Information Services Department
Support Services Plan 2005 - 2010
Introduction
The Department of Information Services (DIS), a department within the
Division of Information Technology (IT), effectively supports multiple campus
administrative software applications with a high degree of technical knowledge
and a strong focus on customer support. By maintaining a technical focus on
applications, database integrity and security, our goal is to allow our
customers to focus on using the systems to provide business value rather than
being concerned with the technology.
DIS consists of three distinct units:
- Financials/Human Resources – This unit provides programming,
troubleshooting and project management expertise for the applications that
support accounting functions, human resource functions and payroll processing
for UW. These applications are currently provided by Oracle after their recent
acquisition of PeopleSoft. Additionally, this unit provides programming,
troubleshooting and project management expertise for the Advance application
that supports the UW Foundation and the Alumni Association, the AXIS application
that supports IT’s telecommunications billing and tracking and the legacy
student information system during the course of the Banner implementation
project.
- Student Information System - This unit provides programming,
troubleshooting and project management expertise for the applications that
support student enrollment functions including, but not limited to, admissions,
registration and classes, financial aid and accounts payable. This application
also feeds important information to a number of other campus computing systems
and is the primary source for reporting data concerning student, faculty and
class information. As of March 2005, a new student information system, reporting
tool and student portal are being implemented all provided by SunGard SCT.
- Database Office/Application Security Office/Quality Assurance – This unit
supports the rest of DIS and UW through database expertise, knowledge of
application security, quality assurance and librarian functions for all of the
applications supported by DIS. Additionally, this unit provides programming,
troubleshooting and project management expertise for a number of smaller
administrative systems in use at UW including VisuaLab, TouchFit and HEAT.
The three units work closely together to provide a high level of customer
service. In order to provide this high level of customer service, it is
necessary for DIS personnel to work closely with other IT departments and campus
customers in a cohesive manner, communicating constantly. It is also critical
that DIS employees remain abreast of technology changes to help executive
leadership to make sound long-term decisions in the best interest of UW.
Overview of Action Items
Through a unit self-study process (documented in Section II of this
document), discussions with key clients, discussions with executive management
and participation in the Information Technology Services Review (ITSR), the
action items below have been developed as the basis for DIS activities over the
next five years:
- Implement the SCT Banner student information system and WyoWeb portal
- Upgrade PeopleSoft HRMS
- Upgrade PeopleSoft Financials
- Determine optimal long-term plan for Financials and HR applications
- Evaluate current application and data security
- Continue providing quality application support
- Aid in the implementation of communication improvements
- Review methods for changing application data
- Improve understanding of client business processes
- Develop application software total cost of ownership models
- Participate in all IT action items
- Improve DIS business processes to improve customer service
Action Item Detail
Banner and WyoWeb Implementation
To continue to provide a high level of service to students, faculty and
staff, UW has purchased a new student information system from SunGard SCT as
well as reporting software and a portal to facilitate access to information for
many different UW constituents. The successful implementation of this software
will put UW in a positive position for many years to come.
Action Item 1: Lead to successful completion the implementation of the
SunGard SCT Banner Student Information System and the WyoWeb portal to provide
enhanced functionality to students, faculty, staff and alumni (Priority 1).
PeopleSoft HRMS Upgrade
Oracle/PeopleSoft releases new versions of their human resources/payroll
software every 18 months to two years. They support these releases for 4-6 years
after their release, necessitating periodic upgrades to the software. If the
software used by UW to support human resources and payroll functions is not
current and supported, Oracle/PeopleSoft will not supply the required updates to
ensure that payroll taxes are computed properly, that new laws are observed and
that software bugs are fixed. HRMS version 8.3, UW’s current version, will not
be supported after the fourth quarter of 2007, requiring an update to a more
recent version of PeopleSoft HRMS before that time.
Action Item 2: Lead to a successful completion the upgrade of PeopleSoft
Human Resources Management System to provide enhance functionality to our
customers and to better position UW to plan for the long-term support of the
financials and human resources management systems (Priority 1).
PeopleSoft Financials Upgrade
Similar to PeopleSoft HRMS, Oracle/PeopleSoft releases new versions of their
financials software every 18 months to two years. They support these releases
for 4-6 years after their release, necessitating periodic upgrades to the
software. If the software used by UW to support accounting, accounts payable,
asset management and purchasing is not current and supported, Oracle/PeopleSoft
will not supply the required updates to ensure that new laws are observed and
that software bugs are fixed. Financials version 8.4, UW’s current version, will
not be supported after the first quarter of 2008, requiring an update to a more
recent version of PeopleSoft Financials before that time.
Action Item 3: Lead to a successful completion the upgrade of PeopleSoft
Financials system to provide enhance functionality to our customers and to
better position UW to plan for the long-term support of the financials and human
resources management systems (Priority 1).
PeopleSoft Long-Term Planning
As discussed previously, it is necessary to periodically upgrade the
Oracle/PeopleSoft applications. These upgrades, with cost components in the
areas of software, hardware, consulting, and training, are very expensive, as is
the annual maintenance that UW pays for the updates to the Oracle/PeopleSoft
software. There are other options in the area of administrative software, with
options that include staying with Oracle/PeopleSoft, contracting with outside
companies to provide the required updates to the Oracle/PeopleSoft software or
buying and implementing software from a different company. It will be the
responsibility of DIS to provide the information and options to executive
management of UW in order to make the best long-term decisions concerning
administrative software.
