Overview

The Launchpad is the foundation of our System Development Life Cycle for Major IT Development Projects (MITDPs). Stage 1 sets that foundation with some of the basic tenets for why the State of Maryland should invest in your MITDP.

Stage 1 consists of three sections, with a total of four required worksheets. All four worksheets must be submitted in full for your Stage 1 submission to be accepted.

State of Maryland employees with access to Google Docs can access all four worksheets in this Google document. Individual links to each worksheet are also available in the guidance for each section, as well as a link to download a version of the worksheet in the Microsoft Word .doc format.

For an example of an approved submission of Stage 1 of Launchpad, see this document. (Note that this link is only accessible for State of Maryland employees.)

Understanding of User Needs

In order to complete this section, your team will need to talk directly to users, including state employees, members of the public, and individuals who are part of other groups that are impacted by your program. Based on these conversations, you will develop primary user groups that will be used throughout the life of your MITDP to identify core problems, recruit participants for usability testing, and prioritize features across iterations of the product.

Guidance for completing this section:

For this section of the Launchpad, you will need to provide two assets:

1. A summary of the research that you’ve conducted directly with users

2. Overviews for each Primary User Group including the problems they face

Conducting interviews directly with representative users

In order to complete this section, you will need to conduct interviews directly with representative users from each of your primary user groups, with a minimum of nine (9) interviews overall. This is required as a foundational step toward the needs and perspectives of your users, which helps you define your Core Problems in the next section. For most projects, you’ll want to interview more than nine users, which is encouraged.

Your team may have also conducted other forms of research, such as surveys or focus groups. These can be complementary to the user interviews that are required as part of your MITDP Launchpad.

User Research Summary

Your User Research Summary is an overview of how you’ve conducted your research interviews with representative users to help understand the problems you’re looking to solve. It documents high-level information about each of your user groups, how you recruited and selected representative users, the specific interview guide(s) used for interviews, and the dates, durations, and interview notes from each of the interviews you conducted.

If you have already hired a UX Lead for your MITDP, it can be reasonable for that individual to lead your user research efforts. In the case that you have not yet filled the UX Lead role, you may need to hire a user research team to support this area of your Launchpad. Feel free to reach out to our MITDP Oversight Division for guidance on how to do so.

An example may help:

Imagine that you are researching users involved in construction management. Consider the following prompts in your user interviews:

1. What is your role in construction project management? Why does this role exist?
2. How would you define success in this role? What needs to be true at the end of each month or year for your role to have been successful?
3. [for some of the key aspects that they’ve listed as part of their role] Walk me through how that works with your current system (Note that ideally the session is conducted on-site and in-person, allowing the interviewer to directly observe the participant using their existing tools and processes)
4. What are the biggest blockers or challenges that prevent you from being successful?
5. [for each blocker or challenge] Walk me through how that works step-by-step (again, this is ideally conducted on-site and/or in a way that allows for direct observation of current behaviors with existing tools and processes)
6. What are the biggest enablers that currently exist and help you in being successful?
7. What worries you most in your current role?
8. If you could change one thing about how this work is managed, what would you change?

Note, importantly, that these questions are somewhat subjective, which is why we require that user research is conducted with only one participant at a time. In a group setting, the answers to any of these could be affected by the existence of a person’s peers, manager, or direct reports in the conversation, which can influence them to answer in a different way based on what they think would be best for that other person to hear.

Meeting 1-on-1 with individuals also provides a more natural lens toward observing real-world behaviors, such as by asking the interview participant to walk through how something works in their day-to-day working environment and observing how they work with current processes, systems, and tools. This is where your research plan can include elements of participant observation and contextual inquiry.

Primary User Groups

Building on your interviews with users, you’ll identify Primary User Groups (this is likely 2-5 groups). For each primary user group, fill out a section of the worksheet to document the group’s primary needs, pain points, opportunities, technology needs, and a journey map of key touchpoints.

An example may help:

Imagine you are part of a software development team researching the experiences of employees and customers at a popular, nationwide coffee chain. You discover four primary employee user groups within the coffee shop locations: barista, support barista, cashier, and food prep; as well as three primary customer user groups: in-store customers, mobile customers, and drive-thru customers. You conduct user research on all of these employee user groups and customer user groups. When you conduct user research on the “barista” user group, you discover a number of user needs:

• Baristas need a way to control the size of an espresso shot so that they can give customers their desired coffee concentration
• Baristas need a way to control the length of an espresso shot so that they can give customers their desired drink size
• Baristas need a way to vary the amount and consistency of crema and microfoam they use so that they can create the chain’s signature latte art

You also discover a number of pain points specific to the “barista” user group:

