Members of the state’s 40 agency implementation teams (AITs) have been invited to participate in a series of four workshops in preparation for their work in helping agencies plan for OAKS implementation. The first workshop in the series, called “Speaking of OAKS …,” concluded last month. It stressed the importance of providing relevant, timely and accurate communications. The goal of the workshop was to provide participants with practical tools to plan and manage the OAKS communication process within their agencies. Agency liaisons and AIT communication coordinators attended the workshop. Planning and managing OAKS-related communications within the agency is one of eight responsibilities undertaken by each AIT. Teams began forming earlier this year. Eight of the 40 teams that have been formed represent two or more agencies. In total, 100 state agencies, boards and commissions are represented by an implementation team.

“It is critical for agency liaisons and their teams to plan out their OAKS communication strategy,” said Brenda Sprite, OAKS change management lead from Accenture, the firm hired by the state to provide system integration services. During the workshop participants reviewed a communications toolkit that included worksheets and templates for developing a communications management plan for their agency. The workshop allowed participants to share a number of communication best practices that the OAKS change management team will post on the project’s extranet site.

AIT members will also participate in three other workshops scheduled later this year. Content for the workshops will focus on change management concepts and techniques, business process reengineering, and workforce transition.

For more information, please visit the OAKS Web site www.oaks.ohio.gov/OAKS/.