We sat down with Portal Project Team to discuss some recent decisions about the new portal.
ESUP: Let’s start with the name for the new portal! What’s it going to be called?
Portal Team (PT): We asked for name suggestions for the new portal through the feedback survey in the Portal Rough Draft. We found a lot of people really liked “myU.” We convened a small group, including people from our team and from University Relations, to talk about the options. We decided to keep the continuity of myU. The new myU will be a different experience, but the name will stay the same. It will be a front door for the great work the work streams are doing, and with compelling content for staff, students and faculty.
ESUP: What’s the most important thing for people to understand about the new myU vs. the current one?
PT: People think myU is just for students, that it doesn’t offer a lot for staff and faculty. That will change with the new myU. Through an improved user interface, the information you need to access as an employee, like your pay statement and benefits, and what you need as faculty, like grading and class rosters, will be in the new myU, along with things you’ll just plain need to know. It’s for everybody at the U.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Employee Class field sneak peek online now
The training team for the HRMS workstream has released its latest “sneak peek” video -- this one on changes to the Employee Class field in the new system. Check it out by clicking the image below, or visiting the Sneak Peeks page at z.umn.edu/hrms to view all four early education videos to date.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
ESUP Video: Challenges and Opportunities (Part 3)
Santiago Fernández-Giménez, assistant program director for Communications, Change Management, & Training, talks about challenges and opportunities for the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP).
Enjoy!
As always, please send your questions or comments to esup@umn.edu.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Student Work Stream Finishes IDPs
University business analysts, subject matter experts, and members of functional steering committees from the Student work stream recently concluded nine months in IDP -- evaluating what PeopleSoft has delivered and what our business requirements are and making decisions on what the system would look like after upgrading.
This work translates to:
Thanks to a cohesive, highly effective team, in addition to the experienced guidance from implementation partner CedarCrestone, the University will benefit from a much more mature system. It’s also been an opportunity for staff to not only contribute to the project, but to meet people outside of their unit and home campus.
Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar Sue Van Voorhis, who serves as the business process owner for the Student upgrade and the Portal said, “We’ve been able to break down barriers. This is a very united group. Everyone is so committed to making this a success and going with our principles.”
Read the full story here...
This work translates to:
- 694 IDP sessions equaling roughly 16,621.5 hours
- 93 change requests
- The replacement of more than 26 homegrown self-service applications
- The replacement of 100 UM Reports
- Discussion of all business processes
- A 55% demodification rate
Thanks to a cohesive, highly effective team, in addition to the experienced guidance from implementation partner CedarCrestone, the University will benefit from a much more mature system. It’s also been an opportunity for staff to not only contribute to the project, but to meet people outside of their unit and home campus.
Associate Vice Provost and University Registrar Sue Van Voorhis, who serves as the business process owner for the Student upgrade and the Portal said, “We’ve been able to break down barriers. This is a very united group. Everyone is so committed to making this a success and going with our principles.”
Read the full story here...
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Q and A with Arash Forouhari
(Update as of April 21, 2014: ESUP is no longer going live with Oracle's Identity Manager (OIM). Please read this blog post for the most up-to-date information.)
Last week the Identity Management team agreed to move up their Oracle Identity Manager (OIM) deployment date to Spring, 2014. We sat down with the IdM project director, Arash Forouhari, to get a better idea of what this change in delivery date means for the University.
ESUP: It seems like there are a lot of terms surrounding identity management that may be used interchangeably, but really are different. Can you give quick definitions for Internet ID, OIM, and X.500?
Arash Forouhari (AF): Sure. Internet ID is a unique id created by an identity management system and assigned to each user provisioned in the system. An Internet ID is used to access applications, systems and resources. X.500 ID and Internet ID refer to the same thing but Internet ID is the University’s preferred term.
Oracle Identity Manager (OIM) is the University’s new identity management platform replacing X.500.
X.500 is the term used to refer to the University’s current identity management solution, which has been in production for the last 20 years. When OIM is in place, the University will discontinue using this term.
ESUP: What was the original implementation strategy and how is this new strategy different?
AF: The original strategy was to deploy (OIM) as part of ESUP go-live next fall and decommission X.500 (current IdM solution) at the same time. The new strategy is 4-5 months earlier than we had originally planned. Also, the new deployment model is a controlled, phased approach where the X.500 feeds and downstream systems are moved to OIM from X.500 one component at a time. This reduces risk and allows us to validate components individually.
Last week the Identity Management team agreed to move up their Oracle Identity Manager (OIM) deployment date to Spring, 2014. We sat down with the IdM project director, Arash Forouhari, to get a better idea of what this change in delivery date means for the University.
ESUP: It seems like there are a lot of terms surrounding identity management that may be used interchangeably, but really are different. Can you give quick definitions for Internet ID, OIM, and X.500?
Arash Forouhari (AF): Sure. Internet ID is a unique id created by an identity management system and assigned to each user provisioned in the system. An Internet ID is used to access applications, systems and resources. X.500 ID and Internet ID refer to the same thing but Internet ID is the University’s preferred term.
Oracle Identity Manager (OIM) is the University’s new identity management platform replacing X.500.
X.500 is the term used to refer to the University’s current identity management solution, which has been in production for the last 20 years. When OIM is in place, the University will discontinue using this term.
ESUP: What was the original implementation strategy and how is this new strategy different?
AF: The original strategy was to deploy (OIM) as part of ESUP go-live next fall and decommission X.500 (current IdM solution) at the same time. The new strategy is 4-5 months earlier than we had originally planned. Also, the new deployment model is a controlled, phased approach where the X.500 feeds and downstream systems are moved to OIM from X.500 one component at a time. This reduces risk and allows us to validate components individually.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Video: Portal and Design Thinking Workshops
Because of the nature of their different types of work, it's unusual for business units and academic units to collaborate on a project at the U.
The ESUP Portal Project and Design Thinking @ College of Design saw an opportunity to bring academic expertise to a business project: the design of the new U of M portal. One best practice for new product design is involving the future users early in the process. ESUP used Design Thinking Workshops to learn what the U of M community needed from a portal, shaping what became the Rough Draft. Watch our video to learn more about Design Thinking and this unique collaboration.
The ESUP Portal Project and Design Thinking @ College of Design saw an opportunity to bring academic expertise to a business project: the design of the new U of M portal. One best practice for new product design is involving the future users early in the process. ESUP used Design Thinking Workshops to learn what the U of M community needed from a portal, shaping what became the Rough Draft. Watch our video to learn more about Design Thinking and this unique collaboration.
Monday, November 25, 2013
HRMS work stream focuses on
stakeholder engagement
As the end of Phase 2: Analyze & Design draws near, the HRMS work stream has ramped up its outreach to the broader user community and to the University. A new Sneak Peeks video page has been added to the HRMS website to provide previews of system changes and early-education opportunities for system users. During the past three weeks, the HRMS team has also hosted three town halls on the East Bank, West Bank, and St. Paul campuses, which were streamed to employees statewide.
A total of 273 people attended these sessions (166 in person and 107 online). Attendees heard a brief overview of planned system and business process changes to date, then shared their feedback, questions, and concerns with HRMS project leaders including Director of OHR Operations Lori Lamb, HRMS business owner Kelly Krattiger, and HRMS project director Kris Hause.
“Our goal is to get more people involved, and more discussion happening, about the HRMS portion of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program,” said Lamb. “We want to know what concerns people have, what they are hearing about the project, and what additional information they need. We want feedback from people who might not otherwise have had the chance to share, and if people are out of the loop, we want to bring them in the loop.”
Attendees also provided written feedback, which is being compiled and reviewed to identify topics for future communications, training, and discussion. A video of the first town hall session has been posted on the HRMS upgrade website, z.umn.edu/hrms. You can also offer feedback or ask questions about the project online.
Additionally, on November 7, more than 60 project team members, governance committee members, and subject matter experts from the HRMS and Finance work streams attended an appreciation lunch hosted by Kathy Brown, vice president of the Office of Human Resources, for their hard work on shared processes like those in Payroll Accounting. Brown, Lamb, Associate Vice President and Controller Mike Volna, and Rob Super, chair of the Finance functional steering committee, each thanked those in attendance and spoke highly of the level of engagement to date and the tremendous potential of the upgrade to help transform the way the University operates.
A total of 273 people attended these sessions (166 in person and 107 online). Attendees heard a brief overview of planned system and business process changes to date, then shared their feedback, questions, and concerns with HRMS project leaders including Director of OHR Operations Lori Lamb, HRMS business owner Kelly Krattiger, and HRMS project director Kris Hause.
