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Monday, November 26, 2012

Weekly Update and Key Messages for the Week of 11/26/12

Sessions Back In Full Swing 
After a short and relatively quiet Thanksgiving week, ESUP sessions are in full swing again this week. Topics, schedules and locations are available online at upgrade.umn.edu/p/calendar.html. For more information, please contact the person listed in the event details or your work stream project manager. 

ESUP Internal Site to Launch This Week 
Later this week we will launch an ESUP program management web site, including internal program communications and tools pertaining to program norms and resources, onboarding materials, space and equipment information, and more. The ESUP blog at upgrade.umn.edu will still be the primary source of up-to-date program news and information about the upgrade, however, the new site will enable us to communicate information and updates pertaining specifically to ESUP team members in a more targeted manner. Of course, anyone interested in ESUP will be able to access both sites whether they are an ESUP team member or not.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Weekly Update and Key Messages for the Week of 11/19/12

  • Last week, much of the ESUP Program repository on Google Drive was again removed from view, disrupting access and work for a number of ESUP team members.
    • As a result, we are migrating the ESUP repository to NetFiles this week.
      • NetFiles is an established and secure University system that was used for ESUP documentation before we migrated to Google.
      • UMN project directors have been asked to populate the repository structure in NetFiles with additional work stream subfolders and files by Monday, Nov. 26.
      • If there are still missing folders or files at that time, we will discuss how best to retrieve or rebuild them.
    • Like any system, NetFiles will require training and familiarization for some users, as well as clear conventions for file naming, version control and permissions.
      • We will share instructions and processes for accessing and using NetFiles within the week.
      • For more information on using NetFiles, go to http://www.oit.umn.edu/netfiles/
    • Google Drive, Mail, Chat and Hangouts will continue to be used and encouraged for collaborative purposes.
    • Thank you for your work and patience during this transition.
  • We have reached another early ESUP milestone in the past week: All chapter 1 pre-upgrade functional activities have been completed and the Upgrade Lab has completed the compare reports for the University to review.
  • The Analytics Collaborative (AC) hosted a successful day-long retreat on Nov. 15 , with the purpose of clarifying, defining and co-creating a shared plan to advance the work of the AC across the University. 
Analytics Collaborative Retreat
    • Participants left the retreat energized to advance a vision of shared tools, shared data, shared understanding and a shared development environment.
    • The Analytics Collaborative and the Data Governance Team are tactical committees under the umbrella of the Enterprise Data Management and Reporting (EDMR) strategy. 
      • The AC is comprised of a network of collegiate reporting professionals and representatives from each of the central business units who advance reporting projects for central and local reporting efforts.
      • With the new governance structure in place, the time to operationalize and socialize the EDMR strategy is now. 
      • Throughout ESUP, the EDMR project team will look to align with this new EDMR governance structure. 
    • For more information on EDMR, visit IT News for November 2012 at http://blog.lib.umn.edu/oit/news/2012/11/.
  • We continue to have strong participation in ESUP sessions from all five University of Minnesota campuses.
    • We recognize that, in some cases, participation is limited by the seating configuration and available technology in our meeting rooms.
    • This will be an increasingly important concern as we move into the Analyze and Design phase and sessions become more frequent and more intensive.
      • We are working to compile a more detailed directory of meeting rooms, both on and off campus, that will better support the number of participants, technology needs, and schedules of our upcoming sessions.
      • We also will have several “go bags” available to check out for session use, containing extension cords, power strips, and other meeting supplies -- the first of these bags should be available the week of Nov. 26-30.
    • Thank you again for your engagement in these important discussions!
  • Please welcome Bill Nelson, who will be consulting on the Identity Management and Security work stream with UMN project director Arash Forouhari during the Plan and Discover phase.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Weekly Update and Key Messages for the Week of 11/12/12

