Approved
UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
PROJECT COORDINATION GROUP
9 July 2015
(2pm – 4pm)
MINUTES
Chair
Bryn Morris (OBM)
Present
Marc Albano (MA), Emma Hardy (EH), Bernarde Hyde (BH), Zoe Manning (ZM),
Bettina Mills (BM), Richard Murphy (RM), Aletta Norval (AN),
Maxwell Stevenson (MS), Richard Stock (RS), Sonia Virdee (SV) (from 3pm).
Secretary
Clare Hornsby (CH)
1
Apologies
Noted
2
3
4
James Lewis, Peter Luther and Simon Neale.
Starring of agenda items
Noted
Agenda items that were not starred would be noted and/or approved as
appropriate, without discussion.
Minutes of the last meeting (PCG/15/42)
Approved The minutes from the 18 May 2015 meeting of PCG.
121/15
122/15
Matters arising from the minutes (PCG/15/43)
Noted
5
120/15
123/15
An update from the 23 June meeting of CPG (verbal update)
Noted
The Capital Planning Group (CPG) had recommended four project
mandates and one change request to USG for approval. As a result of
USG’s approval, the following projects would be overseen by the Capital
Projects Board (CPB) and PCG:

The conversion of a teaching room into a studio for East 15 at
Southend;

The installation of a moveable wall in the Gateway Building;

Southend Nursing Lab extension; and

The refurbishment of level 3 research laboratories.
124/15
USG had also agreed to recommend the approval of the Gateway
Building change request to the Strategy and Resources Committee.
CPG requested that further consideration be given to the ways in which
access to the Essex Business School building could be improved, as the
proposed option was too expensive.
1
125/15
6
Mandated and approved capital projects (PCG/15/44)
Noted
7
An update from the Chair of the Capital Projects Board (verbal report)
Noted
8
The progress of capital building and infrastructure projects which were
forthcoming or in delivery.
127/15
Following the May meeting of CPB, the North Teaching Centre Steering
Group had endorsed a timetable that would see the building available
for occupation in advance of the 2015-16 Summer Term. The new
teaching centre would provide the required capacity and decant space
to enable the STEM building works to commence.
128/15
An opportunity to construct a three storey STEM building had been
identified and funding options were being explored. The inclusion of an
additional storey was a cost effective way to provide capacity for future
growth and would ensure that the building’s aesthetic aligned more
closely with the existing estate.
129/15
The scope of the sports facilities project would be reviewed to ensure
that it could be delivered within the available budget.
130/15
The mobile catering outlet was scheduled to arrive at the Colchester
Campus in September 2015. The bus could operate in a reduced
capacity without external services and could therefore, subject to the
correct licences being in place, be driven down to the Southend or
Loughton Campuses if required.
131/15
An update from the Chair of the Systems and Academic Projects Board (verbal report)
Noted
9
126/15
Key points of discussion from the 16 June 2015 meeting of the Systems
and Academic Projects Board (SAPB) would be highlighted under other
agenda items.
132/15
Operation of the Systems and Academic Projects Board (PCG/15/45)
Noted
Agreed
A number of SAPB endorsed recommendations had been proposed in
order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of SAPB in 2015-16.
Training for members and increased communication regarding the role
and remit of the Board was welcomed.
133/15
Although PCG was responsible for the allocation of resources, it was
recognised that both SAPB and PCG needed a more detailed
understanding of resource availability, in order to make well informed
recommendations and decisions in relation to the approval of new
project proposals and project change requests.
134/15
Further consideration should be given to the roles of, and the
relationship between, SAPB and PCG. The membership of both groups
should also be reviewed in order to minimise duplication and to ensure
alignment between members’ skills, knowledge and experience, and the
Board’s requirements.
135/15
Action: RS/ BM
The paper should be revised and resubmitted to the September meeting
of PCG.
136/15
Action: BM
10 An update on the Strategic Projects Portfolio (PCG/15/46)
Noted
Agreed
The progress of strategically important projects and the issues identified
by SAPB for referral to PCG was noted, together with the list of potential
and forthcoming projects.
137/15
The Library’s Millennium System had already been upgraded and could
therefore be removed from the project pipeline. A number of additional
potential and forthcoming projects were identified for initiation and
implementation in 2015-16, including phase three of the Making
Electronic Feedback Effective project and the Senate endorsed,
Electronic Submission of Thesis project.
138/15
A Project Manager had been recruited to take forward the Web
Presence project thereby enabling the development and submission of a
full project proposal in the 2015-16 Autumn Term. Although work to
optimise the University’s website search engine had commenced, it had
not been completed and would therefore remain within the scope of the
project.
139/15
The project prioritisation matrix could be revised in future to better
recognise the value of projects which sought to improve the efficiency of
processes and reduce institutional risks. The link between the academic
and corporate governance structures needed to be strengthened to
ensure that PCG had greater oversight of forthcoming projects. This
would enable the Strategic Projects Office to provide targeted guidance
and support to Project Managers.
140/15
The list of forthcoming and potential projects for 2015-16 should be
updated.
141/15
Action: CH
It should be determined whether the network node project could be
delivered as part of the University’s building refurbishment programme.
142/15
Action: RM
Contact should be made with the Director of Library Services to ensure
that the Electronic Submission of Thesis project mandate was submitted
to a future meeting of PCG.
143/15
Action: CH
The Web Presence project mandate should be extended until the end of
the 2015-16 Autumn Term and the SPP updated accordingly.
144/15
Action: CH
The EBS personal tutoring pilot should be subject to PCG approval and
oversight. A full project proposal, which clearly sets out the link between
the pilot and a University-wide project should be developed.
145/15
Action: Bev Jackson
The ‘Implementation of SOTER Software’ project should continue to be
recorded as ‘approved’ within the SPP, however a change request
should be submitted to PCG in the 2015-16 Autumn Term.
Action: Mark Vinter
146/15
11 Project progress reports and change requests
a) Attendance Monitoring (PCG/15/47)
Noted
Agreed
A specification for an in-house attendance monitoring solution had been
developed, and the resource requirements determined. Module level
attendance reports would be produced for use by academic and
administrative staff within departments in 2015-16, in order that they
may identify and address attendance problems. It was envisaged that
automated workflows and communications would be introduced for
2016-17.
147/15
Although the resources required to administer the University’s
attendance recording and monitoring processes were not available
centrally, the Project Team were encouraged to identify ways to
minimise the impact on departmental workloads in 2015-16. It would
also be necessary to determine contingency arrangements for the
forthcoming academic year.
148/15
In order to deliver the proposed solution, an increased level of resource
would be required over a longer period of time, in comparison with the
original project proposal. It was likely that this resource would need to
be drawn from other projects which were currently in delivery.
149/15
The revised project timetable and oversight arrangements were
approved.
150/15
The project title should be updated in the SPP to ‘Student Electronic
Attendance Recording and Monitoring project’.
151/15
Action: CH
Each faculty should be represented by a Departmental Administrator at
future Steering Group meetings.
152/15
Action: Gill Cairns (GC)
The connection between this project and the personal tutoring system
should be made explicit in future project documentation.
153/15
Action: GC
b) Direct Admissions (PCG/15/48)
Noted
The project had been approved by PCG in October 2014 however the
resources required to progress the project had not yet been identified.
154/15
Agreed
The project status should be amended in the SPP to ‘cancelled’. Subject
to the future availability of the required resources, a revised project
mandate could be submitted to PCG for consideration.
155/15
Action: CH
c) International Academy Pre-Sessional Course Finder (PCG/15/49)
Noted
The revised project timetable, which had been approved by PCG in
May, had slipped as a result of MIS availability. A revised project
completion date of 31 July 2015 had been proposed.
156/15
Agreed
The revised project timetable was approved. The SPP should be
updated to reflect the new project completion date.
157/15
Action: CH
d) Occupational Health IT System (PCG/15/50)
Noted
The project had been delayed as a result of MIS availability but was
expected to be completed by August 2015.
158/15
Agreed
The revised project timetable was approved. The SPP should be
updated to reflect the new project completion date.
159/15
Action: CH
12 Research data repository and register closure report (PCG/15/51)
Noted
PCG were pleased that the system had been developed by the agreed
deadline and to budget. The project proposal for phase 2 required
further development but would be submitted in due course for approval.
160/15
Agreed
The project should be closed.
161/15
13 An update on the development of the University’s lean review capacity and activity
(PCG/15/51)
Noted
PCG noted the summary of lean activity in 2014-15, the proposed
programme of lean activity for 2015-16, and the recommended
approach to the initiation of lean reviews.
162/15
Five areas of strategic importance had been identified to be the focus of
lean reviews in 2015-16:
163/15