“Our goal is to get more people involved, and more discussion happening, about the HRMS portion of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program,” said Lamb. “We want to know what concerns people have, what they are hearing about the project, and what additional information they need. We want feedback from people who might not otherwise have had the chance to share, and if people are out of the loop, we want to bring them in the loop.”
Attendees also provided written feedback, which is being compiled and reviewed to identify topics for future communications, training, and discussion. A video of the first town hall session has been posted on the HRMS upgrade website, z.umn.edu/hrms. You can also offer feedback or ask questions about the project online.
Additionally, on November 7, more than 60 project team members, governance committee members, and subject matter experts from the HRMS and Finance work streams attended an appreciation lunch hosted by Kathy Brown, vice president of the Office of Human Resources, for their hard work on shared processes like those in Payroll Accounting. Brown, Lamb, Associate Vice President and Controller Mike Volna, and Rob Super, chair of the Finance functional steering committee, each thanked those in attendance and spoke highly of the level of engagement to date and the tremendous potential of the upgrade to help transform the way the University operates.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Q and A with Rob Super
Rob Super, one of the administrative center directors at the University’s Medical School and bowtie aficionado, plays a critical role in ESUP. We sat down with Rob to ask him a few questions.
ESUP: How did you get involved in ESUP?
Rob Super (RS): Richard Pfutzenreuter (Fitz), vice president and CFO, and Mike Volna, associate vice president of finance and University controller, asked the Financial Management Advisory Committee (FinMAC) to serve as the user community representatives on the Financial Functional Steering Committee on ESUP. I am a member of FinMAC. Fitz and Mike also asked me to serve as the chair.
ESUP: What excites you about this project?
RS: Many things. The user perspective is being actively sought and given equal weight in all decisions. We are building up trust between the user community and our central colleagues. System integration issues are identified early on and addressed in the most collaborative way I have seen in my 20 years at the University. We have great support from President Kaler and his senior leaders. We are seeing very creative solutions emerge from our workgroups. I think we will see new functionality in many areas that will be embraced by users.
ESUP: How did you get involved in ESUP?
Rob Super (RS): Richard Pfutzenreuter (Fitz), vice president and CFO, and Mike Volna, associate vice president of finance and University controller, asked the Financial Management Advisory Committee (FinMAC) to serve as the user community representatives on the Financial Functional Steering Committee on ESUP. I am a member of FinMAC. Fitz and Mike also asked me to serve as the chair.
ESUP: What excites you about this project?
RS: Many things. The user perspective is being actively sought and given equal weight in all decisions. We are building up trust between the user community and our central colleagues. System integration issues are identified early on and addressed in the most collaborative way I have seen in my 20 years at the University. We have great support from President Kaler and his senior leaders. We are seeing very creative solutions emerge from our workgroups. I think we will see new functionality in many areas that will be embraced by users.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
ESUP creating a 'one-stop-shop' for reporting
University leaders and staff need reports to help them make good decisions. However, these reports are not always easy to find. This will change with the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP).
“In terms of reporting changes coming as a part of ESUP, the idea of a reporting center is the thing I’m most excited about,” says Lori Lamb, chair of ESUP’s HRMS functional steering committee. “Having ready access to reporting information in one place will be a big step forward.” Lamb is referring to the Reporting Center, a concept now taking shape as part of the program.
The idea is to centralize the reports University faculty and staff need to do their job through the Portal when the upgraded systems go live late in 2014. It won’t be the only place to find reports but it will be THE place to access reports from multiple reporting tools like UM Reports, PeopleSoft and UM Analytics.
The Reporting Center will:
- categorize reports based on their function (i.e. finance, human resources, student, etc.),
- include robust search functionality, and
- allow users to customize their own view to include their favorites.
To help identify features that work well for users and enhance functionality, Reporting and Data Management (RDM) staff conducted usability testing and feedback sessions by sharing an early version with University staff from the System campuses.
 |
| UM Morris feedback session - Clare Dingley, registrar and director of the Office of the Registrar pictured |
“We’re encouraged by the positive response and we’ll use the feedback as we work towards a final product,” said Amy Winkel, reporting project director for ESUP. “We appreciate everyone’s input and the opportunity to create this tool that will make it easier to access reports in the future.”
Look for additional Reporting Center information and details in future issues of the Upgrade and at upgrade.umn.edu as development work continues.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
ESUP Video: How ESUP Works (Part 2)
Santiago Fernández-Giménez, Assistant Program Director for Communications, Change Management, & Training, talks about how the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP) is doing its work in video number two.
Enjoy!
As always, please send your questions or comments to esup@umn.edu.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
New book highlights portal project's University engagement
Historically, implementing new products at the University has been a challenge. Students, staff, and faculty worry their needs won’t be met by the new product. To address this concern early in the process, staff on ESUP’s portal project looked to innovative participatory methods highlighted in a new eBook, Cultivating Change in the Academy: Practicing the Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter within the University of Minnesota.
According to their website, Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter (AoH) is “An approach to leadership that scales up from the personal to the systemic using personal practice, dialogue, facilitation and the co-creation of innovation to address complex challenges.” This means ensuring that when groups of people get together they have meaningful and productive conversations.
From the beginning, staff incorporated many AoH techniques as they engaged stakeholders and started their work developing the new Portal. Getting everyone together to discuss a future project using AoH helped “provide a vehicle to move from idea to action,” wrote Susan Geller, portal project director. These techniques, including World Café, guided Geller and the Portal Leadership Team from the initial steps in the process through the first phase of the project.
World Café, smaller circle discussions around a specific topic where people move around to different circles to hear others’ opinions, helped participants share ideas about success, challenges, assumptions, and identify themes used in the Portal’s project charter. At the kick-off event, over 430 people simultaneously participated from all five system campuses and it was well received. According to surveys completed after the event, 75 percent of respondents said ‘Yes’ when asked “Did you feel a part of the conversation about portal and that your input was valuable?”
Feedback harvested from the AoH activities has had a direct impact on the “Rough Draft” version of the Portal currently available through the project’s website. Join the conversation by looking at the “Rough Draft”, telling us what you think, and reading the new ebook. “If we all create the Portal together, we’ll have a better chance of meeting all of our needs,” said Geller.
According to their website, Art of Hosting Conversations that Matter (AoH) is “An approach to leadership that scales up from the personal to the systemic using personal practice, dialogue, facilitation and the co-creation of innovation to address complex challenges.” This means ensuring that when groups of people get together they have meaningful and productive conversations.
From the beginning, staff incorporated many AoH techniques as they engaged stakeholders and started their work developing the new Portal. Getting everyone together to discuss a future project using AoH helped “provide a vehicle to move from idea to action,” wrote Susan Geller, portal project director. These techniques, including World Café, guided Geller and the Portal Leadership Team from the initial steps in the process through the first phase of the project.
 |
| Landscape agenda for portal kick-off event |
World Café, smaller circle discussions around a specific topic where people move around to different circles to hear others’ opinions, helped participants share ideas about success, challenges, assumptions, and identify themes used in the Portal’s project charter. At the kick-off event, over 430 people simultaneously participated from all five system campuses and it was well received. According to surveys completed after the event, 75 percent of respondents said ‘Yes’ when asked “Did you feel a part of the conversation about portal and that your input was valuable?”
Feedback harvested from the AoH activities has had a direct impact on the “Rough Draft” version of the Portal currently available through the project’s website. Join the conversation by looking at the “Rough Draft”, telling us what you think, and reading the new ebook. “If we all create the Portal together, we’ll have a better chance of meeting all of our needs,” said Geller.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Now showing: Appointment structure sneak peek video!
In September, the HRMS work stream shared that restructuring the University’s appointment data could transform our system and data. This month, HRMS business owner Kelly Krattiger demonstrates how the new structure will work and what will change for the better because of it. Check out our latest HRMS Sneak Peek video!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
President Kaler recognizes ESUP progress
University President Eric Kaler, Executive Oversight Committee Chair Dean Robert Elde, and ESUP Program Director Dennis Wenzel welcomed over 120 ESUP staff and stakeholders to an appreciation event October 16 at the Campus Club.
“As I said at the kick-off a year ago, I don’t know of anything more important to the long-term viability and success of the University of Minnesota than the work you are engaged in right now,” Kaler said. “I have your back!” the President re-stated, expressing his support for everyone’s effort and commitment to making ESUP a success.
“It was good to hear the President continues to champion this project and will support the decisions being made after implementation,” said Rod DeVriendt, human resources specialist in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “I think this event energized the group to continue to carry out the final year of this project.”