• Baristas collide with food preppers on average four times each day during busy hours (7AM - 9AM) as they criss-cross the work area performing their duties, increasing Barista workloads by 15% as they must redo orders that are dropped or ruined during these collisions
• Baristas run out of milk for their microfoamers on average three times each day during busy hours (7AM - 9AM), leading to a 12% increase in the amount of time it takes baristas to complete an order on average
• Espresso machines break down on average twice each day during busy hours (7AM - 9AM), leading to a 22% increase in the amount of time it takes baristas to complete an order on average; the breakdown frequency is directly proportional to the triple order frequency
• Through the experience sampling method, we found that Baristas experience low levels of psychological flow and high levels of frustration during busy hours (7AM - 9AM); these negative psychological experiences strongly correlate with the aforementioned breakdowns, outages, and collisions
• Through attitudinal interviews, Baristas reported a belief that cashiers write down orders wrong 50% of the time; through ethnographic research we found a 16% error rate in handwritten orders during busy hours, while only a 6% error rate outside of busy hours

Note that the user-need statements focus on a specific need in relation to a specific outcome associated with the role. Note also the level of specificity in the pain points, including not only qualitative observations but also quantitative effects — and note also the combination of various research methods in order to validate and contextualize statements and observations.

If you find yourself with way too many user groups, you likely need to reduce the scope of the problem you’re trying to solve right now. Who are the biggest user groups? Who are the most impacted user groups? Can you start with them?

If you find yourself with way too many user needs or challenges, you likely need to make your user groups more granular and / or reduce the scope of the problem you’re trying to solve right now.

For additional guidance on conducting user research, see our MITDP Guide for Ethical, Inclusive, and Effective User Research

Required worksheets

For this section, you are required to use the following worksheets:

Worksheet	Link	Download
User Research Summary worksheet	Google Document	Word Document
Primary User Groups worksheet	Google Document	Word Document

Acceptance criteria

We will evaluate the materials you provide based on the following criteria:

#	Criterion	How we’ll assess this
1	User Research Summary and Primary User Groups are submitted using required worksheets	We’ll review your submission to ensure that it uses the required worksheets
2	User groups have been identified that represent all relevant user types	We’ll review your list of user groups to ensure that relevant groupings are included
3	Research plan provides estimates of the number of potential users in each user group	We’ll check whether estimates are present, including the data sources used
4	Interviews have been conducted with at least nine (9) individual users	We’ll check to ensure that your team has conducted interviews with at least nine (9) individual users Note: User participation in Focus Groups does not meet this requirement
5	Participants of user research interviews adequately represent all primary user groups	We’ll cross-reference your list of interview participants with your list of primary user groups to ensure that you’ve conducted interviews with a sufficient number of individuals in each user group. We’re generally looking for at least three (3) participants per Primary User Group. Note: User participation in Focus Groups does not meet this requirement
6	Interview guide is included in Research Report and is in alignment with MITDP user research guidelines	We’ll review your interview guide(s) to ensure alignment with the MITDP Guidelines for Ethical, Accessible, and Effective User Research
7	Synthesis has been conducted to develop insights from user research	We'll review the screenshots or other deliverables included from your synthesis process to observe how your team went from raw data to polished insights
8	Primary User Groups have been identified	We’ll review your Primary User Groups to ensure that significant user groups have been included
9	All sections for each Primary User Group are completed, and align with other research findings	We’ll review your Primary User Groups to ensure that all sections are completed and findings are in alignment with existing research deliverables

Recommended resources

These resources can help you complete this section:

Resource	Link
MITDP Guide for Ethical, Accessible, and Effective User Research	Webpage

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Core Problems & Definition of Success

Together, the core problems your project is intended to solve and your definition of success will become the baseline scope for your MITDP. Once approved, MITDP funds can be spent on any work the team deems necessary to solve your core problems and achieve your definition of success.

Guidance for completing this step

For this section of the Launchpad, you will complete the Core Problems & Definition of Success worksheet, which walks you through identifying your top three problems, describing what successfully solving the problem would look like, and identifying key metrics you’ll track throughout the project to measure your progress.

While these prompts may seem simple, this information is worth spending time on as it defines the scope of your MITDP and limits what you can spend MITDP funding on. Future changes to this scope require review and approval by DoIT as well as notification to the legislature. Your project’s performance will be measured against the information you provide here, and your progress will be reported publicly.

It is essential that your core problems and definition of success be grounded in both user needs and program needs. Consider the following questions:

• What service delivery problems do you need to solve?

• Why is this important to your agency?

• What impact do you intend to have?

There should be a clear connection between your core problems, your definition of success, and the challenges documented for each of your primary user groups.

How to describe each Core Problem

It’s important that your Core Problems are focused on user-centered outcomes, not prescribed technology improvements. We’ve included some examples of the right way to frame these problems below, building on the work of our counterparts at the Colorado Digital Service.

