ITI Project Brief - RSS203 New Core Services Impact

Document Sign-off

Background

The University has a Project currently running to change its Core Services Platforms for HR and Finance.

This Project is to conduct a review and provide recommendations and solutions to the impact of those changes to Research Service's Services and Systems to ensure minimum disruption or impact to the Researchers and Users.

RSS consumes a number of outputs of the Core Services for managing critical aspects of user interaction with RSS Services.

For instance User access to EDDIE and DataStore and allocations are determined automatically by consuming the HR status of individuals on entry to or leaving the university.

The gamut of RSS Services are therefore critically impacted by changes to Core Services.

RSS therefore needs to be able to react to changes brought about by the planned changes to Core Services.

This project will:

• Provide a Full Impact Report on RSS Operations for the proposed implementation of the new Core Services
• Provide Recommendation and Future Actions that can be implemented to reduce or mitigate the impact to Users during the new Core Services implementation
• Provide a Plan, in conjunction with the new Core Services Project and Implementation Plan that could be implemented to mitigate  any circumstances required

Provide Reassurance for the User that demonstrates disruption to Users will be nil or minimal during the new Core Services

Scope

The following Services are in scope of this project:

• All Research Services

Any changes to Scope documented in this Project Brief will be via a Change Request, recorded on the Issue, Change and Decision Logs in the Projects RAIDD xls.

Out of Scope

The following Services are out of scope of this project:

• N/A

Objectives and Deliverables and Success Criteria

The overarching objectives of this project are to (via the help of various 3^rd parties):

1. Carry out a New Core Services Impact on RSS Systems and Processes Review and documenti them in a Report
2. Provide Recommendations and Future Actions that can be implemented to reduce or mitigate the impact to Users during the new Core Services implementation
3. Provide an RSS Plan, in conjunction with the new Core Services Project and Implementation plan that could be implemented to mitigate  any circumstances required
4. Provide the means to Reassure Users that demonstrates disruption to Users will be nil or minimal during the new Core Services implementation

All whilst providing the correct levels of support, training and technical documentation.

This will improve deploy-ability, maintenance, functionality, manageability and performance for the users.

The duration of the project is expected to be 1 month from the start of the Project, not the Financial Year or from the Approval and Sign Off of the Project Brief.  This may increase if the New Core Services Project Team and information is unavailable. 

Unless otherwise indicated, the objectives and deliverables are a success when accepted by the Project Sponsor and the Service Owner as listed in the Requirements Success Criteria.

Requirements

Requirements are what is required and aligned to deliver the project objectives and deliverables to ensure the benefits recorded are realised.  These are documented in the RAIDD Log on the RTC TAB.

Requirements are set as MoSCoW:

MUST - we would see the project as failing totally or partially if these are not achieved

SHOULD - we have a high expectation that these will be doable with planned work and budget - but if necessary these can be de-scoped

COULD - if all goes very well, these might be possible

WON'T - we want to be explicit about certain things that people might expect us to deliver but we want to be clear we won't deliver

Benefits

The benefits to this project delivery are:

1. Investigation into the New Core Services will provide Research Services with a clear idea of what the new Core Services are and how they will impact RSS operation.
2. Investigation into the New Core Services will provide Research Services with recommendations and future actions required to reduce or mitigate any impact from the implementation of the new Core Services.
3. Investigation into the New Core Services will provide Research Services with a clear idea of the new Core Services implementation plan and project timescales and how and when they will impact RSS operation.
4. Provide reassurance to Researchers that any impact reduced disruption to Researchers during the migration to new core systems.

Governance

Portfolio Governance  

Project Board

Tolerances

The following are the tolerances for this project at which point the Project Manager must request approval of the change from the Sponsor and / or the Board via the Change Request process.

Escalating to programme/portfolio manager will be under direction from the Project Sponsor.

