EITS Directors Retreat Session 2 Compact Planning:

1. EITS Directors RetreatSession 2Compact Planning: December 2, 2004

2. Topics/Comments • Organizations in times of change: thinking like a business • Drivers of change • Relationship of core systems, services, applicationsto drivers of change (e.g., UGA Strategic Directions) • Framing the CORE • Compact Planning……….Initiatives, Strategies

3. ...organization will need to think like a business and manage as an enterprise in order to influence information technology as an enabler of change

4. UGA Drivers of Change (e.g) • UGA Mission • UGA Goals • UGA Strategic Plan 2000-2010 • UGA Accreditation 2008 • Five-year Program Planning Process/Provost • American Higher Education’s ‘three’ Revolutions • UGA Priority projects • UGA Strategic Directions

5. Simplifying the planning… 1) Breaking complexity into smaller pieces and assigning chunks to specialized individuals or units (initiatives) 2) Creating a strategy for public interest including • Defining goals and intermediate long/short-term objectives • Carrying out a SWOT analysis • Imagining and playing scenarios • Drawing up an action timetable, etc.

6. and, by asking the RIGHT question… • Whom do you serve and what do they want to do? (customers/clients/organization…big picture) • What are the core systems, services, and support provided? (CORE systems, services, support) • What is the best way to provide the services (processes) • How do we know we are doing a good job? (metrics) • What is the best way to organize? (structure) NOTE: sequence of questions extremely important: need to reverse traditional approach by putting focus on customers…worrying about organizational structure and reporting lines is mistake!

7. Strategic Planning, Governance and Advisement Business Operations and Admin Applications Essential Infrastructure and Related Support Instructional Technology Research Computing Customer support Information Technology and Data Security Outreach and Partnerships

8. rethinking approach to planning for the core….move toward Reframing approach • Business Direction….values, mission, vision, goals • Alignment….capabilities (personally tailored, quality, commodity, novelty) • Market Positioning…value proposition to customers • Capabilities Positioning…issue of product and process stable or dynamic

9. The Structural Frame • …exists to accomplish established goals and objectives • …an appropriate structure can be designed and implemented to fit an organization’s circumstances (e.g., goals, technology, environment) • Structure ensures that people focus on getting the job done; reflects specialization and division of labor • Specialization permits higher levels of individual expertise and performance; problems and performance gaps arise and remedied through restructuring

10. Political Frame • Organizations are coalitions of various individuals and interest groups • Decisions involved the allocation of scarce resources—who gets what • Scarce resources and enduring differences give conflict a central role and make power the most important role • Goals and decisions emerge from bargaining, negotiation, and jockeying for position among different stakeholders

11. Human Resource • Human Needs • Personality and Organization • Human Capacity and Changing Employment Contract • Lean and Mean: More benefits than costs • Investing in People

12. Organizational Symbols/Symbolic frame • In the face of uncertainty and ambiguity, people create symbols to resolve confusion, increase predictability, provide direction, and anchor hope and faith • Many events and processes are more important for what is expressed than what is produced. They form a cultural tapestry of secular myths, rituals, ceremonies, and stories that help people find meaning, purpose and passion.

13. Symbolic Assumptions • What is most important is not what happens but what it means • Activity and meaning are loosely coupled • In the face of widespread uncertainty and ambiguity, people create symbols to resolve confuse, increase predictability, find direction, and anchor hope • Many events and processes are more important for what is expressed than what is produced. • Culture is the glue that holds an organization together and unites people around shared values and beliefs.

14. Organizational Symbols • Myths • Stories and Fairy Tales • Ritual • Ceremony • Metaphor, Humor, and Play • Meetings • Planning, Evaluation • Collective Bargaining • Power

15. So…in terms of planning for change… factors of importance include: • Recognizing potential for change in players • Importance of building ‘chemistry’ • Importance of leading exercise in strategic thinking • Ability to articulate ‘prognosis’ of the institution • Address ‘opposition by omission’ • Establish ‘value-oriented’ vision • Take time to be patient • Consider time management and balance between ‘duty’ and interface with people

16. and…before one begins, ask some key questions regarding planning for the core including: • Which processes are most important now and why? • Who will be the change champion(s)? • Who are the stakeholders? • What is the business culture of the company and what are its strengths? • What subcultures exist and what are their strengths? • What cultural attributes are weak or will interfere with the change? • What will be the toughest changes and how will they be addressed? How ‘ready’ is the organization to change?

17. Tools for planning strategically …the difference between where we are (current status) and where we want to be (vision) is what we do (actions), why we do it (values) and how we do it (strategies).

18. …considering the vision, mission and priorities of UGA, ….the question for EITS and the Office of the CIO is: What is the value of Information Technology as a strategic asset for The University of Georgia in meeting the goals of the institution and in managing the business of the institution? How does the Office of the CIO and EITS plan for meeting the goals and priorities of UGA? What is our strategy? Strategies?

19. Compact Planning Descriptors • Inclusive, bilateral, negotiated written agreement focused on long-term planning • Venue for establishing priorities; initiative- based • Cyclical, iterative, annual • Alignment of unit and organizational goals and strategies • Provides accountability through specific performance and outcome measures tied to initiatives • Positions actions, outcomes, performance expectations; respect responsibilities; funding sources in context of university long-range goals and performance expectations; partnerships/ codicils providing ‘shared responsibility’.

20. Types of Initiatives (e.g.) • Those contributing to achievement of university goals (e.g., diversity, partnerships, global economy) • Those contributing to the university’s planning for ‘student learning in a technology-rich environment’ • Those contributing to achievement of unit-specific goals • Those improving the unit’s performance on selected performance measures • Those supporting established targets for growth, recruitment, retention, increased research funding, etc

21. Strategic Planning, Governance and Advisement Business Operations and Admin Applications Essential Infrastructure and Related Support Instructional Technology Research Computing Customer support Information Technology and Data Security Outreach and Partnerships

22. Levels of Negotiated Involvement • Level 1: EITS in concert with User community, IT ‘governance’ participants, UGANet, faculty, students, etc • Level 2: EITS Directors/senior management • Level 3: CIO’s ‘gang of 4’ (executive directions team • Level 4: CIO; IT Advisory Council • Level 5: CIO • Level 6: EMT

23. Compact Plan Format • Short title • List of university goals supported by the proposed initiatives • Clear description of each initiative and the university and unit objectives to be achieved by implementing the initiative • Strategies for implementing the initiative(s) including: • Action to be taken • Responsible individual(s) • Deliverables • Implementation schedule • Estimated cost(s) • Clear description of the desired outcomes of the initiative and how outcomes will be assessed/measured; include baseline comparisons • Prioritization of the initiatives on financial spreadsheet reflecting request, match, codicil/partnership contribution

24. Initiatives Some initiatives may take a year,…others may take two or more years to complete. The initiatives may also: a) be carried forward from a previous compact and/or new ones introduced in the current cycle; b) describe ‘new’ activities and/or improve the quality and effectiveness of existing activities such as infrastructure improvements. c) Require new funding and/or redirect existing resources.

25. Codicils When two or more units collaborate on a single initiative, a codicil is written and signed by the head of each partner unit. These codicils follow the same format as other initiatives and appear in the compact plans of each partner.