Dean Elde introduced Program Director Dennis Wenzel, who provided a brief program status update. “Overall the program is in good shape,” said Wenzel. “As we start the second half, we will expand our efforts in areas like testing, development, and implementation to make sure that when we ‘flip the switch’ at Go-Live a year from now, the lights will come on.”
Wenzel also highlighted results from the recent stakeholder survey, indicating University staff have higher confidence in ESUP’s success if they know someone working on the program. “Your efforts are making a difference and you are the connections between the program and the people directly affected by our work. You are ESUP’s ambassadors,” added Wenzel.
To watch a video of the event’s program, please click here.
“It was good to hear the President continues to champion this project and will support the decisions being made after implementation,” said Rod DeVriendt, human resources specialist in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “I think this event energized the group to continue to carry out the final year of this project.”
Dean Elde introduced Program Director Dennis Wenzel, who provided a brief program status update. “Overall the program is in good shape,” said Wenzel. “As we start the second half, we will expand our efforts in areas like testing, development, and implementation to make sure that when we ‘flip the switch’ at Go-Live a year from now, the lights will come on.”
Wenzel also highlighted results from the recent stakeholder survey, indicating University staff have higher confidence in ESUP’s success if they know someone working on the program. “Your efforts are making a difference and you are the connections between the program and the people directly affected by our work. You are ESUP’s ambassadors,” added Wenzel.
To watch a video of the event’s program, please click here.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
ESUP Update 10-21-13 to 11-04-13
Human Resources Management System (HRMS) upcoming town halls
ESUP establishes IT Steering Committee
The ESUP Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) was formed over the summer to help the Program establish technology governance, processes, and policies that align the work being done on ESUP with the University’s long-term IT strategy. Read more...
As part of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP), the HRMS upgrade will simplify and streamline the University's human resources management system and processes, add essential new self-service functionality, and improve data quality and the user experience. Interested faculty and staff are invited to attend one of three upcoming HRMS Upgrade Town Hall sessions scheduled for late October and November. Read more...
Portal releases Rough Draft: Take a look!
The Portal Team is releasing an early version of the portal for your review! It will be the place to access tools and resources you need at the University, from searching for classes to viewing your pay statement. Read more...
Consensus by collaboration: HRMS partners with Finance, others to redefine processes
In any highly decentralized organization, fostering cross-functional collaboration is a challenge -- and a necessity. The HRMS upgrade project is a prime example of an initiative that cannot succeed without cooperation from across the spectrum of University units and functions. Read more...
Portal releases Rough Draft: Take a look!
The Portal Team is releasing an early version of the portal for your review! It will be the place to access tools and resources you need at the University, from searching for classes to viewing your pay statement. Read more...
Consensus by collaboration: HRMS partners with Finance, others to redefine processes
In any highly decentralized organization, fostering cross-functional collaboration is a challenge -- and a necessity. The HRMS upgrade project is a prime example of an initiative that cannot succeed without cooperation from across the spectrum of University units and functions. Read more...
ESUP establishes IT Steering Committee
The ESUP Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) was formed over the summer to help the Program establish technology governance, processes, and policies that align the work being done on ESUP with the University’s long-term IT strategy. Read more...
Subscribe to the ESUP Blog!
Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
ESUP Video: ESUP Overview
Santiago Fernández-Giménez, Assistant Program Director for Communications, Change Management, & Training, gives a high-level overview of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP).
Enjoy!
As alway, please send your questions or comments to esup@umn.edu
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Portal releases rough draft: Take a look!
The Portal Team is releasing an early version of the portal for your review! The portal will be the place to access tools and resources you need at the University, from searching for classes to viewing your pay statement.
The Rough Draft was created from many of the ideas and suggestions gathered from the Kickoff Meeting in January 2013, the Design Thinking Workshops, meetings and presentations, and through feedback collected on our website.
This is a “Rough Draft” because development has just started and your input is integral to the process. Like a house under construction, we want you to “walk through” the site and tell us what you think. Visit the Portal Project website to log in, explore, and give your feedback. Your suggestions will help the team build a portal that will work well for the University.
 |
| Screenshot of Portal rough draft |
The Rough Draft was created from many of the ideas and suggestions gathered from the Kickoff Meeting in January 2013, the Design Thinking Workshops, meetings and presentations, and through feedback collected on our website.
This is a “Rough Draft” because development has just started and your input is integral to the process. Like a house under construction, we want you to “walk through” the site and tell us what you think. Visit the Portal Project website to log in, explore, and give your feedback. Your suggestions will help the team build a portal that will work well for the University.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Portal Sponsorship Pathway Determined
One of the challenges facing the Enterprise Portal project has been the quandary of ownership. The Portal is a new product and a new opportunity, and, while initial development is in scope for ESUP, this sort of tool needs a strong sponsor with a holistic perspective. What sponsorship structure will be most effective in setting the Portal up to create value for the long-term? As ESUP has moved forward this question has become more crucial.
The question of Portal sponsorship became a barrier as the project team began working on portal features. What are the right things to do now to effectively facilitate a positive user experience for students, faculty and staff? The Portal team had good ideas and a clear process for this, but had no sponsor with whom to vet the long-term vision. Even short-term priority setting was becoming difficult, since each priority has ramifications for long-term sustainability.
The Executive Oversight Committee wrestled with this question last week, and, based on recommendations from the Portal Leadership Team, has determined that the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is the right place in our structure to sponsor the Portal. The Provost's Office has agreed to take on this responsibility. ESUP sees this as a great fit, as the Provost's Office has system-wide responsibilities, understands and supports student and faculty affairs and the mission of the Portal, and has a broad interest in improving the coherence and continuity of the user experience. In addition, a collaborative Portal Governance Team with representation from other strategic areas of the University will be put in place.
Given the tight timeline for the upgrade, the Provost's Office doesn't want to interrupt progress. They have assigned leadership for the duration of the program to Susan Van Voorhis, Assistant Vice Provost of Academic Support Resources and University Registrar, while they figure out how best to structure their resources. Sue will provide active sponsorship within the context of ESUP to help ensure that the Portal project meets our goals. Sue will work with Susan Geller, Portal Project Director, and the Portal Leadership Team to continue setting priorities, so the team can deliver Portal features that meet the needs of ESUP and the University community.
ESUP is very pleased to see this next step in our sustainability planning come to fruition. ESUP governance and the Portal Team look forward to working with Sue and the Provost's Office toward continued success.
The question of Portal sponsorship became a barrier as the project team began working on portal features. What are the right things to do now to effectively facilitate a positive user experience for students, faculty and staff? The Portal team had good ideas and a clear process for this, but had no sponsor with whom to vet the long-term vision. Even short-term priority setting was becoming difficult, since each priority has ramifications for long-term sustainability.
The Executive Oversight Committee wrestled with this question last week, and, based on recommendations from the Portal Leadership Team, has determined that the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is the right place in our structure to sponsor the Portal. The Provost's Office has agreed to take on this responsibility. ESUP sees this as a great fit, as the Provost's Office has system-wide responsibilities, understands and supports student and faculty affairs and the mission of the Portal, and has a broad interest in improving the coherence and continuity of the user experience. In addition, a collaborative Portal Governance Team with representation from other strategic areas of the University will be put in place.
Given the tight timeline for the upgrade, the Provost's Office doesn't want to interrupt progress. They have assigned leadership for the duration of the program to Susan Van Voorhis, Assistant Vice Provost of Academic Support Resources and University Registrar, while they figure out how best to structure their resources. Sue will provide active sponsorship within the context of ESUP to help ensure that the Portal project meets our goals. Sue will work with Susan Geller, Portal Project Director, and the Portal Leadership Team to continue setting priorities, so the team can deliver Portal features that meet the needs of ESUP and the University community.
ESUP is very pleased to see this next step in our sustainability planning come to fruition. ESUP governance and the Portal Team look forward to working with Sue and the Provost's Office toward continued success.
Monday, October 14, 2013
HRMS project to preview changes, solicit input at town halls
As part of the Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP), the HRMS upgrade will simplify and streamline the University's human resources management system and processes, add essential new self-service functionality, and improve data quality and the user experience. Interested faculty and staff are invited to attend one of three upcoming HRMS Upgrade Town Hall sessions scheduled for late October and November.
The purpose of these town halls is to share the latest information on HRMS project progress and decisions and to gather input from interested stakeholders to ensure that the new system, processes, and training meets your needs and those of the University. We will take a closer look at the major system changes identified to date, discuss challenges and opportunities posed by new functionality and processes, and more.