course approvals;

new starters and temporary staff;

work based learning;

compliance; and

reactive maintenance.
The operation of exam boards was identified as an additional area of
activity that could, in future, benefit from a lean review.
Agreed
The Lean Hub would deliver a range of training sessions in 2015-16 to
enable staff within sections and departments to facilitate smaller internal
business process reviews, to build institutional capacity and to embed
the principle of continuous improvement across the University.
164/15
The proposed approach to lean reviews should be adopted for 2015-16.
165/15
14 SUMS review of MIS working practices: progress report (PCG/15/52)
Noted
Significant progress had been made in relation to priority actions and
further work would be embedded into business as usual activities as
appropriate. Not all recommendations had been progressed as the
context within which MIS were working had changed following the
SUMS review.
166/15
Agreed
The closure of the project should be approved.
167/15
15 An update on the allocation and availability of ISS enhancement and project resources
(PCG/15/53)
Noted
Understanding the availability of resources within the IT Services
Section would enable PCG to make better decisions regarding the
approval and prioritisation of University projects and enhancements.
168/15
Agreed
A virtual whiteboard should be created to display the allocation and
availability of IT Services staff resource. The whiteboard would allow
SAPB to make better informed recommendations to PCG regarding the
approval of new project proposals and project change requests.
169/15
Action: BM/ RM
IT Services should continue to review and improve the monitoring of
developer time and the estimation of resources required for projects.
170/15
Action: RM
16 Any other business
Noted
7
171/15
Date of the next meeting
Noted
17 September 2015, 2pm to 4pm, room to be confirmed.
Clare Hornsby
Project Governance Officer
July 2015
172/15