President: Strategic Planning Process

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Strategic Projects Planning Process

We intend to develop new projects that support these three themes within a rolling or iterative timeline, initially prioritizing tasks within an 18-36 month period. New projects will be approved only if they fall within at least one of the three themes and only if they are shown to propel significantly the Colleges forward in one or more of these areas. We anticipate that as we experience changes at the Colleges and in higher education in general, we will advance or modify these themes and priorities on an as-needed basis.
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Phase 1: Idea Vetting

idea vetting Individuals or groups with ideas to advance the Colleges consult with a Strategic Projects Coach who helps measure the idea against a set of established criteria, providing feedback for initial discussion and improvement. Based on these conversations and the viability of the idea to support one or more of the three strategic themes, the Strategic Projects Coach recommends to the president whether or not the project should proceed through to the justification and evaluation phase. Phase deliverables:
  • Executive description of the proposed project and potential benefits to HWS
  • Recommendation from the Strategic Projects Coach to VP for Strategic Initiatives on whether or not to proceed
Phase gate exit criteria (exit criteria at all phases are in addition to completion of phase deliverables):
  • The project supports one or more of the three engagement themes
  • The project has realistic potential to achieve established high level criteria for strategic projects
  • An Executive Sponsor (generally a member of senior staff) is identified and committed to seeing the project plan through the next phase
  • Any financial or human capital resources needed to go through the next phase are committed
  • President or Presidential Delegate approves project to proceed to next phase
 

Phase 2: Justification and Evaluation

evaluation The project's Executive Sponsor(s) and Key Stakeholders develop a complete justification to build, test, implement and support the project deliverables. Phase deliverables:
  • Decision document
  • Project plan and schedule, including anticipated benefits and improvements to operational processes and procedures
  • Financial and resource plan
  • Retirement plan for any affected existing services, operations, etc
Phase gate exit criteria:
  • The Executive Sponsor is committed
  • One or more funding sources to build, implement, and provide ongoing support of the project is identified and committed
  • Human capital resources are available and committed
  • President and Senior Staff (and Board of Trustees when applicable) approve project to proceed to next phase, or place the project in a “shovel ready state' until the key dimensions of timing, funding and human capital resources are aligned
 

Phase 3: Project Development

development The project team builds, tests and prepares to launch the project, creating communications and training plans, defining key performance indicators, and identifying sustained funding and budget parameters. Phase deliverables:
  • Project deliverables are built and tested
  • Communications plan
  • Training plan
  • Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) defined
  • Transition plan to ongoing support
Phase gate exit criteria:
  • Departments and individuals that will sustain the project deliverables are ready to accept responsibility for providing that support
  • Institution is ready to accept the project deliverables and all associated changes
  • Sustained funding is formally allocated at a line item level to the appropriate budget(s)
  • President and Senior Staff (and Board of Trustees when applicable) approve project to proceed to next phase
 

Phase 4: Launch

launch The project deliverables are rolled out to all affected constituencies. The project team formally documents the project's trajectory, ensuring deliverables are performing as expected and modifying, refining or correcting as necessary. Phase deliverables:
  • Project team ensures deliverables are performing as expected and refines/modifies/corrects as needed
  • Project team formally documents lessons learned from the project
  • Training plan for ongoing support personnel and affected constituencies is completed
Phase gate exit criteria:
  • Project deliverables are stable and supporting operational needs
  • Departments and/or individuals that will sustain the project deliverables have formally signed off and are ready to accept responsibility for providing support
  • Institution has accepted the project deliverables and all associated changes
  • President and Senior Staff (and Board of Trustees when applicable) approve project to proceed to next phase
 

Phase 5: Ongoing Support and Evaluation

support The project team continues to monitor deliverables and report on key performance indicators, providing an in-depth project review as necessary. Phase deliverables:
  • Ongoing support team monitors deliverables
  • Ongoing support team reports on KPIs
  • Ongoing support team or Presidential delegate performs an in-depth project review if requested by President and Senior Staff
  • President and Senior Staff (and Board of Trustees when applicable) reviews KPIs and in-depth project review as needed
Phase gate exit criteria:
  • Project deliverables are retired if they are no longer needed, no longer effective, or a suitable replacement has been deployed
  • President and Senior Staff or a Delegate cancels project if no longer needed, no longer effective, or a suitable replacement has been deployed