Upon receiving the completed Terra Dotta Software (TDS) contract, Terra Dotta will provision a production site for the client. A kickoff meeting will be held between a Terra Dotta Senior Implementation Engineer, the client functional (ISSS) office, and the client IT office. The kickoff meeting will provide the client with an understanding of the overall project from start to finish, and potential dates for the project will be presented. Resources for how to prepare for the project, in addition to 'next steps' will also be provided.

After the kickoff meeting and before the implementation project officially begins, there will be two pre-project planning meetings between the client and Terra Dotta. These meetings will focus on preparation for the technical integration -- the first will be between Terra Dotta and the functional office, focusing on information-gathering around SEVIS reporting procedures at the institution, and the second will be between Terra Dotta, the functional office, and the client IT office, to review the technical documentation in detail and answer any questions about the integration requirements.

Project Timeline & Preparation

The implementation project will consist of five different phases. Each phase is for a concentrated amount of time. In all, a standard ISSS Student project will span a total of 12 weeks (see the ISSS Student Standard Implementation Timeline for more details).  A standard ISSS Scholar project will span a total of 9 weeks, assuming the ISSS Student project has already been completed (see the ISSS Scholar Standard Implementation Timeline for more details). Additional services purchased can increase the standard implementation timeline.

A successful implementation requires not only active participation from the client's functional and IT offices but also organized resources that will be provided to the Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer. This could include, but is not limited to:

• Links to or electronic files of the existing process
• Access to existing forms or requirements
• List of needs, requirements, or goals that you want TDS to address (ex: a special report, ability to collect a specific piece of information)
• Information regarding the completeness and reliability of the data in your Student Information System (SIS), as well as technical details about your institution’s authentication/single sign-on (SSO) system.

Who's Involved?

Client Institution Roles and Responsibilities:

• Project Champion:
  • A senior-level person with a strong interest in the success of the project
  • Liaison with other campus departments as needed
• Primary Admin (can be the same person as project champion):
  • Serves as the institution's own project manager, working with their own IT and functional office team members as well as Terra Dotta to ensure deadlines and milestones are met
  • Generally a member of the client's functional ISSS office
  • Will be able to grant maintenance permissions for functional office members
  • Should have at minimum a moderate level of technology skills
• Technical Lead:
  • IT leader responsible for overseeing all aspects of integration project including data integration, single sign-on authentication, DNS changes, and other technical requirements.
    Note: For more information about data integration, see SIS/HR/SSO Systems Integration. 

Terra Dotta Roles and Responsibilities:

• Implementation Engineer
  • Serves as primary liaison with the client during the implementation period
  • Coordinates online meetings/calls between the TD team and client team
  • Provides direct support through email and meetings
  • Configures TDS to meet client’s business needs, leveraging best practices
  • Manages the project, driving all participants to meet milestones and maintain the schedule
• Integration Analyst
  • Works with Terra Dotta Implementation Engineer and the client’s Primary Admin and IT team on the technical integration between TDS and SIS (Student Information System), including the Single Sign-On authentication configuration
• Account Executive
  • Ensures information covered during initial contract discussions are conveyed to the implementation team
  • Facilitates discussions if any additional services are requested
• Senior leader of Customer Experience team (Director or other Senior team member)
  • Periodically corresponds as needed to check on progress and overall status/satisfaction of implementation