The right way (user-centered)

The wrong way

One or more specific user needs are named. Some examples: Caseworkers spend hours each day uploading paper documents, reducing the amount of time available to spend with their clients 60% of applications are abandoned because users can’t save and return later Field staff working in rural areas are unable to do their jobs due to poor internet access and a lack offline functionality among current tools

Technical or bureaucratic outcomes that aren't based around user needs. Some examples: Replace our outdated, legacy system with modern technology Migrate to a cloud-based COTS system Establish a unified portal for intake and standardization

Impact for the people of Maryland

To that end, your problem statements and success criteria should be framed in terms of the impact for the people of Maryland, whether state employees, the general public, or other groups, such as reducing wait times, increasing accessibility for specific audiences, or expanding coverage for specific programs. This centers the work around people instead of technology.

For example, the people of Maryland don’t necessarily benefit if the desired outcome is to migrate an IT system to a new software provider. What problem will that solve for the people of Maryland?

How we’ll measure success

For each problem in the worksheet, provide at least one metric that you’ll use to measure whether you’ve succeeded at solving the problem. For each metric, provide the current value and target value (can be approximate). Once your Launchpad is approved, you will begin reporting these metrics on a regular basis.

If having three core problems doesn’t feel like enough, you may need to reduce the scope of what you’re trying to solve right now and / or prioritize. What are the biggest problems, either in terms of impact or number of people impacted? What problems, if left unsolved, creates the greatest risk of future, bigger problems? The state cannot solve all its problems at once, so pick the most impactful one(s) to start with.

If you have questions or are experiencing any challenges with this step, reach out to our MITDP Oversight Division and we’ll be happy to help.

Required worksheets

For this section, you are required to use the following worksheet:

Worksheet	Link	Download
Core Problems & Definition of Success worksheet	Google Document	Word Document

Acceptance criteria

We will evaluate the materials you provide based on the following criteria:

#	Criterion	How we’ll assess this
1	Worksheet is completed using required format	We’ll review your submission to ensure that it uses the required worksheet
2	Worksheet includes up to three (3) core problems using provided format	We’ll review your core problems to ensure that they are structured using the provided format, including its undesired outcome, its desired outcome, and a description of where or how it is occurring
3	For each core problem, success is described in a way that is clear, achievable, and independently verifiable	We’ll review your response to the “Definition of Success” section for each core problem to ensure that it’s described in a way that is measurable and achievable
4	For each core problem, three (3) impacts of success for the people of Maryland are listed	We’ll review your responses to the “Impacts of Success” section for each core problem to ensure that three (3) impacts are listed that provide value for the people of Maryland
5	For each core problem, at least one success metric is provided, including its current value, a target value, and the source of the current value	We’ll review your responses to the “Success Metrics” section to ensure that at least one success metric is provided, including its current value, a target value, and information about the source of target value. For the source of the current value, we want to understand what systems exist for measurement and whether your team is able to access those systems

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Product Strategy

In doing service delivery, you are creating an enduring capability for your users. In other words, you are creating a product. But what kind of product? There may be many different paths to serving your users. Which path will you take? That is ultimately a question of strategy.

An example may help:

Imagine that you are starting a business aimed at pet owners who have animals with grooming needs. Based on what you learned about your customers, and about the pets that they have, you may explore a few strategically different visions for your business:

1. You might decide to start a traditional grooming service. You open a business in a physical location, you advertise in your community, and you serve your customers, and their pets, by grooming their pets right there in your shop.
2. Alternatively, you might decide to start a mobile grooming business --- i.e., you purchase large vans, equipped with grooming equipment and supplies, that you then drive to your customers homes, so that you can groom their pets right there in the van, while parked in their driveway.
3. As a third alternative, you might decide to start a "grooming training" service -- where you train customers how to groom pets themselves, instead of grooming the pets for them.

These are ideas that you might have developed directly from your user research; which path you decide to move down is a strategic decision about your product service delivery.

Guidance for completing this step

You will consider all that you have learned as a team — about your users, about the problems you intend to solve, and about the definitions and measures of success that you have identified. You will then brainstorm different ways of going about getting to your definition of success — in other words, different product strategies. You may, along the way, even want to run a couple of product experiments, to better understand the pros and cons of the different strategies. After weighing the evidence, you will then choose a particular product strategy. This is your product vision.

Required worksheets

For this section, you are required to use the following worksheet:

Worksheet	Link	Download
Product Strategy worksheet	Google Document	Word Document

Acceptance criteria

We will evaluate the materials you provide based on the following criteria:

#	Criterion	How we’ll assess this
1	Worksheet is completed using required format	We’ll review your submission to ensure that it uses the required worksheet
2	Worksheet contains a clearly articulated, high-level product strategy	We’ll review your submission to ensure that the product strategy chosen is clear, while high-level
3	Worksheet contains other product strategies that you considered but ultimately rejected, along with your reasons for doing so	We’ll review your submission to ensure that it includes rejected product strategies, as well as your justifications for rejecting them.
4	Worksheet contains links to artifacts that you and your team used to work out your product strategy	We’ll review your submission to ensure that it contains links to various working artifacts that show how you and your team went about determining your product strategy

Completing Stage 1

For information about submitting Stage 1 of your Launchpad, see How To Submit.

Go to Launchpad Stage 2 Go to Launchpad Overview