Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #30

Weekly Update

• Have now effectively wound down involvement in anything new - email inbox getting noticeably smaller this week and fewer new emails to pass on.
• 1-2-1s with colleagues.  Updates included recruitment for 2 Grade 6 posts in progress.  F&G coming in for an intro meeting with new Director this week.  Interface work with CRIS making progress as well as elements of RFID project (finance new payment gateway).  Agresso integration for projects and costings looks relatively easy to Finance).  Some issues with how we are going to identify Wolverhampton researchers and pull them into an appropriate AD group (may have to wait for Wolverhampton Academic process to complete).
• Met up with Estates and agreed short term plan (to clearing) and medium term plan (to September) regarding server rooms.  Will write up before departure.
• A useful handover session with new Director - probably one more to go before we have completed the key things that I had hoped to cover. We have already covered people, quick wins, diary dates and process areas.
• We held a further scrum meeting.  Notes were circulated:

• Thanks to the Support Team for the successful weekend telephony upgrade with Logicalis support.  All telephony components now within support versioning ahead of Clearing.
• Visited Walsall to meet team as well as run a Shadow IT workshop with FHEW.  Also visited large lecture theatre WN004 of the new AV installation including projector, panopto, desk/podium and related equipment.  Great team effort with suppliers GV Multimedia and Estates colleagues.
• Meeting held with Estates to discuss short and medium term action plan for the key server rooms.
• Pull together MIC rota through to end August (ie in the run up to Clearing and Results Weekend).
• Offers were being made for the second line IT Support analyst post after recent interviews.
• The Apps Anywhere certification training had gone well with a number of staff passing - resits for those who didn't arranged for 6th August.
• Our offer to join as Project Manager on the Timetabling Project has been accepted.
• The auditors had visited to run through our GDPR activities and action plan - the DAS plan had been "split" to be taken forward as two new Directorates.
• There had been some unintended consequences of the WebServ3 shutdown - called a meeting and written follow-up document on service interruption.  ServiceDesk had been briefed on handling any further incidents raised. Noted in particular that WOLF is effectively no longer a supported service - still need to deal with remaining legacy WOLF activity (e.g. group files space).
• EMA - meeting later in the day - noted as enabling work but not currently in the scope of the Digital Campus programme.
• Web site review also being followed up after external review - we have a copy of document electronically.
• Some issues with T4 system performance and the way it is behaving 'behind the scenes'.
• Finance requested to carry forward two work orders 'E codes' into next financial year.

• Attended the final Agresso Project Board - in this form.  Current Chair is stepping down and keen to close down the group and any outstanding actions.  There was a go/no-go decision for the HR Service Improvement Project ref the new annual leave system in Agresso.

Good News

• No P1s

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #29

Weekly Update

• Our new IT Director started at the University this week - we were able to get together on a number of occasions including a tour of MI Building server room and a couple of handover sessions.  I have produced some materials, and from this week we agreed that any new requests coming to me, would be forwarded as part of our handover.

• The air conditioning systems remained operational and temperatures stable at 23-24 degrees all week despite the heatwave continuing.  Over the weekend the temporary backup units were turned back on for further resilience.
• Held further 1-2-1s with team members this week including a morning at Telford campus.
• Offer made and accepted for one of the BA posts.
• We held a final scrum meeting.  Notes were circulated:
  • Update provided on MI air conditioning status and next steps.  Estates are progressing short term and medium term actions - we await updates.
  • Photos of air con screening on roof/balcony circulated
  • Hold The Date - July 11th after work - for potential departure event(s) we have 8 staff leaving including MARS before end July.
  • Received resignation last week from a second line support team member.
  • Nominations have gone into HR/OD for the Future Leaders programme
  • Feedback from GDPR Working Group meeting - various actions on Egress in progress. Noted that the system integration query is also a strand on the IT Action Plan and fits with Enterprise Architecture approach.  Discussion on USB and external hard drive encryption.
  • New process for reporting breaches requires test and sign off this week ahead of all staff comms
  • Noted SOABE/Springfield update and meeting on AV/IT program - Salford exemplar (virtual Chernobyl?)
  • Involvement requested in e-portfolio project.
• Shadow IT workshop took place with FOSS. We have one more Faculty to go (Arts).
• Held a meeting to brief the team on Modern.Gov implementation and provided paper and electronic copies of all supplier documentation relating to the set-up and training stages.
• Attended the SUMO event with the rest of the DAS team - very enjoyable and useful session as well as a relaxed and informal way to meet others in the team.

