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IT Strategic Plan

About

In 2012, the CIO Council defined—for the first time—a shared vision for IT across Harvard's schools and departments, and a unified IT Strategic Plan to guide our collective efforts. The plan outlined a bold set of initiatives that taken together aimed to transform, modernize, and greatly simplify our IT landscape. The current IT Strategic Plan was launched in 2018, and features eight CIO Council Initiatives and eight University IT Priorities that represent areas of continued investment.

CIO Council Initiatives

  1. Collaboration
    Develop and implement a strategy for the next set of collaboration tools, including video conferencing and directory strategies to improve ability to work within the University and with external partners.
     
  2. Executive and Extended Education Support
    In partnership with the Executive and Extended Education community, identify and implement common administrative and delivery systems to facilitate knowledge sharing and to leverage shared investment.
     
  3. Digital Content Infrastructure
    In partnership with the Library, develop the infrastructure to support digital content, including digital asset management and storage, to improve University-wide ability to access and use Harvard’s digital content.
     
  4. Alumni Systems
    In partnership with AA&D and school development offices, develop a University-wide approach for replacing alumni systems, including ADVANCE, that addresses data management and governance, to support alumni engagement and solicitation activities across the University.
     
  5. In-Classroom Technology
    Determine what, if any, technology standards and solutions should be consistent across the University and implement those standards and solutions so that teaching staff has greater consistency and better ease of use.
     
  6. Administrative Data Management
    Pursue the next phase of Administrative Data Management to improve quality and usability of Harvard’s administrative data.
     
  7. User Experience
    Execute strategy to enhance user experience to improve ease of access to and use of Harvard’s systems and information.
     
  8. Operational Technology
    In partnership with facilities community, clarify policies and support model for operational technology across the University to mitigate risk.

University IT Priorities

  1. Information Security
    Continue to invest in information security efforts related to awareness, risk assessment, and operations.
     
  2. Enterprise Architecture
    Define and encourage adoption of a University-wide enterprise architecture consisting of technical principles, standards, and supporting resources.
     
  3. Shared Service Model
    Evolve and refine the shared service model and service delivery.
     
  4. Research Computing and Research Data Compliance
    Support the Research Computing Council in driving alignment across research computing groups and improve support for research data compliance.
     
  5. IT Workforce Development
    Continue to invest in IT workforce development through IT Academy, diversity and inclusion efforts, and the IT Fellows Program.
     
  6. IT Procurement and Vendor Management
    Continue to identify and pursue opportunities to simplify and streamline IT purchasing.
     
  7. Change Management
    Improve ability to deliver projects and programs to the community through best practices and training related to change management and business process assessment.
     
  8. Sustainability and Green IT
    Support Harvard’s sustainability efforts focusing on reducing e-waste and rolling out managed print services.