EIC Process - Campus Guide
A plain-language guide to requesting new software and services, from first idea to launch. No technical background needed.
Start here. Have an idea for new software or a new service? Talk with your division's Enterprise Information Committee (EIC) representative first, then submit the EIS Request Form. That's it. This guide explains what happens next.
Request form: hamilton.edu/eis
Does my request need EIC review?
If any one of these is true, the EIC reviews your request.
- It costs more than $5,000 per year, no matter which budget line pays for it.
- It stores sensitive data, like SSNs, health or banking information, or personnel records.
- It needs to connect to other campus systems for more than just signing in.
- Multiple departments rely on it.
- The VP for LITS or the EIC says it needs review.
Smaller requests skip the committee, but every new system follows the same evaluation steps below.
The process, step by step
There are two decision points. First the EIC approves Discovery, and after Discovery it decides on implementation. Approving Discovery is not a commitment to buy or build anything.
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Submit your request
Fill out the EIS Request Form with your division's EIC representative. They prioritize requests for your area and advocate for them at the committee.
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EIC Decision Point 1
EIC approves Discovery
The committee reviews your request and decides whether to green-light Discovery. This is approval to investigate, not a commitment to the project.
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Discovery
You and LITS work together to answer three questions:
- Needs analysis. What is the business need? What do current workflows look like, and where are the gaps? Would a policy or process change solve it instead?
- Evaluation of alternatives. Could a system Hamilton already owns do the job? If not, candidates are evaluated against your priorities, including how well they integrate.
- Data governance. New systems are not connected to existing systems until the data is governed.
Discovery produces a clear picture of what the project would take: the College personnel needed and the costs involved. -
EIC Decision Point 2
EIC approves implementation
With the Discovery results in hand, the request goes back to the EIC. Knowing the real resource needs and costs, the committee decides whether to move ahead.
Approval means scheduling can begin, not immediate action. Approved work is scheduled alongside projects already in progress. -
Information security and accessibility review
The vendor is checked for information security and accessibility compliance, including a VPAT request. Payment systems also get a PCI check.
Plan ahead: steps 5 and 6 together take 4 to 8 weeks. Build that into your timeline before you promise a launch date. -
Procurement
Pricing is negotiated and contracts are reviewed by Administrative Services, with outside legal review when the risk calls for it. Communications confirms the product meets graphic standards.
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Implementation
An implementation plan is built with timelines, resource commitments, and a plan for communicating the change to campus.
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Post-implementation
The system goes into regular life: ongoing maintenance and support needs are assessed and assigned.
When are requests reviewed?
The EIC reviews and prioritizes requests monthly. However, many requests require a budget approval component that happens outside of EIC. A new request without existing funding is subject to the budget cycle. Budget requests for the next fiscal year are due in early December. Exceptions require senior staff approval, plus contingency or department funding.
Need it this year?
Emergency requests in the current fiscal year happen, but they come at a cost to other work. Come prepared to answer five questions:
- What would get delayed in favor of doing this project?
- When can data governance be completed?
- What timeline is desired?
- What kind of follow-up care and feeding will the system need?
- What would the current year pricing be?
How priorities are set
EIS selects projects based on priority, size and effort, and available resources. Three rules of thumb:
- Broken beats clunky. A broken process doesn't work at all. A clunky process works but stinks. Broken goes first.
- Strategic projects come off the top. Dedicated resources go to the College's projects that align with the current strategic plan. For 2023-2027, there are three strategic projects: CRM (Salesforce), ERP (Workday), and Identity Management (Rapid Identity).
- Requests are always welcome. New requests are accepted year-round.
Questions?
Start with your division's EIC representative. You can also contact:
