Instructions for Using the UT Austin Project Sizing Tool
Overview
BPM 73 requires each component institution in the UT System to evaluate certain information technology projects for size and complexity. UT System provided a suggested set of evaluation criteria, and The University of Texas at Austin has customized these criteria to match our campus population and services. The result is the UT Austin Project Sizing Tool, an Excel spreadsheet that is used to supply a standard evaluation method for IT projects on the UT Austin campus.
The sizing tool lists factors that can impact the success or failure of a project, and each factor is weighted based how it impacts the size of a project. Cost, time to complete and number of staff are weighed the most heavily. The number of end users and work units involved are given the least weight. The form adds “points” based on impact and adds them to arrive at a total score. Projects are given a size based on that score.
- Small Project: 0-119 points
- Medium Project: 120-199 points
- Large Project: 200 or more points
Having a standard set of criteria and assessment of impact to evaluate all projects is important for consistency. Our campus will periodically review the tool and criteria we have established as we become more familiar with it and learn how it can be most useful.
Procedure
- Download the UT Austin Project Sizing Tool spreadsheet.
- Open the sizing tool. If you receive a warning about macros being disabled
because of your security settings, do the following:
- From the Tools menu, select Macro and then Security.
- Select the Medium security option.
- Close the sizing tool spreadsheet and reopen it.
- Select the Enable Macros button. Each subsequent time you open the spreadsheet, you will be prompted to Enable Macros.
- Select the A, B, or C value for each criterion to assess the size of your project.
- Proceed to the Filing Instructions.
As you enter all the values for your project, the sizing tool dynamically calculates a size based on the score and displays the value in the colored bar at the top of the form.
We encourage you to use the tool for any project in order to confirm your assumptions and document them for your organization. You must use the tool when you have a project which may be identified as large in the context of these criteria.
Filing Instructions
- Large: Complete the Request for Inclusion on The University of Texas System Information System Improvement Program form (ISIP request form) and the Project Cost Worksheet. Submit all three completed documents (including the project sizing form) to the Information Technology Services BPM 73 Contact at bpm73-submission@its.utexas.edu. ITS will submit them to the UT System Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer (AVC and CIO) for review and recommendations before contracts are negotiated or signed. Note: you should still submit your project if you have already signed contracts.
When you open the Project Cost Worksheet, select the Enable Macros option so that the spreadsheet works correctly. You can see a completed example on the UT System site.
- Medium or Small: Print your assessment and store it with your project files as a matter of practice. Further reporting is not required; however, as stated earlier, ITS recommends reporting projects of significance, even if they may not fall strictly into the "large" category.
You may elect to report your project and comply with the BPM 73 standards even if your project does not meet the large project criteria. If you choose to do so merely follow the provisions laid out for a large effort and note the voluntary nature of your compliance when you file.
Contesting the Assessed Size
After assessing your project, you may not agree with the project size assigned by the sizing tool. If you do not agree, you have the option to register your disagreement at the bottom of the form, including the justification for your evaluation. You should file any project where you disagree with the assessed size.
You may not adjust the weight of any category. If you do not agree with the weighting, we ask that you send your comments to bpm73-submission@its.utexas.edu. They will be kept for future reviews of the document.
Definitions for Sizing Tool Criteria
For the purposes of completing the sizing tool for UT Austin projects, we have defined the following terms:
- Cost
- Include the hardware and software. Does NOT include maintenance or staff costs. Staff are included in Number of Staff.
- Number of staff
- Include all members of the work group by FTE (full-time equivalents).
- Number of work units involved
- Distinct units, departments, or teams that have different reporting paths or different requirements from the solution.
- Staff skill set
- Includes all members of the work group regardless of their area of contribution to the project.
- Internally mandated deadline
- Deadlines set by an authoritative group of the university community, the project team or the Executive Sponsors.
- Externally mandated deadline
- Deadlines set by a legislative body, a governing board, the Board of Regents, a vendor or an external event.
- Number of systems (under Integrations)
- Any software or operating system that is part of the implementation or with which the new system must interact that is not supplied as part of the new product suite.
- Number of vendors
- Vendors contracted as part of the project.
- End user buy-in
- Can vary based on application. Customers of service may not be the appropriate group to consider. Distributors or middlemen may be more important for buy-in.
- Other project specific risks
- Examples: Environment change, lack of personnel, tenuousness of support, failure intolerance of group, etc.
