Nearly two years ago, WashU IT leaders began carefully and intentionally planning for the future. Recognizing some duplication and inefficiencies, and the opportunity to streamline processes, reduce costs, and reconfigure teams, the decision was made to develop an Operating Model to guide our next steps. Following months of discussion and the evaluation of current practices, WashU IT’s Operating Model was introduced last fall.
The timing of this effort placed WashU IT at a distinct advantage in navigating our current environment. There was no way for us to anticipate the recent challenges we have faced, or the extent of impact of those challenges on our organization. But the work we have done to develop, introduce, and implement this framework for our operations is allowing us to be more nimble, proactive, and adaptable throughout this time of uncertainty.
Developed in direct support of the WashU Here and Next and WashU IT ImpacT strategic plans, and our core mission, the Operating Model ensures that our efforts are strategic, planful, and consider all of you and where you fit within the organization. You are all part of our plan and vital to all that we do each day.
As part of our reorganization, Enterprise Systems and Solutions is now three distinct areas, each with its own distinct focus: Administrative Enterprise Technologies (AET), Academic, Research, and Student Technologies (ARST), and Enabling Technologies, Integrations, and Architecture (ETIA). This restructuring will ensure greater mission alignment, protect core services, and create a more consistent, high-quality experience for users.
To ensure its long-term success, through recognizing the distinct needs of our campus stakeholders and building on the strengths of our colleagues and teams, Data Management and Analytics is placing a greater focus on product alignment. There are now two separate service groups; one dedicated to non-student Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) data, specifically HR, financial, and research in nature, as well as data engineering and data architecture resources unified under one leader to harmonize efforts, and the second moving Quality Assurance (QA) and Business Intelligence (BI) under one umbrella.
An additional element of the reorganization involves the movement of the Portfolio and Project Management Office (PPMO) from under the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Chief Information Officer for Academic and Administrative Technologies. This includes the relocation of the new PPMO Center of Excellence to this new reporting structure. The move will promote better alignment to ensure proper support for projects and initiatives executed across the WashU IT enterprise.
The largest impacted group within WashU IT was End User Services (EUS). More than 70 employees moved under new leaders. While some team structures remain in place, the leader for many teams has shifted to coincide with structural changes. A careful examination of the structure prior to Oct. 1 identified some areas of service duplication and inefficiency. EUS is now restructured into three focused groups. The first group, Enterprise Support and Projects, encompasses Fulfillment, Virtual Support and Projects, and Quality Assurance. EUS Enablement, which is the second group, focuses on Training and Knowledge, Process, and Billing. The last group, Deskside Support, comprises WashU Medicine, Danforth, Student, Audio Visual and Media Events and Support.
This is a major, comprehensive effort involving nearly 200 total changes. The changes outlined in this article, along with some others, will be discussed in greater depth during the IT All Hands meeting on Wednesday. This is an important time of transformation for us. I hope you will join me to hear more about what lies ahead.
Always guiding the important work that we do is our unwavering commitment to ensuring a positive customer experience. Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with our partners and stakeholders is a critical part of that. To our distributed IT partners, thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this new environment together. I am sure we will encounter some challenges and that some service level agreements will require reworking, but together we will set realistic expectations, and ensure the needs of our customers are met.