IT Strategic Planning for the Smaller Institution: A Lightweight Approach EDUCAUSE Annual Conference Seattle, Washington October 25, 2007

IT Strategic Planning for the Smaller Institution Robert E. Renaud Vice President Library and Information Services Dickinson College

Outline Institutional Context Impetus Objectives Success Criteria LIS Strategic Plan Outcomes Lessons Comments and Questions

Institutional Context

College chartered in 1783 Located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania 2400 students Liberal arts curriculum Annual budget in FY08: $120 million Endowment in FY07: $329 million

Institutional Context Crisis in 1990s  Deterioration in admissions selectivity  High discount rates, loss of tuition income  Growing budget deficits  Low returns on investments, endowment stagnant  Deteriorating physical plant  Decaying IT infrastructure

Institutional Context New Management Team Arrives in 1999  President William G. Durden appointed  Enrollment management instituted  Finances stabilized  First Strategic Plan developed for FY  IT identified as 1 of 5 Enabling Conditions

Institutional Context Strategic Plan Evaluation, 2003  College meets or exceeds every target, except IT  Evaluation points to Sluggish decision making User dissatisfaction Weak network infrastructure Inability to deliver commodity services such as PDAs Failure to align with College Strategic Plan

Institutional Context Library and Information Services Formed  Composed of former Library and IT departments  VP and CIO named  Five departments  71 staff  FY05 operating budget: $4.8 million

Impetus

Challenges Facing LIS  Backlog of projects  High expectations  Staff stress and anxiety  Need to integrate new managers, staff  Uneven funding

Impetus Alignment with College strategic plan unclear Narrative approach inadequate Planning failed to yield priorities Planning failed to yield funding Range of LIS services confusing to campus

Objectives

To align LIS goals with College Strategic Plan To communicate plans to campus To provide a basis for budget discussions To promote internal communication

Success Criteria

Clear depiction of strategic alignment Integration with College governance system Low overhead Understandable to anyone Low tech as possible Sufficient to shape priorities Applicable to full range of LIS services

Success Criteria Aligned with  College Strategic Plan  Budget process and calendar  Campus committee calendar  Personnel evaluation process  Project management function

Success Criteria Timeframes  If too short, overhead increases  If too long, pace of technology overtakes plan Not too short, not too long, just right

Acknowledgements

College of Charleston, Strategic Technology Plan, A Three-Year Alignment of Technological and Institutional Goals, March 31, Project Management Office, Office of Information Technology, Princeton University

LIS Strategic Plan

Key Concepts  Planning Layers Campus strategic plan Goals Initiatives Individual goals  Reusable Goals  Mapping  Annual cycle

LIS Strategic Plan Planning LayerOrganizational LevelTimeframe Dickinson College Strategic PlanCollegeFY LIS Strategic GoalsDivisionFY LIS InitiativesDepartment or CFTSingle Fiscal Year Individual Staff GoalsIndividual StaffSingle Fiscal Year

LIS Strategic Plan LIS Strategic Goals, Fiscal Years LIS Strategic Goal Description Goal 1Define in consultation with the campus community information fluency and create standards, modes of delivery and methods of assessment that are aligned with the curriculum of the College. Goal 2Create a Media Center as a home for faculty and student collaboration that will reflect the College’s national leadership position in the application of information technology to learning, teaching, and scholarship. Goal 3Create a unified portal to information resources for all College constituencies on and beyond the campus. Goal 4Define a predictable and sustainable replacement cycle for desktop systems and the campus computing and communications network that reflects the priorities of the College.

LIS Strategic Plan LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan Dickinson College Strategic PlanGoal 1: Information Fluency Goal 2: Media Center Goal 3 Unified Portal Goal 4: Replacement Cycle Defining Characteristics I. A Community of Inquiry II. Global Perspective III. Useful Education IV. Citizen-Leaders V. Diversity VI. Accountability and Sustainability

LIS Strategic Plan Dickinson College Strategic PlanGoal 1: Information Fluency Goal 2: Media Center Goal 3 Unified Portal Goal 4: Replacement Cycle Enabling Conditions VII. People VIII. Financial Strength IX. Lifelong Affiliation X. Technology and Information Management XI. Visibility and Prestige XII. Institutional Information and Practices LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan

LIS Strategic Plan LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Guiding Organizational Priorities, Guiding Organizational PrioritiesGoal 1: Information Fluency Goal 2: Media Center Goal 3: Unified Portal Goal 4: Replacemen t Cycle The Dickinsonian Dispositions A Culture Of Communication A Culture Of Engagement And Responsibility An Integrated Multi-Divisional 10-Year Forecast

