Change Management:

Northeastern Case Study

Kendra Seaman
Change Manager

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Northeastern University Background
Full Time Undergraduate – 15,339
Total Undergraduate – 16,897
Full Time Graduate – 5,732
Total Students – 22,880
3,564 – Total Faculty (1,726) and Staff (1,838)
8 Colleges
9 Groups within Information Services (IS)

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Timeline

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Drivers for Change
• Working in Silos Throughout IS Organization
• Changes Made Causing Other Services to Fail
– No Advanced Communication
– Colliding Changes
– No Verification of Time for Change
• Changes Made without Proper Customer Communication
• Service Desk Left Without Current Knowledge
• Large Number of Unscheduled Changes

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Vendor Assessment IT Service Management consulting,
implementation, and education company
• Third Sky
• Evaluation Methods
– Interviews
– Observation
– Questionnaire
• Assessment Results
– Strength in Incident Management
– Lack Communication about Changes in Environment
– No Cross-Group Tracking
– Not Apparent what Services IS Offers

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1st on Roadmap -- Change Management
• Created New Processes and Submitted

• Leadership Team says:

“We Want Change Management and We Want It
Now”
• Processes Approved
• Implement in 2 Weeks

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Objectives
• Strengthen Communication Across IS
• Track Changes to Production Services Only
• Track Changes Across IS Groups
• Begin Thinking in Service Terms
• Minimize Customer Impact
• Schedule Changes at Most Appropriate Time
• Provide the Service Desk Timely Information
• Reduce the Number of Unscheduled Changes

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 • Service Divided into 3 SMT’s
SMT’s and
• RFC Form Updated from
CAB Begin Feedback
• Approvals Granted by CAB

Education and
• CIO Speaks at All Hands Training Begin
Meeting
• First Group Attend ITIL
Foundation v3 Training 9
CAB Improvements
• 3 Months in – Asked for CAB Feedback

• Limited Members (18 down to 9)

• Streamlined Responsibilities

• More Accountability from Leadership Team

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Education and Training Continues

• Second Group to ITIL Foundation Training

• 300th Request for Change in 8 Months

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Northeastern Specific Processes

• Request For Change Process

• CAB Meeting Process

• eCAB Process

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 Request For
Change Process

CAB Meeting
Process

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Request For Change Process
• Customer Requests
• Members within IS
• Internal IS group reviews
• Submitted via Email ( rfc@neu.edu)
• Review for Completeness
• Add to Change Log
• Upload to SharePoint

• Email Facilitator
• Added to Agenda
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Request For Change Process

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Request For Change Process

Review of RFC SharePoint for Data

Repository

00277 – Change Change

myNEU Portal Management
Timeout to 60 SharePoint Site
Minutes
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CAB Meeting Process
• Update Change Log
• Add to CAB Agenda
• Upload to SharePoint

• Evaluate Change
• Check on Open SMT Tasks

CAB Meeting Agenda 17

CAB Meeting Process

• CAB has Authority to Reject Change Requests

• To Date, 0 Changes have been Rejected

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CAB Meeting Process
• Added to FSC
Communication: • Update
• IS Change Change Log
• Impacted Customer
• NUAnnouncement
• ACD Message
• IS-All Email

Verification Change was FSC

Made on Time and
Successfully 19
CAB Meeting Process
• CAB can Ask for
More Information
before Approving

• CAB can Send Back

to the SMT if the
RFC Requirements
Change

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eCAB Process
• Review and Approve Emergency Changes
• Request Submitted via Email ( ecab@neu.edu )
• eCAB Comprised of 5 IS Directors
• Request Requires a Minimum of 3 Approvals (no
Dissents)

• Post Review in Next CAB Meeting

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Achievements and Benefits
• Cross-Group Communication
• Visibility into Other Groups in IS
• Common Vocabulary
• Technicians Verifying RFC Aprovals
• Requests for Training
• Individual and Team Accountability
• Empowerment of CAB
• Schedule Checks to Eliminate Conflicts
• Post-Implementation Reviews
• Process Expansion and Improvement
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Challenges
• Quick Launch!
• WIIFM?
• Lack of Understanding of Change Management
• Bureaucratic Process
• Turn Around Times
• Tool
• Voicing Concerns in CAB

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Lessons Learned
• Treat the Implementation as a Project
– Defined Project Plan
– Training and Awareness for Staff
– Meet and Greets and Expectation Setting
– Kickoff or Campaign before Launch
• Team Discussions led by IS Group Director
• Training
• Take Time Out to Celebrate the Wins
• Be Open to Feedback

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Looking Ahead – Future Developments

• Continue Training

• Change Management Metrics

• Continue Tool Discussions

• Potential eCAB Realignment

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Questions?

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