From October, the Information Systems and Technology service will begin transition to a new structure with a new working model and a new name – Digital Technology Services (DTS). This change will be evolutionary with some areas of IT making the move to different responsibilities, working methods and line management more quickly than others (depending on the volume of work, resource levels and the critical business periods of each area). Over the next few weeks and months, DTS staff will be contacting key stakeholders across the University to discuss how they will be working with directorates and faculties in future and what to expect from the DTS service. In the meantime, staff should continue to use their established routes for making requests and planning work.
This is a comprehensive transformation of the way the service operates and the transition is being carefully planned by the Acting CIO along with the new DTS leadership team which will be in place from 1 October.
DTS Leadership team
Acting CIO – Leon Etherington
Service Delivery Director – Emma Jeffrey
Head of Digital Portfolio – David Williams
Head of IT Customer Service – Michael Conroy
Head of IT Service Support – Andy Roche
Head of Digital Architecture – Dave Thornley
More information about the roles and responsibilities of these new posts will be published shortly on the DTS intranet site. Information about changes to your current business relationships, new working processes and service delivery methods will be discussed with each area as part of transition planning.
Questions about the change from IS&T to DTS:
What is the timeline for transition?
The restructure is the first step in a major Transformation Programme: the changes we need to make to the service will take up to two years to complete: the focus is on improving staff and student experience of using technology in the short term, maintaining and improving services throughout and focusing on people and processes over the longer duration. The new structure will be in place as of October – but a transition plan is in place to protect critical services and to support people moving roles whilst avoiding disruption to the University community.
Why will areas within IT transition at different rates?
IT is essential to the everyday running of the University and key to just about every critical process and major project the University is involved in. The restructure has made many changes to the roles people currently perform within the service and there have been promotions and sideways moves which have led to some vacancies being created. To ensure we have resources to support the work the University needs we must fill key vacancies. The transition timescales will also depend on the volume of work and critical business periods of each area.
When will I know who I will be working with in IT in future?
IS&T senior staff will be making contact with stakeholders across the University to discuss how DTS will work with different business areas and particular services.
If I want to make an IT request or have a project I need help with, who should I talk to?
While we are putting new processes in place you can continue to work with the contacts you already know and use the routes you usually use doing in your work. You might also want to make requests via the IT Help service request page (straightforward or standard requests are included in the self-help form). If it’s a more complex enquiry, you can contact ithelp@shu.ac.uk.
When will you become DTS?
Our name will change to DTS in October but it will take some time to change all references to IS&T so there may be processes, literature, intranet pages, working groups and SharePoint sites that still use the name Information Systems and Technology. For a few months we expect to be referred to by both names as people get used to the change and we update signage, promotional materials, policies and procedures. You will find us on the intranet as DTS under directorates from 3 October and our pages will carry our new identity on the top. We will also soon have a new blog (DTS news) but there will continue to be some references to IS&T while we are in a state of flux so please bear with us.
When will you change your name for students?
As far as students are concerned, there will be no change of identity. We will continue to be visible to them as IT Help, IT Support and IT Services.