IT Project Review Process & Prioritization

IT Project Review Process 

All IT projects as defined here, will go through KU IT Project Review Process with the KU IT Project Steering Committee and KU IT Leadership, to be prioritized at the conclusion of their final review.

All new IT Project Requests will follow this general process:

  1. A requester enters new project request information into the project intake form. 
  2. The KU IT Project Steering Committee meets to review the project, ensure alignment with Jayhawks Rising and/or the KU IT Strategic Plan, and determine levels of effort and resource availability. 
  3. If the project request is approved, the final step is an IT Leadership review, who will review the project request, recommendations from the KU IT Projects Steering Committee, and determine the prioritization (see Prioritization Levels below) and sequence of projects. They will formally approve the project and commit resources for the project to move forward. As additional projects move through the process, they will be responsible for reviewing new projects and current projects, and making adjustments as necessary.
  4. If a project is approved, the requester will be notified and given a suggested start date. 

The overall process should take no longer than one-to-three weeks, once the project is entered into the system until formal approval. Most of the delay is dependent upon the requestor submitting sufficient and appropriate information in the project intake form. This estimate does not include estimated time for an RFP (request for purchase) to be completed, which may be required. Currently any purchase over $50,000 will require an RFP. KU IT and the KU Procurement Office will assist with RFPs.

Prioritization Levels

Level of priority will be assigned in the final stage of IT Project Governance, based on best practices at peer institutions. Projects will not be prioritized until they have been fully reviewed by the appropriate groups in the IT Project Governance process.

  • Emergency
    • Any IT Projects that are mandated by Federal or State regulatory issues, require immediate compliance, or pose a high risk or vulnerability to KU security or data. KU IT resources will be removed from any other priority to work on Emergency projects until completed.
  • High
    • Strategic initiatives identified by the Chancellor or Provost that align with Jayhawks Rising and/or the KU IT Strategic Plan. These may include projects that carry significant impact to enrollment, student success, instruction, research, or revenue. These projects may have firm deadlines driven by the academic calendar, or by contract expiration. High Priority projects usually implement new services which drive the core mission of KU, improve data quality, or implement efficiencies within departments. High Priority projects likely have benefits for the entirety of KU, and are usually considered ‘enterprise’ projects. KU IT resources will first be applied to these projects over any other lower priority.
  • Moderate
    • Any IT Project which does not directly impact the core mission of KU and is not directly tied to a strategic initiative. These projects are still important to the continued success of KU, and likely provide benefits to one or multiple units or departments requesting the project. The timelines are more flexible. KU IT resources will be applied to these projects when not working on Critical or High Priority efforts.
  • Low
    • Any IT Project which can be considered a ‘maintenance’ or ‘nice to have’ project, which does not impact core mission of KU, or strategic initiatives. These projects may have fewer benefits to KU as a whole, and may only benefit one unit or department. KU IT resources will work on these projects as time permits, and around higher priority efforts.

At any time during the project, Executive Sponsors may request that a project be re-evaluated for prioritization if they believe the status has changed. IT Project Governance will consider the project and new scope documentation at the following meeting.