Online Key Accounts Toolbox
Quarterly Report
March 31, 2006
Project Title: On-Line Key Accounts Toolbox
Utility Name & Address: Western Area Power Administration
Energy Services Program, A7800
12155 West Alameda Parkway
Lakewood, CO 80228-2802
Key Personnel & Phone #: Project Manager: Ron W. Horstman 720-962-7419
Project Team: Peggy Plate 970-461-7227
Project Team: David Shepherd-Gaw 360-956-2085
Project Team: Linda Witham 360-956-2129
Project Team: Al Pless 706-213-3847
Description: The On-line Key Accounts Toolbox will be a web-based resource focused on promoting energy efficient practices and technologies while supporting key account managers in serving a broad range of key account services. The home page of this tool will encompass and display public access content and resources and include a members-only section where core content within a searchable database will be accessed with a secure and unique password.
Dates: The project is progressing nicely with an anticipated test of the newly developed product during the early summer (June) of 2006. The training, marketing, monitoring & evaluation, adjustments after testing, and maintenance functions will be completed after the site has been tested and feedback provided. The following chart outlines the estimated revised time line.
Tasks and Estimated Time Line - (ATTACHMENT “C”)
TASK / Date / Time (hrs)1.) Planning - Meeting with Team Members; goals and objectives discussed (initial meeting), develop vision / Aug – Sept 05 / 60
2.) Content Evaluation – Needs assessment from selected utility key accounts (past information) / Oct – Nov 05 / 20
3.) Design of web pages - front end/home page and secondary layers); create visual web interface; create graphics / Aug – Dec 05 / 100
4.) Design of web site - navigation out line, functionally operable, structure, site map, database design, write code and develop administrative tools / Sep – Apr 06 / 200
5.) Implementation - Build site, establish URL and server host / Apr – May 06 / 90
6.) Content Development – Input; assess functionality and usability of site with content / Feb – May 06 / 80
7.) Test – Team members and selected users test functionality and usability / May 06 / 20
8.) Usability - Input from selected key accounts/utility staff / May – Jun 06 / 20
9.) Feedback Assessment – Evaluation of user feedback; modify functionality based on data/usability / May 06 / 40
10.) Publish – Finalize web site / Jun 06 / 20
11.) Training – Hold Teleconference (2) and develop online tools; create tutorial, power point, set teleconference dates / Aug – Jan 07 / 65
12.) Marketing – Plan development / Jul – Aug 06 / 24
13.) Statistical Web Tracking – implement software for analyzing web use (activity) and user (utilities) statistics / Jun 06 – End of project / 32
14.) Marketing – Implementation; advertise to specified audience / Sep 06 / 51
15.) Evaluation – Ongoing review of feedback from users, Management and Reporting (monthly and final reports to include user feedback, problems with website, etc.) / Ongoing / 48
16.) Assistance/User Support – Support via email/listserv and use of hotlines / Ongoing / 34
17.) Maintenance – fix web page/database errors, add new items of interest, link checking, minor revisions / Ongoing / 34
Results to Date: The project team has created a product that is progressing nicely. The database that will be used in the On-line Key Accounts Toolbox will be shared with other programs to enhance the capability. This will allow for quick and simple editorial additions and modifications to content. During testing, the web team discovered instability problems with the database and prepared some options to address and resolve them. This small problem will create a slight delay in finalizing and publishing the web site as indicated on the timeline provided.
Task 1 – Planning: 3 hours = $203. The planning step prioritized efforts to coincide with web site development protocols. Because the structure will be shared with other programs and the cause of the problem is not due to this project, the cost of implementing the options will be incurred by the EnergyIdeas program budget.
Task 3 – Design of Web Pages: 12 hours = $850. WSU staff prepared to implement the design of the web pages into the website’s structure. This will first take place on the development server to assure that when tools, database and content are in place, it will function properly.
Task 4 – Design of Site: 35 hours = $2348. WSU staff began architectural changes to the database structure to ensure the resources will be both stable and functional as intended.
Task 6 – Content Development: 1.5 hours = $101. WSU began content development for the featured resources or highlights. Staff also began researching for resources to be added to the key account member site.
TOTAL: 51.5 hours - $3502.
Future Plans: We are excited about the On-line Key Accounts Toolbox and have plans to finalize the site, provide some training, market the site, track the sites use, evaluate the functionality of the site based on user feedback, provide assistance to users, and maintain the site. The tasks and estimated time line chart provided earlier lists the on-going activities in items 15, 16, and 17, and are part of the future plans.
Budget: We are happy to report that we are adhering to our original budget for this project of $128,066. We have invoiced and received $29,983 from APPA’s DEED Program. The remaining $6,017 of the grant’s total amount of $36,000 will be invoiced upon submission of a final report. The DEED funding is being used in conjunction with other funding sources to pay for a share of the development costs of each part of the On-line Key Accounts Toolbox. As of the date of this report, total dollars expended on the project are $33,488. There is $38,512 left in cash budget and without encountering any major problems, we are certain we will be able to finish the project with the allotted dollars. The in-kind support dollars are in addition to the cash dollars listed here.
Additional Notes: This project is a collaborative effort by the following entities:
· American Public Power Association
· Western Area Power Administration
· Southeastern Power Administration
· Washington State University’s Energy Extension Program
The On-line Key Accounts Toolbox development team met via conference call on April 3, 2006. The agenda included - present status, quarterly reports, final report development and time frame, web site trial target date, going live target date, marketing opportunities and ideas, maintenance and updates, problems encountered and solutions, project budget report, DEED grant and funds status, and additional content ideas. Several action items evolved from the conference call, most of them were regarding the subject of marketing.