making time for the strategic initiatives: exploring ways to obtain a better balance (166227084)
TRANSCRIPT
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 1/34
Making Time for
the Strategic Initiatives
Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance
EDUCAUSE Enterprise IT Leadership Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, April 16-18, 2013
David Weil, Director, Enterprise Application Services, Ithaca College, [email protected]
An IT organization must adjust the services it offers and how it provides
them so that it can have the ability to focus on initiatives that help theinstitution address its strategic objectives and needed transformations.
Join us for an interactive discussion to share ideas on how an IT
organization might achieve a better balance between "operational" and
"strategic" activities. Suggestions to be explored include service
portfolios, service delivery models, IT governance, and departmentalorganization as well as using a "balanced scorecard" approach to
categorize and define service delivery criteria.
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 2/34
Our time today
• Brief overview of the “problem”
• Some sample approaches to generate some ideas
• Discussion / brainstorming
• Wrap-up
Goal: Leave the session with the seed of an idea or two that will
help you start thinking about how to make more time for
strategic initiatives.
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 3/34
Strategic InitiativeFrom Wikipedia
A strategic initiative is an endeavor intended to achieve three
interrelated outcomes:
• A boundary-spanning vision or “strategic intent”
•
Realization of important benefits to “strategic” stakeholders and • Transformation of the organization
Strategic initiatives are collections of finite-duration discretionary
projects and programs, outside of the organization's day-to-day
operational activities, that are designed to help the organizationachieve its targeted performance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Initiative
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 4/34
Strategic Initiatives…
• Help the institution grow, advance, evolve
• Move the institution forward
•
Are Transformative• What is your definition?
–
–
–
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 5/34
1. Updating IT professionals' skills and roles to accommodate
emerging technologies and changing IT management and
service delivery models
2. Supporting the trends toward IT consumerization and bring-
your-own device
3. Developing an institution-wide cloud strategy
4. Improving the institution's operational efficiency through
information technology
5. Integrating information technology into institutionaldecision-making
6. Using analytics to support critical institutional outcomes
7. Funding information technology strategically
8. Transforming the institution's business with information
technology9. Supporting the research mission through high-performance
computing, large data, and analytics
10. Establishing and implementing IT governance throughout the
institution
E D U C A U S E
2 0 1 2
T o p - T e
n
I T I s s
u e s
http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/top-ten-it-issues-2012
Issues that
will help
move the
institution
forward
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 6/34
“Although colleges and universities are doing
many things well with I T, for many campus
off icials the return on the institutional
investment in information technology often
fal ls short of both expectations and need.”
Kenneth C. Green,
2012 Campus Computing Survey
http://www.campuscomputing.net/sites/www.campuscomputing.net/files/Green-CampusComputing2012.pdf
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 7/34
% of Presidents, Provosts and CIOs who
rated their institution’s IT investments as
“very effective”
0
10
20
30
4050
60
70
80
90
100
On-Campus Instruction Administrative
Information Systems
Analytical Efforts
Presidents Chief Academic Officers CIOs
Data from 2012 Campus Computing Survey & 2011 Inside Higher Ed surveys by Kenneth C. Green.
http://www.campuscomputing.net/sites/www.campuscomputing.net/files/Green-CampusComputing2012.pdf
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 8/34
Finding the balance
How do you decide what to work on?
How do you do the work?
Operational Strategic
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 9/34
Helping to decide what to work on
Governance Structures and Policies
Project Management
Service Portfolio ReviewSaying No
Categories / Tiers
Balanced ScorecardEvaluating ROI / Strategic Value
…
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 10/34
How to do the work
Service Delivery Models
Insource vs. Outsource vs. Hybrid
SaaS, Cloud, Onsite
Resource Organization
Staff Roles
Structures
Distributed vs. Centralized
…
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 11/34
Strategic Value
&Categories
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 12/34
“The out of the box
solution won’t work forus.” We are different. We are different.”
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 13/34
We should be different in
places where the differenceadds (strategic) value to the
institution
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 14/34
One way to approach this is to
think about our services
in terms of categories
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 15/34
Category Description Example
Utility No or limited value-addto the institution, unless
they are not there.
Network, ResNet,eMail, MS-Office
Tactical Solves a specific businessneed.
Payroll, HR system
Strategic Helps move an institution
forward to where it’s
trying to go.
Prospective student
recruiting services,
Analytics program
Every institution will define what goes into each category differently. What is
viewed as a utility at one institution may be strategic at another.
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 16/34
Debra Allison at
Miami University,
Ohio, refers to
Tiers of Services
Miami University IT Portfolio Board Proposed Prioritization and Metrics, January 2013
Operations
Regulatory or
mandated
Lights on
Partner request /
demand
Grow & transform
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 17/34
Getting more granular
U t i l i t y
T a c t i c
a l
S t r a t e g i c
Instructional
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 18/34
Getting more granular
• Each category can be
subdivided by area served.
• The goal is to be able to assign
an appropriate category orbucket for each of your
services and projects.
• Develop a target mix (what %
of your resources should be
spent on any one category at
any particular time).
U t i l i t y
Instructional
Infrastructure
Administrative
Research
T a c t i c
a l
Instructional
Infrastructure
Administrative
Research
S t r a t e g i c
Instructional
Infrastructure
Administrative
Research
25%
35%
40%
30%
30%
30%
10%
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 19/34
Saying No
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 20/34
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve
got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means
saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there
are. You have to pick carefully.”
Attributed to Steve Jobs, Apple Inc.
“I'm as proud of what we don't do
as I am of what we do …”
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 21/34
Governance
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 22/34
The Role of Governance
• Who gets to decide what you take on?
• How is it prioritized?
•
How is it connected to the overall strategy of the institution?
• Is there one front door, or do requests and
new initiatives come in from multiple places?
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 23/34
Service Delivery Options
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 24/34
Who does the work?
Outsource?Insource?
Hybrid?
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 25/34
Category Delivery Method Example
Utility Strong candidate foroutsourcing. Off-the-shelf
solution. No or minimal
customization.
Network, ResNet,eMail, MS-Office
Tactical Consider outsourcing all
or part. Candidate for
hybrid solutions. Minimal
customization (bolt-ons).
Payroll, HR system
Strategic Usually insourced. May
be highly customized.
Prospective student
recruiting services,
Analytics program
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 26/34
Organization
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 27/34
Organizational Questions
• Outsourcing
– Contract review and management
• Legal and technical review / approval
– Engagement (project) management
– Integration Services
• Application / data integration
•Infrastructure services
• Security
• Development vs. Operations
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 28/34
What are your ideas for how an IT
organization might achieve a better
balance between "operational" and"strategic" activities?
How do you decide what to work on?
How do you go about doing the work?
Discussion
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 29/34
Thanks!
Slides will be posted to
the conference website shortly.
David Weil
Director, Enterprise Application Services
Ithaca College, [email protected]
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 30/34
What techniques do you use
to balance the mix of operational and strategic
activities?
Discussion
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 31/34
What is your process for
regularly reviewing whatyou do, and for identifyingservices to be discontinued
or handled differently?
Discussion
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 32/34
What policies and
procedures do you have inplace for determining whatis appropriate to outsource?
Insource? Hybrid?
Discussion
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 33/34
How do the roles within
your organization align tosupport various delivery
strategies?
Discussion
7/30/2019 Making Time for the Strategic Initiatives: Exploring Ways to Obtain a Better Balance (166227084)
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/making-time-for-the-strategic-initiatives-exploring-ways-to-obtain-a-better 34/34
Other suggestions for
obtaining a better balance?
Discussion