Approved
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
PROJECT COORDINATION GROUP
24 October 2013
(2pm – 4pm)
MINUTES
Chair
Bryn Morris (OBM)
Present
Marc Albano (MA), Nicola East (NE) (permanent replacement of Vanessa Potter),
Emma Hardy (EH), Richard Harrison (RH), Zoe Manning (ZM), Richard Murphy (RM),
Linda Pearsall (LP) (replacing Jo Andrews), Tracy Robinson (TR), Richard Stock (RS),
Sonia Virdee (SV)
Secretary
Clare Hornsby (CH)
1
Apologies
Noted
2
256/13
Minutes of the last meeting, 18 September 2013 (PCG/13/52)
Agreed
3
Jo Andrews (JA), Bernarde Hyde (BH), Jane Wright (JW)
The minutes from the 18 September 2013 meeting of PCG were approved as a
correct record of the meeting.
257/13
Matters arising from the minutes (PCG/13/53)
Noted
The matters arising from the 18 September 2013 meeting of PCG were
approved as correct and progress was noted.
258/13
4 An update on the development of an institutional business process review capacity
(PCG/13/54)
Noted
Agreed
The proposed programme of activity was noted. It was suggested that the new
course approval process should be added, as a lean review in this area might
improve the synergies between contributing departments. The Group noted that
the course approval process had already been revised for 2013-14, and as such,
a further review at this point might not be appropriate.
259/13
The SOFACX project had considered the new course approval process from a
course marketing-dataflow perspective, rather than a full process review looking
at all elements of the process. An IT solution had been recommended to deliver
the desired process improvements, however this was not progressed as the
required resources were not available. It was suggested that a number of issues
could be addressed through the delivery of an interim solution.
260/13
Capacity within the Change Hub and departments would limit the number of lean
reviews that could be successfully delivered in 2013-14. Two bespoke lean
reviews had been identified. Case studies would be developed to help
communicate the benefits of lean, which would be important going forward.
261/13
The Education and Research action plans may highlight additional lean review
opportunities.
262/13
In addition to the proposed programme of activity, many departments would
review their processes less formally throughout the academic year.
263/13
The Education and Research action plans should be considered for the purpose
of identifying additional lean review opportunities
264/13
Action: RH
3
Potential issues for consideration in a lean review of the course approval should
be identified, and the value of conducting such a review in 2013-14 should be
discussed with the Academic Section.
265/13
Action: EH/NE/RH
PCG endorsed the approach to undertaking institutional business process
reviews.
266/13
5 2013-14 SUMS reviews (PCG/13/55)
Noted
Agreed
The SUMS reviews for 2013-14 were confirmed and it was noted that 50 days of
SUMS consultancy was required against a normal entitlement of 40 days.
267/13
The SUMS work on the shape and structure of the academic year would largely
focus on gathering data to help identify the options and opportunities available to
the University, which could inform any development or review of the academic
year that the University might subsequently choose to undertake.
268/13
At the September 2013 meeting of PCG it had been suggested that SUMS
should provide some consultancy support to the data governance project. A five
day project specification was required.
269/13
There were synergies between the occupational health project, the opportunity
and client management project and the SUMS review of student placements.
These should be explored further. The student placement review would benefit
from consultation with HHS on matters relating to employability.
270/13
The Academic Registrar should ensure that HHS is consulted in relation to the
student placement review.
271/13
Action: Stephen McAuliffe (SM)
A five day project specification should be drawn up in relation to the data
governance project.
272/13
Action: MA
The data governance project should be added to the list of SUMS reviews
scheduled for 2013-14.
273/13
Action: RH
6
Progress report on the Strategic Projects Portfolio (SPP) (PCG/13/56)
Noted
All approved projects were progressing well and had been assigned green or
amber ratings. This positive state of affairs was in part due to the adoption of a
more stringent approach to the approval of projects for implementation. A
number of projects were also nearing completion and it was expected that this
should increase capacity to undertake new projects.
274/13
There was a need to communicate the importance of forward planning, together
with the benefits of working with PCG to deliver strategically important projects.
Projects could be proposed to PCG significantly before they were due to
commence. Such advanced preparation supported effective management of the
SPP as a whole, and of resources.
275/13
A number of project progress reports had been submitted to the September
2013 meeting of CBSSG, all of which had been assigned green or amber
ratings.
