Key Messages for the Week of 10/29/12

• Following the ESUP Kickoff on Oct. 16, we are hearing lots of stakeholder interest in learning more about and engaging in the upgrade program.
• We definitely want broad engagement from stakeholders and users from all UMN campuses and units.
• We will provide multiple opportunities to get involved in the coming months, including Interactive Design Prototyping (IDP) sessions, focus groups, “town halls,” and more.
• We are committed to sharing plans, schedules and opportunities to engage as they are finalized.
• To help ensure that you receive information about these opportunities, please email esup@umn.edu and ask to be included on future ESUP stakeholder communications. 

• It’s important to remember that we just kicked off the Plan and Discover phase.
• This phase reaffirms and builds upon our preliminary fit-gap analyses and planning and will set the scope and schedule for ESUP going forward.
• At the end of Plan and Discover, we should be able to share a more definitive ESUP timeline. 
• The dates for important milestones and “go-live” have not been set.
• Please rest assured that we will work closely with the work streams to minimize disruption to mission-critical activities.

• Finance has made significant progress on e-Procurement.
• A contract with SciQuest has been approved.
• We are in the process of defining requirements and reviewing vendors.
• SciQuest will be coming into town for the initial eProcurement kickoff on Nov. 13

• In the Student work stream, the Campus Community Fit-Gap Verification sessions are underway, and active participation by session attendees is providing key information about current UMN business processes.

• Our ESUP leadership team continues to grow -- when you have the chance, please introduce yourselves to the two newest ESUP project directors:
• Testing Project Director: Alex Ryan (UMN)
• Enterprise Data Management and Reporting (EDMR) Project Director: Jennifer McCord (CCI’s counterpart to Amy Winkel; arriving Nov. 5)

• Finally, we are working intentionally to connect ESUP team members and stakeholders with each other and the information they need to make this project a success.
• The entire ESUP project team should have access to our online document repository, the structure of which is summarized here:
• This will be the home of all ESUP documentation, including meeting and session agendas and minutes; planning documents; and status reports.
• If you are on the project team and cannot access the repository, please let your project director know.
• The ESUP blog, online at upgrade.umn.edu, will continue to expand to include a glossary of ESUP terms and acronyms, a calendar listing upcoming sessions and forums for interested stakeholders, and more.
• We are also in the process of establishing ESUP Google Groups to help target our communications appropriately to the ESUP team, work stream teams, ESUP governance groups, and other audiences.

Key Messages for the Week of 10/22/2012

• The Enterprise System Upgrade Program (ESUP) Kickoff drew more than 300 participants (in person, via ITV, and online) on Tuesday afternoon. 
• A number of online resources are available if you missed the kickoff or would like to share more information with others in your organization.
• ESUP Kickoff Session 1: Overview 
• Download PDF of Session 1 presentation
• Watch Session 1 (with slides) online
• Download Session 1 video (with slides)
• ESUP Kickoff Session 2: Deeper Dive
• Download PDF of Session 2 presentation
• Watch Session 2 (with slides) online
• Download Session 2 video (with slides)
• Reminder: If you attended the Kickoff in person or online and have not turned in an evaluation, please take a moment to complete our brief online survey.

• As part of the kickoff agenda, program directors Andy Hill and Rebecca Collings introduced the project leaders from the University of Minnesota (UMN) and CedarCrestone (CCI).
• The organizational chart they shared can be found online on the Management page of the ESUP blog at upgrade.umn.edu.
• Please be sure to introduce yourselves to the ESUP project directors when you see them!

• The Student and HRMS work streams began hosting ESUP Personal Information Sessions last Wednesday, Oct. 17.
• These biographic/demographic (or bio/demo) sessions address shared data and processes pertaining to personal information in the enterprise systems, e.g., name, birthdate, addresses, etc.
• Project directors from Student and HRMS reported strong interest and attendance and productive discussions. 
• Feedback from attendees has been positive, as well.

• The ESUP blog at upgrade.umn.edu will continue to expand and will be a primary communication tool with the broader University community; an internal project management web site will be launched in the next few weeks.

Kickoff Session Videos Now Posted

Videos from last Tuesday's Enterprise System Upgrade Program (ESUP) Kickoff are now available at the links below. The videos include all speakers and slides and can be watched in your web browser or downloaded as Quicktime video files.

Session 1: Overview

• Watch video online
• Download video

Session 2: Deeper Dive

• Watch video online
• Download video

Reminder: If you attended the Kickoff in person or online and have not turned in an evaluation, please consider taking a moment to complete our brief online survey.

ESUP Kickoff Presentations Now Available Online!

The Enterprise System Upgrade Program (ESUP) Kickoff drew more than 300 participants (in person, via ITV, and online) on Tuesday afternoon. Session 1 and Session 2 presentations are available in PDF format at the links below:

• ESUP Kickoff Session 1: Overview
• ESUP Kickoff Session 2: Deeper Dive

Video of the sessions should be posted in the next day or two, and online evaluations for coordinate campus participants will be distributed tomorrow. If you have feedback on the kickoff, please send it to esup@umn.edu.

Key Messages for the Week of 10/08/12

• Don’t forget to RSVP online for the ESUP Kickoff Event next Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m., Great Hall, Coffman Memorial Union.
• President Kaler will be welcoming the ESUP team and talking about the importance of this effort to the University of Minnesota.
• This is also a great opportunity for ESUP team members to meet their project directors from the U and CedarCrestone (CCI), as well as a couple hundred of their new ESUP teammates!
• We would like you to participate either in person or via ITV from the coordinate campuses, if possible.
• Anyone who is interested can follow the kickoff online at www.livestream.com/umntv.

