Project Overview:
As the sole individual responsible for creating the entire IT Department, I led the development of its infrastructure, established policies, and implemented systems for smooth operational workflows. My role spanned from developing the department’s structure and IT strategies to presenting the plan to upper management, writing policies, and overseeing the successful deployment of all IT systems. This project involved using tools such as Microsoft 365, ConnectWise, GoDaddy, Egnyte, and WordPress to ensure a comprehensive and scalable IT framework for the company.
Steps to Complete the Project:
1. Initial Research and Planning
- Objective: Establish an IT department from scratch, covering infrastructure, policies, and workflows to support the company’s operations.
- Goal: Create a scalable, efficient IT department that ensures the smooth functioning of internal systems, customer service, and compliance with company and industry regulations.
- Deliverables: Research and gather information on best practices for IT infrastructure, systems management, and support. Define key roles and responsibilities for the IT department.
2. Present IT Strategy to Management
- Presentation: Developed a comprehensive IT strategy and infrastructure roadmap and presented it to the executive team for approval. The plan detailed the department’s objectives, resource requirements, and the benefits of a centralized IT department.
- Feedback: Incorporated management’s feedback and refined the plan to meet budget constraints, timeline expectations, and align with company goals.
- Key Focus: Outlined the importance of system security, scalability, data management, and support services.
3. Development of IT Infrastructure
- Trello: Utilized Trello for project management, integrating the IT Help Desk to track key milestones like infrastructure setup and policy creation.
- Microsoft 365: Deployed Microsoft 365 for internal communications, file sharing, email, and collaborative tools. Ensured proper user management and permissions setup to control access to sensitive company data.
- ConnectWise: Integrated ConnectWise for IT support ticketing and remote management. This allowed the IT team to handle user requests, resolve technical issues, and track incident resolution effectively.
- GoDaddy: Managed domain registration and SSL certificates via GoDaddy to ensure a secure and professional web presence for the company.
- Egnyte: Leveraged the existing Egnyte platform for secure file sharing and document management, while implementing a cybersecurity protocol to ensure safe collaboration and strict document control.
- WordPress: Utilized WordPress for the development and maintenance of the company’s website, ensuring content management, updates, and SEO optimization for web traffic.
4. Infrastructure Implementation
- Deployment: Oversaw the implementation of IT systems, network infrastructure, and software tools. This included setting up user accounts, managing device security, and deploying Microsoft 365 for team collaboration.
- Security Measures: Implemented security protocols such as user authentication, data encryption, and firewalls to safeguard the company’s digital assets.
- Training: Provided user training and guidance on the use of Microsoft 365, ConnectWise, Egnyte, and other systems to ensure smooth adoption by staff.
5. Policy Writing and Documentation
- Policy Development: Drafted comprehensive IT policies covering data security, usage of company systems, access control, and disaster recovery. These policies ensured compliance with company regulations and best practices.
- Documentation: Created user guides and technical documentation for all tools and systems, allowing employees to self-serve for common IT requests or issues.
- Approval: Presented the IT policies and documentation to management for approval, refining based on feedback to ensure clarity and alignment with corporate goals.
6. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
- Support System: Established an IT support ticketing system via ConnectWise, enabling the team to track and resolve technical issues efficiently.
- Performance Tracking: Monitored the performance of the department and its systems, gathering data on uptime, user satisfaction, and issue resolution time. This feedback was used to continuously improve the department’s services.
- Scalability: Ensured that all systems and processes could scale with the company’s growth, adjusting infrastructure as needed.
7. Final Deployment and Handover
- Deployment: Successfully deployed the IT department and its infrastructure company-wide, ensuring all systems were operational and supported by well-defined processes.
- Handover: After being promoted to A Business Development Manager I transitioned day-to-day management of the IT department to the current internal IT Applications Specialist, ensuring a smooth handover of responsibilities.
- Ongoing Support: Provide ongoing consultancy and assist with web development & new software implementation being added our current Tech stack.
Software & Tools Used:
- Trello: For project management, task tracking, and ensuring deadlines were met.
- Microsoft 365: For internal communications, collaboration, file sharing, and email management.
- ConnectWise: For ticketing, remote IT support, and system management.
- GoDaddy: For domain registration, SSL certificates, and web security.
- Egnyte: For secure document management and file sharing within the company.
- WordPress: For website development, maintenance, and content management.