IT Strategy Review March 2014

1. IT Strategy Review March 2014 • This presentation contains a review of the implementation of the UCD IT Strategy 2009-2013, covering: • The background and context to the strategy • User feedback post implementation based on survey and focus group material • Project and programme record of IT implementations and current status input from senior IT staff • Impact assessment including SWOT analysis

2. Background & Context to the IT Strategy INTERNAL • Large growth in IT service use in UCD • Reduction in budget of circa 7% p.a. • Tech staff attrition to external posts (IT Services 26 leavers, 12 joiners since 2008) • Very high user adoption of services – UCD Connect & Blackboard • Out-sourcing of major services – Google, Blackboard & Helpdesk • Modularisation “Horizons” program • Internationalisation of UCD • Growth of Post-Grad & Research • Campus Expansion & New buildings EXTERNAL • Cloud platforms (& utility IT) • Social Media platforms • Consumerisation of IT • Smart phones & tablets • “Big Data” trends • MOOCs & on-line courses • Inter-Institutional Collaboration • Shared service developments • Economic downturn • Increased competition • Information demand for planning and accountability

3. Service Growth - The number of wireless users on the network has grown massively since 2007 – from equal wired/wireless, to 5 x times more wireless. The total devices on the network in a given month is now over 60,000 In the same period the overall UCD budget spend on IT has decreased by 25% from 11.4 mil Euro in 2008 to 8.5 mil Euro in 2014.

4. Profile of Investment & Performance

5. User Feedback – UCD Staff IT Satisfaction Level - survey AmárachReport“Review how UCD staff interact with IT services” Overall satisfaction with IT services is high among stakeholders. For services which are used regularly and everyday satisfaction is very high. (90% satisfied) Across the board stakeholders felt that the organisation was well up to date in terms of technology and updating it’s systems. 99% of stakeholders identified reliability as being the most important aspect of IT services Access to face to face support (41%) and 24 hour access to services (60%) are two areas where stakeholders felt that IT services were performing least well

6. User Feedback – Research ForesightA study with focus group was carried out by the Research Office in Oct 2013 Future Requirements The need for more advanced services was identified, suggesting Research requirements are moving to a new level Expert advisory services - Three areas of need were identified – GIS, Digital Arts & Humanities, and Personalised Medicine IT services should include the provision of web design, development, & hosting Video conferencing & podcasting supports need to be provided as a service Requirement to provide access to datasets from publicly funded research Data Management Services are essential Current Service Feedback A series of focus groups with research users found overall high satisfaction with Research IT The expertise of the Research IT team was positively commented on The network, hosting, and HPC services, including ICHEC are meeting UCD demand The network infrastructure is now seen as very robust and reliable Storage costs are still regarded as very high by research users

7. Strategy Objectives & Implementation There were 5 key objectives in the IT Strategy • Sustaining IT Infrastructure & Performance • Enhancing user experience & access to information • Building a Collaborative Data Centre • Implementing Classroom Technology & Learning Spaces • Growing eContent and Data Management Capability The implementation of each objective is summarised in the following slides, with a strength/weakness assessment

8. Strategy Objectives & Implementation1. Sustaining IT Infrastructure & Performance Strength / DELIVERY • Target availability met 99.5% • Network very strong – both measured & user feedback • Infrastructure delivered with a much reduced budget • On campus dual Data Centre effective, with low cost profile • Strong technical team • Effective move to out-sourcing & virtual/cloud models • Large savings in storage and support from Gmail / Google outsourcing Weakness / GAP • Aspiration to further increase availability (99.9%), not possible • Investment level is very low (UCD 2.5% income vs. 4.4% benchmark) • Meeting future demand may be difficult • Storage cost for Research viewed as expensive ( currently a full cost recovery model is used ) • Attrition of skills to external market is a threat – concentrated in technical teams

9. Strategy Objectives & Implementation2. Enhancing user experience & access to information Strength / DELIVERY • UCD Connect – platform of choice for users, with high satisfaction • Web interfaces for staff to admin systems implemented : +ivefeedback. • Off-campus access and mobile services delivered – with strong adoption • Technology in classrooms rolled out • Research services – compute & support delivered, with high satisfaction • Management Information delivered through InfoHub for staff • Content management system implemented for UCD web site • Identity management implemented Weakness / GAP • Office automation solution not yet finalised or implemented • Research demand is now for more specialised advisory services • Customer awareness of some services could be improved Some Figures • 60% off campus use of UCD Connect • 200+ web sites use CMS • 60,000 campus wireless devices • 30,000 mobile downloads UCD app

