When should an Information Technology (IT) project request be used?
When a department, campus, or the university has a business need or problem requiring a technical solution that is unique in nature, provides a new capability, or improves an existing capacity.
Who reviews the project request?
There are three groups that are may be involved in the review, approval and prioritization of IT project requests.
Project Review Board (PRB)
- Comprised of IT staff members;
- Meets weekly (based upon demand) to review newly submitted and existing requests;
- Approves, denies, or escalates requests. Projects approved at this level are typically minor enhancements to existing applications or infrastructure and can usually be funded by the IT or requesting department’s budget.
Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC)
- An executive group which has representation from all campuses;
- Meets quarterly;
- Approves or denies requests. Projects reviewed by the ITAC have large scope, strategic technology implications, and require capital funding.
ITAC Project Review Board (ITAC/PRB)
- Comprised of three ITAC members and members of the PRB;
- Acts as the “link” between the PRB and ITAC;
- Meets monthly to review projects escalated by the PRB;
- Approves, denies, or escalates requests. Projects approved at this level generally have larger scope or strategic implications than the requests approved or denied by the PRB and require input from ITAC representatives.
What criteria are used to evaluate project requests?
The following criteria are utilized in evaluating all project requests:
- Supports the university’s strategic plan Focus 2011 or campus plan.
- Needed due to an external mandate such as a government regulation (i.e. Department of Education), accreditation, or licensing requirement.
- Provides a benefit to students.
- Fulfills a business need or provides an opportunity to the university.
What do the groups achieve during their meetings?
Project Review Board (PRB)
- Review the status of outstanding requests;
- Assess new project requests and make one of the following decisions:
- Approve – Business justification or legal mandate requires the university to approve the project;
- Investigate – Sufficient data to thoroughly assess the project were not provided on the request form. An IT investigator is assigned to research the request; investigated projects will be reviewed by this group when the investigation is complete;
- Deny – Institutional alignment or business justifications are not compelling;
- Escalate – The project has resource or strategy implications that require further review by the ITAC/PRB. These requests will be reviewed at the next monthly ITAC/PRB meeting.
ITAC Project Review Board (ITAC/PRB)
- Assess new escalated project requests from the PRB and make one of the following decisions:
- Approve – Business justification or legal mandate requires the university to approve the project;
- Investigate – Sufficient data to thoroughly assess the project were not provided on the request form. An IT investigator is assigned to research the request; investigated projects will be reviewed by this group when the investigation is complete;
- Deny – Institutional alignment or business justifications are not compelling;
- Escalate – The project has resource or strategy implications that require further review. These requests will be reviewed at the next quarterly ITAC meeting.
Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC)
- Review status of the IT project portfolio;
- Assess new ITAC project requests and make one of the following decisions:
- Approve – Business justification or legal mandate requires the university to approve the project;
- Deny – Institutional alignment or business justifications are not compelling at this time. These requests can be resubmitted in the future for reconsideration at that time;
- Adjust priorities of approved projects based on new approvals, if necessary.
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