Projects and Programmes

I’ve not been out and about much this week despite the good weather but managed to finish a project that’s been on the go for a wee while. I decided that a short (and plain English) guide to JISC and the Regional Support Centre would be a useful resource for staff in colleges. JISC is a complex organisation and I felt that a user friendly synopsis of what JISC and the RSCs do and the services we are funded to provide would be of value especially to new staff in organisations that we support. I’ve produced an online version that will be available from our learning platform once the rest of the team have looked it over and plan to publish the material in paper format so that it can be included in induction packs for new staff in HE & FE. I hope that Staff Development Officers in your organisation will be interested and I’ll be disseminating information about this to them soon.
On Thursday I attended a Project Management Masterclass here at the RSC which focussed on the role of senior management in managing projects and is a new workshop developed and delivered by JISC infoNet. The session focussed on how to take a strategic approach to managing multiple projects and presented ideas and practical tools to ensure the key elements required to co-ordinate successful projects to meet an organisation’s strategic goals are well managed. There seemed to be broad consensus in the room that it is often difficult for managers with strategic responsibilities to take a step back from the operational aspects of initiating and implementing projects. During the session practical mechanisms to assist senior managers to do just this were presented and discussed. Resources to support the workshop Portfolio, Programme and Project Management are available to anyone from the JISC infoNet site.

The JISC infoNet service was set up in 2003 specifically to advise managers in the post-compulsory education sector and promote the effective strategic planning, implementation and management of information and learning technology. I would draw you attention in particular to their sets of online resources (infoKits) comprising a subject overview, 'how to' guides and other supporting materials. As well as covering generic issues such as change management and risk management there are applied infoKits which use the generic tools in particular circumstances such as designing technology rich learning spaces or using a VLE effectively - well worth a look.
Have a good weekend - Joan