Good News

• No P1s
• We survived the hot weather with no interruption of service.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #28

Weekly Update

• Major issues this week with air conditioning units in MI building precipitated by the unusually prolonged and hot weather in excess of 30 degrees.  A unit failed on Monday and then a second unit on Tuesday overnight (20:30 temperature alert at 35 degrees ambient).  We had engineers called out of hours and IT staff attended on-site until after midnight.  Although a temporary fix was applied failures continued and we were running on one unit with hired units brought in for the second half of the week.  I sent daily updates as Major Incident Contact.  By Friday morning, OVC alerted to the serious nature of the situation.  We left for the weekend with all three units working by 18:00 and Ino further temperature alerts since then.  We led on a business continuity exercise for services which might have to be switched off and scenario planning for a closed MI room.  Estates have taken on the day-to-day management of air conditioning options including short term (hire of extra capacity and fix of current issues) as well as new incremental capacity for MI and MX as soon as practicable.  MX air con only had only alarm failure this week but those units are now beyond expected service life.
• In other news.....
• Attended Digital Strategy Committee along
• Held further 1-2-1s with team members this week
• Proposed nominations for the Future Leaders activity.
• interviews held for 2 Business Analyst posts.
• Met later in week with Planning to deal with isystem upgrades and process for identifying new features and timelines etc (both Business Objects and Tableau)
• We held a scrum meeting dominated by updates on air con, and also a second IT Leadership Team meeting.
• Met with Head of Computer Science to deal with requests - believe that we found a way forward for dealing with requests.
• Attended GDPR working Group.  Internal Audit for GDPR now under way.

Good News

• We survived the hot weather with no interruption of service.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #27

Weekly Update.

• New finance rules came into effect this week for certain orders requiring relevant member of VCAG to sign off.
• Weekend confirmed for pre-clearing telephone system upgrade (July 14th)
• Various 1-2-1's with direct reports this week - continued 1-2-1 meetings with rest of team 
• ServiceNow Project Board met as planned - notes to be written up
• Met with External Relations aand sent round action notes as usual.
• Kick-Off meeting took place with Modern.Gov with a good set of documentation and agreed as UoW Project Manager.
• Supported further reviews of CRIS contract paperwork - been very challenging to get over the line.  Also met with Purchasing for quarterly review of purchasing activity (covered this).
• Scrum meeting notes from this week's meeting:
• • The AV summer program got under way this week - so far, so good - 2 rooms city, 1 at Walsall now under way
  • We have a representatve attending ProcessFix training event this week Thursday.
  • Testing of GDPR incident reporting via ServiceNow (portal) later this week - need to report within 72 hours target if necessary.
  • Modern.Gov kick off meeting has taken place - detailed documentation and requirements from various people.
  • Alerted to potential website redesign - copy of report subsequently sent on in pdf format.
  • 2nd July start date for DC comms and engagement officer.
  • Trying to get contact name from Council for Verto PM tool they use.
  • A number of tentative and nil responses for SUMO event - need to know for catering numbers - managers asked to chase up
  • Interviewing  for BA roles next week
  • Interviewing candidates for IT Support Role
  • Project resource issues going to Digital Strategy Committee - not just DC but IT generally.
  • Business case for job share for Project Support is in progress.
  • Phishing prevention better than cure. Some good ideas around targeted and general comms, new package available for LearnUpon (needs customising - propose getting a price), student welcome/induction process, possibility of managed attack with follow-ups.

Good News

• No P1's this week

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #26

Weekly Update

• Dealt with queries about ServiceNow licensing and on the agenda for next week's project board meeting (checking licence number and budget transfers etc)
• Software2 package training is now scheduled for 30th July - involving Faculty technical staff in training program (with commitment to help with packaging over Summer).
• Scrum meeting notes from this week's meeting:
  • Agresso leave module now demo'd to User Group.  Positive feedback - system on track to be available from August 1st.
  • Next steps are building dashboard for absence reporting in system, setting system data up so line managers can sign off and approve, and checking individual staff work schedules.
  • Policy will probably change ref leave carry forward rules in 18/19 to allow transition to the new system - proposal is 6 months (versus 2 months).
  • Personal webspace (perswww) is going to be retired from end of month - everyone has a default "mywebs" folder which will be withdrawn - no data will be lost.  Potential for DP breaches is key driver - lots of out of date infomration some of it potentially personal.
  • Digital Capabilities survey extended to 31/7 - recommended that we all participate if we haven't already and cascade within teams.
  • Data Centre access policy is now drafted - ready to circulate for comments as may impact others eg estates and facilities
  • Shadow IT workshops are ongoing to end July
  • Changes will be happening to the sign on process to enable automated password re-set using a mobile phone number (opt in approach).  Will also deliver an upgrade to security (upgrading FIM) and better ability to manage password changing including out of hours.

