Below you will find answers to some of the questions we have received about the proposed Workday (and related technology) governance structure. Please feel free to submit additional questions to Colin Tudor, via the project website or by speaking directly with a WGC member.

1. As the new governance structure is put into place, will members of the new and core group be able to, as a group, suggest changes and revisions (i.e., membership structure of the new group)?

Answer: Yes. As a member of the core and new group, you are asked to play a key role in ensuring that the governance structure for Workday and related technology tools is best serving the colleges. This can include making suggestions to revise the structure. Before making such a request, we ask that you give the current suggested structure some time to work and, if the group does end up wanting to suggest changes, we do ask that you provide documentation to support your recommendation.

2. Why does the new group only have three representatives from each of the pillars (SIS, Financial Sytems and HRIS)? What if one of the pillar areas feel there is a need for additional representatives?

Answer: The decision is designed to give equal representation to each of the pillars, while also ensuring that the group membership is kept at a reasonable level.
If the group finds that there are areas where additional representation is needed, they may, upon agreement of the new group, set up sub-committees, ad hoc committees or invite non-voting members to attend one or several of their meetings to provide expertise as needed.

3. How flexible is the WGC about the recommended subject matter expert areas? If the core groups do not agree with those areas, will they be able to make different recommendations?

Answer: The subject matter expert areas listed by the WGC were identified as areas that need particular focus. If the new and core groups determine that there are other SME that need attention, they are encouraged to make those recommendations to WGC for consideration. We ask that you also identify how the WGC’s five high priority areas (listed below) will be addressed.

4. Will the WGC make recommendations for who should fill some of the SME positions?

Answer: Yes, in some instances we will put forth some names of staff members who have the knowledge, skills and desire to take on these roles. The new group is encouraged to work closely with the Core groups to make additional recommendations. The new group will make the final decision on who will fill those roles.

5. What is the definition of each of the proposed subject matter experts and who are the WGC nominations to fill these roles?

• Cybersecurity: Oversees the strategic aspects of cybersecurity for the consortium including, but not limited to, incident response plans and team, disaster recovery and business continuity, the establishment of security policies and principles, and reviewing proposed changes for adherence to the policies and principles for Workday.

• WGC nomination: Cole Maddox, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Enterprise Services, Pomona College

• Data standards/data governance: Ensures the processes, people and technologies are in place to manage and protect the data assets:

• WGC nomination: Colleen Wynn, Director of Institutional Research, Claremont McKenna College

• Usability/end-user experience: Leads the effort to develop, evaluate and deliver a user experience that is effective, efficient, intuitive, and relatively easy to learn.

• WGC nomination: Joseph Vaughn, Chief Information Officer/Vice President of Computing and Information Services, Harvey Mudd College

• New functionality promotion and approval process: Getting the right people certified to access and train developing testing processes and communicate about new functionality (including those that come about as a result of updates) and develop compensating controls.

• WGC nomination: none

TBD: As determined by the new group itself. This is an open SME area the new group can define and elect a staff member to fill.

6. How long will SMEs serve on the new group?

Answer: They will serve for one year with unlimited renewal potential unless the SME topic area changes. If that happens, the SME is replaced. For this first term, they will serve from committee founding until August 2020. From there on, it will renew in August.

7. Do SMEs have a vote?

Answer: Yes, they are voting members of the group.

8. Is the TCCS VP part of the new group simply by virtue of the position and will he or she be a voting member?

Answer: The TCCS VP is on the new group permanently and has a vote.
Please note this document is a draft

Thank you to those who attended our feedback sessions this past Friday. During those meetings, we promised to share a list of proposed subject matter areas and guiding principles that were developed by the Workday Governance Committee. Please note that we are taking a more agile approach to communicating so this list may be subject to additional adjustments.

Subject Matter Areas
Below are the subject matter expert (SME) areas identified as needing coverage. WGC may provide suggestions to cover some of these areas. Please review and make recommendations on how to meet these needs, and/or to identify and recommend others. Ultimately the SMEs will be chosen by the new group with the exception of the TCCS vice president for finance and administration, who will be a permanent member.
Areas requiring coverage include (but are not limited to):

  • Cybersecurity
  • IT/process/project management – includes Agile methodology, the use of sprints, story points, implementation of the roadmap, etc.
  • Data standards/data governance
  • Usability/End-user experience
  • New functionality promotion and approval process – includes getting people certified to access to the system, how to test and promote new functionality (example: reports, integrations and the like) into production, and compensating controls

Guiding Principles
As a member of the new Workday team, we ask you to keep these guiding principles in mind:

  • Work toward ensuring that the needs of the end-users are met with an emphasis on usability. This includes a process to collect end-users input and feedback.
  • Leverage the capabilities of the Workday system to maximize the use of the tool.
  • Ensure that decisions and recommendations focus on what is best for The Claremont Colleges as a whole, while being mindful of the needs of the individual units.
  • Track, prioritize and document progress, challenges, decisions and recommendations through the use of a common project management tool which is transparent to the constituents.
  • Work using an open, transparent and outcomes-based methodology in conjunction with established best practices to guide our way.

