Staffing
When assessing your staffing needs, review relevant output from the Leadership or Strategic Planning Groups. Staffing needs will vary based on the initial size and complexity of the repository implementation and likely change as the repository grows.
There are three basic steps to develop a staffing plan:
- Identify tasks that must be accomplished to get the repository started. You may want to brainstorm all possible tasks and then organize them into those that need to be addressed immediately and those that can wait. You can then decide how to distribute these tasks among existing and potential staff members. We have provided a worksheet to assist you in identifying possible repository tasks. Additional tasks will arise as the repository grows or as you expand your implementation, and some previously identified tasks will require more time or additional personnel. Work with whoever is creating your project timeline to ensure that the necessary resources and funding will be available to meet changing staffing needs as the repository project progresses.
- Determine the skill set needed to complete each task. Having the right individual in a position, especially with a small staff, is critical for success. You might start by grouping together similar tasks that require the same areas of expertise, and could be assigned to one position.
We have provided position descriptions including knowledge, skills, and attitudes preferred in a candidate for three positions: - Assess the skill set of your available staff for personnel that could be reassigned or utilized on the repository project. There may be existing staff from the Strategic Planning Group or on the various Operational Planning Teams who are able dedicate some percentage of their time to the repository project. You may also need to hire additional full- or part-time staff to complete some of the tasks. If funds are scarce, you may need to assign the duties of several positions to a single employee, or take the duties designated for unfunded position and divide them among the existing staff.
For work that is required to get the repository started, but that may not be recurring, contracted staff may be preferable. For example, some repositories have elected to employ contracted staff for programming tasks. This allows the repository project team to remain flexible as new programming needs arise, systems change, or advances are made in the field.
Once you have drafted your ideal repository staffing needs, consider the financial needs for this staffing plan. You might not need to support personnel who are reassigned to the project (either full- or part-time). However, funds will be needed to pay for any new hires or contractors. You might want to research the average contractor rates or salaries in your area for the various positions you require and compare these requirements to your project budget allocations. If funding is not adequate to meet your staffing plan, you should explore any other options that may be available to you. For example, for some tasks you might consider offering unpaid internships to college or graduate students. Marketing or advertising majors can help you develop and craft your promotional messages. Library Science students could provide assistance in attaching metadata to repository resources. You may also need to rely on commitments from your stakeholder groups. They may be able to offer services on an in-kind basis or through some other non-salaried financial arrangement. For example, a stakeholder might be able to offer you the service of one of their programmers for a few hours a week in support of the project.
Your stakeholder network can prove to be a valuable resource. For example, when The Orange Grove was starting out, there was an effort to seed the repository with some Sharable Content Objects (SCOs). To achieve this goal, the repository staff collaborated with Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC). During this collaboration, faculty members, developers, and graphic designers from multiple institutions participated in a three-day workshop at DBCC to develop and create SCOs for mathematics courses. The Orange Grove team structured the session and provided instructional design expertise. This session proved beneficial to all parties; The Orange Grove gained a number of SCOs for the repository, the faculty gained experience as subject matter experts and everyone learned more about the creation of SCOs for their courses. The most valuable portion of the event was the collaborative process.
When you have finalized your project staffing plan, you will need to prepare job descriptions for the required positions. Identify the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA’s) for each job, as well as a description of the type of work that will be required.
Resources