• Usual 1-2-1s this week.  Resolved procurement for Modern.Gov and Tableau through software licences budget.
• Held second IT Health and Safety Committee to review the action plan - a number of actions have taken place to reduce perceived risk.
• Chaired first IT leadership team meeting - there will be all staff briefing process put in place.
• Handover meetings arranged with AV supplier and plan in place over next three weeks during staff annual leave.  Work starts Monday in Walsall (one room) and City (two rooms).

Good News

• Positive meeting with Strategic Planning - they are currently happy with our progress.
• Positive meetings with new IT Director.
• No P1's this week.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #25

Weekly Update 

• Prepared interim report on shadow IT workshops for end of week.
• SOABE/Springfield project Board preparation and meeting on Monday ref IT and AV. Project Board established working group to work through options and make recommendations.
• Continued with series of "all staff" 1-2-1 meetings during the week.
• Arranged meeting with Apprenticeship Hub ref process reviews.
• Attended Deans Advisory Group at Walsall (Arts) and presented proposal for benchmarking exercise which was agreed.  Took away actions regarding ArtsFest, school visits and AV for MK045 (all progressed and reported back).
• Monthly Trade Union meeting this week - no IT issues to report.
• Scrum meeting notes from this week's meeting:
  • Interim PA Duties organised.
  • Setting up IT leadership team meetings - 90 mins every 2 weeks. First meeting will be setting up membership and ToR etc
  • Noted that standard PCs will be shipping with SSDs - Agreed to organise positive staff comms about this (investing a bit more in faster and reliable kit).
  • Noted issues about legacy IT web presence - is there an option to bring in a grad intern to help with this?
  • Demo of Agresso solution for planned/unplanned absence to the user reps.
  • Working on annual Faculty software renewals - 2 completed, 2 to go
  • Working on DPA breach process using servicenow to manage the 72 hour time limit for reporting
  • KPMG audit - may also pick up closure of staff accounts (flagged up in GDPR action plan) - work now under way to mitigate
  • Picking up issue of microsites (relates to Greenwich experience).
  • Job advert for replacement Timetabling Project Manager has been advertised.
  • Interviewing Friday for DC Marketing and Comms post
  • Taking a University approach to procuring a project/program support tool (SPG, E&F etc) - need to make sure it can deal with resourcing and modelling requirements
  • CMIS Go infrastructure and application has been installed on schedule (timetabling)
  • Concerns about capacity to deliver Finance interfaces to DLP - escalated to Finance and with project sponsor
  • DLP testing is well under way using a new automated tool.
  • Event on Friday July 6th (SUMO) hold the date
  • Noted upgrades to everyone's email capacity - action to organise positive staff comms (comment that we don't do enough of this when there are major service improvements)
  • Telephone upgrade (ahead of clearing) scheduled for weekend of July 14th
  • Request for Minecraft for SciFest in progress
  • Self-service password reset ready to be launched from June 18th - comms going out this week/next week to different customers affected.  Major service improvement - over 4k servicedesk requests in last year relating to password resets.
  • Finally, BA post has been shortlisted with date to be set early July for interview process.  There has been an excellent response to the support analyst role now being shortlisted.

• Usual 1-2-1s this week with direct reports.
• Organised a couple of meetings on "non-standard" software purchase process and dealing with staff IT account closure.  Actions agreed and circulated.  Circulated CAB meeting notes to attendees prior to wider circulation.
• Completed JISC Digital Capabilities survey - useful instrument encouraging others to participate.

Good News

• The six connected screens in MC building entrance were connected to new digital signage solution and launched with Faculty of Arts content in time for ArtsFest and Degree Shows.
• Successfully completed all staff mandatory training course - attempted to print certificates (some were blank - reported back to OD).
• No P1's this week.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #24

Weekly Update.