You can attend these town halls in person or online via UMConnect. The sessions are scheduled as follows:
Please RSVP via ULearn and take this opportunity to learn more about the HRMS upgrade and to engage in the change process. Our goal is a more streamlined and effective HRMS system that better supports our human resource enterprise and the University’s academic mission.
For more information on the HRMS upgrade project or ESUP overall, visit z.umn.edu/hrms or upgrade.umn.edu.
The purpose of these town halls is to share the latest information on HRMS project progress and decisions and to gather input from interested stakeholders to ensure that the new system, processes, and training meets your needs and those of the University. We will take a closer look at the major system changes identified to date, discuss challenges and opportunities posed by new functionality and processes, and more.
You can attend these town halls in person or online via UMConnect. The sessions are scheduled as follows:
- Thursday, October 31, 3 to 4 p.m., Physics 166 (East Bank)
- Thursday, November 7, 3 to 4 p.m., Carlson 2-206 (West Bank)
- Thursday, November 14, 3 to 4 p.m., Alderman Hall 415 (St. Paul)
Please RSVP via ULearn and take this opportunity to learn more about the HRMS upgrade and to engage in the change process. Our goal is a more streamlined and effective HRMS system that better supports our human resource enterprise and the University’s academic mission.
For more information on the HRMS upgrade project or ESUP overall, visit z.umn.edu/hrms or upgrade.umn.edu.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Consensus by collaboration: HRMS partners with Finance, others to redefine processes
In any highly decentralized organization, fostering cross-functional collaboration is a challenge -- and a necessity. The HRMS upgrade project is a prime example of an initiative that cannot succeed without cooperation from across the spectrum of University units and functions.
A fresh perspective on core HR data
Restructuring appointment data and reducing multiple appointments required significant cross-functional consultation by the entire appointment data team just to develop a recommendation that would have traction in the broader U community. Gretchen Wolfangel (UMN) and James Ellis (CCI), in particular, conducted at least a dozen consultation sessions with academic and administrative units throughout the University. They also contacted peer institutions facing similar challenges to see how they approach appointment data. The conclusion? Everyone does it differently, and no one would recommend their approach.
Then in mid-July, the team invited the HRMS, Finance, and Reporting and Data Management work streams together for a collaboration session in which they walked through the major challenges posed by appointment data and solicited input.
“The big takeaway from that session was that everyone understood the challenges and said, ‘We’re ready for a consistent approach; come back to us and tell us how we can do this in a better way going forward,’” says Lori Lamb, director of OHR Operations.
The team invited the same people back together in early September to share the final recommendations for restructuring. More than 50 people attended the second session in person and online and gave their consensus endorsement to the new approach. That recommendation was ratified by the Integration Steering Committee at its Sept. 10 meeting and by the Executive Oversight Committee on Sept. 17.
Teamwork key to simplifying payroll accounting
To redesign the University’s payroll accounting processes and take advantage of delivered functionality, the HRMS and Finance work streams held 26 working sessions this past summer, totaling more than 80 hours on the topic of payroll accounting. The Finance and HRMS Functional Steering Committees also met jointly on this topic, and the Integration Steering Committee reviewed and endorsed the resulting Distribution Entry business process last month. By many accounts, the level of collaboration has been unprecedented; past partnerships have been strengthened and new connections fostered around a process that has previously been challenging at best.
“The changes currently being recommended for the Payroll Accounting process are the result of significant collaboration between HR and Finance professionals,” says Dan Hemauer, project manager for the Finance system upgrade. “The representation for the first two phases of the project has been very broad. … As a result, a number of recommendations have been made that will significantly improve the current business process from a functional as well as technical perspective.”
A fresh perspective on core HR data
Restructuring appointment data and reducing multiple appointments required significant cross-functional consultation by the entire appointment data team just to develop a recommendation that would have traction in the broader U community. Gretchen Wolfangel (UMN) and James Ellis (CCI), in particular, conducted at least a dozen consultation sessions with academic and administrative units throughout the University. They also contacted peer institutions facing similar challenges to see how they approach appointment data. The conclusion? Everyone does it differently, and no one would recommend their approach.
Then in mid-July, the team invited the HRMS, Finance, and Reporting and Data Management work streams together for a collaboration session in which they walked through the major challenges posed by appointment data and solicited input.
“The big takeaway from that session was that everyone understood the challenges and said, ‘We’re ready for a consistent approach; come back to us and tell us how we can do this in a better way going forward,’” says Lori Lamb, director of OHR Operations.
The team invited the same people back together in early September to share the final recommendations for restructuring. More than 50 people attended the second session in person and online and gave their consensus endorsement to the new approach. That recommendation was ratified by the Integration Steering Committee at its Sept. 10 meeting and by the Executive Oversight Committee on Sept. 17.
Teamwork key to simplifying payroll accounting
To redesign the University’s payroll accounting processes and take advantage of delivered functionality, the HRMS and Finance work streams held 26 working sessions this past summer, totaling more than 80 hours on the topic of payroll accounting. The Finance and HRMS Functional Steering Committees also met jointly on this topic, and the Integration Steering Committee reviewed and endorsed the resulting Distribution Entry business process last month. By many accounts, the level of collaboration has been unprecedented; past partnerships have been strengthened and new connections fostered around a process that has previously been challenging at best.
“The changes currently being recommended for the Payroll Accounting process are the result of significant collaboration between HR and Finance professionals,” says Dan Hemauer, project manager for the Finance system upgrade. “The representation for the first two phases of the project has been very broad. … As a result, a number of recommendations have been made that will significantly improve the current business process from a functional as well as technical perspective.”
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
ESUP establishes IT Steering Committee
The ESUP Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) was formed over the summer to help the Program establish technology governance, processes, and policies that align the work being done on ESUP with the University’s long-term IT strategy.
The ITSC will focus its efforts on reviewing all technology infrastructure integrations, custom web-application development, security, complex development and dissenting opinions on application design. “ESUP formed this committee to help inform and influence technology decisions. It will operate like the other functional steering committees where they discuss best practices, processes, and support for these systems after Go-Live,” said Sharon Ramallo, chairperson of the committee and associate CIO for Enterprise Systems in the Office of Information Technology.
The ITSC’s objectives include:
“The broad viewpoints represented on the Committee help us tackle important issues, identify risks, and take action necessary for ESUP to succeed and align with the University’s long-term goals,” said Mark Powell, assistant program director for technology for ESUP and ITSC committee member.
Please send questions about the ITSC or its decisions to Sharon Ramallo at ramal003@umn.edu.
The ITSC will focus its efforts on reviewing all technology infrastructure integrations, custom web-application development, security, complex development and dissenting opinions on application design. “ESUP formed this committee to help inform and influence technology decisions. It will operate like the other functional steering committees where they discuss best practices, processes, and support for these systems after Go-Live,” said Sharon Ramallo, chairperson of the committee and associate CIO for Enterprise Systems in the Office of Information Technology.
The ITSC’s objectives include:
- Endorsing and communicating overall technology direction for ESUP to appropriate audiences
- Providing resolution for ESUP technology project issues
- Conducting technology reviews and setting priorities and direction of efforts
- Reviewing and approving major technology project deliverables that warrant discussion
- Providing a network for open communications between IT groups
- Reducing project risks and optimize project performance
“The broad viewpoints represented on the Committee help us tackle important issues, identify risks, and take action necessary for ESUP to succeed and align with the University’s long-term goals,” said Mark Powell, assistant program director for technology for ESUP and ITSC committee member.
Please send questions about the ITSC or its decisions to Sharon Ramallo at ramal003@umn.edu.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Payroll Accounting sneak peek: More robust functionality, less data entry
The HRMS upgrade project provides an opportunity to significantly reduce data entry and simplify payroll accounting processes in most cases, and strengthen processes and accountability in others. These can be challenging processes to understand, even for regular system users -- as a result, the HRMS training team has developed a "sneak peek" video to explain some of the new functionality. For the rest of the University community, suffice it to say that the interaction between the U’s HRMS and Finance systems should be significantly simpler and easier to manage going forward -- reducing data entry and the opportunity for error, and improving efficiency and productivity.
Monday, October 7, 2013
ESUP Update 10-07-13 to 10-20-13
Three weeks later with Dennis Wenzel
Tricia Conway (TC): It’s been three weeks since Dennis Wenzel joined the ESUP team as the new Program Director. If you missed our first Q&A with Dennis, you can read it here. Now that he has his bearings, we asked Dennis to give us his impressions. Click here to read more.
