The Implementation Team should include a single representative to fill each of the following roles:

• Project Sponsor
• Project Manager
• Finance Lead // Money SPoC
• Data Lead // User SPoC
• IT Lead // IT SPoC
• Web/Dev/Graphic Lead // Web/Dev SPoC

It is OK for one person to fill more than one Role, but no person should fill more than two. Typical Responsibilities are listed below. (This list is not all-inclusive.) Also, ideally the people in the SPoC roles will be those who have experience in *doing* the ministry work, not just leading the team who does the ministry work.

Roles

Project Sponsor —

During Implementation: select the right people for the team, people who have the appropriate knowledge and can work well together.  The buck stops with this person.  If issues arise with resources or schedule, this person will be asked to resolve those issues.  Does not attend weekly meetings unless issues arise.

After Implementation: After implementation, the Project Sponsor may initiate urgent tickets if a SPoC is not available to do so.

Project Manager —

During Implementation: team spokesperson, communicates with and coordinates input from those not on the team, primary input into Project Readiness Course

After Implementation: The Project Manager has no role once the implementation is complete.

Finance Lead // Money SPoC —

During Implementation: person who is most knowledgeable about existing finance software, will give the all-clear specifically on the finance data. This is where having someone in this role who actually processes the contributions on a weekly basis can be very beneficial.

After Implementation: The Money SPoC should be the member of the staff team who will be performing the greatest amount of work in MinistryPlatform on behalf of the finance team. The Money SPoC, through the training during the implementation, is very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of MinistryPlatform, and can help  other finance team members with their questions. The Money SPoC helps other team members to establish processes and procedures that assist them in working efficiently and effectively with Ministry Platform.

Data Lead // User SPoC —

During Implementation: the person that knows the most about the existing data in the existing system, responsible for answering questions about how the data should go from the old system into the new system during our data migrations, will perform the mapping exercise inside MinistryPlatform that will be used for the second and final data migrations, will also be responsible for coordinating the approvals from the relevant staff members when it comes time to give the all clear on the final data migration

After Implementation: The User SPoC assists all users - whether staff or volunteer - in the use of MinistryPlatform. The User SPoC should expect to work along side other users, and provide training, guidance, and encouragement. Of all the SPoCs, the User SPoC is the one SPoC most needed to be the MinistryPlatform champion. His/her primary role is helping others use MinistryPlatform to its fullest, for their success!

IT Lead // IT SPoC —

During Implementation: involvement front-loaded in the project, provides server info to PM, gets servers ready for install, sets up Check-In Stations, sets up BMT station/check-scanner, if Shelby might move production Shelby database for One-Click, installs custom check-in theme if applicable, does setup for training sessions and should plan on being at all training sessions, in person, not only to learn but to be available in case there are network issues, configures all Check-in stations for Go Live

After Implementation: The IT SPoC is invaluable following the implementation. Although the time commitment will lessen, he/she will need to stay on top of Release Notes and any changing MinistryPlatform hardware or software requirements, along with keeping the IT environment healthy and current.

Web/Dev/Graphics Lead // Web/Dev SPoC —

During Implementation: responsibilities heavy on the front end of the project, provides statement logos, check-in themes, and logos for check-in tags if you choose to use them, has a part in the SPoC & System Readiness portal review. Note, any custom development that your church would like to do should wait until your initial project concludes. 

After Implementation: The Web/Dev SPoC continues to have a very important role following the implementation if they are a person who can write code. If they are a web developer, they will be called upon to update the Portal and Message templates. If they are a database/application programmer they may be called upon to use the MP API or to create custom views or reports. 

Responsibilities During Implementation

• All SPoCs need to attend all of the On-site training sessions. 
• All SPoCs need to attend all of the Remote training sessions. 
• All SPoCs need to be present to check data on the morning after Cutover. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that the week of Cutover & Go-Live, Wednesday of Cutover through the following Tuesday end of Go-Live, will be “all hands on deck” and any normal days off (Friday/Mondays) during that time may need to be adjusted to before or after that time. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that they will likely be needed to prepare for Go-Live, creating events, associating groups, testing Check-in stations on the Friday between Cutover and Go-Live (may not be applicable for Finance/Money SPoC). 
• All SPoCs need to be available and attend all of the Go-live weekend services (may not be applicable for Finance SPoC). 
• All SPoCs need to be available from 8-5 on Monday of Go-live. 
• All SPoCs need to be available from 8-12 on Tuesday of Go-live. 
• All SPoCs (and senior staff) need to confirm that they will not plan any new meetings and will cancel any previously scheduled meetings for staff on Monday or Tuesday of Go-live. It’s a good idea for this to be announced by senior staff at an all-staff meeting early in the project, so your entire staff knows the importance of Go-Live weekend. You may also want to post signs or schedules during Go-Live so that the group’s focus is not diverted by staff who may have forgotten that their focus is on Go-Live activities Sunday through Tuesday. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that Go-live is not training. Your time with our Go-live resource is focused on helping you do our existing jobs and tasks using MinistryPlatform. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that the weekend of Go-live is focused on Check-in and ensuring children, youth and adults are successfully checked in as they were in your previous system. All SPoCs need to arrive 1 hour before the first-weekend service to greet the Go-Live resource. Go-Live resource will provide volunteer Check-In support during consecutive morning services. Go-Live resource leaves once the final morning service is underway. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that the Monday of Go-live is focused on contributions. The Finance SPoC, Church Project Manager, and IT SPoC will meet the Go-Live resource at 9am and work with the entire contributions staff until noon when they will go to lunch together to take a break, but still use their time with the Go-Live resource effectively. If contributions processing is not complete by noon, they will pick up with contributions processing again after lunch. All other SPoCs & ministries will need to wait for any questions/concerns/processes until AFTER contributions are complete. If contributions processing concludes early, there may be time to answer questions for, or work on, one of the other two priorities (Connection Card & Event Registration) Monday afternoon. 
• All SPoCs need to have staff who process Connection Card info, or create online registration events available on Monday afternoon, in case time is available with the Go-Live resource, and available on Tuesday morning for sure. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that Tuesday morning is focused on creating a working, testable event registration and on Connection Card follow-up. Once those priorities are completed, other ministries with questions/how to's can be addressed. All SPoCs should prioritize those ministries, and use Tuesday lunch with the Go-Live resource to its fullest. Go-Live resource leaves after lunch on Tuesday. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that the Portal cannot go live until Tuesday of Go-Live.
• All SPoCs need to understand that it is not normal to have Portal Event registration ready right away after Go-Live. 
• All SPoCs need to understand that if their Go-Live happens in the August/September time frame, and they plan to launch their event registration page, very soon after Go-Live, they will need to work extra hard, possibly plan to work all weekend of Go-Live weekend, building events to make that happen. Note that the Go-Live resource will show you how to create and test an online registration event on the Tuesday of Go-Live. Most churches do not elect to put themselves under this much pressure. They simply allow their events to live to completion in their legacy system and create new events in MP as the need arises.

Responsibilities After Implementation

• All SPoCs will act as liaisons between your users and the MinistryPlatform Support Desk.
• All SPoCs should be ready, willing, and available to be the MinistryPlatform champions in your church!

   

Criteria for Selecting the Right People for the Right Roles