• First two "shadow IT" workshops held with Finance/HR and Estates.
• Organised Panopto working group meeting and circulated action notes.
• Attended workshop session to kick-off the Office365 business case activity which is now in progress with aim to complete business case by end July for approvals.
• Further meetings ref DAS GDPR action plan assigning follow-up tasks and timeline.
• Organised DropBox account meeting to understand current usage within the University.  Current annual recurrent costs are modest however there is also "free" use which is being monitored.
• No scrum meeting this week.
• Met with F&G discuss phased transition during July. Next step is to complete outstanding paperwork.
• Several 1-2-1s this week with direct reports.
• Attended Agresso Programme Board - significant resourcing issues remain to complete planned activity other than mandatory/compliance related.  Good progress reported on absence management development within Agresso however, raised potential concerns about functionality versus Replicon.
• Completed on-line GDPR and Fire Safety training this week.

Good News

• Diesel Generator Fixed ahead of Bank Holiday weekend.
• Order placed by Estates for UPS system for installation before end July (16/17 capital program).
• No P1's this week - one MIC escalation early on Thursday morning due to unavailability of network link to Hereford  - resolved quickly when power restored (power had tripped out in comms room).

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #23

Weekly Update.

• Diesel Generator "at risk" - this issue is ongoing for MI Building - replacement standby generator in place and hooked up but requires manual start.  Estates providing daily update on request.
• Setting up the remaining Shadow IT workshops and the rest of the 1-2-1's with the support team members.  Also held further 1-2-1 meetings during the week as usual with direct reports.
• Scrum meeting notes from 16/5:

1. In order to use the Estates Helpdesk system you need to Register first - different username/password required.  Not the same as HR/IT and ServiceNow.
2. Discussion about the background to Estates Helpdesk system.
3. It has been agreed that all teaching spaces should be managed/booked centrally through new timetabling approach. This will likely have impact on expectations ref funding of spaces (e.g. AV).
4. Noted Meeting Management system and decision to pilot/parallel run in September for CMT and Governors.
5. Big changes may be coming for Adobe licensing next year - no panic though for next 12 months
6. Shortlisting for the engagement and comms role
7. Feedback to HR ref shortlisting grid
8. Web App Developer post not filled

• Attended the Tribal Account management meeting with Student Registry team - updated on GDPR, HESA Data Futures, Curriculum manager and Dashboards/reporting capability.  Roadmap for product which will be presented at next month's SITS conference - includes new product called Edge.
• Put together IT budget materials for 18/19.
• Reviewed the new draft of  the IT Acceptable Use Policy .
• Completed P1 incident report for recent network/power interruption.
• Chaired CAB meeting and obtained agreement to proposed approach for standard changes, non-standard changes and emergency changes.  There is a need to clarify DAS business changes process going forward.

Good News

• SOABE/Springfield - positive meetingref using the UX training and techniques which DAS organised to apply to the project.  We also had a very positive meeting with Estates preparing the IT related strategy for network (local area and wide area) for the Tender
• No P1's this week.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #22

Weekly Update

• Have been continuing with 1-2-1s meeting all the IT team individually. Some quick-win actions are being progressed already.
• A number of Shadow IT workshops have been scheduled including Finance and HR, Estates and Facilities, Library, Registry and Student Systems.  I have also accepted an invite from Faculty of Arts to attend the next Dean's Advisory Group ref the proposal to undertake an IT benchmark exercise.
• Discussed network activity management information which we could put together for the Campus Experience Committee.
• Discussed various mobile-related activities which were raised through the ServiceNow project (this is one of the three priority areas for the administration team) e.g. lost/broken phones, faulty phones, disposal/re-allocation of phones etc.  Looking to see how we can use ServiceNow to automate jobs and self-service via the portal.
• Attended very useful supplier meetings with S2 who support Apps Anywhere.

• Held second ServiceNow Project Board - various actions progressing.  We should have first set of management monthly reports from the system shortly including some trend reporting, and making progress on using system for standard changes.
• Discussed resource planning across the Digital Campus program as well as the other IT projects that are in progress.  There is a capacity constraint which is not yet explicit so we will put together a program level resource plan as next step.
• Final meeting of week was a Finance monthly review - a number of follow up actions, however, broadly on track with latest forecast and no nasty surprises.

