The following FAQ for the Strategic Planning assessment tool will be expanded as more people interact with the tool. If you have a question that isn't covered here or in the How-To Guide, please let us know using the contact form.
General Information
Why are we doing this?
While the original WSU Strategic Plan goal statements, developed in 2013, were undoubtedly crucial to pointing WSU in a new and exciting direction, they did not lend themselves well to measurement. The Strategic Planning Steering Committee has worked to refresh the university’s goal statements with measurable outcomes in mind, and the tool has been developed to gather data about our progress.
Doesn't this duplicate planning and project management tools we're already using?
No. The information that will be entered into the Strategic Planning assessment tool only solicits cursory information about the project and its measurable tactics and is not intended to supplant your internal planning and project management processes and tools. The metrics provided in the reporting will be specific to the Strategic Plan goals and would not replace any internal assessments of an initiative’s performance or value.
How do I update the request of our department's SPI if someone changes roles or leaves
the department?
In order to have a change made to the leader of the SPI, you will need to submit a ticket. Please include the ticket number, and who you wish to be put as the new Leader / Requestor.
Creating Initiatives
Who can enter an initiative?
All WSU faculty or staff may enter an initiative, keeping in mind that your dean or budget officer and the Strategic Planning Steering Committee will be able to review the entry.
When new initiatives are added is the Dean or Budget Officer automatically notified,
and are they asked to approve?
No they are not automatically notified. This is a conversation that needs to happen between the individual submitting the SPI and their Dean / Budget Officer. We have a report that we can send to them weekly if requested. Or they may sign into Wichita.teamdynamix.com, click "Services" then "Ticket Requests" and use the search feature. Clicking the checkbox to "Include requests from my accounts / departments" and adding the word "Strategic" in the search field will limit the search to just your SPI.
Why do we have to choose a single primary goal?
We believe it provides a truer picture of our activities. By requiring a primary goal we simplify the process and avoid overblown estimates of impact that might skew results and make the final reporting less useful.
Where can I find step-by-step instructions for using the tool?
For step-by-step instructions on using the tool, visit:
Reports
Who will have access to the initiatives we post?
Only you, your budget officer or dean and the Strategic Planning Steering Committee will have access to the initiatives that you enter. There will be a public reports page that shows progress related to university goals at a high level, but the names of initiatives will not be viewable to the public because they might reveal business strategies and other proprietary information.
How will the gathered information be used?
The Strategic Planning Steering Committee will use the information to measure our collective activity and progress in supporting the university's goals and mission targets. Divisions, colleges and departments can use the internal, CAS-protected reports specific to their areas to do the same, plus they will have a central location to easily judge scope and mix of activities in relation to the WSU Strategic Plan.
When will the reports be available?
The reports are expected to be available prior to the end of the fiscal year. Information Technology Services, which is currently developing the dashboards with the assistance of Strategic Communications and the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, needs access to real-world initiative entries before finalizing the reporting structure and format.
How do I see SPI's from multiple departments?
Follow these steps:
- Log into the Client Portal.
- In the black ribbon across the top of the screen, select "Services."
- From there, select "Ticket Requests" in the gray ribbon.
- A list of fields will appear. Check the box beside "Include requests from my accounts / departments."
- In the "Services" box, type "Strategic Planning Initiative."
- Click Search. Your SPI's will appear below.
If you don't see all your accounts / departments listed, please submit a ticket to request that missing accounts / departments be added to your TeamDynamix profile. Please include your myWSU ID in the description of the ticket.