And finally, we would like to once again share the Workday Governance Committees principles that have guided us in our efforts over the past several months:
Purpose: We seek to balance needs, resources and system capabilities for consortial solutions that maximize service to individuals.
Principles:
We seek to develop:

  • One Workday for The Claremont Colleges;
  • a streamlined governance model;
  • and a process that focuses on roadmaps.

Find out more about the Workday Governance Committee here.

Message from the ITSC Workday Governance Committee (Feb. 27, 2019)

Workday Governance Concept

Here is the latest iteration of a proposed governance structure for Workday and related systems. This version incorporates not only many of the ideas expressed in the meetings with the core groups and the BFAC, but also includes key features from the proposal that was recently submitted by the finance core team.

The goal of this structure is to optimize governance by:

  • Empowering those closest to the system.
  • Utilizing the expertise of the core groups.
  • Integrating cross-pillar solutions.
  • Providing a clear division of labor in scope and authority of decision making.
  • Providing a clear process for roadmap development, strategic direction, decision making, appeals, priority-setting and approvals.
  • Simplifying the structure to optimize the efficiency of implementation.

Here is a brief description of the conceptual design:

Core groups:

  • Core groups (SIS, HR or Fin) will be empowered to make single pillar decisions with the assistance of the BSU

“New group” (replacing WMG)

  • The new group, which will be named by the members, will be tasked with strategic cross-pillar responsibilities, have responsibility for portfolio management and identify projects that move forward to BSU.
  • This team will make decisions about multi-pillar and cross-functional issues and concerns. Membership will include three members from each of the core teams, as well as five appointed subject matter experts who will provide expertise on such things as cybersecurity, usability, IT, institutional research, project management, etc. TCCS’s vice president of finance and administration (VPFA) will be a permanent member of this new group
  • This group will work with BSU to create and prioritize the 90-day roadmap
  • Members will also create standing or ad hoc committees to address issues that need more focused conversation or effort. These committees will report back to this group with their recommendations. Possible committees may be data standards, usability, security, integrations, etc.
  • This new group will report progress on strategic issues to the Workday Governance Committee.
  • We have asked Steven Holley TCCS VPFA to serve as the inaugural chair for six months.

ITSC Workday Governance Committee

  • The committee will assist in resolving conflicts that could not be settled by the core or new group teams. This committee also approves the 90-day roadmaps.
  • The Workday Governance Committee will provide the new group with input on which priority guidelines and strategic issues to focus on.
  • Operations
    • The TCCS VPFA is the operational leader of the Workday system with ultimate governance responsibility assigned to the ITSC.
    • BSU is the primary operational staff who support the Workday system. They are ex-officio on all committees and will provide unbiased expert advice and essential support, input and will make recommendations to the governance committees as needed. They will also alert the core teams when issues are cross-pillar in nature.

We ask you to provide your comments on this proposal. What do you think are the strengths, the weakness or areas that may need improvement? Are there additional concerns or issues that need to be addressed?

Please send your thoughts and suggestions to Colin Tudor by March 22 or attend one of the two meetings we have scheduled to answer questions and hear your input. Those meetings will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m and 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Friday, March 22 at the Cowart Building conference room on the Pomona College campus.

Thank you,

The ITSC Workday Governance Committee

Chair: William Morse, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Pomona College
Sharon Basso, Vice President for Student Affairs, Claremont McKenna College
Dean Calvo, Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer, Scripps College
Andrew Dorantes, Vice President for Administration and Finance/Treasurer, Harvey Mudd College
Patricia Easton, Executive Vice President and Provost, Claremont Graduate University
Steven Holley, Vice President for Finance and Administration/Treasurer, The Claremont Colleges Services
Colin Tudor, Assistant Vice President, Communications, The Claremont Colleges Service
Laura Troendle, Vice President of Finance, Administration and Treasurer, Pitzer College
Peter Uvin, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, Claremont McKenna College
Joseph Vaughan, Chief Information Officer/Vice President of Computing and Information Services, Harvey Mudd College

ITSC Workday Governance Committee PowerPoint Presentation (January/February 2019)