Good News

• Timetabling Project Board received positive report on IT risk assessment and endorsed recommendations.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #21

Weekly Update

• GDPR Action Plan developed and will be turning into a tracker.
• Making progress with getting the Office365 Business Case activity under way with external support.
• Discussions taking place about external support for our Windows 10 upgrade project.
• Health and Safety Committee for IT initiated and first formal meeting held.
• Contracts reviewed for out of hours support including data sharing agreement and data privacy impact assessment.
• Further demonstration of Board Packs software solution.
• Potential income arrangement ref Residences W-Fi provider agreed with Purchasing support - Max dealing with the details.
• Worked with Planning and BI team regarding a BI schedule going to Senior Management next week.
• Completed risk assessment for timetabling and with Helen for circulation - risks were not as bad as they first appeared once we started digging - especially the budget risk which appears to have been dealt with.  Lisa running some numbers to confirm.
• Good meeting with External Relations - quite a few new actions from that to follow up next week.
• We are reviewing the IT acceptable Use Policy draft - we are hoping to have consulted on that for May 18 deadline.
• Supported external auditors who have been on-site ahead of the annual finance audit later this year.

Good News

• No P1 incidents
• Internal review of Ts and Cs for CRIS project completed and passed to legal.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #20

Weekly Update

• Started a series of 1-2-1 meetings that I have planned on return after Easter with all IT staff - seeing those people first who have taken on new things.  Also usual 1-2-1s with direct reports this week.
• Met with FSE for a briefing and demonstration of Replicon.  We also called the account  manager for a discussion about enterprise pricing on basis it might be an alternative to Agresso if that is not delivered quickly.
• Budget forecast meeting follow up ref infrastructure budget.  Identified £27k approx of positive changes.  Identified issue with budget to follow-up.  Budget discussion with Estates about future air con and fuel costs for generators - £10k impact in 17/18 on IT budget.
• Estates/IT monthly meeting reviewed the DAS activity tracker and marked a number of projects as completed.
• Completed PCI-DSS review based on NCC audit February 2018 and started to develop this year's action plan together.
• Met KPMG auditors and started work on data collection processes - this relates to pre-work for the financial accounts audit September.
• Reviewed the out of hours IT support contract including the data sharing agreement (now with DPO for sign off) and the data impact assessment (also with DPO for review).
• Worked on the JANET upgrade have now obtained costings.
• Met with facilities systems and in particular the incident logging system and mobile apps.
• Held our second Servicenow project board including useful feedback on a review of its reporting capabilities.
• Attended GDPR working Group.
• Met up with Dean of Students covering league table performance and recent Faculty Student Council feedback.  Key themes are being extracted for a report based on 3-400 students engaged in process.

Good News

• No P1 incidents - however dealt with another phishing attempt.
• GDPR Audit completed and returned.
• ATwo team members completed a week's PRINCE training
• One of our team has successfully been admitted to membership of the BCS.
• Our team is mentoring one of our students who has obtained an internship at JISC.

Wolverhampton Weekly Newsletter #19

Weekly Update

• Lots of GDPR activity has been going on - a real team effort across the Directorate to identify and document key assets which may be affected.  Management team meeting on Wednesday pulled this together (for IT elements) and also identified some University-wide areas for consideration.  Trying to use same process to identify "red flag" higher priority areas.  I am tasked with DAS action plan after audit completed.
• Budget forecast meeting too place.  No major differences to the last run through with the DAS leadership team.  Follow ups being arranged.  Sent Finance a further copy of budget information for 18/19.
• Been in discussions with the Aspire2HE project as it turns out they are having a bespoke web system developed (external HEFCE funding).  We are in touch with the external developer and have follow up call arranged - we need to understand and mitigate risks including exit strategy and sustainable approach. Timeline is live by start of May for the marketing and information elements of the website (low risk) and further functions for August/September including data collection etc.
• Sorted an outstanding issue with ProAV loan kit and confirmed plan that was tabled at LATSAG - where it appeared to be well received.
• Panopto Project Board meeting took place - seems to be going well no major issues to report.
• CRIS Project Board met for first time and making positive progress on procurement stage.
• Various 1-2-1 meetings. We also had a scrum meeting this week.
• There was also a DAS Leadership team meeting, JISC account management meeting, Timetabling Project Board and Faculty review meeting.