• The project directors will be meeting with their ESUP teams separately following the kickoff to delve more deeply into roles and responsibilities, expectations, next steps and to begin the work of the project.

• The ESUP Kickoff marks the official beginning of the first phase of the project, called Plan and Discover.
• This phase reaffirms and builds upon the preliminary fit-gap analyses and planning that has already occurred and will set the scope and schedule for ESUP going forward.
• The full schedule of the Plan and Discover phase is being worked on and should be complete by Oct. 26.
• We should know in the next few weeks how long we expect Plan and Discover to last before moving to Analyze and Design.
• At the end of Plan and Discover, we will be able to share a targeted “go-live” date.

• ESUP work is already underway!
• The Upgrade Lab statement of work has been completed.
• We are also beginning discussions about shared Person/Bio-demo data on Oct. 17, 18, 24 and 25 (if needed). 
• Invites for these sessions will be going out by the end of the week, and the sessions will be streamed via UMConnect.  

• The ESUP team welcomed a number of new people from CedarCrestone this week -- be sure to introduce yourselves to:
• Technology Project Director: Chris Cameron
• Campus Community/Recruiting/Admissions Lead: Greg Patterson
• Financial Aid Lead: Mary Gilbertson
• Student Financials Lead: Jeff Johnson
• HR Lead: James Ellis
• Benefits Lead: Cheri Kitchens
• HRMS Technology Lead: Vijay Javvadi
• Training Specialist: Tammy Staneart
• We plan to share a list of current University of Minnesota team members following the ESUP Kick-Off next week.

• Work continues on the ESUP space in Williamson Hall and the West Bank Office Building (WBOB), and the Space Transition team is beginning to test space and equipment.

Enterprise System Upgrade Program Kickoff slated for Oct. 16

Between now and December 2014, the University of Minnesota system is upgrading its essential human resources (HR), student and financial systems and re-examining related business processes to improve operational efficiency and user experience. The Enterprise System Upgrade Program (ESUP) Kickoff is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Coffman Memorial Union’s Great Hall.

ESUP team members and targeted leaders and stakeholders who should attend this event in person, if possible, will receive an electronic invitation with an RSVP included. All project team members are expected to attend; team members from the coordinate campuses will be able to participate in the event and ask questions remotely from the following designated ITV locations on their campuses:

• UMM:  HFA #7
• UMC:  116 Kiehle
• UMD:  173 Kirby Plaza
• UMR:  Rm #397

The agenda is as follows:

• Registration (12:30 to 1 p.m.) and light refreshments; program begins promptly at 1.
• Session 1 (1 to 2 p.m.) including a welcome from University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler, as well as an overview of the motivation, scope and goals for this important initiative for all ESUP team members, University leadership and key stakeholders. Invitees who are not assigned to a specific project team or role can leave following Session 1 if they choose.
• Break (2 to 2:15 p.m.), including light refreshments.
• Session 2 (2:15 to 4 p.m.) including a deeper dive into project methodology, norms and expectations, etc., specifically for ESUP team members. 

Both sessions will also be streamed live at livestream.com/umntv and recorded for viewing after the event, so other interested faculty, staff, and students can watch the kickoff online. We will also have additional opportunities for system users and the broader University community to learn more about and engage in this important effort.

Key Messages for the Week of 10/01/2012

• The Enterprise System Upgrade Program (ESUP) Kickoff is confirmed for Tuesday, Oct. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. in Coffman Memorial Union’s Great Hall.
• ESUP team members and stakeholders from the coordinate campuses will be able to attend in designated ITV rooms on their campuses; those arrangements are being finalized.
• The Kickoff will consist of two sessions:
• Session 1 (1 p.m. to 2 p.m.) will be an ESUP overview for all team members, University leadership and key stakeholders.
• Session 2 (2:30 to 4 p.m.) will be a deeper dive into project methodology, norms and expectations, etc., specifically for ESUP team members.
• We will take a break from 2 to 2:30 p.m. to get to know each other, enjoy refreshments, and so those who are not ESUP team members can leave if they choose.
• Both sessions will also be streamed live and recorded for viewing after the event.
• A more formal invitation with a detailed agenda to team members will go out shortly.
• The ESUP team welcomed a number of new people from CedarCrestone this week -- be sure to introduce yourselves to:
• Integration Lead: Bill Collings
• Payroll Lead: Greg Marks
• Student Records Lead: Dan Doremus
• Student Tech Lead: Dan Croce
• Account Manager: Kirk Bertram
• Work continues on the ESUP space in Williamson Hall and the West Bank Office Building (WBOB), and the Space Transition team that will be “piloting” the space and testing its systems should move in next week.
• Wireless internet connectivity has been improved, printers are accessible, and chairs and desktop monitors will be arriving within the week.
• Card-reader access is also being finalized this week.
• Project laptops are being configured, and delivery to ESUP team members is being planned for kick-off week and afterward as team members join the project.
• Cellular service is not yet available on the lower level of Williamson or WBOB, however, headsets for use with “soft phone” technology (phone software for your project laptop that enables you to forward and answer your office phone remotely) have arrived.
• Your project director is your go-to person for questions, concerns, resources and training needs.