276/13
Although the Student Projection and Analysis Model project (SPAM) had
reported an amber-red rating, the majority of the required functionality had been
delivered. A project closure report was expected to be available for
consideration at the December 2013 meeting of PCG.
277/13
4
Agreed
The proposed revised reporting schedules and estimated delivery dates for
projects 1214, 1219, 1221 and 1262 were considered.
278/13
The method by which project extensions were requested was still in the process
of being embedded. Requests would continue to be detailed in future SPP
progress reports.
279/13
The Internal Communications Officer should be contacted and asked to provide
a list of opportunities for promoting projects that were successfully delivered
under the guidance of PCG.
280/13
Action: CH
Case studies of projects that were successfully delivered with the support of
PCG should be considered at a meeting of the Change Network.
281/13
Action: RH/CH
The annual report to USG should communicate the successful delivery of
projects.
282/13
Action: RH
The proposed reporting milestones for projects 1219, 1221 and 1262 were
approved, as were the revised completion dates of projects 1214, 1219 and
1221. The SPP should be updated.
283/13
Action: CH
7
Requests for Project Mandate
a) The criteria for determining a projects priority ranking (PCG/13/57)
Noted
The criteria for determining a projects priority ranking was noted.
284/13
Agreed
Grid references should be added to the chart for improved ease of reference.
285/13
Action: CH
b) KPI Reporting - Phase 2 (PCG/13/58)
Noted
Agreed
It was confirmed that the scope of the project had been narrowed in response to
feedback from PCG.
286/13
It was originally anticipated that the £20,000 consultancy fees would be drawn
from the ISS budget, however it was not clear whether the availability of this
funding had been confirmed. This would need to be resolved before the project
would be approved for implementation.
287/13
Thought had already been given to the third phase of the project, which would
endeavour to improve the system architecture and interface.
288/13
The Group discussed the strategic contribution and time criticality of the project
for the purpose of determining a priority ranking. Although the project would
improve the production of, and accessibility to KPI data, it was acknowledged
that the current system could continue to produce the necessary data despite
employing sub-optimal methods.
289/13
The project be mandated and assigned a score of three for strategic importance,
and two for time criticality.
290/13
The outstanding budgetary issue should be considered and addressed as a
matter of urgency.
291/13
Action: SV/RM
5
c) Occupational Health (PCG/13/59)
Noted
Agreed
8
The £45,000 required to deliver the project was not currently available within the
Human Resources revenue budget for 2013-14. This issue would need to be
resolved before a full project proposal was brought forward for consideration for
approval for implementation.
292/13
Consideration should be given to the boundaries of the Occupational Health
system, and the initial and on-going requirements for integration and interface
between existing corporate systems.
293/13
The system had the potential to support other health and employment related
activities and this should be considered.
294/13
The project was mandated with a 2-2 ranking for strategic contribution and time
criticality.
295/13
Projects for Approval for Implementation
a) Opportunity and Client Management System (PCG/13/60)
Noted
Agreed
9
The project proposal was considered at the September 2013 meeting of
CBSSG. The Group agreed that the project should be endorsed to PCG for
approval for implementation, subject to slight amendment. The list of
stakeholders was subsequently extended to include a Faculty Employability
Coordinator.
296/13
Concerns were expressed as to how employer engagement would be measured;
it was suggested that qualitative data could be an appropriate indicator in this
instance.
297/13
The project was approved for implementation.
298/13
Reports on completed projects
a) e-Portfolio
Noted
Agreed
The project closure report had been circulated electronically to members of
ASSG for consideration and referral to the October 2013 meeting of PCG. The
decision was taken to delay the submission of the closure report to allow further
discussion between members of ASSG. It was indicated that ASSG was
considering recommending that that project should be suspended rather than
closed, although a final decision was still to be made.
299/13
In line with the University’s Project Management Framework, PCG advised that
the project should be closed.
300/13
A project closure report should be submitted to the December 2013 meeting of
PCG for consideration for approval.
301/13
Action: Elizabeth Guyar-Brown (EGB)
10 Any Other Business
Noted
It was important to develop and maintain clear and consistent channels of
communication between PCG and its sub-groups.
302/13
Agreed
The Chair of ASSG should be contacted to discuss the regular attendance of an
ASSG representative at future meetings of PCG.
303/13
Action: OBM
6
11 Date of Next Meeting
Noted
05 December 2013, 2pm to 4pm in the Vice-Chancellors Boardroom.
Clare Hornsby
Project Officer
Strategic Planning and Change Section
October 2013
7
304/13