> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.opencrvs.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.opencrvs.org/implementation/your-opencrvs-project/establish-project-and-team.md). # Establish project & team ### 1. Introduction Before any technical configuration begins, it's important to establish a clear project structure, define business objectives, and assemble a multidisciplinary team capable of delivering a successful CRVS digital transformation. OpenCRVS implementations are not simply software deployments — they are national transformation initiatives requiring alignment between policy, operations, technology, and change management. Investing time upfront to define objectives and identify the right team significantly reduces implementation risk. *** ### 2. **Define the Project Initiation Document (PID)** The first step is developing a PID that gives all stakeholders a shared understanding of the programme. It should define: * **Business objectives** — the strategic outcomes the country expects, such as increasing registration coverage, reducing delays, improving citizen experience, or strengthening data quality. Objectives should be measurable where possible. * **Project scope** — which vital events will be implemented, geographic coverage (pilot, phased, national), systems requiring integration, and infrastructure hosting approach. * **Governance structure** — executive sponsors, a steering committee, a project manager, and clear decision-making and escalation processes. * **Success criteria** — key milestones, timelines, adoption targets, and service quality expectations. ### 3. **Establish the implementation team** Successful OpenCRVS programmes require a multidisciplinary team with expertise spanning policy, operations, technology, user experience, deployment, and service improvement. The exact size of the team will depend on the country context, implementation scope, and available resources. In smaller programmes, individuals may perform multiple roles. #### 3.1 **Core project leadership** **Project Manager**\ Provides overall coordination and oversight of the programme.\ Responsible for: * Managing scope, timelines, budget, risks, and dependencies * Coordinating activities across all workstreams * Tracking delivery against objectives * Managing stakeholder communication * Reporting progress to governance bodies #### **3.2 Business Analysis and Service Design** This workstream ensures that OpenCRVS is configured and implemented in a way that reflects national laws, policies, and operational realities. **Business Analyst(s)**\ Responsible for: * Mapping existing registration processes * Identifying inefficiencies and improvement opportunities * Gathering functional and non-functional requirements * Documenting business rules and workflows * Ensuring requirements are translated into implementable solutions **Design Researchers / Qualitative Researchers**\ Responsible for: * Understanding the experiences of registrars, health workers, courts, communities, and citizens * Conducting interviews, workshops, and field observations * Identifying user needs, pain points, and service barriers * Supporting user-centred service design #### **3.3 Infrastructure and Platform Management** **Technical System Administrator / DevOps Engineer**\ Responsible for: * Infrastructure provisioning * OpenCRVS installation and configuration * Managing cloud or on-premise environments * Security and access management * Monitoring system performance and availability * Backup and disaster recovery planning * Ongoing maintenance and operational support #### **3.4 Design and Development** Where additional localisation or feature development is required, a dedicated design and development team should be established. **UX/UI Designer**\ Responsible for: * Translating requirements into intuitive user experiences * Designing interfaces consistent with OpenCRVS design standards * Supporting usability testing and design validation **Technical Architect**\ Responsible for: * Defining technical solution architecture * Reviewing integrations and interoperability requirements * Ensuring scalability, maintainability, and compliance with OpenCRVS architecture principles **Software Developers**\ Responsible for: * Developing additional features and integrations * Implementing country-specific customisations * Maintaining locally developed components #### **3.5 Quality Assurance** **Test Lead / Quality Assurance Engineers**\ Responsible for: * Defining testing strategy and planning functional and non-functional testing activities * Executing test cases and performing regression testing * Validating configurations and localisations * Managing defect resolution processes * Supporting user acceptance testing (UAT) * Determining deployment readiness Comprehensive testing is critical before pilot and production deployments. #### **3.6 Training and Capacity Building** **Training Lead / Trainers**\ Responsible for: * Developing the national training strategy and designing training materials * Defining training-of-trainers approaches * Delivering training to end users and supporting onboarding activities * Monitoring training effectiveness and gathering feedback to improve materials Training should account for varying levels of digital literacy and operational experience. #### **3.7 Deployment and Rollout** **Deployment Team**\ Responsible for: * Developing deployment strategies and rollout plans * Coordinating pilot and national deployment activities * Preparing implementation sites and ensuring site readiness * Supporting training activities and assisting users during rollout * Coordinating deployment resources and validating operational readiness #### **3.8 Change Management** Technology alone does not transform civil registration services. Sustainable adoption requires structured change management. **Change Management Lead**\ Responsible for: * Developing a change management strategy and conducting stakeholder analysis * Designing communication and engagement activities * Managing organisational readiness and monitoring user adoption * Promoting the programme and supporting colleagues during transition * Gathering feedback from users and encouraging adoption of new ways of working #### **3.9 Monitoring, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement** **Monitoring & Evaluation Lead**\ Responsible for: * Defining programme indicators and success metrics * Establishing monitoring frameworks * Measuring operational performance * Conducting periodic reviews * Supporting continuous improvement initiatives Indicators may include: registration coverage, registration timeliness, system utilisation, service turnaround times, data quality measures, and user satisfaction. *** ### 4. Resources and support For broader guidance on skills and roles in CRVS digitisation, see the [CRVS Digitisation Guidebook](http://www.crvs-dgb.org/en/skills-required/). For any questions about establishing a team to configure, further develop, or manage and maintain OpenCRVS effectively, contact [**team@opencrvs.org**](mailto:team@opencrvs.org). {% hint style="info" %} **Team sizing guidance:** The size and composition of your team should reflect the scope of your implementation. A Proof of Concept may only require the two core roles, while a national-scale digitisation programme typically requires all programme and change management roles in addition to technical staff. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. 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