Project Management and Implementations

Success in today’s competitive higher education marketplace, where students have higher expectations than ever before, requires colleges and universities to strategically leverage and deploy IT solutions. Of course, some of these solutions and systems are massive and significant undertakings, requiring buy-in from a wide range of stakeholders and collaboration between a number of different units and teams.

Moving a major project forward—from identifying an issue to gaining buy-in for a solution to actually finding and implementing that solution—is no small matter. It requires meticulous planning, equal parts flexibility and rigidity, and the right combination of financial investment, personal dedication and support from senior leaders and staff.

This Feature dives into what it takes to get a major project off the ground and reflects on the process of going from idea to implementation and beyond.

Defining the Factors that Affect (or Block) a Shift Away from the Status Quo

Ken Udas | Higher Education Itinerant & Adjunct Professor, University of Southern Queensland and Scott Sorley | Executive Director of Information and Communication Technology Services, University of Southern Queensland

A few key, but often uncommunicated, factors in whether or not a committee decides to shift away from the status quo include organizational maturity, the type of project and the proposal writer’s ability to appeal to organizational objectives.

Pursuing a Major Implementation and Improvement: Why Take the Plunge? (Part 1)

Bill Liddick | Director of Engagement and Implementation, Ithaca College and Nick Farthing | Project Manager and Business Analyst in Information Technology, Ithaca College

While the amount of time, investment and effort that goes into a major implementation (and the accompanying business process changes that follow) can be significant, the outcomes and benefits tend to make up for the work that went in.

Change Management and Stakeholder Engagement: Involving End Users and Executive Sponsors

Daniel Cordas | Project Manager, Seattle Colleges and Ligia Cicos | Project and Organizational Change Manager, Edmonds Community College

Properly engaging end users and executive sponsors is critical for the success of a major project and can help to drive buy-in for, and engagement with, the project.

Coming Into the Fold: Why (and How) Trustees Should Participate in Institutional Procurement

Armand Alacbay | Vice President of Trustee and Legislative Affairs, American Council of Trustees and Alumni

While avoiding micromanaging, it’s critical for governing boards to be involved in major implementation and purchasing processes in order to meet their fiduciary responsibilities to the institution.

Driving Opportunities for Change: How Users Can Mobilize Change in their Divisions

Ligia Cicos | Project and Organizational Change Manager, Edmonds Community College and Daniel Cordas | Project Manager, Seattle Colleges

By properly identifying a problem or opportunity, and then approaching a solution systematically, individuals can inspire massive changes in their environments.

The Art of People People and the Power of Why

Paige Francis | Associate Chief Information Officer, University of Arkansas

The capacity to clearly communicate is critical to avoiding some of the most prevalent and impactful roadblocks that stand between a project’s conception and its implementation.

Defining “Needs” and Separating them from “Wants: Central to Any Successful IT Project

Ven Meyerzon | System and Business Analyst, UC Davis Extension

While maintaining a collaborative environment, IT leaders must take a leading role in helping to define the scope and requirements of major projects on their campuses – ensuring needs and wants are defined, understood and kept separate.

Building Support for Change: Eight Strategies to Achieve Consensus

Maureen MacDonald | Dean of the School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto

Though it can be challenging, focusing on consensus building can help leaders ensure their institutions stay ahead of major market shifts while also keeping everyone on the team pulling in the same direction.

Understanding and Achieving Consensus: Best Practices and Pitfalls to Avoid

Rolando Rene Talbott | Director of the Project Management Office, Pomona College

Building consensus between multiple parties is a critical responsibility of IT leaders today, and while there are a few best practices that can be employed to help find common ground, there are a few significant pitfalls that, if not avoided, can spell disaster for a project.

A University-Wide PM Methodology to Improve Efficiency and Drive Projects to Completion

Luc Roy | Chief Information Officer, Laurentian University

By standardizing the institutional approach to project management, it’s possible for a university to realize massive efficiencies while also seeing major projects through to completion closer to (and even under) their anticipated time and budget.

Preparation, Expectation Management and Commitment Central to Driving Major Projects Forward

Shaun Sutherell | Assistant Director of Business Development and Project Management in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies, University of Delaware, and Steven M. Kendus | Manager of Marketing and Communications in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies, University of Delaware

The process of launching a major IT project can be time-consuming and stressful, but the positive impact the new system can bring to the institution or division makes that effort well worth it.

Embracing Failure: The Secret Sauce in Project Management

Colleen Carmean | Assistant Chancellor of Academic Affairs, University of Washington Tacoma

Even with all the best practices and intentions in place, failure is a reality in project management. To recover from those failures and to minimize their future occurrences, project leaders must learn to embrace failure.