10. Strategy Objectives & Implementation3. Building a Collaborative Data Centre Strength / DELIVERY • Interim option to expand Daedalus centre was implemented • Data centres on campus provided necessary capacity for the duration of the strategy, with DR in-built • ICHEC high performance compute was hosted in Daedalus • Cost effective & high efficiency model was implemented for campus DCs • UCD new investment in ICHEC condo & in-house cluster provides for research • Future out-sourcing options for second DC are under review Weakness / GAP • Plan for national data centre on UCD campus not funded • Future capacity needs to be sourced to meet demand – flexible & agile option • Priority to meet UCDs strategic & research objectives • DR and failover option required, when/if older campus DC shuts down (campus development plan) • Data Centre transition is a high risk project with service implications

11. Strategy Objectives & Implementation4. Implementing Classroom Technology & Learning Spaces Strength / DELIVERY • Standard model for classrooms agreed and implemented with B&S • Rolled out to all “bookable” rooms • Support model agreed and implemented • User interface, podium, PC and technology are all easily used • External support contract for hardware is in place • Positive feedback from staff • Daedalus equipped with smartboards, videoconference & multi-functional spaces Weakness / GAP • Lecture capture facilities are still only used by a few – 10% • Extend technology standards to all classrooms • Continue discussion & interaction on design of new spaces / buildings • Ensure long term maintenance of the new model

12. Strategy Objectives & Implementation5. Growing eContent and Data Management Capability Strength / DELIVERY Research Data • Plan developed on data management model with Research IT group • Output used with Library for future work on data management • Advisory / training on data security Learning Content • Templates in Blackboard for course delivery. • Educational technologists based in schools ( 14/15 ) • UCD initiative for on-line courses Weakness / GAP • Some progress on research data management & analytics, but requirement for this is escalating • Demand for research for advisory service around data not fully met (apart from data security area ) • Limited involvement in MOOC trials and new public learning platforms ( Futurelearn, Udacity, Coursera etc..)

13. Impact Assessment Opportunities • Build on high user adoption – capacity to deliver services on a wider scale, international and inter-institutional • Strong learning platform with capability to deliver wide range of services – could work in parallel with MOOC presence (for marketing - see Edinburgh e.g. ) • Transition to a cloud model with out-sourcing and brokered services, would give high agility • Research storage – secure /cloud capacity possible – some subvention may be required to drive adoption • Incentives & support to use lecture capture – e.g. Tutorial “10min” lecture element service Threats • Research capability – stronger service and skills required in data management & analytics • DC capacity and higher availability required for “consumer” type service model • Underinvestment could severely damage the service • IT Skills attrition is a high risk

14. Strategy Summary Impact The significant impacts of the IT Strategy were: • Greatly improved satisfaction with user interfaces and access to information services, reflected in high adoption rates and feedback. • Strong performance of infrastructure and high confidence in the user community of availability of services – reflected both in general feedback & also from research community, who have very high demands. • A strong eLearning platform base, with high use and the potential for growth into a more sophisticated delivery model. • Transformation in working model in the University from paper based to on-line • Major objectives of the strategy were met despite a very constrained financial environment. • Very strong capability to service mobile devices and off campus access – meeting the changing needs of the student population.

15. Contribution to UCD Strategy Learning: IT Systems and Services provided the critical platform to support UCD’s modularised curriculum and blended learning model. Student information, registration, and on-line module selection were essential. The Blackboard learning platform and classroom technology services are key enablers of blended learning, with high adoption and ease of use. Research: Computation and storage are essential elements of the research infrastructure, supporting UCD’s research intensive & inter-disciplinary strategy. The IT Research Team model provided a customer focused service supporting collaboration and the use of Research IT across all disciplines. Platforms delivered by the IT Strategy are providing long term research infrastructure. Innovation & Collaboration: UCD’s portal based IT services and integrated systems provided a very flexible environment for multi-institutional collaboration. Very effective in supporting the Innovation Alliance and new strategic partnerships. Student Experience: High quality on-campus IT, with extended Mobile and “anywhere/anytime” services match student demand & enhance the experience.

16. UCD IT Strategy Review – Overall SWOT Strengths • Very High User adoption of services • Very strong customer satisfaction • Flexible “anywhere” access (60/40) • Good infrastructure base – robust, scalable • Shared Application Standards – BlackBoard, Connect, Gmail, CMS, InfoHub • Good Research capacity – storage/compute • Wireless network & support for mobile Weaknesses • Next stage DC infrastructure, not yet in place – off/on campus ( high risk ) • eContent & data management – initial model in place, development required • 24/7 support model & higher availability needed to meet future demand • Complexity in wider application base • Opportunities • Build on high user satisfaction to broaden services & enable UCD initiatives • UCD online & public T&L delivery models • Transition to cloud model & brokered services for greater agility • Initiatives & incentives for eLearning • (lead)Shared initiatives for Research IT • Threats • Attrition of technical staff • Research requirements for more advanced services need to be met to retain users • Under-investment in IT • Explosion in devices & internet of things – access risk exposure, even greater wireless capacity requirements