The full IT assessment and a brief executive summary are posted at IT-Transformation.pitt.edu.
If you have any comments or suggestions that the University leadership team and steering committee should consider as they finalize and prioritize the recommendations, please submit them via email to IT-transformation@pitt.edu by Jan. 11.
How would you transform IT at Pitt?
University leaders are seeking input from the Pitt community as they prepare to move forward on recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Pitt’s information technology.
A consultant group's report assesses Pitt’s current state of IT and identifies goals and strategic priorities for strengthening this crucial component that underpins the University’s mission as a research institution.
“This was not an assessment of centralized IT services, but an examination of how technology is used at the University, across the board, and how it aligns with the goals of the University’s strategic plan,” said Jinx Walton, chief information officer.
Nearly a year in the making, the report by consultant Deloitte was based on interviews with more than 100 individuals and 60 IT stakeholder groups across the University and benchmarking in comparison with public and private R1 peer research institutions.
Respondents gave high marks to Pitt’s experienced IT personnel, reliable infrastructure and quality services, but found room for improvement in the areas of IT governance and organizational structures.
“People were really interested in helping,” said Walton, commending those who participated in the interviews and information-gathering sessions.
The report reveals opportunities to strengthen the IT core, increase collaboration and foster innovation and efficiency.
Deloitte proposed a three-year roadmap for implementing 14 recommendations in six broad categories:
- Implementing IT governance,
- Developing a University-wide IT budget,
- Unifying IT training,
- Developing career paths for IT staff,
- Establishing a long-term cloud and data center strategy, and
- Consolidating help desk tools.
While much of Pitt’s IT is centralized, the report identified opportunities for better communication and collaboration University wide.
“The better we’re utilizing University resources across the board and the more coordination we have, the stronger we will be,” said Walton. “We can provide value by making sure we’re all on the same page.”