Resources Skills and Cost

Initial Resources are were based on a project start up estimate provided and approved at the start of the project:

• RSS Resource                               26 Days
• IT PM                                             29 Days
• College/Schools                            0 Days
• External Development                 0 Days (TBC)

(Subject to change with further analysis and Planning)

• RSS Resources                             34 Days
• IT PM                                             32 Days
• College/Schools                            0 Days
• External Development                 3 Days (TBC)

Budget

The total budget calculated for the Project is calculated in the table below with £20k Capital + £60k Revenue

Spending:

Priority and Funding

Priority                                                          - 1

UoE Funding      Approved                         - £20,000            - (0k Capital + £20k Revenue)

UoE Funding      Required                          - £20,000            - (0k Capital + £20k Revenue)

Project Team

Business Stakeholders

The Project Team consists of the following to be informed at key points (if required):

Preferred Supplier

The Preferred Suppliers are listed below:

Quality of Project and Deliverables / Key Project Milestones

The milestones are a key tool in ensuring that the project process itself is followed as set out by ITI, and that the product deliverables are to the required Quality; the quality for the deliverables are to be confirmed by the respective Service Owner / SME as per the Requirements/Success Criteria table above.

Any changes to major milestones achievements and changes (Initiation, Planning, Delivery, and Closure) will be discussed with the Project Sponsor and Project Team and must be approved by Change Request by the Project Board and WIS as necessary.

The approach for this project outlined by the key milestones below.  A more detailed plan will/has been produced, with the latest on the project SharePoint site:

RSS203 Project Plan_New Core Services Impact

Assumptions

The Assumptions for this project are that:

1. The only current Core Services change expected to affect RSS is the weekly HR xls dump/new API
2. Core Services Project will add RSS Dependency to the Project RAIDD and add it to the Requirements of the Project
3. The RSS Dependency and Requirement will be/have been included in the Core Services Project
4. Core Services Project Information will made available to the RSS203 Project Manager/RSS Teams
5. Core Services Project Architecture will made available to the RSS203 Project Manager/RSS Teams
6. Core Services Project plan and timescales will made available to the RSS203 Project Manager/RSS Teams

Dependencies

The Dependencies for this project are:

1. The availability of the New Core Services PM
2. The availability of the New Core Services Information
3. The availability of the New Core Services Architecture
4. The availability of the New Core Services implementation Plan
5. For the New Core Services Project, the RSS Requirements

Constraints

The Constraints on this project are:

1. The availability of the New Core Services PM
2. The availability of the New Core Services Information
3. The availability of the New Core Services Architecture
4. The availability of the New Core Services implementation Plan

Previous Lessons Learned

The project manager will ensure that a Lessons Leaned Log is created, maintained and reviewed by the project team at every team meeting.  The following are Lessons Learned from the ITI Projects SharePoint and team’s previous experience:

1.  N/A

Risks

The project manager will ensure that a Risk Log is created, maintained and reviewed by the project team at every team meeting; ensuring project owners update their risks at least once a month or more as appropriate to the project.

The initial Risks highlighted are:

1. Project Delay - Due to Strike Action, there may be a lack of resources
2. Project Delay - Due to BAU or other project work, there may be a lack of resources
3. Project Delay - Due to not being able to secure the New Core Services Project Team Time/Resource
4. Project Delivery - Due to New Core Services Information, Architecture and Implementation Plan not being available
5. Project Product - Due to BAU or other project work, the Resources have not been available to Complete or Approved the Project Brief

Issues

The project manager will ensure that an Issue Log is created, maintained and reviewed by the project team at every team meeting.  The following are Lessons Learned from the ITI Projects SharePoint and team’s previous experience:

1.  N/A

Communication

The project manager will also ensure all changes to cost/timeline/scope are recorded in the issue log, and reflected in milestones log, budget and estimations, and the project Scope Change log.

