What types of projects need to go through the priorities process?
- Any project that involves resources from a University
Administration unit, or campus based unit that plans to offer an
administrative system for the entire campus.
- Any project that will interface with an Enterprise system.
- Any project that is administrative in nature, and wishes to
utilize funding from the central pool of administrative IT dollars
allocated by AAPC.
How are cost estimates developed?
Cost estimates are based on a time and materials model. First,
available discretionary resources are assessed, and if available,
factored into the project proposal. Then, additional resources such as
contract staff are added. Rates for contract staff will vary, depending
on the role. Some common rates include:
Developers - $90/hr
SunGard/SCT application consultants or developers - $220/hr
What happens if requirements need to be added after a project has been approved?
If requirements need to be added after the project has started, the
project cost will go up. If the project costs exceed 110% of the
original estimate, the project must go back to the ITPC. The project may
be cancelled if significant increases in the project cost impact the
business case.
What happens if a project doesn't meet its target implementation date?
If the project duration increases more than 125%, it must go back to
the ITPC. The project may be cancelled if significant delays impact the
business case.
Will all projects that are approved begin immediately?
No. The availability of internal resources, such as analysts, subject
matter experts and developers varies over time. To guarantee their
availability would require staffing at a very high, inefficient level.
Projects will be started based on a combination of factors including
their submission dates, value, functional priority and availability of
resources.
What is the role of the Enterprise Architecture Committee (EAC)?
The EAC's purpose is to review all significant projects (all Level
2 proposals and some Level 1proposals) to ensure compliance with
existing technology standards, or to work with the appropriate staff to
extend those standards in a manner that fits with our strategic
technology direction.
What is the role of the University Information IT Leadership Team (UI IT LT)?
The UI IT LT coordinates University-wide technical initiatives, such as
cross-campus network improvements. Projects that have aspects of this
nature are reviewed and/or sponsored by this group.
What is the role of the UI IT LT Common Architectural Vision (UI IT LT CAV) subcommittee?
The UI IT LT CAV coordinates University-wide technical architecture
initiatives. Some of these architectural initiatives result in ITPC
projects that are sponsored or co-sponsored by the UI IT LT CAV; an example
is Institution Identity Server enhancements.
Do AITS or other UA technology organizations need to bring technology infrastructure upgrades to ITPC?
Yes. These projects need to be documented with a proposal so that impacts to functional units can be assessed.
For non-technical people, how are we to answer questions regarding
resource requirements and project timeline on the project proposal
templates? We most likely would not know what hardware/software/staff
hours would be needed nor how many hours would be required to complete a
project.
In all cases, you should document the resources that you plan to
utilize from your functional area, or that you plan to purchase (e.g.,
contractors). If you don't have a sense of what technical resources are
required, please request that an estimate of technical effort be
provided by AITS. You can follow a similar approach for the timeline -
provide what you know, and ask for assistance from AITS for those areas
that you aren't in a position to estimate.
Is every sponsor group required to fund their own project or is
there a University/Campus budget to fund these projects? If there is a
University/Campus budget, how much of a budget has been established in
order that we may submit realistic proposals?
There is a central pool of funds provided by the Academic Affairs
Management Team. For this fiscal year, the amount is $1.5 million and
the amount will remain at that level on a recurring basis. The priority
for central funds is highest for projects that affect all three
campuses, followed by those that affect an entire campus and so on, down
to smaller levels of impact at a single campus.
Is there a way to see the detail of the proposals that are on the project list on the ITPC website?
Project status and schedule are available under the Reporting section.
Are all projects assigned a quantitative rating?
All Level 2 projects are rated based on a list of business and risk criteria. Level 1 projects are only approved or disapproved.