CIO Project Management Office

FY2026 Accomplishments

The Chief Information Officer’s Project Management Office (PMO) plays a vital role within Information and Technology Services (ITS), helping advance the university’s most ambitious technology goals. The PMO team is committed to ensuring projects are carried out with focus and precision, in accordance with key stakeholders' requirements. By embracing best practices in project management, the PMO guides projects through every stage of the project lifecycle: initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.

The team fosters open communication and collaboration among stakeholders, manages risks effectively, and promotes a culture of continuous improvement to elevate project outcomes. By combining technical project management with experience in organizational change management, communications, purchasing, financial tracking, and the ITS service lifecycle, the ITS PMO focuses not only on delivering successful projects but also on achieving outcomes that align with the university's long-term strategic goals.

In FY2026, the ITS PMO directly supported the VPIT-CIO by leading strategic initiatives and overseeing critical operations. The Chief of Staff and Director of the PMO advises on and leads many strategic initiatives, oversees the PMO, and helps ensure the organization’s highest priorities are met. The PMO serves as an essential bridge among ITS departments and helps advance the “One ITS” core value. By bringing diverse teams together to collaborate and align their efforts, the PMO enables the collective results necessary for large-scale success.

This year, the ITS PMO took important steps to evolve and prepare for the changing needs of an increasingly dynamic technology environment. The PMO continues to strengthen the critical skills and behaviors needed to support ITS and the university. Looking ahead, the PMO remains focused on serving as a strategic partner for the future.

PMO: Service Excellence and Beyond

The PMO operates and facilitates several vital processes that serve as the backbone for both ITS and the broader university. This includes managing internal and external audits involving ITS, handling 38 engagements this year, maintaining clear communication channels, and ensuring responses were accurate and timely. This crucial function strengthens the alignment with “One ITS” strategic objectives. It reinforces the organization’s commitment to Service Excellence by driving continuous process improvements that improve the quality and efficiency of ITS services. The PMO also manages the Capital Request process and assists in developing business case materials to support significant project efforts.

The PMO is also deeply embedded in the ITS Service Lifecycle, working side by side with Service Owners, Process Owners, and the Service Support team to shepherd ideas from initial launch through major transitions to retirement. The team supported 67 lifecycle event updates at Service Governance Group meetings (New Service, Major Service Change, and Retirement) this year. Additionally, in this space, the PMO leads service roadmap reviews, continuous process improvement, and trains new Service Owners & Service Managers on the Service Lifecycle.

The PMO operates and supports tools and processes that extend its impact far beyond ITS, benefiting the entire University of Michigan. This includes:

  • Administering the TeamDynamix Project and Portfolio Management tool, which is used by departments across the university to manage projects, portfolios, and related work.
  • Facilitating the Project Management Community of Practice, an enterprise-wide resource that has fostered collaboration and shared expertise across U-M for more than a decade.
  • Playing a key role in the Capital Request process development lifecycle.
  • Supporting continuous process improvements in partnership with ITS Marketing and Communications and ITS Organizational Development.

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. Projects ranged from supporting U-M Procurement in implementing new Travel & Expense solutions and enhancing onboarding functionality for the Procurement Module Service, to implementing a new university-wide Student Success and Advising solution, to helping several units adopt the enterprise Salesforce platform to meet their needs. These collaborations enhance ITS’s role as a trusted partner by ensuring project success through specialized expertise, enabling units to navigate complex challenges more effectively, and delivering more efficient IT solutions. From strategic AI development to enterprise platform integration, the ITS PMO consistently provides focused support, leading to better outcomes across the university.

PMO Projects and Strategies for FY2026

The PMO played a pivotal role over the past year by committing resources and providing leadership in numerous strategic initiatives. The PMO's contributions have been integral to formulating and planning 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 are addressed in a timely and effective manner.

Notable FY2026 Projects Included: