Strategic Portfolio Management

The SPM framework provides the forum for shared-decision making in order to identify and prioritize which top IT projects will be undertaken by the VPCIO area, in support of university initiatives.

SPM staff are located in the Computing Center.

SPM provides the following services to UB:

The SPM team consists of IT Relationship Managers responsible for facilitating transparent communication to all audiences regarding the UBIT top projects currently being implemented and ones on the horizon.

The SPM framework enables the SPM team to partner with UB leadership and campus constituents in order to build a common understanding of the UBIT project prioritization and IT Governance processes.

The team regularly gathers and tracks IT project information from constituents across the institution, and prepares reports and analysis to support project prioritization and resource capacity planning efforts. The IT Governance Council receives regular reports, information and support from the SPM team to help with their decisions to expedite or delay project timelines, as needed, to achieve university strategic goals.

The IT Project Intake Form is the starting place to request that a new IT Top Project be considered for staffing and implementation.

UBIT Top Project Guiding Principles Checklist

To be considered a UBIT top project, and therefore, subject to UBIT project governance, work must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Requires a major version or architecture change to an application or service that introduces a significant change in behavior
• Is highly visible across campus
• Impacts a large constituency
• Requires significant staff resources from the campus
• Requires a significant financial investment from the campus
• Creates operational efficiencies for the campus
• Has been internally or externally mandated
• Is rated as a GROW or TRANSFORM project and is an ACTIVE project
• Has been ranked in the top project set for one of our major constituency groups
• Supports one or more of University Strategic Goals  

The IT Project Scoping Sessions are held to share information and build a common understanding of new project inquiries. After an IT Project Intake Form is submitted, an SPM IT Relationship Manager will reach out to schedule a Scoping Session. At the Scoping Session, requesting departments will meet with key members of the UBIT team to work through project details including, but not limited to, alignment of the project to university-wide goals, audience and impact size of the project, the project category (run, grow, transform), etc.  

As an outcome of the Scoping Session, the project will be referred to the requesting area’s IT Portfolio Advisory Committee (IT PAC) representative for inclusion and prioritization on that area’s IT Top Project list. Based on prioritization, the VPCIO provides staffing resources and an anticipated project start date.

If the purchase is following the RFP process, the SPM office will facilitate selection of IT Vendor Questionnaire questions that will be used as a starting point to help form the technology components of the RFP scoring rubric.

If the purchase is following the RFI process, the SPM office will advise and provide standard IT questions that will be used as a starting point to help select applicable technology considerations to guide the RFI.

For all other purchases a vendor completed IT Vendor Questionnaire review is conducted in anticipation of a software or technology-related purchase.  The IT Vendor Questionnaire contains a list of standard questions that the VPCIO area uses to evaluate how a new technology or software application will integrate into the UB environment. After successfully completing the Vendor Questionnaire review process, the requestors will receive an endorsement / official sign-off to provide with the purchasing documentation they submit.

Change Management refers to a formal process for making changes to IT systems. The goal of change management is to increase awareness and understanding of proposed changes across an organization and ensure that all changes are made in a thoughtful way that minimize negative impact to services and customers.

UBIT Change Management ensures standard procedures are used for efficient and prompt handling of all changes to IT infrastructure, whether it’s the rolling out of new services, managing existing ones or resolving problems.  The standard process also enables us to appropriately plan and schedule changes to minimize risk and maximize stability of technology services. Working closely with the Change Advisory Board (CAB), the SPM team communicates to provide visibility and transparency about impending changes.

• Kelly Duran, Assistant CIO & Director, Strategic Portfolio Management
• Lynn Collis, Change Manager
• Laura Yates, IT Relationship Manager
• Kathleen Murphy, IT Relationship Manager
• Margery Muniak, IT Relationship Manager