USER Project Mission, Principles, and Strategy

Mission

Transform University of Washington support services, enabling our community to be more effective and efficient in carrying out the institution's educational, research, and public service missions.

Guiding Principles

1. We are not bound by the way we have always done things.
2. We are free to challenge legal, technical, and institutional constraints.
3. The new services should be flexible to allow for different departmental requirements and future changes.
4. Broad two-way communication with the University community should be included in every aspect of the project.
5. Information should be readily available for use or modification at the time and place needed.
6. Information should be recorded only once, and that should be done by the original source of the information.
7. Redundant and non-value-added activities should be eliminated.
8. The focus should be on delivering the best services we can within technical constraints, not on the technology itself.
9. There are no "mistakes" just "unintended outcomes."

Access to UW NetID's and Email Accounts

The University of Washington is increasingly relying upon email and the Web as important vehicles for communication. Policy changes, for example, are often being communicated via email with departments determining ways to distribute the information to employees who don't have regular access to computers. As more information is put online for employees using Web-based applications (e.g., Employee Self-Service), the need for employees to have access to the Web becomes essential to their relationship with the University.

The USER Project is working with campus users to create products and new business practices that affect how business is conducted campus-wide. As the Steering Committee for the Project, we are guiding those change efforts. Given the increased use of the Web for doing university business and sharing information, we believe that all employees should have access to UW NetIDs a nd email as soon as they are employed with the University of Washington. Accordingly, we encourage all units within the University to ensure that all employees are provided UW NetIDs and email accounts, and that units be ready to help employees acquire and use these valuable communication resources. The policies in place with respect to ethical use of University resources, including the Internet and email, will continue to guide employee usage. In those instances where misuse of these resources presents a problem, the Human Resources department can help supervisors identify and resolve the specific issues.

Strategy

1. Using University-wide input, create a vision for the ideal way we would like to provide critical support services. Modify the vision as necessary based on technical, legal, and institutional constraints to design the new service models.
2. Build a standard technology infrastructure based on a common graphical interface such as a web browser which will facilitate the development and implementation of new ways to conduct business at the University.
3. Develop and implement the new services, including all required procedures, training, documentation and information systems.
4. Measure the results, review the strategy, evaluate the technology infrastructure, and make changes as needed.