Technical Business Solution Intake Request |

Guidance for submitting a Technical Business Solution Intake Request is provided below. Any Mason employee is eligible/qualified to submit a proposal.

What is a technology request?

Any request to implement new technology or have a significant architectural modification to a previously approved request that has risk associated with implementation and/or operations. The request must go through Portfolio Intake for analysis, evaluation, and decision-making process as described below. Information Technology Services Business Analysts with the requesting functional office are responsible for coordinating this process.

Below is a brief overview of the process, a link to the request form, and resources for getting help.

Please note that submitting a Technology Business Solution Intake form does not constitute acceptance of a request. Rather, the request process is meant to promote equity and transparency among our stakeholders by employing the same selection criteria and review procedure across all submissions.

The Process

  1. Request: Submit your request

    Requestor obtains sponsorship and gathers all supporting business case materials; completes a TeamDynamix Technical Business Solution Intake form.

  2. Intake: Initial review

    The portfolio manager discusses with Business Liaisons and/or Request Point of Contact the Technical Business Solution Intake form and determines the next steps for the review.

  3. Assess: Detailed review

    ITS Business Analysts arrange and oversee detailed review—evaluate risk, ITS resources, feasibility, and impact; and, route to the appropriate evaluation process.

  4. Authorize: Approval, prioritization, and scheduling.

    The final review of new proposals to approve, potentially activate, assign resources and prioritize requests in will be discussed within leadership roles at Mason.

    Need Help?

    If you have any questions or need additional information, contact the IT Business Analyst Consultants at itba@gmu.edu.

Submit a Technology Request FAQ

Why was this process developed?

The process was developed in order to:

  • Define the roles and responsibilities of all involved parties
  • Develop an “intake” process for submitting proposed technology requests in order to establish requirements (e.g., executive sponsorship, funding, sufficient resources from the requester) for a successful review of the proposal.
  • Properly evaluate and approve requests—determine the impact of requests on the university community and to the university’s computing infrastructure, and whether the proposed request is aligned with university business needs and objectives.
  • Develop a method for Mason leadership to set priorities for new work (e.g., “fast track” urgent technology work) and review requests for new work, as well as to communicate this roadmap to stakeholders.
  • Track and manage requests, as well as the resources needed for each request.
What do I need to consider before I submit a proposal?

Before you submit your proposal for a technology request, you should consider the following:

  • What is the purpose of the proposal?
  • Does my request include protected or sensitive data?
  • Does my request meet a legitimate business need?
  • What is the impact of my request on the university? (e.g., to other campuses, departments, programs, etc.)
  • What resources (both within your department and from Mason ITS) are needed for the request?
What should I do before I submit a proposal?

Before you submit a proposal, make sure to do the following:

  • Secure an executive sponsor
  • Have funding identified, or have some idea of the cost and staff resources needed
  • Identify a point of contact within your department
  • Have a reasonable understanding of dependencies and who the stakeholders are involved with the request
  • Have a reasonable expectation of the schedule for the request
  • Have a top-level understanding of risks, both for request success and failure
When (at what stage of the request) should I submit my proposal?

You should prepare to submit your proposal well ahead of the requested start date. This is especially critical if the request involves any urgent technological work.

What are examples of technology requests? (i.e., What types of requests would qualify for submission to the intake process?)

Example types of technology work that can be submitted for review are:

  • Introduction of a new technology application, platform, or service
  • New data integration between two or more Mason applications/databases.
  • Major changes to technology infrastructure (or other enterprise-wide technology work)
  • Significant changes to an existing technology service
  • Change to a business process that impacts an existing technology platform
What would NOT constitute a technology request?

Among the types of IT work that would not need to go through the intake process are:

  • Standard computer purchases or upgrades for your department
  • Software purchases from the approved application list
  • Any routine operational work
  • Change to a business process only, without a technology impact