Good News

• No P1 incidents (again - including over the Easter weeks)
• Telford Board Room AV and related issues have been resolved.
• Pricing for JANET subscription is positive outcome of review.
• Joint DAS and HR Service launched - for access to the ServiceNow portal.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #18

Update from Week Nineteen

• Visited Wolverhampton City Council to take a look around the contact centre and discuss potential opportunities relating to Clearing 2018.  Excellent facility for up to 150 stations and with 'burst' capacity available in excess of that. Professional expertise on our doorstep and they are keen to support.  Next step is for them to make a proposal for an initial review with us of our current arrangements and workflow - at the very least the analysis could tell us the number of stations that we need to maximise call volume pick ups.  Need to also follow up with the Admissions team to update them on these very preliminary conversations.
• Attended DAS Leadership Team meeting .
• Fed back MARS updates to relevant team members.
• Useful catch up relating to piece of work on implementing project process (as a project).  Confirmed new PM start date of April 29th.   
• We had a follow up meeting about mobile phone administration issues and agreed an action plan. Steps to deal with higher risks (such as dealing with lost phones) and handing over a new device which has been enabled with the new MobileIron managed software.
• Azorus are visiting for product demo on March 29th (External Relations and Registry). IT is involved.

Good News

• No P1 incidents.
• Logicalis completed scripting for telephony system to enable IT Service Desk calls to be automatically diverted to NorMAN out of hours.  Testing successful.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #17

Update from Week Eighteen

•  A busy week for IT committees with a meeting of the IT Task and Finish Group and Digital Strategy Committee.  We took away a number of new actions.  The "Shadow IT" workshop approach seemed to have gone OK and I have begun following up in background with Faculty of Arts and FHEW.  The presentation on the Systems Audit also appeared to be well received and some of the issues beginning to get understood.
• Arranged follow up calls with Gartner Group about its proposal.  The decision to not renew the IT intelligence contract with Mercato for procurement of IT commodities in the main may provide some partial budget funding but I have not yet been able to trace but who was paying and from which budget. At moment I have suggested this might be from next financial year subject to budget and new IT Director's interest.  We said we would speak again w/e April 21st after we know who has been appointed.  I learned that Gartner's Research Director for HE is Paul Saunders whose name I came across at Dundee last week.
• Arranged call with NCC Group - we have used them for various information security related activity including SECTIS, PCI-DSS and Penetration testing.  PCI-DSS came up later in week at our scrum.  There are deadlines looming for PCIDSS and plans to renew cyber essentials accreditation which is up for annual review (we only did it for one small area for research in July 2017).
• We had a regular weekly IT scrum meeting. 
• I spent an afternoon at Walsall meeting with the local team, colleagues from FHEW and Research and Enterprise.  I shared my notes as there was mention of 400 Moodle users and academic expertise in L&T spaces (among other things).
• We have been dealing with a storm of phishing emails (million+ per week) most of which do not get into the system but a few that do.  A new email URL filter implemented quarantined 133 "clicks" on malicious links which might have led to issues and there were no reported account compromises so far this week.  
• Met with Estates to discuss NorMAN launch and Easter business contingency planning - we agreed to share documents.  Very useful discussion on Estates creating campus "hubs" and a business case going to CMT shortly.  Perhaps an opportunity for Estates and DAS/IT to work together in future when we progress with face-to-face services - for example Hub is being created at Science park.
• New legal case management system approved with agreed caveats and controls as it is cloud based subscription service.  We will be running in time to migrate data from local desktops in the legal offices (and iDrive) to new service during Easter break.
• Meeting on Replicon led by procurement and the various users.  All were agreed that Replicon would continue in short term until Agresso solution and if we have all data in one system then potentially easier to migrate it across.
• Final meeting of the week dialled in on Friday to FHEW meeting on data storage. Wide ranging set of requirements - another example of a need for collaborative working solutions - also touched on WOLF (non L&T uses) and reassurances.

