CIO Project Management Office

FY2025 Accomplishments

The Chief Information Office’s Project Management Office (PMO) is a vital Information and Technology Services (ITS) team devoted to guiding and nurturing the successful realization of technology projects throughout the University of Michigan (U-M). We recognize that each project is an opportunity to align with the university's strategic goals, and the team is committed to ensuring that these projects are carried out with care, precision, and timely execution.

By embracing best practices in project management, the PMO strives to provide structure and tools that support project teams through every stage of the project lifecycle: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. The team is dedicated to fostering open communication and collaboration among stakeholders, effectively managing risks, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement to elevate project outcomes. The work of the ITS PMO is essential in enhancing both the technological capabilities and operational efficiency at U-M, and we take great pride in partnering with our university community to achieve these shared goals.

In FY2025, the ITS PMO directly supported the VPIT-CIO at U-M by continuing to facilitate the use of the TeamDynamix Project and Portfolio Management tool, which is accessible campus-wide. As a part of the Office of the CIO, the PMO also manages the Project Management Community of Practice (COP), which has been active for over a decade. The chief of staff and director of the PMO plays a crucial role in leading strategic initiatives and overseeing the operations of the CIO PMO.

A Trusted Partner: Expert IT Project Management Guidance for Units

This year, several IT Project Managers from the ITS PMO provided expertise to campus units including the Office of Enrollment Management, the Center for Campus Involvement, the President’s Office, the Office of National Labs, and more. Their guidance included establishing and managing vendor relationships, selecting project management tools, and coordinating visits and press releases with executives for planning and designs for in-progress initiatives. A senior project manager embedded in the Office of Enrollment Management (OEM) executed AI initiatives that align with OEM’s divisional goals, such as developing and refining an AI tool that automates the mentorship matching process for the Office of New Student Programs and developing an AI-driven tool summarizing teaching evaluation comments for faculty.

The ITS PMO has also been able to lend expert project managers to lead projects at Michigan Medicine and the U-M School of Information. One senior project manager successfully implemented an enterprise platform to streamline clinical and supply chain activities, completing key integrations with MiChart by March 31, 2025, and fostering strong collaborations with ITS Fin, Periop Informatics, Supply Chain Management, and clinical leadership. Another project manager facilitated the implementation of the CourseDog Curriculum Management application at the U-M School of Information, enhancing academic operations to streamline scheduling, curriculum management, and faculty workload logistics, thereby improving administrative efficiency and supporting student success for both students and faculty.

These collaborations enhance ITS’s role as a trusted partner by ensuring project success through specialized expertise, benefiting units with better navigation of complex challenges, and leading to more efficient IT solutions. From strategic AI development to enterprise platform integration, the ITS PMO consistently delivers targeted support, securing improved outcomes across the university.

PMO: Service Excellence and Beyond

This year, the PMO continued to organize and work on internal and external audits, with 36 internal audit engagements for the year. This crucial function strengthens the alignment to “One ITS” strategic objectives. It reinforces the organization’s commitment to Service Excellence by driving continuous process improvements that heighten the quality and efficiency of ITS services.

In addition to leading projects that follow the Service Lifecycle and often directly result in organizational process improvements, the PMO partners with many areas of ITS to deliver processes critical to creating consistency and improving service quality and effectiveness. The most significant of these is the ITS Service Lifecycle (New Service, Major Service Change, and Retirement) where the PMO supports, collaborates, and consults with Service Owners and Managers in completing the process steps. The PMO Operations team continued to train new Service Owners & Service Managers into the Service Lifecycle. As well as administer and support the Project Management Module in TeamDynamix and provide it to ITS as well as campus unit users.

Additionally, the PMO supported and continued improvements this past year for:

  • ITS Services Roadmap Reviews
  • Project Communications and Org Change Management
  • Updated Service Checklist and Charter improvements

PMO Projects and Strategies for FY2025

The PMO played a pivotal role over the past year by committing resources and providing leadership in numerous strategic initiatives across U-M. The PMO's contributions have been integral to the formulation and planning of critical strategies that underpin the future goals and objectives of ITS. Moreover, the PMO has enhanced the organization’s agility, enabling it to swiftly respond to and effectively manage rapidly emerging and evolving strategic demands, helping to ensure that priorities can be addressed in a timely and effective manner.

Notable FY2025 Projects Included:

ITS PMO By the Numbers in FY2025

ITS Projects

Total ITS Projects Completed: 28

Average Number of ITS Active Projects: 51

ITS Service Lifecycle (supported by PMO Operations)

Services & Updates Reviewed at Service Governance: 45

Major Service Change Projects Completed: 15

Retirement Projects Completed: 2

ITS Audits Supported: 36