A Dynamic Duo
Effective teamwork is foundational to the success of ESUP. Whether it’s the teams formed by the Program’s governance structure like the Project Leadership Team (PLT) or those formed around the University’s business processes in IDPs, strong teamwork is a key factor for the Program to reach its goals. Click here for more information.
A Dynamic Duo
Effective teamwork is foundational to the success of ESUP. Whether it’s the teams formed by the Program’s governance structure like the Project Leadership Team (PLT) or those formed around the University’s business processes in IDPs, strong teamwork is a key factor for the Program to reach its goals. Click here for more information.
New Approach to Appointment Data will Transform HRMS
It’s mid-afternoon, and HRMS business owner Kelly Krattiger is presenting a proposal to restructure the U’s appointment data to a full conference room. The discussion could be dry and technical -- a bad combination after lunch -- but Krattiger begins by clicking through a simple model of the current system, built in PowerPoint. Click here to read more.
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Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Three weeks later with Dennis Wenzel
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| Dennis Wenzel |
Dennis Wenzel (DW): This has been a whirlwind three weeks. People have been very welcoming and have done a great job training 'the new guy.'
The Program is going strong and people are doing great work. I have been most impressed by the commitment and passion of the team; people are truly committed to making ESUP a success. I also get the sense this team wants ESUP to be different--to change the way the University communicates, collaborates, and works together. It is encouraging to see so much cooperation across the University.
Moving forward, I would like to turn my attentions to preparing the team for implementation. The Program is at a point where we can start focusing on planning for deployment. I hope to bring my experience deploying many large systems to the team. There is a lot of work to do to prepare for a smooth go live--from testing, to infrastructure set up; partnering interfaces to old system conversions and retirement; and communications, training, and sustainability. There is a lot to do, but there is a great team to do the work!
(TC): Thanks, Dennis! If you haven’t met Dennis, please join us at the next Meet n’ Greet on Monday, Oct 7 from 10 - 11 AM in 140 Nolte. Dean Elde, chair of the Executive Oversight Committee, and Dennis will answer questions submitted via our anonymous Google form. Light refreshments will be served. Please join us!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
A Dynamic Duo
Effective teamwork is foundational to the success of ESUP. Whether it’s the teams formed by the Program’s governance structure like the Project Leadership Team (PLT) or those formed around the University’s business processes in IDPs, strong teamwork is a key factor for the Program to reach its goals.
According to businessdictionary.com, a team is “a group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a task, job, or project”. With that definition in mind, Richard Toetschinger and Mary Gilbertson make a great team. Richard is a University employee for the Student work stream and Mary is his counterpart from CedarCrestone Inc (CCI). Their job is to “plan for the financial aid team and to make sure [they] report [their] progress to project managers and the financial aid steering committee,” says Richard. Mary also stresses the importance of “making sure all of the campuses are heard and that they all have a voice.”
This collaboration between CCI and the University is essential. Richard illustrates this when he says that the project would have gone poorly without an expert like Mary on board, “It’s very nice having Mary here because she’s gone through this before at other schools, so she brings that knowledge. There’s a trust that she knows what she’s doing.” It’s this trust that’s the foundation of teamwork and problem solving. For example, when scheduling their IDP sessions, Richard and Mary grouped the financial aid business processes in sets of two or three instead of serially. Richard explains this “helped the functional staff see the bigger picture and make some connections between processes.”
Richard and Mary continue to learn from each other during this process. They both say they’ve learned to hold back and not to take things personally. One thing Mary appreciates about Richard is a sense of calm he brings and his “understanding of how financial aid works. He knows the business analysts who work for him and their strengths.” Richard appreciates Mary’s “expertise, sense of humor and her fine baking skills.” Their humor helps keep things fun while spending nearly 40 hours a week together and their skills keep the team on track.
According to businessdictionary.com, a team is “a group of people with a full set of complementary skills required to complete a task, job, or project”. With that definition in mind, Richard Toetschinger and Mary Gilbertson make a great team. Richard is a University employee for the Student work stream and Mary is his counterpart from CedarCrestone Inc (CCI). Their job is to “plan for the financial aid team and to make sure [they] report [their] progress to project managers and the financial aid steering committee,” says Richard. Mary also stresses the importance of “making sure all of the campuses are heard and that they all have a voice.”
 |
| Richard Toetschinger and Mary Gilbertson |
Richard and Mary continue to learn from each other during this process. They both say they’ve learned to hold back and not to take things personally. One thing Mary appreciates about Richard is a sense of calm he brings and his “understanding of how financial aid works. He knows the business analysts who work for him and their strengths.” Richard appreciates Mary’s “expertise, sense of humor and her fine baking skills.” Their humor helps keep things fun while spending nearly 40 hours a week together and their skills keep the team on track.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
New approach to Appointment Data
will transform HRMS
It’s mid-afternoon, and HRMS business owner Kelly Krattiger is presenting a proposal to restructure the U’s appointment data to a full conference room. The discussion could be dry and technical -- a bad combination after lunch -- but Krattiger begins by clicking through a simple model of the current system, built in PowerPoint. In this simulation, Krattiger is an HR professional looking up an employee’s salary. In this case, the employee in question has six appointments in HRMS, and it’s not clear which will include the employee’s actual salary.
Click. Click. Click. Heads nod, and several people in the audience chuckle knowingly. One by one, Krattiger deciphers each appointment. Once he has the full picture, he’ll need a calculator or scratch paper to add up the pay associated with each appointment. The process can take many minutes.
Nancy Casey is an HR specialist in the School of Public Health’s dean’s office and one of the subject matter experts consulting on the HRMS upgrade. She can vouch for the challenges posed by the current system and structure.
“On the AHC side, there are always multiple records and multiple appointments -- UMP, AHC, school or division, et cetera,” Casey says. “Verifying an actual base salary for grant purposes is an adventure. Condensing and simplifying the appointment process would help us verify accurate base salaries.”
Simplified structure and processes
In the current system, users click through multiple appointment records on multiple screens to access even basic appointment information. In the new system, most U employees will have a single appointment record, with all of their key data and information only a click or two away using delivered PeopleSoft functionality.
Krattiger shares examples of the new structure for various types of employees. The visual is still complex, because the relevant information is still detailed -- but it’s clear the process of accessing that information is significantly simpler and quicker. PeopleSoft’s Components of Pay functionality makes it possible to enter multiple types of pay for a single appointment, eliminating the need for multiple appointments to record base salary, administrative augments, and awards, for example.
Fewer multiple appointments
This new approach to appointment data enables the University to significantly reduce the number of multiple appointments in the HRMS system. The University will still use multiple appointments for U doctors who are also part of University of Minnesota Physicians (UMP), retirees who return to work, individuals who have separate 9- and 12-month appointments, and employees who work two distinct part-time jobs.
The U will also take a consistent approach to its 300-plus academic administrators, such as deans, department chairs, and directors with faculty rank.
Krattiger acknowledges the work to get to this point has been highly collaborative but also challenging.
“Some appointment data issues, such as recording tenure, were simple, because the functionality is delivered in PeopleSoft version 9.2,” he says. “Others, such as how to handle without-salary appointments, were more complex, but doable. But handling multiple appointments was the big one. I believe we’ve come up with a consistent approach that people can understand and live with.”
Restructuring appointment data enables and supports significant changes to payroll accounting and other key business processes. Check back for more information on these changes and the strong collaboration between work streams in the near future.
 |
| The maroon boxes represent six active appointments, some paid, some unpaid, and none identifiable until you click into them; the gold bubbles represent multiple pages, windows, and clicks required to reveal this faculty member's job and pay. |
Click. Click. Click. Heads nod, and several people in the audience chuckle knowingly. One by one, Krattiger deciphers each appointment. Once he has the full picture, he’ll need a calculator or scratch paper to add up the pay associated with each appointment. The process can take many minutes.
Nancy Casey is an HR specialist in the School of Public Health’s dean’s office and one of the subject matter experts consulting on the HRMS upgrade. She can vouch for the challenges posed by the current system and structure.
“On the AHC side, there are always multiple records and multiple appointments -- UMP, AHC, school or division, et cetera,” Casey says. “Verifying an actual base salary for grant purposes is an adventure. Condensing and simplifying the appointment process would help us verify accurate base salaries.”
Simplified structure and processes
In the current system, users click through multiple appointment records on multiple screens to access even basic appointment information. In the new system, most U employees will have a single appointment record, with all of their key data and information only a click or two away using delivered PeopleSoft functionality.