Good News

• No P1 incidents.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #16

Update from Week Seventeen

• It was a "two-day week" due to annual leave so a little quieter but busy diary as always.
• We had a regular weekly IT scrum meeting - these are really useful way to catch up.
• Introduction meeting with the University's  internal auditors - they are keen to be more engaged and asked for formal handover in due course with new IT Director.
• Met with colleagues ref requirements for systems to support outreach and recruitment.
• Timetabling Project Board first meeting - signed off Project Initiation Document.  There are some known risks with technical support (alongside other digital projects) but these are relatively modest compared to the scale of change for the academic community which personal timetabling will bring.
• Met Aspire to HE team who have commissioned a supporting web system.  Follow up meeting being arranged.
• Met TNE team - priorities included a CRM system to manage relationships, access to facilities and services for TNE students so not disadvantaged and requirement for document management especially relating to legal contracts etc
• Organised ServiceNow Project Board - there are some notes being prepared. Wasn't a formal meeting - Need to thinks about sponsoring service management more generally (IT only a part of the equation).  Short-term actions agreed and going to now meet on monthly basis.
• GDPR session with DAS Leadership Team
• "Records Retention" dates (mentioned at GDPR) for IT are afternoons 28/3 and 4/4.  Trial to see what comes out the woodwork so to speak...

Good News

• No P1 incidents

• The team resolved Wi-Fi problems in George Building meeting rooms which have been going on unreported since September.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #15

Update from Week Sixteen

• Completed interim arrangements to manage departure of our IT Enquiries Manager.  Various staff announcements now ready to go for next week.
• Update on MARS applications received to date - closing date is March 12th
• Review of the Business Systems budget which is fully committed but we know what's in it and what's outstanding.
• Faculty of Arts desktop replacement increased with faculty investment (£35k) in very high spec workstations for three smaller student-facing areas not part of lab replacement (to replace legacy PC kit - also addresses complaints from students and risk of inconsistent experience)
• Further meeting with Print Unit and procurement ref deal on offer for BI reporting from the Ricoh print systems. They are now doing a nil-cost pilot with one Faculty.
• MX building UPS system discussed in meeting with Estates and Schneider this week ref the investment plan project and getting that under way urgently.
• Some mitigation for MI building regarding glazing and access control (an issue we have experienced during recent power cuts).
• Apple purchasing we are working on a direct award and contract for Apple equipment after the National Framework concludes.
• I attended level 2/3 team meeting and updated them on various changes and activities and took questions for an hour session.
• Weekly scrum meeting dedicated to Health and Safet - we have established governance - a single committee meeting quarterly.  We have an agenda for first meeting.  Signed off a personal evacuation plan for member of team this week.
• Held a meeting with a cast of folk dealing with Springfield.  We are going to need some dedicated IT support resource to manage a project as big as this (£45M+over 2 years) with many IT components.
• Attended another GDPR working group led by Emma Wedge - there is detailed plan in place.

Good News

• Investment in 24/7 out of hours service (NorMAN) approved for 17/18 pilot - kick-off meeting held and Easter targeted for launch
• Second Line Support Analyst post shortlisting in progress.
• Risks reduced by de-commision of WebServ3 (including some systems de-commissioned) and moving WOLF legacy to a single server.
• No P1 incidents.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #14

Update from Week Fourteen

• Road map for legacy BI reporting tool emerging along with a briefing paper on options considered (although many options "not viable" these will be included for completeness).
• IT Out of Hours support service paperwork prepared and passed for discussion/approval next week.
• Attended DAS Leadership Team meeting including review of all budget areas to complete Q2 forecast.  There are a number of specific budget related follow-ups to arrange.
• 1-2-1 sessions with team. JISC Penetration testing report reviewed and by the end of the week, all four of the high priority issues had been dealt with.
• Orders placed for Faculty of Arts student desktop replacement.   Dealt with student feedback from the Faculty.
• Completed a staff handover meeting and agreed communications.  Met with purchasing to discuss potential priorities from Purchasing perspective with respect to IT activities.
• Met with Print Unit manager and Ricoh regarding BI reporting from the Ricoh print systems.  No implications ref interfaces as stand alone reporting solution.
• Met with Organisational Development regarding request for Alluminate product.  Full business case shared together with procurement justification.  We will need to deal with a few things such as GDPR and ensuring contract covers information security requirements.  This is a system already used by External Relations.

