it strategic planning for the smaller institution: a lightweight approach educause annual conference...
TRANSCRIPT
IT Strategic Planning for the Smaller Institution: A Lightweight Approach
EDUCAUSE Annual Conference Seattle, WashingtonOctober 25, 2007
IT Strategic Planning for the Smaller Institution
Robert E. Renaud
Vice President
Library and Information Services
Dickinson College
Outline
Institutional Context Impetus Objectives Success Criteria LIS Strategic Plan Outcomes Lessons Comments and Questions
Institutional Context
Institutional Context
College chartered in 1783 Located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania 2400 students Liberal arts curriculum Annual budget in FY08: $120 million Endowment in FY07: $329 million
Institutional Context
Crisis in 1990s Deterioration in admissions selectivity High discount rates, loss of tuition income Growing budget deficits Low returns on investments, endowment stagnant Deteriorating physical plant Decaying IT infrastructure
Institutional Context
New Management Team Arrives in 1999 President William G. Durden appointed Enrollment management instituted Finances stabilized First Strategic Plan developed for FY2001-2005 IT identified as 1 of 5 Enabling Conditions
Institutional Context
Strategic Plan Evaluation, 2003 College meets or exceeds every target, except IT Evaluation points to
Sluggish decision making User dissatisfaction Weak network infrastructure Inability to deliver commodity services such as PDAs Failure to align with College Strategic Plan
Institutional Context
Library and Information Services Formed Composed of former Library and IT departments VP and CIO named Five departments 71 staff FY05 operating budget: $4.8 million
Impetus
Impetus
Challenges Facing LIS Backlog of projects High expectations Staff stress and anxiety Need to integrate new managers, staff Uneven funding
Impetus
Alignment with College strategic plan unclear Narrative approach inadequate Planning failed to yield priorities Planning failed to yield funding Range of LIS services confusing to campus
Objectives
Objectives
To align LIS goals with College Strategic Plan
To communicate plans to campus To provide a basis for budget discussions To promote internal communication
Success Criteria
Success Criteria
Clear depiction of strategic alignment Integration with College governance system Low overhead Understandable to anyone Low tech as possible Sufficient to shape priorities Applicable to full range of LIS services
Success Criteria
Aligned with College Strategic Plan Budget process and calendar Campus committee calendar Personnel evaluation process Project management function
Success Criteria
Timeframes If too short, overhead increases If too long, pace of technology overtakes plan
Not too short, not too long, just right
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
College of Charleston, Strategic Technology Plan, A Three-Year Alignment of Technological and Institutional Goals, March 31, 2004
http://stp.cofc.edu/stp.pdf Project Management Office, Office of
Information Technology, Princeton University
http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ppo/
LIS Strategic Plan
LIS Strategic Plan
Key Concepts Planning Layers
Campus strategic plan Goals Initiatives Individual goals
Reusable Goals Mapping Annual cycle
LIS Strategic Plan
Planning Layer Organizational Level Timeframe
Dickinson College Strategic Plan College FY 2006 - 2010
LIS Strategic Goals Division FY 2008 - 2010
LIS Initiatives Department or CFT Single Fiscal Year
Individual Staff Goals Individual Staff Single Fiscal Year
LIS Strategic PlanLIS Strategic Goals, Fiscal Years 2008-2010
LIS Strategic Goal
Description
Goal 1 Define in consultation with the campus community information fluency and create standards, modes of delivery and methods of assessment that are aligned with the curriculum of the College.
Goal 2 Create a Media Center as a home for faculty and student collaboration that will reflect the College’s national leadership position in the application of information technology to learning, teaching, and scholarship.
Goal 3 Create a unified portal to information resources for all College constituencies on and beyond the campus.
Goal 4 Define a predictable and sustainable replacement cycle for desktop systems and the campus computing and communications network that reflects the priorities of the College.
LIS Strategic PlanLIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan
Dickinson College Strategic Plan Goal 1:Information Fluency
Goal 2:Media Center
Goal 3Unified Portal
Goal 4:Replacement Cycle
Defining Characteristics
I. A Community of Inquiry
II. Global Perspective
III. Useful Education
IV. Citizen-Leaders
V. Diversity
VI. Accountability and Sustainability
LIS Strategic Plan
Dickinson College Strategic Plan Goal 1:Information Fluency
Goal 2:Media Center
Goal 3Unified Portal
Goal 4:Replacement Cycle
Enabling Conditions
VII. People
VIII. Financial Strength
IX. Lifelong Affiliation
X. Technology and Information Management
XI. Visibility and Prestige
XII. Institutional Information and Practices
LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan
LIS Strategic PlanLIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Guiding Organizational Priorities, 2006-2007
Guiding Organizational Priorities Goal 1:Information Fluency
Goal 2:Media Center
Goal 3:Unified Portal
Goal 4:Replacement Cycle
The Dickinsonian Dispositions
A Culture Of Communication
A Culture Of Engagement And Responsibility
An Integrated Multi-Divisional 10-Year Forecast
LIS Strategic PlanLIS Initiatives Mapped to LIS Strategic Goals for Fiscal 2008
LIS Initiatives Goal 1:Information Fluency
Goal 2:Media Center
Goal 3:Unified Portal
Goal 4:Replacement Cycle
Divisional
1.Institute a project planning and communication methodology
1.Conduct training for staff at service points
1.Finalize and communicate LIS service model
LIS Strategic PlanLIS Initiatives Mapped to LIS Strategic Goals for Fiscal 2008
LIS Initiatives Goal 1:Information Fluency
Goal 2:Media Center
Goal 3:Unified Portal
Goal 4:Replacement Cycle
User Services Department
1.Define cycles and standards for equipment replacements.
