University of Dayton Project Management Office (PMO)

Mission Statement

The Project Management Office (PMO) partners with academic, administrative, and technology stakeholders to define, plan, and successfully execute IT-related initiatives that advance the University's mission. Through effective project governance, collaboration, and resource stewardship, the PMO enables the delivery of sustainable technology solutions while serving as a center of excellence for project management practices, consultation, and organizational improvement.

The PMO provides guidance, standards, tools, and expertise to empower departments and units to successfully manage projects in alignment with institutional goals. By fostering transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, the PMO helps ensure that technology investments deliver measurable value to the University community.

This article contains the following information:

PMO Core Services

PMO Demand Management Process

Project Submission Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

Helpful Links

PMO Core Services

The University PMO provides a comprehensive set of services designed to support the successful delivery of IT-related strategic initiatives while promoting consistent project management practices across the institution.

1. Strategic Planning & Business Case Development

• Partner with departments and stakeholders to identify and define initiative objectives.
• Facilitate business case development, including:
  • Problem and opportunity definition
  • Strategic alignment assessment
  • Benefits identification and realization planning
  • Cost and resource estimation
  • Risk and dependency analysis
  • Executive presentations and funding recommendations
• Support project intake, prioritization, and investment decision-making for IT initiatives.

2. IT Project Management Services

• Provide project management leadership for approved IT projects and technology-enabled initiatives.

• Develop and maintain:

  • Project charters

  • Scope statements

  • Project plans and schedules

  • Communication plans

  • Risk, issue, and dependency logs

• Facilitate stakeholder engagement and project governance.

• Monitor project performance, budgets, timelines, and reporting.

• Support project closeout and lessons learned.

3. Portfolio & Program Governance

• Facilitate institutional IT portfolio governance processes.

• Support executive and steering committees with:

  • Portfolio health reporting

  • Project prioritization and sequencing

  • Resource and capacity planning

  • Strategic alignment reviews

  • Investment recommendations

• Coordinate governance activities across related programs and projects.

• Maintain standards for reporting, escalation, and decision-making.

4. PMO Center of Excellence (CoE)

• Establish and maintain project management methodologies, standards, and best practices.

• Develop templates, tools, and guidance materials.

• Provide consulting services to departments managing projects independently.

• Promote continuous improvement of project, program, and portfolio management capabilities.

• Advise stakeholders on project governance, delivery approaches, and project management processes

5. TeamDynamix (TDX) Project Toolset Training & Support

• Serve as the institutional subject matter expert for the TeamDynamix (TDX) Project toolset.

• Develop and deliver training for project managers, sponsors, and stakeholders on effective use of TDX project management capabilities.

• Provide user support, coaching, and office hours.

• Establish standards for project setup, reporting, workflows, and data quality within TDX.

• Create reporting dashboards and portfolio metrics to support decision-making.

• Promote adoption and effective utilization of the TDX Project toolset across the University.

6. Project Intake & Demand Management

• Facilitate the intake and evaluation of proposed IT initiatives and project requests.

• Ensure requests are aligned with institutional strategy, technology roadmaps, and governance requirements.

• Coordinate project sizing, categorization, and readiness assessments.

• Support portfolio planning, prioritization, and resource forecasting.

7. Reporting, Metrics & Transparency

• Maintain IT project, program, and portfolio reporting.

• Provide executive dashboards and status reporting.

• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to project delivery and portfolio health.

• Deliver insights that support informed decision-making by University leadership.

• Promote transparency regarding project status, risks, dependencies, and outcomes.

PMO Demand Management Process

The PMO's demand management process provides a structured approach for evaluating, prioritizing, and delivering IT initiatives.

Project Submission Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

General Tips for Submitting a Project

To help the PMO evaluate and prioritize requests efficiently, consider the following when preparing your project submission:

• Clearly define the business problem or opportunity the project will address.
• Identify the expected outcomes and benefits to the University.
• Document any known deadlines, regulatory requirements, or strategic drivers.
• Include information about potential impact to departments, users, or systems.
• Identify any known software, infrastructure, or vendor components involved.
• Consider potential dependencies on other projects or initiatives.
• Provide estimates of expected costs, resources, and business involvement where possible.

Early engagement with the PMO is encouraged. The PMO can help refine requirements, assess feasibility, and determine the appropriate path forward before significant effort is invested.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What defines a project?

Our standard benchmark for a project is a request that:

• Requires a minimum of 80 hours of effort, or
• Has an estimated cost of $10,000 or greater.

Projects typically involve a significant level of planning, coordination, stakeholder engagement, and governance oversight.

Examples of projects include:

• Software purchases requiring complex implementation and system integrations.
• Development of new applications, tools, or systems that support University business functions.
• Major upgrades, replacements, or modernization efforts for existing infrastructure or systems.
• Enterprise technology initiatives involving multiple departments or stakeholder groups.
• Implementations that introduce significant process changes or operational impacts.

If you're uncertain whether your request qualifies as a project, submit a request or contact the PMO for guidance.

Are Software Purchases Considered Projects?

Some software purchases may be considered projects, while others may be handled through standard procurement or service request processes.

A software purchase is generally considered a project when it:

• Requires implementation planning.

• Requires integration with existing University systems.

• Involves data migration or conversion activities.

• Requires significant configuration, testing, or training.

• Impacts multiple departments or business processes

The PMO can assist in evaluating the level of effort required and determining whether a formal project approach is warranted.

In contrast, cloud-based or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions that:

• Are primarily license-based.

• Require minimal configuration.

• Do not integrate with University systems.

• Have limited implementation effort.

can often be handled through the standard software request process rather than as a project.

What Happens After I Submit a Project Request?

After submission, the PMO will:

1. Review the request for completeness.

2. Work with stakeholders to understand business objectives and requirements.

3. Determine the appropriate level of planning and governance.

4. Develop or refine a business case if needed.

5. Present the initiative through the appropriate governance process for prioritization and approval.

6. Initiate project planning for approved requests.

What Information Should I Have Before Submitting a Project?

While not all details are required upfront, it is helpful to know:

• The business problem you are trying to solve.

• The expected benefits or outcomes.

• Any known deadlines or implementation targets.

• Departments and stakeholders that will be affected.

• Potential vendors or solutions being considered.

• Estimated funding sources, if known.

The PMO can assist with developing and refining this information during the intake process.

Can the PMO Help Determine Project Scope and Effort?

Yes. The PMO partners with stakeholders to evaluate proposed initiatives, identify requirements, estimate effort, assess risks, and determine the appropriate project management approach.

Early engagement with the PMO is encouraged, especially for technology initiatives involving:

• New software implementations.

• System integrations.

• Infrastructure changes.

• Major upgrades or replacements.

• Cross-functional business impacts.

The PMO can assist in evaluating the level of effort required and determining whether a formal project approach is warranted.

Helpful Links

The following resources provide access to key PMO services, project reporting, and project management tools.

Requesting a Project

Submit a new IT project request to the PMO for evaluation, intake, and prioritization:

IT Project Request

Active Project Dashboard

View the current portfolio of active IT projects, project status information, and key portfolio metrics.

PMO Dashboard

UDit Project Tracker

Access instructions and standard operating procedures for maintaining project information within the UDit Project Tracker.

UDit Project Tracker SOP