Good News

• IT Investment plan 17/18 approved in full.
• Second Line Support Analyst approved - and post advertised on fast track internally before the end of the week.
• Two of out three PMO posts approved in principle.
• No P1 incidents.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #13

Update from Week Thirteen

• Prepared an outline of next stage for potential Office365 project. Requested a proposal for the initial business case element of the work for University consideration.
• Reviewed "first cut" IT budget for 2018-19 against 17-18 and identified a number of potential differences.  Follow ups required over the next few weeks.
• Continued discussions with suppliers around out of hours IT support service (first level).
• Attended DAS Exec and DAS Leadership Team meetings this week.
• Further 1-2-1 sessions with team.  Among other things some very useful feedback from the visit to Birmingham University regarding AV futures.  Scrum meeting took place extract from rough notes:

• Discussion about Future Proofing email to all staff and MARS scheme.  There is a month until closing date (March 12th).
• Submitted Software2 to Educause for review - decision June.
• Discussion about our level of oversight for IT related projects and managing pinch points for developer and integration resource.  Tools available could include Planner (O365), F&G system (construct) and others. 
• Budget discussions various.  
• Good PR resulting from the GeTech/Lenovo framework.  Opportunity to exploit others including Virgin Media, EE, Apple
• Looking to see if we can streamline GeTech order processes - still got issue of recharging so long as budgets are devolved.

• Dealt with amends for presentation of IT budget investment to VC's group.
• Went along to the first level team meeting, thanked them for contributions and briefed them on various changes.
• Met with potential supplier helping us with the initial business case for MI data centre migration.  They appear to have relevant expertise in HE and NHS (case studies available).
• Mid-session review of Face-to-Face service took place.  Decision to carry on through to end of session with some tweaks suggested.  Going to revisit the original business case paper.
• Attended GDPR working group meeting.  Systems audit data now provided.  Offered IT as place to trial approaches if appropriate.  Also mentioned possible records retention day (TBD),  Egresso secure email, encrypted laptops and acceptable use of IT.  Questions raised about (not using) USB for sensitive data.  New information governance committee to be established.

• Organised Panopto Working group ahead of project board on Friday.

Good News

• IT invited to attend the student feedback group for Telford Campus.
• Dean of Faculty of Arts delighted about the upcoming Student Desktop Replacement Program and opportunity to promote to our students.  Signed off this week.
• Met with Estates as they have initiated the condition survey of IT comms rooms across all the campuses.  IT will be fully involved in the activity.
• No P1 incidents.

Wolverhampton weekly newsletter #12

Update from Week Twelve

-->

• Discussions with team and individuals about interim options for handling recent resignation – further discussions are in progress
• Webinar with Diligent who have a “Board Pack” solution with key user inputs.  Seemed to be very positive reception to this sort of solution.  Next step is more work on our requirements and also some indicative pricing and timelines.  Suggested target timeline is parallel running with a key committee for ramping up next year to other related groups.
• Provided some good suggestions for NSS promotions relating to our services which will be taken forward by the communications team.
• Gartner Group proposal received – passed to procurement for further discussion.  Also potential student benefit regarding access to research materials as an e-resource.
• NorMAN 24x7x365 service proposal being progressed.
• Various 1-2-1 meetings
• Agreement between teams to move some resource for a few weeks to support the packaging efforts by the desktop team.
• A few new support requests this week e.g. Akero integrations, contract/legal team system request, international travel system request, financials for the Multi Academy Trust.  The pipeline has been busy this week!
• Attended Project Lessons Learned meeting for Telford Engineering facility.  Only item for us was the ongoing AV issues in the Board Room and Pitch Room.  A plan was agreed including some Estates funding.
• This week’s scrum meeting - rough notes:
• UCISA Exec – useful updates including JISC subscription: risk of potential increase but may be modest
• UCISA Mentoring scheme (pilot) and also mentoring opportunity via Liverpool University contacts
• Digital signage pilot agreed for MU building – stretch objective to get it running for open day mid-Feb in partnership with Faculty and External Relations
• Meeting with Wolverhampton City Council:
• looking at email quotas and plan to allocate more “golden tickets”
• GDPR meetings are coming up
• Making good progress on the Digital Library Project and potential Finance system integrations
• HR starting investigation of absence solutions with aim to have sickness absence running for June.

Good News

• Excellent kick off meeting with Getech regarding the Lenovo contract.  Hopefully added value by making sure we promote the benefits of the deal to all staff and students – External Relations being provided with social media collateral and opportunity to link to recent sponorship by Lenovo of the race team.
• No P1 incidents.  Wi-Fi service recent issues hopefully addressed with supplier fix implemented early on Thursday morning.

-->