Information Technology Services

IT Projects 

Definition: Temporary endeavors to introduce new Appalachian IT Services and implement significant changes to existing Appalachian IT Services. (Source: IT Governance Policy)

Guideline: A project should be an IT Project when:

• There is a significant impact to students, faculty or staff populations and/or extensive change to business processes
• Multiple areas of IT are needed to complete the IT Project, or
• There is a large amount of work (est > 80 person hours) to complete for a new/significant change in IT Service.

Creating an IT Project

 IT Governance members request IT Projects. The PMO works with the Office of CIO and stakeholders to determine what IT Acquisitions become IT Projects. 

Benefits of an IT Project 

• Focus: a managed IT project includes a designated IT Project manager, a project team, consultative services, templates and the collaborative IT Project platform
• Consistency: our intake and closure services collect consistent project information to define IT Projects and update the IT service inventory
• Collaboration: IT Projects provide a platform to identify and collaborate on solutions for campus needs and innovate!
• Visibility: Highlighted IT Projects are shared on our Current Projects website.  More in depth reports are available to IT staff,  campus leadership, and IT Governance groups through itprojects.appstate.edu (Confluence)

Project Manager

The Project Manager supports and integrates the efforts of the project team and stakeholders to successfully complete the project to deliver the sought benefits.  The PM:

1. focuses the project team to organize, track and execute work within the project schedule, 

2. tracks and manages issues and risks with appropriate decision makers, 

3. communicates project progress to the team, sponsor, and stakeholders

Project Sponsor Contact

One or more people who champion and direct the IT Project, provide resources and support for the project, and help remove obstacles to facilitate the success of the project.  The project sponsor endorses the project as a valued investment of organizational resources to deliver the project benefits

Change Manager

The Change Manager manages the "people" side of the change introduced by the IT Project and creates and manages communications plan, training plans and rollout documentation to 1) support sponsors and 2) ensure those who are affected by the change have opportunities for engagement, and have the information they need to transition successfully and sustain the delivered benefits 

PMO Internal Contact

For IT Projects managed by people outside of the IT PMO,  an IT PMO Project Manager will be appointed as an Internal Contact/Liaison to support  the appointed Project manager and facilitate project success

Project Discovery Meeting

The IT PMO facilitates project discovery meeting(s) with the project team/sponsor/key stakeholders to:

1. Develop the Project Vision, Need, Benefit, Approach, Project Completion criteria, and Due Dates
2. Review assumptions, timing constraints, any specific obstacles, risks, and dependencies 
3. Identify IT stakeholders and services impacted by the project 
4. Confirm roles and responsibilities for the implementation project and when any resulting IT Service is operational

Questions? Ideas? 

Contact:  IT Project Management Office  at group-it-pmo@appstate.edu  and IT Service Description: IT Project Services