for determining which projects or requests are approved for implementation when there is a resource constraint. We lead a Collective Prioritization exercise, during which each project or request is considered relative to its alignment and support of the district’s strategic roadmap, the value or expected return of each request, and DoTS’ capacity for an upcoming implementation cycle. The objective of Collective Prioritization is to collectively identify the most valuable or impactful request(s), and to collectively & transparently determine which request(s) moves forward for execution in the upcoming implementation cycle. Collective Prioritization occurs as needed; approximately 1 month prior to the start of an upcoming implementation cycle. 

Implementation Cycle, Execution, and Delivery: The length of an implementation cycle is approximately 2-4 months, and they vary depending on the size of the project and the resources available. Once a project or request is approved for implementation–either after Collective Prioritization or when there are no resource constraints–DoTS commits to delivering the request at some point during the upcoming implementation cycle. The necessary DoTS teams allocate the staffing resources, and we configure ourselves into an agile project team led by a Product Owner from the P&P team and a technical lead from one of our technical teams. We organize our work into two-week sprints until the approved scope of work is built, tested, and functioning to the business team’s expectations. Our team also works with the Service Desk to ensure that appropriate support documentation is in place. Once the solution is delivered to the business team, it is the business team’s responsibility to roll out or introduce the solution to its stakeholders. DoTS teams are not responsible for change management or solution rollout. However, we do support and perform our roles in these activities to ensure a successful solution.

Pro Tip: Plan ahead. To maximize the likelihood of success for you/your team’s project request, you need to think about what your needs will be one year in advance. Ideally, you should initiate your request to DoTS (step 1: submit a DoTS intake form) at least one year from when you will actually need it.

Previous Projects and Upcoming Projects

Winter 2023 PI:

• Project(s) considered for PI Planning:
• MLE Letters in the Portals, MLE Department
• Transportation Driver Bids Tier 2, Transportation Department
• ECE Referrals Tracker, Student Equity and Opportunity
  
  
• DoTS Capacity: 300 Story Points
  
  
• Project(s) approved for implementation:
• Transportation Driver Bids Tier 2, Transportation Department

Winter 2022 PI:

• NOTE: Due to unforeseen loss of resources on the development team, DoTS has made the strategic decision to limit our capacity for this PI to 230 Story Points. We will not be considering additional projects for this PI.
  
  
• Jan. 17, 2022 - May 27, 2022: PI Execution
  
  
• DoTS Capacity:230 Story Points
  
  
• Project(s) approved for implementation:
• C&I - Summer Academy Backlog
• MLE - MLE Program Review Phase II

Fall 2021 PI:

• Project(s) considered for PI Planning:
• SEO - Assistive Technology Request Form
• C&I - Summer Academy Backlog
• MLE - MLE Program Review Phase II
• Academics, Ed Tech - See All Apps upgrades in Parent/Student Portal
  
  
• DoTS Capacity: 300 Story Points**
  
  
• Project(s) approved for implementation:
• SEO - Assistive Technology Request Form
• C&I - Summer Academy Backlog**
• MLE - MLE Program Review Phase II**
• Academics, Ed Tech - See All Apps upgrades in Parent/Student Portal
  
  
• **Shortly after approval of all four projects, DoTS had an unforeseen reduction in available capacity. Given the significant loss of capacity, some projects that were approved for implementation in Fall 2021, have been moved to Winter of 2022.

Winter 2021 PI:

• Project(s) considered for PI Planning:
• FACE - Mayor’s Student Youth Employment Program
• Research and Evaluation - Student Survey Opt Out Parent Tool
• College & Career Success - Student ICAP Tool
  
  
• DoTS Capacity: 175 Story Points
  
  
• Project(s) approved for implementation:
• Research and Evaluation - Student Survey Opt Out Parent Tool
• College & Career Success - Student ICAP Tool

Fall 2020 PI:

• Project(s) considered during PI Planning:
• TRIP Phase 2 (Transportation Department)
• ELA Program Review (ELA Department)
  
  
• DoTS Capacity: 200 story points
  
  
• Project(s) approved for implementation:
• ELA Program Review