Project Sites - There are two Project Management Sites for the project:

1. Project Web Page: Project information for all to see, with the Logs being restricted by the project manager to the required project members:

New Core Services Impact Website

2. Project SharePoint Site: Project information repository for project members only, mainly used for storing documents to enable a single source for updating and completing:

                             New Core Services Impact SharePoint

Stakeholders - The project manager will produce a Stakeholder Map and complete a Stakeholder Engagement Grid; which will be agreed at the Kick-off meeting and reviewed and maintained during the project life cycle.

Communication Plan - The project manager will produce a Communications Plan for the project and ensure all parties understand the communications routes and timescales. This will also be agreed at the Kick-off meeting and cover the headings in this section.

Meetings - The Project Team Meeting Agenda template will be used to record all meetings and saved to the Project SharePoint Site:

1. Project Board Update Meeting                                      On request or issue
2. Project Sponsor and Project Manager Meeting      Weekly
3. Project Team Meeting                                                        Weekly

Reporting -

1. ITI Project Monthly Report                                               Monthly
2. Project Sites                                                                            Weekly
3. Project Logs                                                                            Weekly

Escalations - Project Escalations will be directed to the Project Manager, who will document the escalation as a Risk/Issue then escalate via the appropriate Governance level:

1. Escalate area SME
2. Project Team
3. Project Board – Project Sponsor
4. Programme Board – Programme Manager
5. University     

Run / Grow / Transform

This project is to help Transform and improve the Services and Support for RSS Systems Team and all Users.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alignment with Strategic Vision  

IS Strategic Vision the main elements of the vision that this projects contibutes to are highlighted in bold.

University's Strategic Vision for 2025 the main elements of the vision that this projects contributes to are highlighted in bold.

IS Change Programme - How will this project's Deliverables and Benefits promote the Themes  

Service Excellence - Information and Security

Service Excellence - Process Improvement, efficiency, quality and best practice (Social Responsibility and and Sustainability)

Digital Transformation

IS Change Programme - How will the execution of this project promote the Themes

Some expectations and suggestions from ISG Directors - what to think about for each them when planning the project   some_expectations_and_suggestions_from_isg_directors.pdf

Project Sponsor – Project Responsibilities

The sign-off milestones are associated with specific responsibilities of the Sponsor role .

Start of project – Explicitly Included in the Initiation Milestones Sign-Off

1. Negotiates and confirms funding for the project
2. Ensures the project is in line with organisational strategy and priorities
3. Chairs the project board, appoints its members and ensures they are effective
4. Advises the project manager of protocols, political risks, issues and sensitivities
5. Makes the project visible within the organisation  

End of Planning – Explicitly Included in the Planning Milestone Sign-Off

1. Works with the project manager to develop the Project Brief
2. Ensures a realistic project plan is produced
3. Sets tolerance levels for escalation to themselves and to the project board
4. Ensures that project team have representation and engagement from users and suppliers
5. Helps identify Stakeholders
6. Approves Communication Plan
7. Agrees on frequency of meetings with Project Manager
8. Agrees of frequency of meetings with Project Team
9. Agrees on milestones and who signs-off

Execution – ongoing

1. Provides strategic direction and guidance to the project manager as directed by the Board
2. Approves changes to plans, priorities, deliverables, schedule
3. Encourages stakeholder involvement and maintains their ongoing commitment
4. Chief risk taker
5. Makes go/no-go decisions
6. Communicates change in organisational structure, priorities, business benefits or funding
7. Helps the project manager in conflict resolution
8. Helps resolve inter project boundary issues
9. Gains agreement among stakeholders when differences of opinion occur
10. Assists the project by exerting organisational authority and the ability to influence  

Delivery – Explicitly Included in the Delivery Sign-Off

1. Ensures that Service is ready for change

Closure - Explicitly Included in the Closure Milestone Sign-Off

1. Helps with publicity for the change delivered
2. Ensure that benefits will be managed, measured and realised post-project
3. Evaluates the project’s success upon completion

Attachment	Size
some_expectations_and_suggestions_from_isg_directors.pdf	341.89 KB
project_planning_-_project_brief_template.docx	35.44 KB