Streamlining the First Year: Block
Scheduling
Project Sponsor: Emanuel Pollack, Interim Vice Provost
for Undergraduate Affairs
Project team lead Mike Kamowski, Director, Office of
Student Systems Services
Project Management Plan
Prepared By: Mike Kamowski
Date: September 10, 2015
Content
Purpose Scope
Expected Outcomes
Project Management Deliverables Assumptions
Assessment Plan Monitoring and Control Roles and Responsibilities Communications Plan Change Process
Adapted from rethink PSU 2014-15 Project Management Template.
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Purpose
The Block Scheduling initiative is to determine the feasibility of implementing block scheduling using Banner XE Registration at UIC. Block scheduling is an integral part of learning communities. It allows students to be in the same cores sections. This has been proven successful at other colleges and universities. The committee’s goal is to define, create and obtain approval for the processes needed to implement block scheduling. After approval, then the requirements and an implementation strategy will be developed.
Scope
The scope of this project is related to three phases. The first phase is to review and define the business process for using Block Scheduling at UIC. The process will also include the College agreement for the business process to be successfully implemented. The second phase will determine the requirements and set up for Banner XE Registration. The second phase will start once the agreements have been signed by the colleges. The final or third phase is to implement Block Scheduling for the Fall 2016 incoming students. The target date for Phase 3 is June 2016. Other functionality for Banner XE Registration is not in scope for this project.
Expected Outcomes
This project is divided into three phases. The outcome and phase descriptions are:
1. Phase 1: This phase is to review and define the Block Scheduling process. The key components are:
a. Review Banner XE registration
b. Identify the issues, concerns and develop the business process for creating and maintaining blocks using Banner XE Registration.
c. Create a document outlining all of the issues/concerns, college agreements and business process.
d. Obtain document approval from CAAD/Dean’s Council/Undergraduate Policy Council
2. Phase 2: This phase is the requirement and testing phase. The key components are a. Define all of the college requirements for Block Scheduling.
b. Create a Business Process and Configuration document for each participating college.
c. Test Configuration using XE Registration and make refinements to meet the requirements.
d. Obtain configuration sign-off from the colleges.
e. Go/No go decision based on the testing outcomes and college sign-off.
3. Phase 3: This phase is to implement the feature for a Fall 2016 pilot group for incoming students. The pilot would be conducted from June through July during Orientation. The key components are:
a. Implementation Plan for Banner XE Registration for Block Scheduling including: i. Communication Plan for Block Scheduling
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ii. Training Plan for end users iii. Implementation timeline
Project Management Deliverables
The project lead, in collaboration with the project manager, will be asked to produce a variety of materials, for management and reporting purposes. The deliverable documents are:
- Project Management Plan – This document
- College Agreement Document: The college agreement document outlines the proposed business process. The colleges will have to agree to what is stated in this document before starting Phase 2.
- Business Process and Configuration Documents: This Phase 2 document will outline for each participating college the business process and a go/no go decision.
- Comprehensive Implementation plan: This Phase 3 document will include implementation strategy, communication plan and timeline for implementing Block Scheduling.
- Meeting documents – Meeting notes will be stored in the Box account
- Regular Status reports – Status Reports will be provided every two months during the project.
- Final Implementation Project Report: This report will be completed in the Fall 2016 term to discuss the project implementation and any issues or concerns. It will include
recommendations about improving the process and whether the project should be expanded beyond the pilot stage.
Assumptions
The success of the Block Scheduling implementation assumes the following:
- The explicit support of the project sponsor as well as the Office of Project Management for Student Success Initiatives for the success of this project.
- The project participants and identified stakeholders have the time to accommodate this project in addition to their daily workload.
- Regular status reports on the progress of the work will be shared with the campus to ensure the necessary buy in.
- The colleges will agree to the Phase 1 College Agreement Document. Some key decisions are:
o The colleges agree to work with each other in setting aside entire sections for other colleges.
o The colleges agree to provide the necessary staff for the proposed committees. o The participants agree to work with their students to understand the block concept. o Everyone needs to understands the issues and risks as outlined in the document. - There are no show stoppers when testing Banner XE Registration
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Assessment Plan
This project is driven by the timeline for completing the phases. The assessment plan is to make sure that the timeline is adhered to in order for the project to be successful. UIC only admits first year student for a Fall term. The deliverables must be completed on time. Otherwise, the project will be delayed a year. Therefore, the assessment is based on:
1. Phase 1: Agreement and sign-off need to be completed by October 15, 2015.
2. Phase 2: The requirements and configuration need to be completed by December 15, 2015 3. Phase 3: Implementation needs to be completed by May 15, 2016.
