IT Stream: The Transition Phase

Last month, the SET team hosted Ask SET Anything: IT Edition and shared the new IT operating model. We received many valuable questions and thank everyone who joined us for the event. Since then, the SET IT team has held several engagements with IT contacts across the university to provide further context on the new operating model for IT. These sessions shared the three elements that will ultimately guide the IT transition into the new administrative operating model: the IT operating model, the service transition roadmap, and the staff transition approach.

IT operating model

The new IT operating model outlines services that will be handled in shared services, as well as the six Centres of Expertise in the newly restructured IST: Enterprise Applications, Digital Infrastructure, IT Service Excellence, Chief Information Security Officer, Digital Learning Environment, and Research Computing. In addition, six IT service partners will connect the strategic needs of the colleges, faculties, and units to IT service delivery.

Service transition roadmap

With the IT discovery complete and priorities identified, the IT stream is quickly moving into the transition phase. The service transition roadmap offers an overview of when specific IT services are expected to transition into the new model's Centres of Expertise. For more information on the roadmap, including the order of transitioning services, refer to the following video.

The transition phase

The IT stream differs from the other streams in two ways. First, IST, which is to become the university’s central IT unit, largely has the services and processes already in place, thus allowing the various IT services to transition without the need for redesign. Second, transitioning technical environments (e.g. cabling, data centers, networking, IT security, servers) involves more technical and behind the scene changes, which for the most part, will not impact administrative processes.

Since the majority of IT services are currently provided through a centralized model, process redesign was not necessary, and IT will move straight into transitioning services and staff into the new model. 

Therefore, rather than redesigning processes, the "prepare” phase for the IT stream focused on analyzing the IT discovery data, prioritizing the IT service transitions, and working with the project delivery teams to identify required resources and timelines for the IT service transition. 

Alternatively, the remaining streams (HR, finance, student services, research administration and external engagement) will work through the prepare phase in order to redesign the services and processes based on the priorities identified during discovery. It is during this phase that streams will form working groups to engage and consult with on-the-ground staff, and design future state processes.

Staff transition approach

The SET team recently launched the Position Opportunities Page, an online resource which lists upcoming positions that are planned as part of the administrative operating model, including those in IT. Updated on a weekly basis, this page provides staff with the information and resources they need to plan their career path for the future. More information about the Position Opportunities Page can be found here.

Engaging with faculties and units

We understand that the next steps mean considerable changes for IT staff. As such, it is our utmost priority to engage and communicate with staff throughout this process. When your faculty/unit is to be transitioned, there will be an engagement process to review expectations, validate timelines, understand impacts, and plan for the transition.

What’s next?

• Engaging with faculties and units to plan the transition to the Centres of Expertise. 
• Specific IT positions will be added to the Position Opportunities Page (POP) in the near future. New positions are added on a weekly basis, so remember to check regularly.

For ongoing status and progress updates on the IT stream, visit our web page, and if you have any feedback or suggestions, we encourage you to share your thoughts. 

Mike MacGregor
AVP & Chief Information Officer (Executive Sponsor)