Computing Services
Services and Projects
In addition to providing hardware and software technical support services, Haas Computing Services also provides applications and infrastructure development support by the definition, proposal, funding, execution, and deployment of technology projects. In most cases, a project is defined as any work effort that requires 40 hours or more of resource time to complete.
How Projects are Categorized:
A project is categorized as either a Customer Application project, Infrastructure project, or an Innovation project.
Customer Application projects typically come from the faculty, staff, or students, and provide a specific service. Examples include database projects, simulations, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, etc. Customer Application projects comprise 60% of the HCS project portfolio.
Infrastructure projects serve as a foundation for providing access to customer applications and services, provide a platform from which customer applications and services are hosted, or ensure the security and operations in the datacenter. Examples include network and server upgrades, enterprise portals, intrusion detection and security monitoring, disaster recovery, etc. Infrastructure projects total 30% of the HCS project portfolio.
An Innovation project is one that involves using an emerging technology, repurposing technology for a new purpose, or creating new technology altogether. Examples include pervasive services that allow content from a calendar or course management system to be distributed to mobile devices such as PDAs and cell phones. Innovation projects comprise 10% of the HCS project portfolio.
Project Assessment Process:
Project Proposals are submitted to the project sponsor's computing committee by the HCS Assistant Director. The committee reviews each project proposal and forwards favorably reviewed proposals to the Deans office for approval and funding.
The Deans office scores each recommended project proposal using Project Assessment Criteria that determine the project's priority for funding and implementation. All proposed projects go into the HCS Project Portfolio, but only those projects that meet or exceed a minimum assessment score are funded and developed. Those that do not meet the minimum score fall below the cut line in the project portfolio and are reconsidered during the next assessment cycle.
Project Assessment Criteria:
The Deans office uses the following six criteria to determine a project's score:
- Advances Haas Technology Goals: Project will advance one of the technology goals specifically delineated in the Haas School's Technology Vision Statement
- Enhances Service Quality: Project will improve convenience, timeliness, and performance of systems and support for the Haas community
- Improves Productivity: Project will provide enhanced efficiency that results in savings of time or money
- Likely to Succeed: Project has a high probability of being completed on-time, within budget, and meeting objectives. (Factors include: clear goals, strong sense of ownership, stays within estimated resource consumption, uses established technology)
- Prerequisite to Other Planned Projects: Project provides necessary foundation for subsequent high priority project(s)
The HCS Project Portfolio is accessible on-line and is located
within this web site.