The assessment will be whether the component parts meet the timeline and deliverables.
Monitoring and Control
This project has specific deliverables to meet the timeline. The project lead will hold once a month meetings once the Phase 1 document is approved. A tracking spreadsheet will be created to identify any risks or issues with Phase 2 and Phase 3 of this project. Items will be identified as in or out of scope. All out of scope items will be identified as not necessary or required in the next cycle which will be summer 2017. Phase three will require AITS resources. The project will require monthly meeting with the team members. AITS will meet with the project lead and members (as necessary) every two weeks to implement the Banner XE Registration in Phase 3.
Roles and Responsibilities
Role/Assigned Parties
List of Responsibilities
Provost and Vice Chancellor ● Barbara Henley, Vice
Chancellor for Student Affairs
● Eric Gislason, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost
● Ultimate authority and responsibility for the project scope, timeline, and budget
● Provide high level leadership for the entirety of the project and its needs/goals
● Assure availability of essential project resources
Student Success Initiative Implementation Management Team
● Linda Deanna, Associate Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students
● Emanuel Pollack, Interim Vice Provost for
Undergraduate Affairs
● Provide guidelines and support for the initiative and act as the liaison for the leadership, the project teams, and the campus
● Provide support for executive-level communications ● Assist in issue management by removing obstacles
inhibiting the Project Team or its stakeholders from forward progress
● Ensure project objectives are being met, in collaboration with the Project Lead and/or Project Manager
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● Tom Moss, Associate Vice Provost for
Undergraduate Affairs ● Negar
Mansourian-Hadavi, Project Manager Project Manager (s)
● Negar Mansourian-Hadavi, Project Manager
● Manage overall scope and schedule for the Initiative, including regular reporting and communication
● Work closely with the Management Team and the Project Leads to ensure the objectives are being met and issues are addressed
● Assure alignment of project steps for achieving the project outcomes
● Dedicates time for initial training and continues to provide support for streamlining the process
● Mitigate issues and risks
● Own project management plan, and project documentation, including providing general support and project
management framework to Project Lead
● Make sure there are clear communication paths between all identified project roles
● Updates the Students Success Initiative’s website with regular “status reports” of all projects.
Project Sponsor(s) ● Emanuel Pollack
● Provides necessary support to ensure the progress of the project
● Assures availability of essential resources for the project ● Receives updates on the Project Team meetings and
participate as needed
● Responsible for executive-level communication of the project as applicable Project Team ● Robert Dixon ● Brian Roessler ● Eileen Doran ● Milly Crespo ● Jim Muench
● Carry out and responsible for daily project tasks ● Create/contribute to project deliverables as applicable ● Contribute to creation of project guidelines and
procedures as well as regular project updates
● Serve as first line of defense in issue and risk mitigation ● Serve as liaisons and project advocate to all project
stakeholders Project Lead
● Mike Kamowski
● Coordinates Project Team meetings and share updates ● Serves as central point of communication for the project,
with the sponsors, the team, and the project manager. ● Oversees day-to-day operations of the Project Team ● Co-manages key project documentation with Project
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Manager
● Ensures project objectives are being met, in collaboration with the Management Team and/or Project Manager ● Mitigate issues & risks; address problems as they arise,
reaching out to available resources, including the project sponsor.
● Support and execute project communications plan Project Assistant and/or Project
Coordinator ● N/A
● Support meeting coordination and project documentation, including meeting minutes, project management plan, or status reports,
Communication Plan
The following chart exhibits how the entire target audiences will be communicated using the tools, channels and roles that have been defined.
Tool Purpose Audience Owner Distributor/Channel Frequency
Project Status Update Provide status on project Project Sponsor(s)/ Management Team/ Project Team
Project Lead Project Lead / Email Once per month
Actions and issues follow-up
Facilitate completing tasks and resolving issues All Project Participants Project Manager/ Project Lead
Project Lead and or Project Manager / Email & Phone Calls
As needed The Initiative Status Report A roll-up of the individual status reports designated to communicate Student Success Initiative progress status with the campus The UIC Campus Management Team / Project Manager
Campus mass email/ Student Success Initiative website At least once per term
Change Process
Any proposed changes to the project described here should be submitted in writing to the Student Success Initiative management team.
