Engaging Engaging Executives in Executives in Technology Technology PortfoliosPortfolios

Kevin Roberts, CIOKevin Roberts, CIO

Jim Trietsch, Associate Jim Trietsch, Associate CIOCIO

Copyright Kevin Roberts and James W. Trietsch 2007. This work is the intellectual Copyright Kevin Roberts and James W. Trietsch 2007. This work is the intellectual property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.permission from the author.

Historical Historical InformationInformationUpdates from 2003Updates from 2003• Banner conversionBanner conversion• Irregular meetings of Irregular meetings of

VPsVPs• Sr. Systems analyst – Sr. Systems analyst –

good at sorting projects good at sorting projects and saying “No!”and saying “No!”

• ““Yes” projects may not be Yes” projects may not be strategicstrategic

ProposalProposal

• Executive teamExecutive team• Quarterly meetingQuarterly meeting• Schedule work six Schedule work six

months outmonths out• Strategic decisionsStrategic decisions• Ongoing planningOngoing planning

Primary Team Primary Team MembersMembers• Executive VPExecutive VP• ProvostProvost• VP, DevelopmentVP, Development• VP, FinanceVP, Finance• CIOCIO• Associate CIOAssociate CIO• Director, Computing & Director, Computing &

Networking ServicesNetworking Services• Director, Web Integration & Director, Web Integration &

ProgrammingProgramming• Sr. Systems AnalystSr. Systems Analyst• Director, Re-engineeringDirector, Re-engineering

Process GoalsProcess Goals

• Increase # of prioritized Increase # of prioritized projectsprojects

• Create culture of pre-planningCreate culture of pre-planning• Reduce # of ad hoc projectsReduce # of ad hoc projects• Prioritize necessary ad hoc Prioritize necessary ad hoc

projectsprojects• Train staff in project Train staff in project

management and time analysismanagement and time analysis

User User RequirementsRequirements

DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Technical AnalysisTechnical Analysis

• Time for good analysisTime for good analysis• Wait for work to be Wait for work to be

tentatively approved tentatively approved before technical analysisbefore technical analysis

• Hours and hours for Hours and hours for good analysisgood analysis

Time for ProjectsTime for Projects

DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Intended ProcessIntended Process

VICE PRESIDENTS - COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT

ULTIMATE GOAL – PORTFOLIO CONTROL AND REPORTING

Request for Programming

Services

FeasibilityReview

Committee Review

Project Initiation / Execution

BenefitsRealization

ApprovedY

•Table•Request More Info•Decline

N

Time for ProjectsTime for Projects

DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

Technology DemoTechnology Demo

DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

EDUCAUSE Review – EDUCAUSE Review – May/June 2003May/June 2003

““It is important for the president, as well as It is important for the president, as well as members of the executive team, to understand members of the executive team, to understand and own IT issues, rather than assume that these and own IT issues, rather than assume that these are exclusively the purview of the CIO or are exclusively the purview of the CIO or technology officer. It is no longer possible for a technology officer. It is no longer possible for a college or university president to safely delegate college or university president to safely delegate all technology-related decisions to the CIO. The all technology-related decisions to the CIO. The costs are too high, the risks are too great, and costs are too high, the risks are too great, and the opportunities are too significant for the the opportunities are too significant for the president not to be personally aware or involved.”president not to be personally aware or involved.”

John Hitt, President, University of Central FloridaJohn Hitt, President, University of Central Florida

What’s Important?What’s Important?

• Shifting the discussion to Shifting the discussion to broader topicsbroader topics

• Where should we spend Where should we spend our time?our time?

• Where should we spend Where should we spend our capital budgets?our capital budgets?

So What?So What?

• Executive buy-in crucialExecutive buy-in crucial• Be fair, but realistic with Be fair, but realistic with

analysis about projectsanalysis about projects• Don’t commit too muchDon’t commit too much• If I do this project, which If I do this project, which

one gets delayed?one gets delayed?• Keep on, keep on, keep on Keep on, keep on, keep on

……

Management Management ApprovalsApprovals

DILBERT reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

What’s Happening What’s Happening Now?Now?

• New CIO June 2007New CIO June 2007• Part of original teamPart of original team• New look at some project New look at some project

aspectsaspects

New LookNew Look

• Needed confirmation that Needed confirmation that strategic direction was correctstrategic direction was correct– OpportunitiesOpportunities– RisksRisks

• Needed confirmation that existing Needed confirmation that existing efforts were appropriateefforts were appropriate– Cost risksCost risks– Resource allocationResource allocation

• Needed to increase Needed to increase understanding of opportunity costunderstanding of opportunity cost– Not all projects are created equalNot all projects are created equal– Not all operational areas are equalNot all operational areas are equal

Common LexiconCommon Lexicon

• WatchWatch – – read articles, show read articles, show some interestsome interest

• StudyStudy – – Google for more Google for more informationinformation

• Engage Engage – – budget, project teambudget, project team• Commit Commit – – get firm budget get firm budget

authorizationauthorization• ExecuteExecute – – active project work active project work

with deadlineswith deadlines• OperationalizeOperationalize – – ongoing ongoing

maintenance/upgradesmaintenance/upgrades

04/20/23

Highly Strategic

Marginally Strategic

Ma

rgin

ally

En

ga

ge

d

Hig

hly

En

ga

ge

d

Red = Area of RiskGreen = Area of Interest

INFORMATION SERVICES PRIORITY MATRIX

Blue = Maintenance

my.ACU

GoogleiPhone

DropboxReplacement

iTunes U

WebPublishing

MappingIdentityMgmt.

BlackboardUpgrade

DigitalStorage

Bold = Un-committed Project

CampusBackup

Smart phoneSupport

CRP

DigitalSignage

Training

Vista

Talisma

BusinessIntelligence

Workflow

Banner

Bandwidth

JMCRemodel

Green SpaceWireless

WelcomeCenter

LaptopEncryption

Alcatel Stacks

LearningSpace Wireless

CATVReplacement

Univ. A/VServices

Res HallCCTV

Data Base

System Admin

Cell Phones

Embanet

Tips and TricksTips and Tricks

• Force Rank Major ProjectsForce Rank Major Projects• Clearly Articulate Approval v. Clearly Articulate Approval v.

Appropriation Appropriation • Use Gartner’s Hype CycleUse Gartner’s Hype Cycle• Don’t Wait for Meeting - No Don’t Wait for Meeting - No

SurprisesSurprises• Over-communicate Support BurdenOver-communicate Support Burden

– Consumerization is both good and badConsumerization is both good and bad

Technology SupportResources

Key Observation: The line is moving faster than ever and is more saturated than ever

Support Curve

Questions ???Questions ???

Jim TrietschJim Trietsch trietsch@acu.edu

Kevin RobertsKevin Roberts robertsk@acu.edu

http://docs.google.com/Presentation?http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dcfdjx9s_21c2wkspid=dcfdjx9s_21c2wksp