Action Item 4: Determine and recommend the best long-term plan for the
support of the Financials and HRMS/Payroll applications in light of Oracle’s
2004 acquisition of PeopleSoft (Priority 1).
Application and Data Security
Security of personnel information is of critical importance and failures to
protect student, faculty, staff and alumni data have caused significant problems
to a number of higher education institutions. While DIS is responsible for the
security of the administrative applications it supports, strong security
involves other IT units and technical resources across campus to accomplish. IT
will work towards a comprehensive security approach, with DIS driving many
facets of the efforts.
Action Item 5: Evaluate application-level security for all administrative
applications supported by DIS, recommend security improvements and participate
in IT security initiatives to ensure the best possible security for the data
entrusted to UW (Priority 1).
Quality Application Support
Above all, it is critical that DIS continue to provide a high level of
service to its customers through stable applications with required
functionality.
Action Item 6: Continue to provide a high level of support to our customers
who utilize the many administrative systems supported by DIS through quality
production system support, well-managed and executed upgrades and the custom
development of functionality where appropriate (Priority 1).
Communication
Information technology is critical to all components of the University but
its complicated nature makes it difficult to understand for many outside of
technical roles. DIS will aid in the Division of IT’s activities to help promote
the effective, safe and secure use of information technology and to help campus
understand the rationale for and outcome of IT’s work.
Action Item 7: (Operational) Actively participate in IT initiatives to
improve internal and external customer communication and teamwork (Priority 1).
“Backdoor” Data Changes
Clients often request that DIS personnel change data within administrative
applications in ways other than the screens provided by the application. While
client requests and their outcomes are documented by DIS personnel, in instances
where “backdoor” changes are made there is no audit trail within the application
to determine who did the work and what exactly was done. Additionally, the
complex structure of many of these applications makes it difficult to determine
all the places that a change must be made, possibly resulting in errors.
Finally, without a comprehensive audit trail within the application, financial
audits could raise questions that will be difficult for the University to
answer.
Action Item 8: Review the data change work being performed by DIS and
determine if more appropriate methods, from an auditing standpoint, for making
data changes are possible (Priority 2).
Customer Business Processes
DIS personnel believe and industry best practices show that if programmers
have a better understanding of the work that their functional customers do, they
are able to complete their programming assignments faster, with higher quality,
and they are also able to test more comprehensively before asking users to
complete the testing process. Additionally, the process by which DIS personnel
would learn the business processes of their customers will also help improve
teamwork and communication between the two groups.
Action Item 9: Continue to enhance customer service by developing and
implementing a plan to improve DIS knowledge of customer business processes
through a cohesive partnership with customers (Priority 2).
Total Cost of Ownership Models
One common misconception is that the cost of the software is the full or at
least the largest cost of an implementation project. In truth, there are many
cost components that must be considered, and budgeted for, for an implementation
and the long-term support and use of the application to be successful. DIS has
begun development of a methodology by which the total cost of ownership for
enterprise projects can be understood and allow for appropriate funding models
to be developed. This methodology must be completed and put into effect by the
University to ensure that technology projects across campus are successful and
that the limited information technology dollars available to the University are
put to the best possible use.
Action Item 10: Continue development and enhancement of a methodology to
calculate long-term total cost of ownership models for enterprise technology
projects to provide better budgeting information and purchase decision
information to our clients (Priority 2).
Participation in IT Action Items
In the IT Divisional Support Services Plan and in internal, operational
issues, DIS must participate in, and where appropriate provide leadership for,
the successful completion of action items.
Action Item 11: Actively participate in IT initiatives to improve
documentation and change management to provide improved service to IT customers
(Priority 2).
DIS Process Improvement
Through the department self study, a number of initiatives were identified
that, if completed successfully, would allow DIS to provide a higher level of
customer service through operational efficiencies, role restructuring and
business process changes. Many of these initiatives would also allow DIS to
ensure that its personnel are appropriately trained and equipped with the tools
required for their long-term success.
Action Item 12: Undertake process improvement and enrichment efforts within
DIS that will allow us to, directly and indirectly, provide enhanced customer
service to all customers (Priority 3).
- Action Item 12a: Fully examine needs surrounding project tracking and
implement a new project tracking system to replace PCS (Priority 1).
- Action Item 12b: Complete an inventory and analysis of all technical tools
currently owned and in use by DIS to determine their usefulness, document the
total cost of ownership, identify tools that can be retired and identify tools
that DIS does not have that would add strategic value (Priority 1-2).
- Action Item 12c: (Operational) Conduct an internal audit of current DIS
business processes, both written and unwritten, and develop a cohesive set of
process documentation for DIS (Priority 2).
- Action Item 12d: Review new employee training model and augment as required
(Priority 3).
- Action Item 12e: Define potential job responsibilities and duties for a DIS
student intern, determine whether an intern would benefit UW, and implement the
final decision (Priority 3).