1.Create strategy to implement Microsoft Vista and Office 2007.
1.Create LIS business continuity strategy linked to campus plan
LIS Strategic Plan
Sample Initiative
1. Institute a project planning and communication methodology.
Each department within LIS is focused upon completion of important projects. These projects ultimately affect other departments within LIS as well as Dickinson College personnel. A project management methodology should consist of both formal documentation and consistent interdepartmental meetings and communications. Project management standards need to be created for documentation, project status, departmental communications, and client communications.
LIS Strategic PlanPhase Process Deliverable Deadline or Date of
Activity
1.Departmental Goal Setting
Review current fiscal year goalsReview DC Strategic PlanPropose 2-3 goals per departmentJoint goals encouraged Review license agreements
Draft departmental goals sent as e-mail attachments from Directors to VPVP integrates into LIS FY08 Goals, Draft Version 1
End of July
2.Management Group Review
Management Group reviews draft goals, filters, and defines 5-8 divisional goals
LIS FY08 Goals, Draft Version 2
End of July
3. Divisional Retreat
Departments present goals at staff retreat and identify overlaps Staff comments and suggestions are recorded
Record of staff comments and discussion
First week of August
4. Management Group Review
Management Group revises goals based on staff feedbackGoals distributed to LIS staff and posted on LIS Web site, subject to governance review
LIS FY08 Goals, Draft Version 3
End of August
5. Capture Budget Requests
User Services requests for next fiscal year (1) SXC computing needs, (2) Academic Affairs Division classroom upgrades, (3) computing needs for new instructional spaces.
SXC computing needsClassroom upgrade needs New instructional spaces
End of September
LIS Strategic Plan
LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan
Phase Process Deliverable Deadline or Date of Activity
6. Governance Review
VP reviews goals for next fiscal year with Information Technology and Services Committee and asks for comments. MG considers and makes any changes.
LIS Fiscal Year Goals, Final Version
October
7. Planning and Budget Submission
Present LIS Budget Submission based on LIS Fiscal Year Goals, Final Version, and including (1) SXC computing needs, (2) Academic Affairs Division classroom upgrades, (3) computing needs for new instructional spaces, (4) major LIS related projects, (5) equipment lifecycle replacements, (6) new staffing requests.
LIS Budget Submission November
8. Plan Finalized
Receive confirmation of funding levels from P&B. Plan finalized
LIS Strategic Plan, Final January
9. Project Planning
Break down LIS Fiscal Year Goals into projects and integrate into project tracking and reporting tool
Detailed project plans, including timelines, deliverables, and staff task assignments.
End of April
10. Individual Goal Setting
LIS staff attend Individual LIS staff set goals in Personal Development and Evaluation Plan (PDEP) processConference attendance requests
PDEP Forms April – May As Determined by Human Resources Services
Outcomes
Outcomes
LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan
Enhanced campus profile Better integration with governance system Alignment with College Strategic Plan Less time spent on planning activities
OutcomesLIS Budget, FY04-FY08 (Excludes Compensation)
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
3,500,000
4,000,000
4,500,000
5,000,000
FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08
+14%
Outcomes
Incredible service!
Everything went well with my service.
Quick, efficient service. Thanks!
As always, the Help Desk and other LIS staff took extremely good care of my problem.
Staff is always helpful, friendly, knowledgeable
Thank you very much for your prompt service.
Very speedy fix. Thank you so much!!
I appreciate all the help I get from … LIS :)
excellent service
Lessons
Lessons
Lightweight means something has to go SWOT analysis Visioning Collective work on mission statement Project breakdowns prior to funding
Leveraging the campus plan
Lessons
Not everything worth doing is strategic Do not water down idea of what is strategic
Lessons
Setting Goals is tricky If Goals not relevant for 3 years, reframe Think in terms of areas of focus
Lessons
Graphics trump narrative Regular, annual cycle prevents forgetfulness Mapping is extensible Use different language for different groups Building credibility is a cumulative process Funded initiatives need project management
Lessons
People don’t like to plan ahead Value of planning is counter-intuitive Senior leadership critical Strategic planning is not about tools Strategic planning is about communication
Comments and Questions
IT Strategic Planning for the Smaller Institution: A Lightweight Approach
EDUCAUSE Annual Conference
Seattle, Washington
October 25, 2007