IT Project Prioritization Scorecard Template
This scorecard allows partners to assess and re-prioritize their IT project portfolio to align with shifting strategic goals and digital transformation efforts under the lens of COVID-19. Check out our resource center for additional tools to build digital transformation capabilities on your campus.
The COVID-19 crisis and ensuing recession has had a profound impact on institutional priorities and resources. Unless project portfolios created before the crisis emerged are re-prioritized, colleges and universities will misdirect resources and may weaken their COVID-19 response. Nevertheless, re-prioritization can ensure that colleges and universities remain able to execute long-term strategy.
To help colleges and universities address these changing priorities and sustain transformation momentum, the IT Forum created a project re-prioritization scorecard. The scorecard includes two components:
- Part I. Strategic Prioritization Indicators: Calculates a foundational and strategic score for project prioritization that can be used at any time (i.e., normal or crisis operations). The IT Forum analyzed several institutional partners’ existing scorecards and frameworks to compile this set of commonly utilized indicators and leading framework.
- Part II. COVID-19 Escalator Indicators: Determines project contributions to COVID-19 related objectives. COVID-19 project scores or multipliers can then be applied to a Strategic Prioritization Score to re-prioritize projects. These indicators assess projects’ contributions to key operating goals required to safely bring students, staff, and faculty back to campus amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Note: This scorecard is built in a ready-to-use format and can be completed as-is, but can also be customized and easily manipulated based on your institution’s priorities and needs. For example, if your institution already utilizes a strategic prioritization framework, but simply requires considerations for COVID-19, feel free to use your existing prioritization method and add the Part II. COVID Escalator Indicators, Score, and Multipliers.
Download the scorecard and explore the instructions for how to use the tool below.
Instructions
1. Verify and customize scorecard indicators
Strategic Values (Columns F-I)
Refer to your institutional strategic plan to populate strategic values to which projects should contribute. Insert titles where indicated in red text. (For examples, see below).
Assessment Indicators (Columns N and U)
If needed, add new criteria to the Strategic Prioritization and COVID-19 Escalator Indicators.
Category Weights (Row 7)
Every strategic and COVID-19 related indicator has been assigned a default weight of 20% (with the exception of the Override option). Should your decision-making framework require more/less consideration for individual indicators, adjust the weight percentages. Ensure that combined strategic and COVID-19 related indicators add up to 100% each. Consult QC checks in Columns V and W to confirm your adjusted weights equal 100%; non-compliant entries will appear in yellow.
Budget Assumptions (Columns K-L)
Based on your institution’s size and operating budget, insert dollar amount ranges where indicated in red text to measure anticipated cost savings and revenue increases over three years (indicated in red text in Cells K8 and L8) due to project completion. For example, for Cost Savings, the range of considerations may be:
- No or Minor Savings (up to $2k)
- Moderate Savings (~$10-50k)
- Major Savings (over $50k)
COVID Multiplier (Column D - Row 7)
Enter a multiplier value between 0.0 and 2.0 in cell D7 to dictate how much weight COVID considerations should have relative to strategic considerations. A value of less than 1 will imply COVID considerations should be weighed less than strategic parameters, whereas a value of more than 1 will imply COVID considerations should have more weight. A default value of 1.0 has been set.
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