Component Four: Implementation of the System and Training

A prototype of the system is to be implemented in Amman and Irbid in the first half of 2009.

To ensure that MEGA-J meets the real-world data entry and reporting needs of DoA staff and other stakeholders, a pilot implementation of MEGA-J will be conducted at the DoA's Amman office and at its regional office in Irbid. The primary purpose is to test all technical aspects of the system within the DoA's computing environment. Because MEGA-J is a Web-based system, it is expected that the pilot implementation will provide a realistic test of the DoA's computer network and Internet service.

	Ruins of the great temple of Hercules (Herakles), constructed during the 2nd century AD, stand today at the site of the Amman citadel in the heart of the modern capital city of Amman, which during the Greco-Roman era was a Decapolis city known as Philadelphia. Photo: Alison Dalgity

The pilot implementation will also serve to confirm that the new GIS user interface can support the data entry, editing, and information retrieval needs of DoA leadership, archaeologists, inspectors, and administrative staff. Consequently, their feedback on the usefulness and capabilities of the system under real-world conditions will be of the utmost importance.

It is expected that DoA staff will identify and request changes to the system during the pilot implementation and testing effort. The process will include collecting users' objective reactions (e.g., "I would like to digitize polygons with twenty vertices, but the system only allows ten") and subjective reactions to the application (e.g., "I don't like the colors of the interface"). The DoA and GCI-WMF teams will work with the consultant developer to prioritize the functional capabilities that require improvement based on users feedback.

After the application has been updated to reflect the issues identified, a second pilot-testing phase will be undertaken to ensure that the system's functionality is acceptable to DoA staff. The pilot implementation phase is complete when the team deems that all remaining user requested modifications are no longer significant barriers to a full DoA deployment.

The pilot implementation will also allow the developers to provide system administrative training and technology transfer support to selected DoA staff members, targeting DoA technology staff for system administration training.

Testing of the pilot implementation will be conducted over the course of two months.

	Staff from Jordan's Department of Antiquities (DoA) learn to use advanced features of Google Earth™ to prepare archaeological site data for import into MEGA-J. Photo: Mario Santana

Upon completion of the pilot implementation and testing effort, the final MEGA-J code will be deployed and configured for use throughout DoA offices across the kingdom. The system will be loaded and configured onto servers provided for DoA use by GCI-WMF.

User training will then be provided by Farallon's team for selected DoA staff. This training effort will aim to train the trainers so that internal DoA staff may act as MEGA-J resources for their colleagues. The developers will also provide system administration training and technology transfer services to DoA technology staff in the Amman office.

Once MEGA-J has been fully deployed, DoA technology staff will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the system.

Last updated: June 2008