Krattiger shares examples of the new structure for various types of employees. The visual is still complex, because the relevant information is still detailed -- but it’s clear the process of accessing that information is significantly simpler and quicker. PeopleSoft’s Components of Pay functionality makes it possible to enter multiple types of pay for a single appointment, eliminating the need for multiple appointments to record base salary, administrative augments, and awards, for example.
 |
| Single appointment record using Components of Pay functionality -- relevant information is only a click or two away |
Fewer multiple appointments
This new approach to appointment data enables the University to significantly reduce the number of multiple appointments in the HRMS system. The University will still use multiple appointments for U doctors who are also part of University of Minnesota Physicians (UMP), retirees who return to work, individuals who have separate 9- and 12-month appointments, and employees who work two distinct part-time jobs.
The U will also take a consistent approach to its 300-plus academic administrators, such as deans, department chairs, and directors with faculty rank.
- Chancellors and deans, as well as vice chancellors and associates and assistants in both categories, will be considered primarily administrators and will have an administrative appointment, with their salary broken out using Components of Pay functionality.
- Department chairs, department heads, and directors with faculty rank will have a faculty appointment, with their salary broken out in the same way.
Krattiger acknowledges the work to get to this point has been highly collaborative but also challenging.
“Some appointment data issues, such as recording tenure, were simple, because the functionality is delivered in PeopleSoft version 9.2,” he says. “Others, such as how to handle without-salary appointments, were more complex, but doable. But handling multiple appointments was the big one. I believe we’ve come up with a consistent approach that people can understand and live with.”
Restructuring appointment data enables and supports significant changes to payroll accounting and other key business processes. Check back for more information on these changes and the strong collaboration between work streams in the near future.
Monday, September 23, 2013
ESUP Update 9-23-13 to 10-7-13
ESUP Executives clarify pathway to new Program Director
We are excited to announce Dennis Wenzel joined the University today as Program Director for ESUP (click here to read the official announcement and Dennis’s CV). Click here to read more.
Q & A with ESUP’s new program director
Dennis Wenzel joined ESUP as the new program director on Monday, September 16, 2013. He hit the ground running, keeping busy with status meetings and team introductions. Despite his packed schedule, we grabbed a minute to sit with Dennis to learn more about who he is and his background. Click here to read more.
Finance work stream explores new features
The Finance work stream has been exploring new features available in PeopleSoft version 9.2. Among the available new features are various work centers for transaction preparers and approvers. Work centers are available for some data entry functions in the financial system but not all. Click here for more information.
Quick hits and reminders from across the work streams
Subscribe to the ESUP Blog!
Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
We are excited to announce Dennis Wenzel joined the University today as Program Director for ESUP (click here to read the official announcement and Dennis’s CV). Click here to read more.
Q & A with ESUP’s new program director
Dennis Wenzel joined ESUP as the new program director on Monday, September 16, 2013. He hit the ground running, keeping busy with status meetings and team introductions. Despite his packed schedule, we grabbed a minute to sit with Dennis to learn more about who he is and his background. Click here to read more.
Finance work stream explores new features
The Finance work stream has been exploring new features available in PeopleSoft version 9.2. Among the available new features are various work centers for transaction preparers and approvers. Work centers are available for some data entry functions in the financial system but not all. Click here for more information.
Quick hits and reminders from across the work streams
- The HRMS Payroll Accounting team and the Finance work team are partnering to find streamlined solutions for the University community. Watch upgrade.umn.edu over the next couple of weeks for articles on payroll accounting, appointment data, and more. This is collaboration at its best!
- The Portal team completed its first rough draft usability day and began engagements to show the rough draft and get feedback from the U community.
- Nearly 1,600 people completed the second ESUP stakeholder survey which closed last week. Thank you to those of you who took the time to give us your feedback!
Subscribe to the ESUP Blog!
Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Finance work stream explores new features
The ESUP Finance Project Work Stream has been exploring new features available in PeopleSoft version 9.2. Among the available new features are various work centers for transaction preparers and approvers. Work centers are available for some data entry functions in the financial system but not all. The available work centers help preparers of some transactions see which are pending review, which require action by the preparer, and so on, in one place.
The upgraded version of PeopleSoft Financials also delivers a tool that may allow people to do things like make Chart of Accounts change requests from within the system itself, potentially replacing the current BPEL tool forms. This feature needs to be further investigated but the preliminary review is encouraging. Watch for further updates as we discover more about the new version of Financials.
Even though the teams are still exploring these new features, it appears that for some functions, transaction preparers can look forward to better access to information and more efficient handling of certain kinds of requests.
The upgraded version of PeopleSoft Financials also delivers a tool that may allow people to do things like make Chart of Accounts change requests from within the system itself, potentially replacing the current BPEL tool forms. This feature needs to be further investigated but the preliminary review is encouraging. Watch for further updates as we discover more about the new version of Financials.
Even though the teams are still exploring these new features, it appears that for some functions, transaction preparers can look forward to better access to information and more efficient handling of certain kinds of requests.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Q&A with ESUP’s new program director
Dennis Wenzel joined ESUP as the new program director on Monday, September 16, 2013. He hit the ground running, keeping busy with status meetings and team introductions. Despite his packed schedule, we grabbed a minute to sit with Dennis to learn more about who he is and his background.
Tricia Conway (TC): Okay, let’s get the easy stuff out of the way. Tell us something about yourself outside of your role as program director.
Dennis Wenzel (DW): I live in Minnetonka with my wife of 13 years, Janelle, and my three kids ages 11, 8, and 6. I grew up in central Minnesota and enjoy the standard Minnesota things like hunting, fishing, hiking, and Minnesota sports teams--especially the Twins (win or lose!). I spend a lot of time with my boys' baseball activities and my daughter's soccer. My wife and I enjoy traveling for fun and are making plans for another trip to Asia.
TC: Can you tell us a bit about your work experience with programs like ESUP?
DW: I have worked in multiple projects similar in size to ESUP--primarily in the public sector. I have served in many capacities from business lead, testing coordinator, communications lead, quality manager, and engagement management. All of my projects have been highly visible, complex projects where the taxpayer's dollars were being spent--and watched.
TC: What excites you about this project?
DW: I enjoy watching all the disparate and complex pieces of large projects come together. I love working on big diverse teams, getting to know new people, and working in a rapid paced environment. I think ESUP has the potential to be transformative for the University; as a member of the broader Minnesota community I am excited to be a part of something so important.
TC: You’ve been a consultant in your previous roles--what was that experience like? Where did you go?
DW: I enjoy consulting. Consulting has allowed me the opportunity to work on some of the most exciting projects in the market--and with some of the smartest people. I have always enjoyed the challenge of learning something quickly, drawing from different experiences, and making a project come together. I spent my early consulting years here in Minnesota. Over the last 8 years, I spent time traveling all over the country meeting with new clients and serving on project teams. I spent a lot of time in Boston, a few months in Harrisburg, and nearly three years in New Mexico. I loved the variety and food of New Mexico; it’s a place I would have never picked to go, but I can't wait to go back.
TC: What drew you to this project and the University?
DW: After spending nearly 14 years in 'Big 4' consulting, I joined North Highland team in Minneapolis where I serve as a Principal for the public sector. We are a management consulting, strategy, and executive management firm. When this opportunity was presented to us, I felt it was a project where I could provide some value and experience. I also felt the challenge would be great.
TC: How do you balance your work and personal life?
DW: I spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. After being on the road 100% for the last several years, I am starting to enjoy the simple 'normal' things of life (all those things that are impossible on the road). I have enjoyed training our yellow lab, coaching fall baseball, doing a little fishing, and taking care of some gardening and landscaping.
TC: Thanks for your time, Dennis!
***
We hope to do a second Q&A with Dennis after his first week to learn more about his thoughts in ESUP and his perceived challenges. If you have any questions you’d like us to ask, please send them to esup@umn.edu. All questions will remain anonymous in the blog unless you request otherwise. In the meantime, stay tuned for information on ESUP-wide “meet n’ greets” with Dennis and Dean Elde. This will be a great opportunity for Dennis to meet the ESUP community!
Tricia Conway (TC): Okay, let’s get the easy stuff out of the way. Tell us something about yourself outside of your role as program director.
Dennis Wenzel (DW): I live in Minnetonka with my wife of 13 years, Janelle, and my three kids ages 11, 8, and 6. I grew up in central Minnesota and enjoy the standard Minnesota things like hunting, fishing, hiking, and Minnesota sports teams--especially the Twins (win or lose!). I spend a lot of time with my boys' baseball activities and my daughter's soccer. My wife and I enjoy traveling for fun and are making plans for another trip to Asia.
