Resourcing RFPs and projects is a balancing act. If an RFP rises to the level that requires an SA resource, project resourcing may have to change and vice versa. When an SA is needed on an RFP is not as straight forward as a project. Evaluation to determine if an SA is needed will be based on criteria, such as:

• Will an enterprise system be replaced or new one be introduced or existing one will be significantly affected?
• Will a system with multiple integrations be replaced or new one introduced?
• Will the outcome of the RFP have an impact on large audience (i.e. all students, all employees, etc.)?
• Is there a functional/technical resource that will also be participating in the RFP?

If an SA can’t be fully allocated as a voting member (required to fully matrix responses and attend all meetings), an SA may take part as a non-voting member. In this capacity they will provide basic technical, security, and accessibility requirements. After RFP responses are received, they will look at only the technical, security, and accessibility requirements to determine if there are any red flags.

If an SA resource is needed for a technology related RFP, please contact the SA Team through a ServiceNow request with an overview of the RFP.

How an SA will be assigned:

Here are a few of the questions we will be considering at each point in decision making process:

1a. Is detailed solution recommendation/design required for the project?
• Examples: The project entails a manual business process that needs to be automated. There is a new business need that requires a new solution. The business is replacing a current solution.

1b. Is detailed system mapping needed?
• Examples: The project is a new system implementation with multiple integrations. The project entails an existing system with multiple integrations, where there is no system mapping documentation.

2. Does the project involve multiple business lines, or is it an enterprise project, or are there impacts to a large audience (i.e. all students)?

3. If the answers to 1a/1b and 2 questions are “yes”, an SA resource may be assigned. Assignment will begin with non-discretionary or mandatory projects, then by highest score, and then by highest strategic score.

If an SA resource is needed on a large project, the resource can be requested through the SPRRC process.

Solution Design/Recommendation

A Business Analyst (BA) must be assigned to the project to aid with solution recommendation or design. To ensure that the best solution is selected for the business, ITS, and NAU, the flowchart illustration below can serve as a recommendation as to the order of actions that should be taken. An evaluation of business processes should always be the first step. Before moving to purchasing a new solution or a custom modification, the other options must be evaluated.

When an SA is not assigned, the BA assigned to the project should complete the Solution Recommendation Template (opens in new tab) with the analysis done for each step. This template will prompt for all required justifications prior to moving on to the next step. A Solutions Architect will be available for questions and to review the solution recommendation before the project moves forward.

System Mapping

Documenting system mapping and design is very important for a project. If an SA is not assigned to a project, appropriate resources must be assigned to ensure all required documentation is properly captured. A problem we face when assigned to a project that already involve solutions, is that it takes time and effort to gain an understanding of those solutions before progress can be made. This can account for 20% of time and effort to every project just to get up to speed and can result in extended project timelines, missing or inaccurate information, solution inefficiency, etc.
Templates coming soon. Please work with your assigned SA.