Phase 1:  Conceive & Justify [Project Initiation]

Vision & Scope Statement

This is the first step in turning vision into reality. The vision; the idea; may be how to do something better, or something completely new which will make things better for others. It will have come from identifying opportunities and areas for improvement, such as a better approach to serving the community through improved multi-agency information sharing.

The Vision & Scope Statement describes what you're going to do to make it happen; and what you're not going to do. It sets out the project boundaries : the range of services to be provided; the agencies and other organisations involved; the client base; the geographic coverage; and the relationship to existing systems. It is explicit about what is included in the project and what isn't, i.e. what's in and what's out. You have to be realistic, and consider what your organisation and its people are capable of in the time available.

It is a key input into the Business Case.

For a fuller exposition of the underlying principles and overall context, see the
Generic Framework High Level Scoping Statement & Business Case

What will it tell us?

  1. It needs to answer the following questions: -
  2. What outcomes will be delivered for users and agencies?
  3. In broad terms, how will we deliver the required outcomes?
  4. What partnership and governance arrangements will be put in place?
  5. How will we know whether the project is successful?
  6. How will the project eventually be brought into mainstream service provision?

Outcomes

  1. What are the drivers for change?
  2. Identify the practical benefits of sharing information
  3. Start with benefits for users - e.g. children are safer, people will not be frustrated by having to
  4. tell their story repeatedly to different agencies
  5. But also include internal outcomes, such as efficiency savings or better motivated staff
  6. Engage users and practitioners in helping to specify outcomes

Mechanisms for change

  1. What information needs to be shared?
  2. What changes in organisational practices are required to permit this?
  3. How much change can your organisation handle in a reasonable time scale?
  4. What kinds of ICT systems will be needed?
  5. What scale of investment and expenditure is envisaged?
  6. Project governance
  7. What kind of partnership and governance arrangements are required?
  8. Are the legal powers and responsibilities of all the prospective partners clear?
  9. Benefits realisation reaping the rewards!

The standard template

There isn't one. You might find a good example within your own organisation. Or base it on one of these

Different examples of a Vision & Scope Statement

See the Ryogens web site Project Implementation Guide Vision & Scope ; in the document there are links to national and local examples.

The CRM Academy web site has a downloadable products section with a detailed vision statement; you will have to register first.

Both these are, like FAME, ODPM-funded e-Government programmes.