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SEARCH-developed DVD Highlights Critical Success Factors of Interoperability

Using grant funding provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS), in 2007 SEARCH developed and produced a DVD highlighting successful interoperability projects from different parts of the country.

To order the DVD, contact the COPS Response Center at 1.800.421.6770, or SEARCH at (916) 392-2550, ext. 200, Nina@search.org. SEARCH staff conducted interviews with representatives from five interoperable communications initiatives in New York, Louisiana, California, Arizona and Virginia. The interviews focused on exploring the 10 critical success factors for interoperability projects:


  • Establishing and Exercising Governance
  • Securing and Managing Staffing
  • Defining and Controlling Scope
  • Defining and Controlling Timelines
  • Defining and Controlling Budget
  • Drafting and Maintaining a Risk Management Plan
  • Developing and Executing Quality Assurance
  • Following Best Practices in Procurement and Contracting
  • Integrating, Where Appropriate
  • Communications

This DVD is designed to allow viewers to navigate through the 10 critical success factors for a successful interoperability initiative using the latest in digital video technology. Building on SEARCH's body of knowledge regarding the top 10 things grantees can do to increase their odds for success, SEARCH staff conducted on-air interviews of key stakeholders from five of the nation's most visible interoperable communications initiatives: New York City, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Virginia Beach.


During contact with grantees (through on-site technical assistance and conferences), SEARCH staff discovered that their intended audience is very likely to be interested in discrete topics that are pertinent to the phase of their particular initiative. For example, new grantees are typically interested in how to establish a successful governance structure, rather than how to conduct a risk management plan, whereas the inverse is true of a grantee that is well underway with their initiative.

Therefore, the viewer has the option of selecting video segments that are pertinent to the immediate need, or they can select the "ALL" icon (in the middle of the main screen) to watch the video in its entire 30-minute duration.