TC: Can you tell us a bit about your work experience with programs like ESUP?
DW: I have worked in multiple projects similar in size to ESUP--primarily in the public sector. I have served in many capacities from business lead, testing coordinator, communications lead, quality manager, and engagement management. All of my projects have been highly visible, complex projects where the taxpayer's dollars were being spent--and watched.
TC: What excites you about this project?
DW: I enjoy watching all the disparate and complex pieces of large projects come together. I love working on big diverse teams, getting to know new people, and working in a rapid paced environment. I think ESUP has the potential to be transformative for the University; as a member of the broader Minnesota community I am excited to be a part of something so important.
TC: You’ve been a consultant in your previous roles--what was that experience like? Where did you go?
DW: I enjoy consulting. Consulting has allowed me the opportunity to work on some of the most exciting projects in the market--and with some of the smartest people. I have always enjoyed the challenge of learning something quickly, drawing from different experiences, and making a project come together. I spent my early consulting years here in Minnesota. Over the last 8 years, I spent time traveling all over the country meeting with new clients and serving on project teams. I spent a lot of time in Boston, a few months in Harrisburg, and nearly three years in New Mexico. I loved the variety and food of New Mexico; it’s a place I would have never picked to go, but I can't wait to go back.
TC: What drew you to this project and the University?
DW: After spending nearly 14 years in 'Big 4' consulting, I joined North Highland team in Minneapolis where I serve as a Principal for the public sector. We are a management consulting, strategy, and executive management firm. When this opportunity was presented to us, I felt it was a project where I could provide some value and experience. I also felt the challenge would be great.
TC: How do you balance your work and personal life?
DW: I spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. After being on the road 100% for the last several years, I am starting to enjoy the simple 'normal' things of life (all those things that are impossible on the road). I have enjoyed training our yellow lab, coaching fall baseball, doing a little fishing, and taking care of some gardening and landscaping.
TC: Thanks for your time, Dennis!
***
We hope to do a second Q&A with Dennis after his first week to learn more about his thoughts in ESUP and his perceived challenges. If you have any questions you’d like us to ask, please send them to esup@umn.edu. All questions will remain anonymous in the blog unless you request otherwise. In the meantime, stay tuned for information on ESUP-wide “meet n’ greets” with Dennis and Dean Elde. This will be a great opportunity for Dennis to meet the ESUP community!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Survey is now closed - thanks for your feedback!
Survey Said!!! - We sent the second stakeholder assessment survey to nearly 5,000 people across the System campuses on September 12 and we want to thank those who have responded.
The purpose of the survey is to gather new information, compare the results to the first survey sent in December 2012, and gain a better understanding of stakeholder awareness, engagement, and areas of concern to move forward most effectively.
As a reminder, the survey is anonymous and we encourage ESUP consultants to complete it as well. So, if you received an email inviting you to take the survey, please fill it out as soon as possible.
The survey is now closed. Thanks again for your feedback!
The purpose of the survey is to gather new information, compare the results to the first survey sent in December 2012, and gain a better understanding of stakeholder awareness, engagement, and areas of concern to move forward most effectively.
As a reminder, the survey is anonymous and we encourage ESUP consultants to complete it as well. So, if you received an email inviting you to take the survey, please fill it out as soon as possible.
The survey is now closed. Thanks again for your feedback!
Monday, September 16, 2013
ESUP Executives clarify pathway to new Program Director
We are excited to announce Dennis Wenzel joined the University today as Program Director for ESUP (click here to read the official announcement and Dennis’s CV). Over the next few weeks ESUP will introduce Dennis to the program team and University stakeholders. However, before introducing Dennis, the Program wants to remain transparent and recap the activities of the past five weeks.
On August 9th, the ESUP Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) announced its plan to hire a new program director for ESUP. (Here is a Q & A about this decision, posted on the ESUP blog on August 21.)
On August 21, the EOC announced it had engaged the services of Aeritae Consulting Group to help them with the hire in two specific areas:
The independent assessment included a series of interviews with members from ESUP’s governance structures, program and project directors, OIT, and work stream members as identified by their project directors. Aeritae delivered their preliminary assessment results on September 10, which included positive reviews of the program as a whole while identifying smaller areas of concern, which is to be expected in a program of this size.
On September 12, the Program Leadership Team met with the EOC members in an open and candid conversation. In this meeting, the EOC announced the selection of Dennis Wenzel as the new program director, answered questions, and heard concerns and feedback from the program leadership.
Dean Elde spoke candidly about the challenges an executive team faces in governing a program by committee. These leaders are the final decision-makers in their areas of responsibility, but in a program as broad and important as ESUP, they have been challenged to provide appropriate oversight when there is overlap between those areas.
The conversation restated that the executives have, and will continue to, take their oversight responsibilities very seriously. They continue to have full confidence and trust in the program. The EOC understands the hard work going into ESUP, and while they know there are formidable demands ahead, they expect the teams will move forward with the excellent work underway. The role of current program directors was not clarified, though the executives restated their strong appreciation for the excellent work that Andrew Hill and Rebecca Collings have done and expressed hope they would continue on the program.
Finally, the ESUP Executive Oversight Committee expressed confidence the process over the past months has helped them find alignment, and that a new program director will be able to leverage that executive understanding into smooth sailing for program staff.
On August 9th, the ESUP Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) announced its plan to hire a new program director for ESUP. (Here is a Q & A about this decision, posted on the ESUP blog on August 21.)
On August 21, the EOC announced it had engaged the services of Aeritae Consulting Group to help them with the hire in two specific areas:
- provide an assessment of ESUP and based on the results from that assessment,
- identify skill sets, roles, and responsibilities for the new position.
The independent assessment included a series of interviews with members from ESUP’s governance structures, program and project directors, OIT, and work stream members as identified by their project directors. Aeritae delivered their preliminary assessment results on September 10, which included positive reviews of the program as a whole while identifying smaller areas of concern, which is to be expected in a program of this size.
On September 12, the Program Leadership Team met with the EOC members in an open and candid conversation. In this meeting, the EOC announced the selection of Dennis Wenzel as the new program director, answered questions, and heard concerns and feedback from the program leadership.
Dean Elde spoke candidly about the challenges an executive team faces in governing a program by committee. These leaders are the final decision-makers in their areas of responsibility, but in a program as broad and important as ESUP, they have been challenged to provide appropriate oversight when there is overlap between those areas.
The conversation restated that the executives have, and will continue to, take their oversight responsibilities very seriously. They continue to have full confidence and trust in the program. The EOC understands the hard work going into ESUP, and while they know there are formidable demands ahead, they expect the teams will move forward with the excellent work underway. The role of current program directors was not clarified, though the executives restated their strong appreciation for the excellent work that Andrew Hill and Rebecca Collings have done and expressed hope they would continue on the program.
Finally, the ESUP Executive Oversight Committee expressed confidence the process over the past months has helped them find alignment, and that a new program director will be able to leverage that executive understanding into smooth sailing for program staff.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
ESUP surveys to gather stakeholder feedback
ESUP staff are constantly evaluating and adjusting their work based on feedback and data. Consistent with this practice, the Program is sending its second stakeholder assessment survey to nearly 5,000 people across the system campuses this week. The purpose of the survey is to gather new information, compare the results to the first survey sent in December 2012, and gain a better understanding of stakeholder awareness, engagement, and areas of concern to move the Program forward most effectively.
The first stakeholder assessment survey established a baseline of information for the Program to help guide strategy and direct specific actions. For example, the first survey revealed 74 percent of stakeholders are involved in multiple work streams, and while 81 percent believe they will receive appropriate training, nearly 20 percent have concerns. To respond to this information, Program staff are ensuring stakeholders receive targeted communications across the work streams and timely, comprehensive information about training.
When the survey closes, ESUP team members look forward to using the data to evaluate and modify their plans where necessary. However, they can only analyze results if recipients take a moment to provide feedback. So please, take a few moments and complete the survey when it arrives in your email inbox!
The first stakeholder assessment survey established a baseline of information for the Program to help guide strategy and direct specific actions. For example, the first survey revealed 74 percent of stakeholders are involved in multiple work streams, and while 81 percent believe they will receive appropriate training, nearly 20 percent have concerns. To respond to this information, Program staff are ensuring stakeholders receive targeted communications across the work streams and timely, comprehensive information about training.
When the survey closes, ESUP team members look forward to using the data to evaluate and modify their plans where necessary. However, they can only analyze results if recipients take a moment to provide feedback. So please, take a few moments and complete the survey when it arrives in your email inbox!
