University of Exeter, IT Dual Assurance Meeting
IT-DA/15/13
Tuesday 18th August 2015, 1300-1430, Room 165 Northcote House
Present:
Dayantha Joshua (DJ), Sally Wilcox (SW), Suzie Mountain (SJM) (notes)
Also in Attendance:
Debbie Pope (DP), Paul Evans (PE), Bernard Ireson (BI), Ian Tilsed (IJT)
15.34 Minutes
a) The Minutes of the meeting held on 22 July 2015 were agreed as an accurate record.
b) It was agreed that actions 15.26(b), 15.29(a) and 15.29(c) from the 22 July 2015 meeting
would be carried forward.
15.35 One Exeter IT Update
a) Debbie Pope, One Exeter IT project manager, joined the meeting and provided an update on
the current project status.
b) The progression issue has been resolved and the project now has additional HR resource.
c) A paper detailing the proposals for the new structure, including new job descriptions, is
being prepared for VCEG in October. It is recommended that the proposals are subsequently
submitted to Council.
d) It was agreed that the One Exeter IT VCEG paper be added to the agenda for the September
IT Dual Assurance Meeting (ACTION: RT).
15.36 Laver Data Centre
a) Bernard Ireson joined the meeting and provided an update on progress with the Laver data
centre.
b) The Tender process has now been completed. The budget allocation for works is £2.1m but
the tenders received all exceeded this amount.
c) Bernard Ireson proposed an alternative approach; to limit the initial production
infrastructure but to build in resilience to upscale in future to meet HPC and LSI
requirements.
d) Considerations include back up for the cooling plant in the event of a power outage and the
preference of research staff for a larger number of racks.
e) It is proposed that a specialist be engaged to ‘health check’ the university’s revised approach.
f) HPC Tenders are due in December. Design parameters are due mid to late September.
g) It was agreed that that a further Laver Data Centre update be added to the agenda for the
September IT Dual Assurance Meeting (ACTION: RT).
15.37 Future Finance
a) Ian Tilsed joined the meeting and provided an update on the Future Finance project.
b) Future Finance is progressing well with good engagement from IT.
c) It is proposed that skills will be drafted in to the project working group as required e.g. DBAs
and Business Analysts.
d) Five expressions of interest have been received in response to the invitation to tender.
e) Business Analysts are looking at all the processes and will the suggest solutions for an
efficiency transformation.
f) There will be potential savings through e-procurement following implementation.
15.38 Digital Transformation
a) Staff portal users need to be more engaged with the portal as it provides a vehicle for
messages and communication.
b) Concern that the project board is not focusing on transformation and change but on
digitalisation of existing work.
c) It was suggested that the Doctoral College may be a suitable area to trial digital
transformation and that the project manager should discuss this proposal with the Doctoral
College Manager. (ACTION: IJT)
d) Discussion took place on how researchers may work in the future; there may be an increase
in remote working and greater need to share and access information remotely.
e) A strategic direction is needed for ‘identity management’ and security of research data.
f) Agreed on the importance of engaging VCEG with digital transformation and communicating
that it is an ongoing journey.
g) The CIO will discuss engagement with the project manager and produce a compelling
statement for the Digital Transformation Board. (ACTION: DJ).
h) It was agreed that Digital Transformation be added to the agenda of the next IT Dual
Assurance meeting.
15.39 IT Staff
a) One Exeter IT and Digital Transformation need to be more joined up. The new CIDO role will
provide opportunities to review governance and matrix working across enterprise and
infrastructure. SW agreed to discuss governance with Tim Quine (as Chair of the Staff Portal
Meeting). (ACTION: SW)
b) The staff portal needs to be more accessible – visible as the first screen when logging on to
the system.
c) There is a culture of “silo team working”. One Exeter should provide one large team where
skills and resources can be selected from.
d) Staff working on projects should be separate to those supporting BAU functions. BAU should
focus on running front line services on behalf of the CIO.
e) Role mapping can help identify skill gaps and vacancies.
f) It would be useful to nominate staff to visit the colleges and look at best practice.
g) DJ will clarify the IT emergency response/incident response procedures. (ACTION: DJ).
h) DJ will send further details of BAU practices to SW. (ACTION: DJ).
15.40 Date of Next Meeting
a) The next meeting is scheduled for 23rd September 2015.
Table of Actions:
Minute
15.26(b) CFwd
15.29(a) CFwd
15.29(c) CFwd
15.35(d)
15.38(c)
15.38(g)
15.39(a)
15.39 (h)
Action
Clarification of processes in major incident procedures.
November is the next risk update but it may be that
information is required prior to this – to be checked.
October Dual Assurance will review risks – queries to SW.
Add “One Exeter IT VCEG Paper” to the September agenda.
Consider and discuss possible digital transformation trial for
Doctoral College with the Doctoral College Manager.
Discuss engagement with the Digital Transformation Chair and
produce a “compelling statement” for the Digital
Transformation Board.
Discuss governance of Staff Portal with Tim Quine.
Send further details of BAU practices to SW.
By Whom
DJ
RT
DJ
DJ/NB/RT
DJ/IJT
DJ/DC
SW
DJ