IT Governance
OVERVIEW“The goal of IT Project Governance is to identify and prioritize projects so that appropriate resources can be applied in a timely manner. To accomplish the goal, systems must be established to provide ongoing project status reports to enable shifting resources to complete projects that support the organization’s top priorities.” -Educause Center for Applied Research.
SOURCES OF PROJECTS IDEAS
Ideas for technology projects can be submitted from the academic community seeking to enhance teaching and learning, business unit leaders seeking to improve efficiency, service and access to quality data or the ITS department. The Academic Technology Group, Academic Advisory Group, the Application Services Advisory Group could submit business cases as well.
MEMBERS OF IT GOVERNANCE GROUP – FY 2014
Chair CIO Patricia Ainsworth, VP Scott James, Dean K. Brewer Doran, Dean Neal DeChillo, AVP Joseph Donovan, AVP Karen Cady
IT VALUE PYRAMID
The IT Value Pyramid provides a framework within which the IT Governance Group can think about and prioritize IT projects. The IT Pyramid
ROLE OF IT GOVERNANCE GROUP WITHIN THE BUDGET PROCESS
The IT Governance Group prioritizes technology projects for the coming year as part of the normal annual budget cycle.
Δ September – Communication to the SSU community and discussion at leadership and team meetings
Δ October 1 – Provost, deans and department heads solicit business cases within their areas.
o The project sponsor works with ITS staff partner to complete the business case and develop project budget.
o Business cases must include a description of the project, the benefits to the university, the strategic goals the project would support and a project budget.
o Provost, deans and department heads prioritize proposals based on goals and decide which to forward to IT Governance.
Δ November 1– Business cases due to CIO by November 1.
Δ December – IT Governance group is convened. Business cases are distributed. Sponsors are welcome to attend to advocate for proposals.
Δ January - IT Governance Group meets to core and prioritize cases.
Δ February – Results are forwarded leadership and submitted for funding consideration.
ROLE OF IT GOVERNANCE GROUP OUTSIDE NORMAL BUDGET PROCESS
At times a business need will arise that is sufficiently urgent to warrant consideration and approval outside the budget cycle process. If an out of cycle project is identified, the IT Governance group will meet to review the project and make recommendations. The project business case and the IT Governance guidance will be presented to leadership for further action. Leadership may ask the IT Governance Group, or may on its own, re-prioritize all pending IT projects for which budget has been established in order to fund the new IT project.