IT Governance & Prioritization FAQs

What date is this process effective?

Starting December 1^st, 2018, any project that falls under the criteria outlined in the IT Governance & Prioritization Guidelines article must adhere to the process defined therein.

When do I have to submit a Technology Need Request?

 See:  IT Governance and Prioritization Guidelines for items requiring approval through IT Governance process and items exempt from the process.

How do I submit a Technology Need Request?

1. Fill out the I Have a Technology Need service request form with your request details.
2. Click "Save", which will create your request and bring you to a new page.
3. Verify the information you entered is accurate and then click "Mark Complete" at the top.
   • Alternatively, you can click "Save", which allows you to close the browser window and come back to your request later. Go to the Project Requests page to continue working on your request.
4. Optionally, you can add any known risks by going to the "Risks Register" tab on the left, clicking "New", and filling out the risk details.
5. After you've clicked "Mark Complete" under the General tab and added any known risks, click the "Review and Submit" button.
6. Verify the information you entered is accurate one last time before clicking "Submit". If you need to change anything, you can do so via the "General" and "Risks Register" tabs on the left.
   • Once you click "Submit", the system will initiate the Portfolio & Project Management Office (PPMO) workflow required to process your request.

What should I do if I have difficulties filling out the request form?

Complete as much as you are able at this time, and the PPMO will contact you to collect further information.

What happens after I submit a technology need request?

When you save a completed request, the PPMO is notified of your submission and here is what  you can expect to happen next:

1. The Portfolio & Project Management Office (PPMO) will reach out to you (either by phone or meeting) to do some basic analysis around your requirements, business value, data classification and resource need.  PPMO will attempt to contact you within two weeks, but this is contingent upon number of requests and available staff.
2. If your request falls under a service that currently exists, the PPMO will forward your request to the appropriate area for further attention.
3. If your request does not fall within an existing service, your request is considered new technology, is scored based on university impact and risk, and is added to the workflow for IT Governance & Prioritization (ITGP).
4. Next step is the review by the Chief Information Officer (CIO).The CIO looks at the request from a global IT perspective and may add information to the request that will assist in the approval/denial decision making by the President.  The CIO will attempt review within one week of completion of PPMO review., but this is contingent upon number of requests.
5. Your request will then be put in the “Governance Committee Review” status and will remain in that status until the Governance Committee (President’s Cabinet) reviews your requests. All outstanding requests are presented to the Governance Committee on a quarterly basis. At that time the committee makes a recommendation to the President and the President makes a decision on the disposition of your request.
6. Results of the President’s decision will then be communicated to you through email within one week of the President's decision, as follows:
   • If your request is approved, you will receive instructions on the next steps.
   • If your request is denied, you will receive an email indicating the reason and that the request will be closed.

What happens if my request receives a high priority within the list of requests?

Priority scoring is based on weighted levels of risk and impact to the organization. If your request receives a high priority it does not mean your project will be worked on immediately.  Requests are turned into a project only when resources become available. If your request scored high in one cycle and there weren't resources available to start it, the request is resorted with the new request that are received in the new cycle. If a request that hasn't turned into a project is #1 in a cycle, it may not remain #1 in the next cycle.

What happens if my request is not prioritized very high in the list of requests?

Requester will be notified of the prioritized position of the request and and will be instructed to do nothing further on their effort/request until notified from the appropriate unit that resources are freeing up to begin work on the request. The priority position may change each quarter as new requests are added to the list.

What happens if my request is denied?

When the President has made the decision to deny the request, requester will be notified and the Technology Needs Request will be closed. If new information supporting your request is identified you may resubmit the request. The new request will be scored and processed through the IT Governance & Prioritization process as if it were a new request.

How do I check the status of my request?

After you save (i.e. submit) a request, you can check the status by going to Services  Project Requests. You can modify the search parameters to expand or narrow the results listed. The scope of the search will show for the following:

• Your project requests
• Project requests for which you are the sponsor
• Project requests for your allowed accounts/departments
• Project requests for which you are marked as a stakeholder
• Project requests you are assigned to

How do I determine if an effort is a project?

A project is directed at achieving a specific result, involves the coordinated undertaking of interrelated activities, has a limited duration (a beginning and an end), is unique, and involves risk. See the IT Governance & Prioritization Guidelines article for more information.

What if I already have a product selected with a contract ready to sign?

If it meets the criteria outlined in the IT Governance & Prioritization Guidelines article, it must be submitted as a project request and go through this process before a contract is signed.