  • The program and project directors want to thank the hundreds of subject-matter experts, end-users, and stakeholders from across the University of Minnesota system who have participated in the first few weeks of ESUP sessions.
    • Project directors report that participants have been engaged, open to change, and embracing of the principle of reducing system customization.
    • All five campuses have been well-represented, and despite occasional technical challenges, thus far everyone seems willing to take the time to do this right.
    • Thank you, colleagues, for your time and effort so far!
  • Last Wednesday, much of the ESUP Program repository on Google Drive were removed from view, disrupting access and work for a number of ESUP team members.
    • The problem may have been triggered by a team member who had moved the ESUP Program folder to “My Drive,” then later decided to remove it from their personal drive.
    • This action in itself should not have caused the more significant access problems that resulted, and the University has opened a ticket with Google to investigate these issues.
    • Until the remaining repository folders and files are recovered and we understand exactly what happened, please do not remove the folder “ESUP Program” from your personal “My Drive.”
  • Access to the ESUP Program repository on Google Drive is managed by the work stream project directors.
    • If you are using Google but do not have access to the repository, please contact your project director.
    • If you cannot use Google mail because of the nature of your work at the University, please let your project director know -- we need to know the scope of this problem so we can provide alternative access.
    • Please do not rely on personal Gmail accounts to access ESUP folders and files.
  • The ESUP Consolidated Calendar is now available online by clicking Calendar on the ESUP blog at upgrade.umn.edu.
    • This calendar features all scheduled sessions across all work streams (primarily Student and HRMS at this point), plus blackout dates and other key events.
    • For more information about these sessions, please contact the appropriate work stream project director.
    • If you are a part of the University of Minnesota community and are unable to view these calendars, please email us at esup@umn.edu to report the issue.
  • Approximately 180 people attended the University of Minnesota Duluth’s ESUP Kickoff Brown-Bag last Wednesday, Nov. 7, in Kirby Ballroom on UMD’s campus. 
    • For more information, check out this brief overview of the event, including presentations.
    • We hope to schedule similar forums on the other campuses in the next several weeks, and are looking into scheduling additional forums on the Twin Cities campus, as well.
  • The Student work stream held its ESUP project kick-off on Thursday, Nov. 8. 
  • The Student work stream has also launched an informational web page with additional work stream-specific information at z.umn.edu/esupstudent.
  • The current ESUP team roster, including both University of Minnesota (UMN) and CedarCrestone (CCI) team members, is now available online.
    • This listing will continue to be updated regularly as the team composition changes.
    • Please introduce yourself to those team members you don’t know when you have the chance!

Friday, November 9, 2012

UMD Holds ESUP Campus Kickoff

UMD ESUP 2014: Together Everyone Achieves More

Approximately 180 people attended the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) ESUP Campus Kickoff Brown-Bag on Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the Kirby Ballroom. Chancellor Lendley Black offered opening remarks, in which he anticipated the transformative impact of the effort – as well as the challenging work ahead.

“We are here to celebrate the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program and the incredible impact it is going to have on our HR, Finance, and Student operations,” Black said. “We are taking a team approach, and the vice chancellors and myself are all committed to the process. … We are behind you and supporting the staff the whole way.”

Program Director Andy Hill offered an overview of ESUP, including the scope, rationale, and governance structure. Sue Bosell (Finance), Linda Kinnear (HRMS), Carla Boyd (Student), and Steve Patterson (IT) provided a more detailed look at the ways in which UMD has engaged in the program and opportunities for end-user involvement. The presentations were followed by a brief Q&A with all the presenters.

UMD ESUP Kickoff Overview Presentation (PDF)
UMD ESUP Kickoff TEAM Presentation (PDF)


Monday, November 5, 2012

Key Messages for the Week of 11/05/12

  • ESUP work continues to gain momentum across all work streams, and weekly work stream status meetings are underway to keep the program on track and on schedule.
  • HRMS Fit-Gap Validation Sessions begin this week.
    • The purpose of these sessions is to validate and build upon the fit-gap analyses conducted previously by Oracle.
    • For more information about these sessions, check the Google Calendar “ESUP - HRMS Meetings” or contact the HRMS project directors.
  • University of Minnesota Duluth will hold an ESUP Campus Kickoff Brown-Bag on Wednesday, Nov. 7, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Kirby Ballroom.
    • The kickoff will include a brief welcome from UMD’s senior leadership; an overview of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) from Program Director Andy Hill; and a more detailed look at the impact of ESUP at UMD and the role of UMD stakeholders in the initiative -- as well as an opportunity for questions and answers.
    • For more information, please contact Sue Bosell on the UMD campus.
  • We hope to schedule similar forums on the other campuses in the next several weeks, and are looking into scheduling additional forums on the Twin Cities campus, as well.
  • The portal project is now starting project initiation phase and will be working on a project charter and other foundation processes.
  • Please welcome Tricia Conway (UMN) as our latest addition to the Program Management Office.