Monday, September 9, 2013
ESUP Update 9/9/2013 - 9/22/13
Portal leadership team retreat
Members of the Portal Leadership Team gathered on August 19, 2013, in Folwell Hall for a half-day retreat to launch a content governance process and to energize the team for the release of the rough draft this fall. Click here for more information.
ESUP fosters University reporting and data management collaboration
Through ESUP, a strong partnership has formed between the Program’s Reporting and Data Management (RDM) work stream and the Enterprise Data Management and Reporting (EDMR) initiative. Together, RDM and EDMR are addressing important reporting and data-related capabilities for the University over the short and long-term. Click here to read more.
ESUP student workers get real life experience
This summer, four student workers helped keep the ESUP team moving forward. While two have moved on, two will remain throughout the school year. Program Director Andy Hill said of the student workers, “We really appreciate having the opportunity to give real life work experience to our students.” Click here for more information.
Quick hits and reminders from across the work streams
Subscribe to the ESUP Blog!
Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
Members of the Portal Leadership Team gathered on August 19, 2013, in Folwell Hall for a half-day retreat to launch a content governance process and to energize the team for the release of the rough draft this fall. Click here for more information.
ESUP fosters University reporting and data management collaboration
Through ESUP, a strong partnership has formed between the Program’s Reporting and Data Management (RDM) work stream and the Enterprise Data Management and Reporting (EDMR) initiative. Together, RDM and EDMR are addressing important reporting and data-related capabilities for the University over the short and long-term. Click here to read more.
ESUP student workers get real life experience
This summer, four student workers helped keep the ESUP team moving forward. While two have moved on, two will remain throughout the school year. Program Director Andy Hill said of the student workers, “We really appreciate having the opportunity to give real life work experience to our students.” Click here for more information.
Quick hits and reminders from across the work streams
- ESUP would like to congratulate Dean Robert Elde, chair of the Executive Oversight Committee, on his recently-announced retirement at the end of the academic year. We look forward to continuing our work with Dean Elde and supporting him during this transition.
- In the past week, the HRMS work stream held two OHR Brown Bag events and a second collaboration session with the Finance and Reporting and Data Management work streams on the recommended approach to restructuring appointment data. A total of 67 people from across the HR community attended the Brown Bags in person and online. More than 50 people participated in the collaborations session, which ended with general endorsement of the recommended approach to simplifying and streamlining core HR data and processes.
- Survey Said!!! - ESUP is sending its second stakeholder assessment survey to nearly 5,000 people across the System campuses this week. The purpose of the survey is to gather new information, compare the results to the first survey sent in December 2012, and gain a better understanding of stakeholder awareness, engagement, and areas of concern to move forward most effectively. If you receive an invitation to take the survey, please complete it as soon as possible.
- Jennifer McCord and Max Thacker from CCI led four training sessions for the Student work stream on how to create WorkCenters in PeopleSoft. These sessions concluded the last week in August and were attended by 41 people. The Student work stream has had fewer IDP sessions due to the busy start of term, though work has continued in earnest and the team is on track to complete IDP by the end of October.
- On the road again… Members of ESUP’s leadership team will be returning to the system campuses this fall. They will meet with campus leadership and hold listening sessions with the staff who are helping make this program a success. Plans are underway for the Duluth and Rochester campuses with trips to Crookston and Morris anticipated for later this fall.
Subscribe to the ESUP Blog!
Get each new blog post delivered to your inbox by entering your email address in the Subscribe by Email window at upgrade.umn.edu and following the instructions. Once your subscription is activated, you will receive an email alerting you to new ESUP posts late in the afternoon the day they are published. If there is no post, you receive no email -- simple as that!
Friday, September 6, 2013
Portal leadership team retreat
Members of the Portal Leadership Team gathered on August 19, 2013, in Folwell Hall for a half-day retreat to launch a content governance process and to energize the team for the release of the rough draft this fall.
What’s content governance? The risk of launching this type of portal is that it can become a free-for-all -- with lots of messy, disorganized content. The Portal Leadership Team is seeking to establish a governance structure that ensures a unified and meaningful experience for the U.
Some of the questions posed to the leadership team were examples of the issues that need to be solved ahead of time, such as:
In a consensus workshop, the team tackled the question: “What does the content governance group need to understand and commit to in order to be able to set up the rules and processes around which content will be governed for launch and in the first year?” The team worked on developing the principles from which to make the governance decisions, including a focus on end users, collaboration, responsiveness and flexibility.
The team also saw an early demonstration of the rough draft of the portal, which will be released on September 16. Feedback on the work done so far was very positive. "I was encouraged and excited by the demonstration and the retreat itself," said team member Carrie Meyer. "It's reassuring to know that a broadly representative group is working on the Portal governance model proposal, including great people from each campus in the system."
Leadership and Project team members from each campus attended the retreat:
For more on the portal visit z.umn.edu/portal.
What’s content governance? The risk of launching this type of portal is that it can become a free-for-all -- with lots of messy, disorganized content. The Portal Leadership Team is seeking to establish a governance structure that ensures a unified and meaningful experience for the U.
 |
| The Team watches a demonstration of the Portal rough draft. |
- What are the criteria for deciding what constitutes an alarm versus a notification? Who decides what meets each criteria set?
- Who decides what the attributes will be? Who gets to use which attributes when they create content?
- Which content appears on the home page? Which content appears in fixed/immovable positions?
 |
| The visual agenda for the retreat. |
The team also saw an early demonstration of the rough draft of the portal, which will be released on September 16. Feedback on the work done so far was very positive. "I was encouraged and excited by the demonstration and the retreat itself," said team member Carrie Meyer. "It's reassuring to know that a broadly representative group is working on the Portal governance model proposal, including great people from each campus in the system."
Leadership and Project team members from each campus attended the retreat:
- Amber Bailey (University Relations, UMC)
- Andrea Wilson (Human Resources, UMR)
- Ann Freeman (University Relations, UMTC)
- Ben Cashen (Information Technology/Analytics and Reporting, UMTC)
- Carla Boyd (Office of the Registrar, UMD)
- Carrie Meyer (Enterprise Financial System, UMTC)
- Cynthia Murdoch (ESUP Portal Project, UMTC)
- Julie Selander (Chair of Portal Leadership Team; Academic Support Resources, UMTC)
- Kelly Krattiger (Office of Human Resources, UMTC)
- Kim Doberstein (ESUP Portal Project, UMTC)
- LeeAnn Melin (Office of Undergraduate Education, UMTC)
- Mike Vandenberg (Office of Admissions, UMM)
- Sandra Ecklein (myU, UMTC)
- Scott Barnard (Organizational Effectiveness, UMTC)
- Susan Geller (ESUP Portal Project, UMTC)
For more on the portal visit z.umn.edu/portal.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
ESUP fosters University reporting and data management collaboration
Through ESUP, a strong partnership has formed between the Program’s Reporting and Data Management (RDM) work stream and the Enterprise Data Management and Reporting (EDMR) initiative. Together, RDM and EDMR are addressing important reporting and data-related capabilities for the University over the short and long-term.
RDM is a project within ESUP which creates a more short-term focus. Its goals for the Program include:
- Meeting Go-Live reporting needs related to the upgrade
- Aligning central reports to business processes
- Identifying and creating reports needing real-time data
“Our goal is to work with the work streams to make sure their Go-Live reporting needs are met for faculty and staff,” said Amy Winkel, RDM project director for ESUP.
EDMR is the business owner, or governing body, for RDM and will continue to oversee reporting beyond the life of ESUP. EDMR’s overall goal is to improve the availability, understanding, use, and value of data used throughout the University. It will reach its goal through:
- Shared data: access to common and comprehensive data sources
- Shared understanding: a common platform for institutional and unit reporting
- Shared tools: awareness and application of standard metrics and data definitions
- Shared development: a structured environment to exchange knowledge and ideas
“EDMR is about getting the most out of the data, reporting, and analysis assets available to the University,” said Steve Gillard, University data custodian and director for the Analytics Collaborative. “The two groups have a very good working relationship and this collaborative effort improves approaches to problem solving which leads to better solutions.”
A concrete example of this partnership started recently when RDM staff identified three topics that required EDMR collaboration: reporting standards, direct data access and the identification and definition of key data elements. As a result, one of EDMR’s tactical committees, the Data Governance Team (DGT), is considering these topics at an institutional level to develop actionable next steps and recommendations for long-term solutions.
In the coming weeks, the ESUP Update blog will include articles with more details about the collaboration around these three topics. In the meantime, please send questions to esup@umn.edu
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