Introduction

Computing Projects are expensive, but the payoffs are often huge.  Programming resources are limited and the requests are many.  How should the University determine which requests deserve priority?

This packet of forms has been developed to help the University understand and assess proposed projects early, estimate their costs accurately, and predict the timelines and outcomes with more clarity.

If you wish to request a project, please remember that the process of systems development is a partnership between your office, Information Technology Services (ITS), and other offices and users affected.  A successful project takes time, definition, and dedication.  You will be asked up-front to provide as much information as you can to describe and define the project, estimate costs you know, identify who’s affected and who should be involved in the project.  Completing these forms should take about 15 minutes for a small project and somewhat longer for a large one.  Our goal is that thorough definition at the beginning will make the whole subsequent process flow more smoothly and be accomplished more quickly.

Before you start, you will need to have a good idea of what the project consists of and what the outcomes will be.  You should know who from your office will be dedicated to work on the project, and what other offices will be likely to be affected. 

The process the University uses to set priorities for project requests is:

  • You complete the request.  It will be automatically forwarded to the vice president of your division for review.
  • Your VP will either send the project on to Information Technology Services for detailed estimate of time or return it to you for clarification and re-submittal.
  • If the VP forwards your project, Information Technology Services will consult with you to estimate their time on the project, and forward it to the University’s Administrative Information Systems Resources Committee (AISRC) for prioritization.
  • The AISRC will determine the priority of your project relative to other projects submitted.
  • Once your project reaches the top of the queue, Information Technology Services will schedule a “kickoff meeting” with you and other people involved to scope the project,  establish  roles of project participants, set timelines and milestones, and begin the project.
  • Upon completion, the sponsor of your project will report back to the AISRC, and some time later hold a post-mortem meeting to add to our knowledge of “do’s” and “don’ts” for future project  development.

If you would like assistance with completing this request you may contact the Senior Analyst/Programmer assigned to your area.  Please attempt to answer all the questions, but don’t get hung up on any you can’t answer; make an estimate and move on!

The Administrative Information System Resources Committee (AISRC), made up of representatives from each of the University's divisions and from Information Technology Services, is responsible for setting campus priorities for software development and software acquisition projects.

This space is for future development

  1. AISRC issues a call for computing project requests and advises those who have previously submitted requests that they submit new ones using the new Administrative Project Reqest Form (9-page form).
  2. Users submit requests to their Vice-President (or designee).
  3. Vice-President (or designee) reviews requests, gets additional information if needed, and forwards approved requests to Information Technology Services.
  4. Information Technology Services puts rough time and cost estimates on requests.
  5. Projects with rough estimates of two weeks or less go to an Operational Group made up of one major user representative from each of the Vice-Presidential areas. The Operational Group will prioritize these projects and return them

Executive Sponsor
  • Overall Responsibility and authority for the project
  • Provides high-level project direction
  • Secures funding for the project
  • Resolves policy or objectives conflicts
  • Acts as a vocal and visible project champion
  • Legitimizes the project's goals and objectives
  • Chairs the Steering Committee (or a representative amy chair the steering committee for smaller projects)
Steering Committee

Management representatives from the key organizations involved in the project oversight and control:

  • Act individually and collectively as a vocal and visible project champion throughout their representative organizations.
  • Guide the project
  • Review and approve project deliverables
  • Review and approve scope change requests
Project Manager

Develops Project Charter and Project Plans

  • Plans, organizes and controls the development of project deliverables
  • Evaluates formal reviews and management reviews
  • Tracks and disposes of issues
  • Tracks action items and budgets
  • Represents the project in Steering Committee meetings
  • Time and Staff committments
Project Team
  • Dedicated to project assignment
  • Identifies and oversees project support personnel
  • Executes project tasks
  • Creates project deliverables
  • Investigates issues and change requests
  • Reports ot Project Manager
Project Support Personnel
  • Part-time to Project Manager
  • May represent user base
  • May be called on to meet with Project Team
  • Fulfills specialized or temporary project need. Examples include:
    • Industry specialists
    • Business experts
    • Professional trainers
    • Data administration
    • Work product reviewers

Princeton Project Management Methodology (PPMM)

The link below will bring up a Power Point presentation by Hetty Baiz (of Princeton University). This slide show will go through the steps that Princeton has developed to help you succeed at setting up and successfully delivering a project.

A Brief Overview of the Project Manangement Methodology Process

Project Management for IT Projects at Binghamton

The link below will open up a Word document that will discuss the steps the University will use for IT project request, approval and implementation.

The Cookbook for IT projects at Binghamton

Project Toolkit

The table below provides links to the Checklists and Templates for Project Management for IT Projects at Binghamton


Checklists Templates
Project Startup Scope/Definition
Project Planning Project Scope Change
Sponsor Initiation Status Report
Quality Assurance Gantt Chart
Transition Planning Risk Management
Project Closeout Issue Log

This space is for future development

This space is for future development