NCJ Number
228486
Journal
Law and Order Magazine Volume: 57 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2009 Pages: 26-28,30-31,33,34
Date Published
July 2009
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article examines the role and responsibilities of a project manager of communications systems for law enforcement organizations.
Abstract
This article reports on a presentation given by Thomas Mahon, a featured speaker at the International Wireless Communications Expo, discussing the role and responsibilities of a project manager, both in a general sense, and in the specific role of managing implementation of a communications system for a law enforcement organization. Mahon discussed the three common elements of a project: what to do - the deliverables; when to do it - the schedule; and how much it will cost - the budget. Mahon emphasized the importance of clarifying stakeholder priorities in regard to the project, i.e., which of the three common elements is most important. Parallel to these three elements are four issues that must be managed, as most problems will fall into one of these categories: team morale; risk; communications; and administration. Mahon presented an outline for defining the sequence of a project and its phases: Initiation; Procurement; Implementation; Training; and Closure. Finally, Mahon discussed the structure and development of the project plan, which flows from the business case to a description of the technical aspects of the project, and includes the project schedule.