IT/PPS 04.10 - Information Technology Division Project Management
Information Technology Division Project Management
IT/PPS No. 04.10
Issue No. 9
Effective Date: 7/28/2025
Next Review Date: 8/01/2030 (E5Y)
Sr. Reviewer: Director, IT Project Management Office
POLICY STATEMENT
Texas State University is committed to establishing a standardized approach for managing Information Technology projects.
SCOPE
Applicability – This policy applies to all Information Technology (IT) projects undertaken by any department within the university, regardless of size, budget, or duration, if the project requires central IT involvement.
Project Lifecycle Coverage – This policy governs all phases of the project lifecycle, from initial proposal and planning through execution, monitoring, and closure.
Compliance and Standards – The statements contained in this document ensure compliance with university-wide standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices in the IT project management.
DEFINITIONS
Budget – the estimated cost of completing the project, including all associated expenses.
Executive Sponsor – a senior leader or executive accountable for the project’s overall success and alignment with organizational strategy. The executive sponsor provides high-level direction, secures funding and resources, and resolves escalated issues or conflicts. They act as the project’s advocate, ensuring its objectives are understood and supported by stakeholders, and they champion its value to the organization. The executive sponsor also approves the project charter and provides ongoing support to the project team. The business owner and executive sponsor roles may be fulfilled by the same individual if they possess the authority and responsibility to oversee both the strategic and operational aspects of the project.
Information Technology Team Lead – the individual responsible for overseeing project execution, including planning, organizing, and communicating progress. For Project Management Office (PMO) projects, this role is assigned to a member of the PMO. For team-managed projects, the IT Team Lead assumes this role and is responsible for fulfilling the duties and requirements typically assigned to a project manager, including resource coordination, task assignments, and progress reporting.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – quantifiable metrics used to evaluate the success and performance of the project against its objectives.
Project – a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.
Project Business Owner – the individual accountable for ensuring the project delivers value to the organization. They represent the business or functional area requesting the project and define its vision, goals, and high-level requirements. The business owner is responsible for prioritizing deliverables, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives, and making critical decisions regarding scope, budget, and resource allocation. They provide final approval of project deliverables and oversee the transition to operations or production.
Project Charter – a document that formally authorizes a project and outlines its objectives, scope, stakeholders, high-level timeline, and budget.
Project Manager – the individual responsible for planning, executing, monitoring and closing a project to achieve its objectives. In some cases, the project manager may also serve as a contributing member of the project team, performing assigned tasks and directly participating in project work alongside team members. Not all projects will have an assigned project manager; in such cases, an IT Team Lead will assume the responsibilities typically carried out by the project manager, including planning, execution, monitoring, and closing.
Project Plan – a comprehensive document that outlines key aspects of the project, including its objectives, scope, deliverables, schedule, resources, cost estimates, quality requirements, risk management approach, and communication strategy. While not all components are mandatory for every project, the project plan serves as a guiding framework tailored to the project’s complexity and requirements, ensuring alignment with stakeholder expectations and organizational goals. It is a living document, updated throughout the project lifecycle to reflect changes and maintain alignment with project objectives.
Post-Implementation Review (PIR) – an assessment conducted after project completion to evaluate its performance and lessons learned.
Scope – the defined work and deliverables to achieve the project’s objectives, including the specified features and functions.
Stakeholder – any individual, group, or organization that can influence or be influenced by the project’s outcomes.
Timeline – the planned schedule for the project, detailing start and end dates and key deliverables.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work required to accomplish the project objectives.
PROJECT PROCEDURES
Project Initiation
Any stakeholder submits an IT Project Intake form to the Project Management Office (PMO).
The request is reviewed
The project manager or IT Team Lead will initiate the project by creating a Project Charter and obtain approval from the executive sponsor and stakeholders.
Project Planning
A detailed project plan must be developed. This may include a combination of relevant documentation, such as a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), schedule, budget, resource plan, risk management plan, and communication plan.
The project manager or IT Team Lead must conduct planning meetings with the project team and all stakeholders.
The project plan must be reviewed and approved by the project sponsor, project business owner, and stakeholders.
Project Execution
- The project manager or IT Team Lead is responsible for leading the project team, managing resources, and ensuring the project is executed according to the project plan.
Regular status updates must be provided to stakeholders and documented in the project repository.
The project manager or IT Team Lead assigns project tasks to team members and manages resource allocation.
The project manager or IT Team Lead monitors project performance using KPIs and project metrics as indicated in the project charter.
Any deviations from the project plan must be documented by the project manager or IT Team Lead, and corrective actions must be taken. Change requests must be submitted for approval for any scope, schedule, or budget modifications.
Project Closure
Upon project completion, the project manager or IT Team Lead must ensure all deliverables are met, obtain formal acceptance from stakeholders, and close any open contracts.
The project manager or IT Team Lead should conduct a Post-Implementation Review (PIR) to evaluate project performance and document lessons learned.
The project manager must archive all project documentation.
COMPLIANCE
- To ensure consistent and effective project execution, all IT project management activities should align with this policy. If any deviations are necessary, the PMO will assist in addressing and resolving them.
REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS
Reviewers of this PPS include the following:
Position Date Director, Project Management Office August 1 E5Y Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information Technology August 1 E5Y Associate Vice President, Information Technology Assistance Center August 1 E5Y Director, Information Technology Business Operations/Services August 1 E5Y Director, Information Technology Business Operations/Finance August 1 E5Y Associate Vice President, Technology Resources August 1 E5Y Chief Information Security Officer August 1 E5Y Executive Assistant, Information Technology August 1 E5Y Vice President for Information Technology August 1 E5Y
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.
Director, IT Project Management Office; senior reviewer of this PPS
Vice President for Information Technology