projects: Groupware (Nexus)

Our Groupware service is now in operation. It is called 'Nexus' and is run by OUCS. The latest information on the service may be found on the OUCS web pages:

The Office of the Director of IT web pages provide historical information on the decisions, planning and project management which led to the project being successfully passed to OUCS for implementation.

The Director of IT remains responsible for the delivery of the Groupware solution to the University and the project team continue to report to the Project Board (until March 2010). The Development Panel continue to consider how best to develop the solution (particularly the SharePoint platform) in line with the strategic goals of the University.

Background to the Groupware (Nexus) initiative

The Office of the Director of IT was the driving force behind the Groupware initiative within the University of Oxford. Groupware refers to IT solutions which help us to work collaboratively and are now part of our every day life. Whether we are working, studying, teaching or researching - the availability of email, online calendars and an area for shared documents is crucial to how we operate. Over time different Groupware systems had developed across the collegiate University, however in 2007 the University considered how all of its members might have the opportunity to use the same Groupware solution and have access to an advanced collaborative online environment. The following details the representative bodies, decisions, planning and project management which led to the project being successfully passed to OUCS for implementation.

Groupware Requirements Panel

The Groupware initiative began in 2007 when the Office of the Director of IT formed the Groupware Requirements Panel. The Panel defined the scope of the overall project and specified a set of user requirements.

Groupware Project I (first phase)

The work of the Groupware Requirements Panel helped to establish the Groupware Project in March 2008. The project team, led by the Director of IT, worked with the established set of user requirements to find a suitable Groupware solution for the collegiate University. To oversee and drive the project, the Office of the Director of IT formed the:
  • Project Board - made up of representatives from across the collegiate University
  • Short-Listing Panel - to research, test and ultimately short-list a suitable Groupware Solution
Having found the preferred Groupware solution the Panel asked the companies that might supply that solution and related IT hardware to tender for the contract with the University. During this first phase of the project, the Project Team formed the:

Groupware Project II (second phase)

On the 4th July 2008 the Groupware Project Board endorsed a recommendation made by the Groupware Short-Listing Panel that Microsoft Exchange/SharePoint be the preferred software system to meet the University's Groupware requirements. The project team then worked with the Short-Listing Panel and Project Board to finalise a project plan, project specification and budget. The project details were then approved by the Project Board and the PRAC ICT sub-committee. In January 2009 the Groupware Project passed into the second phase and became a project of OUCS (Oxford University Computing Services department). The Director of IT remained responsible for the delivery of the Groupware solution to the University and the project team continued to report to the Project Board.

Development Panel

The Microsoft Groupware solution has many capabilities that could be developed to provide the University with further online collaborative tools. A Development Panel was established to help develop the solution in line with the strategic goals of the University. The Development Panel reports to the PRAC ICT sub-committee and it members are drawn from across the collegiate University. The panel continues to operate throughout 2010.

Reporting

All projects which report to the PRAC ICT Sub-committee complete a Project Summary Report for submission at each meeting of the Sub-committee. (This information is only available within the Oxford network)