LIS Strategic Plan LIS Initiatives Mapped to LIS Strategic Goals for Fiscal 2008 LIS InitiativesGoal 1: Information Fluency Goal 2: Media Center Goal 3: Unified Portal Goal 4: Replaceme nt Cycle Divisional 1.Institute a project planning and communication methodology 1.Conduct training for staff at service points 1.Finalize and communicate LIS service model

LIS Strategic Plan LIS Initiatives Mapped to LIS Strategic Goals for Fiscal 2008 LIS InitiativesGoal 1: Information Fluency Goal 2: Media Center Goal 3: Unified Portal Goal 4: Replacem ent Cycle User Services Department 1.Define cycles and standards for equipment replacements. 1.Create strategy to implement Microsoft Vista and Office Create LIS business continuity strategy linked to campus plan

LIS Strategic Plan Sample Initiative 1.Institute a project planning and communication methodology. Each department within LIS is focused upon completion of important projects. These projects ultimately affect other departments within LIS as well as Dickinson College personnel. A project management methodology should consist of both formal documentation and consistent interdepartmental meetings and communications. Project management standards need to be created for documentation, project status, departmental communications, and client communications.

LIS Strategic Plan PhaseProcessDeliverableDeadline or Date of Activity 1.Departmental Goal Setting  Review current fiscal year goals  Review DC Strategic Plan  Propose 2-3 goals per department  Joint goals encouraged  Review license agreements  Draft departmental goals sent as attachments from Directors to VP  VP integrates into LIS FY08 Goals, Draft Version 1 End of July 2.Management Group Review  Management Group reviews draft goals, filters, and defines 5-8 divisional goals  LIS FY08 Goals, Draft Version 2 End of July 3. Divisional Retreat  Departments present goals at staff retreat and identify overlaps  Staff comments and suggestions are recorded  Record of staff comments and discussion First week of August 4. Management Group Review  Management Group revises goals based on staff feedback  Goals distributed to LIS staff and posted on LIS Web site, subject to governance review  LIS FY08 Goals, Draft Version 3 End of August 5. Capture Budget Requests  User Services requests for next fiscal year (1) SXC computing needs, (2) Academic Affairs Division classroom upgrades, (3) computing needs for new instructional spaces.  SXC computing needs  Classroom upgrade needs  New instructional spaces End of September

LIS Strategic Plan LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan PhaseProcessDeliverableDeadline or Date of Activity 6. Governance Review  VP reviews goals for next fiscal year with Information Technology and Services Committee and asks for comments.  MG considers and makes any changes.  LIS Fiscal Year Goals, Final Version October 7. Planning and Budget Submission  Present LIS Budget Submission based on LIS Fiscal Year Goals, Final Version, and including (1) SXC computing needs, (2) Academic Affairs Division classroom upgrades, (3) computing needs for new instructional spaces, (4) major LIS related projects, (5) equipment lifecycle replacements, (6) new staffing requests.  LIS Budget Submission November 8. Plan Finalized  Receive confirmation of funding levels from P&B. Plan finalized  LIS Strategic Plan, Final January 9. Project Planning  Break down LIS Fiscal Year Goals into projects and integrate into project tracking and reporting tool  Detailed project plans, including timelines, deliverables, and staff task assignments. End of April 10. Individual Goal Setting  LIS staff attend Individual LIS staff set goals in Personal Development and Evaluation Plan (PDEP) process  Conference attendance requests  PDEP Forms April – May As Determined by Human Resources Services

Outcomes

LIS Strategic Goals Mapped to Dickinson College Strategic Plan Enhanced campus profile Better integration with governance system Alignment with College Strategic Plan Less time spent on planning activities

Outcomes +14%

Outcomes Incredible service! Everything went well with my service. Quick, efficient service. Thanks! As always, the Help Desk and other LIS staff took extremely good care of my problem. Staff is always helpful, friendly, knowledgeable Thank you very much for your prompt service. Very speedy fix. Thank you so much!! I appreciate all the help I get from … LIS :) excellent service

Lessons

Lightweight means something has to go  SWOT analysis  Visioning  Collective work on mission statement  Project breakdowns prior to funding Leveraging the campus plan

Lessons Not everything worth doing is strategic Do not water down idea of what is strategic

Lessons Setting Goals is tricky If Goals not relevant for 3 years, reframe Think in terms of areas of focus

Lessons Graphics trump narrative Regular, annual cycle prevents forgetfulness Mapping is extensible Use different language for different groups Building credibility is a cumulative process Funded initiatives need project management

Lessons People don’t like to plan ahead Value of planning is counter-intuitive Senior leadership critical Strategic planning is not about tools Strategic planning is about communication

Comments and Questions

IT Strategic Planning for the Smaller Institution: A Lightweight Approach EDUCAUSE Annual Conference Seattle, Washington October 25, 2007