IT/PPS 04.10 - Information Technology Division Project Management

Information Technology Division Project Management

IT/PPS No. 04.10
Issue No. 7
Effective Date: 3/02/2023
Next Review Date: 3/01/2024 (EY)
Sr. Reviewer: Vice President for Information Technology

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to continuously improving the delivery of information technology solutions within budget, on schedule, within scope, and in such a way as to best contribute to accomplishing the university’s strategic mission.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1. This policy establishes Division of Information Technology (IT) project management protocols.
2. On initiation of an information resources technology project, including an application development project and any information resources projects described in the Texas Government Code §2054, Subchapter G, each project shall classify the data produced from or used in the project and determine appropriate data security and applicable retention requirements under Texas Government Code §441.185 for each classification.
DEFINITIONS
1. Charter – a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor formally authorizing the existence of a project and provides the project manager (PM) with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.
2. External Project – projects managed by the IT Division, but the sponsor or requesting organization is outside of the IT division (e.g., Registrar).
3. Gantt Chart – a graphic display of schedule-related information which may vary in detail from high-level milestones to complex work breakdown structures.
4. Internal Project – projects controlled by the IT division whose sponsor or requesting organization is within the IT division.
5. Project – a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. It has a defined beginning and end, and therefore, defined scope and resources.
6. Project Management Plan (PMP) – a formal, approved document defining how a project is to be executed, monitored, controlled, and closed. This is generally used for projects with multiple phases.
7. Project Milestone – a significant event in a project occurring at a point in time. A project milestone should not be confused with a public milestone.
8. Project Sponsor – the person or group providing the financial resources, in cash or in kind, for the project.
9. Public Milestone – a project milestone submitted for inclusion into the IT division’s milestone visibility process. These are the project’s most prominent deliverables.
10. Tier 1 Projects (Strategic Projects) – projects most visible to the Texas State University community and usually appear on the division’s strategic plan. These projects are typically resource intensive and may utilize resources from multiple units within and external to the IT division. Therefore, these projects should exhibit the most stringent level of project management to ensure success throughout the duration of the project.
11. Tier 2 Projects (Key Projects) – highly visible projects having a significant impact on the university or would contribute to a negative reputation of the division should they be perceived unsuccessful. Therefore, these projects should exhibit a strong level of project management to ensure success throughout the duration of the project.
12. Tier 3 Projects (Local) – projects with a limited scope and not extremely visible. Most of the projects the division undertakes fall into this tier.

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES (INTERNAL PROJECTS)

Determination of the appropriate tier for a project shall be done by utilizing a rubric. Associate vice presidents (AVPs), or equivalent, are responsible for assigning the appropriate tier to their projects and should consult with IT Council (ITC) if uncertain. The vice president for Information Technology (VPIT) may make an exception to the tier of a project.

Each project tier has a specific set of minimum requirements as outlined in the table below.

A project registry of open projects will be maintained by the special assistant and made available to IT Division staff.
The following documents shall be sent to the special assistant to share with ITC once they are completed:
1. business case summary;
2. fully-executed project charter;
3. project plan;
4. marketing and communications plan; and
5. project closure document.

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES (EXTERNAL PROJECTS)
1. The director of Information Technology Business Operations/Services must be listed as a stakeholder at the charter stage of the projects. The director of Information Technology Business Operations/Services, or designee, will ensure the proper reviews are completed and provide contract management and procurement leadership to the project team.

REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

Position	Date
Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information Technology	March 1 EY
Associate Vice President, Information Technology Assistance Center	March 1 EY
Director, Information Technology Business Operations/Services	March 1 EY
Director, Information Technology Business Operations/IT Finance	March 1 EY
Associate Vice President, Technology Innovation Office	March 1 EY
Associate Vice President, Technology Resources	March 1 EY
Chief Information Security Officer	March 1 EY
Executive Assistant, Information Technology	March 1 EY
Vice President for Information Technology	March 1 EY

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This PPS has been reviewed by the following individual in their official capacity and represents Texas State Information Technology policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Vice President for Information Technology; senior reviewer of this PPS

