Centralized project management office driving mission and goal success.
On this page:
What is a Project Management Office?
A project management office (PMO) is a centralized unit that supports the selection and execution of projects to deliver on the institution’s missions and goals. At Wright State University, fiscal stewardship and strategy alignment underpin decisions on which opportunities merit financial investment as well as how and when we allocate limited human resources. The WSU PMO coordinates that decision-making process and monitors project progress and outcomes to evaluate return on investment.
The PMO may also provide direct project management support or recommend resources for project organization and tracking.
Project Proposal and Approval Process
Following are the guidelines and procedures for submitting, reviewing, and approving project proposals at Wright State University. The purpose of this process is to ensure a systematic and transparent method for initiating and evaluating projects within the university, promoting effective resource allocation, and aligning projects with the university's strategic goals.
Scope
This process applies to all administrative units, academic departments, research centers, and individuals proposing projects that require university resources, funding, or support. Projects subject to executive approval and oversight include, but are not limited to those which:
Have an identifiable start date and completion (completion may mark period at which implementation is final and the project is set up as an ongoing process/activity), AND meet one or more of the following criteria,
- Are estimated to require greater than 80 hours of combined work to complete, OR
- Require support from multiple departments for implementation, maintenance, and/or use, OR
- Introduce a new software system or integration to the university portfolio, OR
- Have data governance implications, introducing new data or modifying existing data, eliminating systems that currently manage university data, or sharing data with external entities, OR
- Have high-visibility and/or high-impact to more than one academic or administrative units.
The following project types are excluded:
- Facilities projects
- IT infrastructure projects
- Marketing projects that do not meet criteria (d) or (e) above
- Individual licensing for productivity tools
- Development of university policy as defined in the policy on policies
Project Evaluation and Approval
Initial Evaluation
Projects must undergo initial evaluation for alignment with university goals and strategic use of financial and human resources prior to beginning project planning or engagement with external entities via requests for proposal or intent to negotiate processes.
A review committee comprised of executive leadership will evaluate the proposal's feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with departmental or university priorities.
At the early stages of ideation, project proposals must be submitted through the Project Evaluation Request Intake Form for conceptual approval. For projects with a software component, the requestor must begin with a CATS consultation to determine initial feasibility and identify any redundancies within the university’s current software portfolio.
Confirmation of this consultation will be confirmed in the review workflow. Informal research or engagement with potential vendors is permitted a this stage, but formal engagement or selection of vendors should not take place until explicitly authorized through the review process.
Project Initiation
Projects granted initial approval will then undergo detailed financial, data, and resource analysis for final approval and prioritization within the university’s project portfolio. Project details including supporting documents will be developed by the project sponsor in collaboration with Computing and Telecommunications Services, Institutional Research and Effectiveness, and other relevant support units. Planning documents and information will generally include:
- Project Business Case Template (DOCX)
- Cost-Benefit Analysis Template (XLSX)
- Data Management Plan Template (DOCX)
- Milestone Timeline
- Project Charter Template (DOCX)
Project scheduling will be based on resource availability and prioritization relative to strategic goals. Project approval may be rescinded at any time in the event of changes in strategic priorities, resource capacity, or expected return on investment.
Compliance
Non-compliance with this process may result in delays or denial of the project. All procurement related to approved projects must follow the requirements outlined in University Policy 9320 Purchasing from External Vendors.
