Requirements that Deliver
How KAIP helped UC ANR prioritize, modernize, and build team trust
Declining Functionality, Growing Frustration
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) knew their systems were outdated and disjointed. Legacy platforms for volunteer management, event registration, and learning delivery had become hard to use, hard to maintain, and out of step with security requirements.
But getting everyone aligned on what should replace them? That was the challenge. Past efforts had been slowed by disagreement, unclear scope, and shifting input from subject matter experts. With security risks growing and staff increasingly frustrated, UC ANR needed a partner who could lead with both structure and empathy.
This is when UC ANR brought KAIP to the table.
Laying the Groundwork with Clarity and Structure
The engagement began with a direct promise: “We’ll get this done—and we’ll do it together, but we’ll do it the right way.” Our team led by Catherine Kendall made it clear from the start that the project would follow a defined methodology. There was no room for drift.
KAIP deployed a six-phase project plan (outlined in the Project Charter) that included:
- Workshops, interviews, and surveys with program managers, IT, and end users
- MoSCoW-based requirement prioritization
- A total of four iterative passes of requirement refinement across three systems
- Transparent version control and structured collaboration practices
Stakeholders were engaged with clear expectations and a firm timeline, which gave the team the collaborative focus and consistent progress they had been missing. As a result, milestones were met, scope remained stable, and input from across the organization coalesced into a cohesive set of requirements.
Making the Path Concrete
A Framework Built for Momentum
Each phase of the project generated tangible deliverables that advanced the effort in meaningful ways. From early-stage discovery to final documentation, each step produced actionable products that moved the project forward.
What began as broad input across three systems was gradually shaped into baselined requirements, prioritized features, and procurement-ready assets. The result was a steady progression of work that built alignment, clarified priorities, and equipped UC ANR to take confident next steps toward system replacement.
Pass One through Pass Four
Stakeholders engaged in four iterative reviews of functional, non-functional, and transitional requirements across all three systems: VMS, RMS, and ANR Online. Each cycle increased in detail and clarity.
MoSCoW Prioritization
Every requirement was categorized as Must Have, Should Have, Could Have, or Won’t Have.
This helped the UC ANR team prioritize essentials over enhancements through transparent, collaborative trade-offs.
De-duplication and Synthesis
Digital Versioning
Final specs were numbered, versioned, and uploaded into Jira with CSV formatting for automated ingestion.
Trust Built Through Collaboration
What made this work wasn’t just the methodology, it was the mindset. UC ANR stakeholders stepped up once they saw that KAIP’s approach wasn’t about bureaucracy; it was about creating space to move forward as a team.
Program managers, trainers, finance, IT, and even volunteers participated in shaping a shared solution vision. From security and PCI compliance to user experience and integration needs, the conversations shifted from frustrations to concrete decisions.
By the end of the engagement, participants were aligned and proud of the work they had accomplished.
What Changed—and What’s Possible Now
UC ANR left the engagement with more than documentation. They gained readiness and options.
391 total requirements baselined:
- 108 for Registration / Event Management
- 152 for Volunteer Management
- 131 for ANR Online Learning
Delivered 1 month early, with solution recommendations finalized 3 weeks ahead of schedule Two procurement-ready documents delivered:
- Requirements Specification
- Solution Options Report
These weren’t shelf documents, they were ready to be implemented by procurement teams or used to engage vendors already on UC’s preferred contract vehicles.
The Road Ahead
With clear, prioritized requirements and vetted solution options in hand, UC ANR didn’t hesitate to move forward. They immediately began pursuing the recommendations outlined in KAIP’s Solution Options Document and reached out to the KAIP team to support the next phase: implementation.
Because the requirements were baselined, procurement-ready, and mapped to existing leveraged contracts within the UC system and public sector marketplaces, the project has advanced faster than originally expected.
UC ANR is now positioned to select and onboard modern, integrated platforms for volunteer management, registration, and online learning, without having to start from scratch or navigate a lengthy RFP process.
The groundwork is in place. The decisions are aligned. And the organization is moving confidently, quickly, and with the structure to get it right.
In Their Words
"Partnering with KAIP transformed how we approached our complex project. They brought together a large group of stakeholders, making sure every voice was heard and every need addressed. Their leadership, communication, and project management made it possible to deliver results faster and more effectively than we ever could have alone.”
Missy Gable
Director of the UC Master Gardener Program, UC ANR