Requirements	Tier 1/Strategic	Tier 2/Key	Tier 3/Local
Business Case Summary	Business case summary should be a one- to two-page document outlining the justification and relevance for the project, including any clear relationship to university and divisional goals and initiatives, opportunities and benefits, and pertinent design decisions.	Business case summary should be a one- to two-page document outlining the justification and relevance for the project, including any clear relationship to university and divisional goals and initiatives, opportunities and benefits, and pertinent design decisions.	Business case summary is encouraged but optional and most likely would be included within the charter scope.
Project Manager Assignment	The division’s vice president will assign the project manager after consulting with the appropriate AVP’s or ITC.	The appropriate AVP will assign the project manager with written concurrence from the division’s vice president.	Project Manager roles are assigned by the appropriate AVP or equivalent.
Project Charter	Project charter shall utilize the IT division’s standard charter template for Tier 1 projects. Project charter must be signed by all key stakeholders of the project and ITC and forwarded to the special assistant to the VPIT.	Project charter shall utilize the IT division’s standard charter template for Tier 2 projects. Project charter must be signed by all key stakeholders of the project and forwarded to the special assistant to the VPIT.	Project charter shall utilize the IT division’s standard charter template for Tier 3 projects. Signed project charter must be forwarded to the special assistant to the VPIT.
Project Management Plan (PMP)	A PMP must be created and signed by the division’s vice president.	Some elements of a PMP are required at the discretion and approval of the appropriate AVP, or equivalent.	Only a project schedule is required.
Project Planning Deliverables	Project Manager shall maintain appropriate project planning deliverables such as accessible Gantt charts with task dependencies and resource assignments as outlined in the DOIT Project Management Standards document.	Project Manager shall maintain appropriate project planning deliverables such as accessible Gantt charts with task dependencies and resource assignments as outlined in the DOIT Project Management Standards document.	Gantt chart with task dependencies is optional but highly recommended; some method of schedule tracking must be implemented.
Resource (Staff) Assignments	All resources must sign off on their task commitments and schedules with approval from their immediate supervisor.	Resources not in the chain of command of the sponsor (usually AVP, or equivalent) must sign off on their task commitments and schedules with approval from their immediate supervisor.	This process is managed locally by the appropriate AVP, or equivalent.
Marketing and Communications Campaign Plan	A detailed marketing and communications campaign plan must be created, driven, and maintained by the IT Marketing and Communications leader as part of the project plan approval.	A clear marketing and communications campaign plan must be approved or created by the IT Marketing and Communications leader as part of the project plan approval.	At the discretion of the appropriate AVP, or equivalent, a marketing and communications plan may be created as part of the project planning process.
IT Business Services	Projects requiring procurement of goods and services must list the director of IT Business Services as a stakeholder at the charter stage of the project.	Projects requiring procurement of goods and services must list the director of IT Business Services as a stakeholder at the charter stage of the project.	Projects requiring procurement of goods and services must list the director of IT Business Services as a stakeholder at the charter stage of the project.
Issues Log	An issues log must be maintained and available to the project team and ITC as part of the PMP.	An issues log must be maintained and available to the project team and ITC.	This process is managed locally by the appropriate AVP, or equivalent.
Public Milestone	Pertinent public milestones meeting a criterion set by ITC must be applied to the divisional Project Milestone Chart.	Pertinent public milestones meeting a criterion set by ITC must be applied to the divisional Project Milestone Chart.	Pertinent public milestones meeting a criterion set by ITC must be applied to the divisional Project Milestone Chart.
Project Reporting	A written project status report will be provided to ITC monthly or presented to ITC during a regular meeting.	A written project status report will be provided to ITC monthly or presented to ITC during a regular meeting.	Reporting can be done during ITC roundtables, when appropriate, by AVPs.
Budget Approval	Project budget must be introduced and approved by the VPIT as part of the business case summary and charter approval process.	Project budget must be approved by the appropriate AVP, or equivalent, if no additional funding is required. If additional funding is required, it must be approved by the VPIT.	Project budget must be approved (or approval delegated) by the AVP, or equivalent, of the area managing the project.
Project Sync Meeting	A weekly project stakeholder sync meeting in which issues, progress, and current project status are communicated is required.	A weekly project stakeholder sync meeting in which issues, progress, and current project status are communicated is required.	Project status meetings should be held as required to keep the project on track.
Project Site in Microsoft Teams	A Microsoft Teams site must be created, with access given to all stakeholders. The Teams site is to be used for all project related documents (contracts, etc.), meeting notes, design documents, issues logs project communications. The Vice President and Special Assistant should be granted access to the Teams site if they are not already a project stakeholder.	A Microsoft Teams site must be created, with access given to all stakeholders. The Teams site is to be used for all project related documents (contracts, etc.), meeting notes, design documents, issues logs project communications. The Vice President and Special Assistant should be granted access to the Teams site if they are not already a project stakeholder.	A Microsoft Teams site is optional.
Project Closure	After the project success measures have been met or the time has elapsed for meeting the success measures, a formal project closure document including all the standard elements required is circulated for review and approval to the stakeholders and sponsors reflected in the charter.	After the project success measures have been met or the time has elapsed for meeting the success measures, a formal project closure document including all the standard elements required is circulated for review and approval to the stakeholders and sponsors reflected in the charter.	The sign-off completion process is managed locally by the appropriate AVP, or equivalent.