With technology requests coming from every corner of the university, how does Northeastern decide which projects and initiatives move forward? A new process brings clarity to these decisions, ensuring IT investments align with what matters most: student success and university priorities.
A new approach to project intake helps university administrators and leaders submit comprehensive requests while enabling more informed prioritization decisions. This process, available through the IT Project request form, gathers detailed project information upfront. This helps both requesters and IT Services teams plan more effectively and collaborate successfully from day one.
Why prioritization matters
With finite resources and growing technology needs across the university, not every request can move forward immediately. By collecting detailed information at the outset, the university’s IT Governance can better evaluate and prioritize requests based on their strategic alignment, potential for measurable impact, and overall feasibility. This collaborative approach ensures:
- Resources focus on highest-value initiatives that directly benefit students and support the university’s mission
- Early identification of potential challenges, allowing teams to work together to address issues before they become roadblocks
- Better resource planning through understanding scope and requirements from the start
- Transparent prioritization based on consistent evaluation criteria
How the process works
The new process accommodates all types of technology requests from minor system enhancements to complex, multi-year initiatives. Once university partners submit requests with their SVP’s seal of approval, IT Governance evaluates all submissions using three essential criteria:
- Strategic alignment with university mission and academic priorities
- Potential for measurable impact, particularly on student success
- Feasibility and resource requirements
Requests demonstrating strong performance across these areas receive higher priority and can move forward as projects or other types of work, while those needing refinement receive collaborative guidance to strengthen their proposals. The IT Services team is committed to working closely with requesters throughout this process, ensuring every submission has the best chance of success.
What this means for the university community
The goal is transparency in how technology decisions are made at Northeastern and how ITS allocates resources. Partnerships between departments and ITS drive technology that advances strategic priorities.
Throughout each step, IT Services remains a collaborative partner, working alongside university departments to bring valuable technology initiatives to life.
Ready to get started? Learn more about the process at its.northeastern.edu/projects.