WMU > Strategic Plan > Architecture & Standards

Architecture & Standards

The Architecture and Standards document is a framework for developing processes for identifying, reviewing, and implementing standards. It serves as a guide to faculty, staff, and students who will be able to use the architecture and standards information in making information technology decisions. This document does not preempt the academic freedom of University community members to choose information technology best suited for their needs.

The Architecture and Standards document came into being as information on current and future architecture and standards at Western Michigan University was collected and compiled into charts, graphs and detailed outlines. It will continue as a dynamic document - updated as our architecture environment changes, as new categories for standards are defined, and as standards themselves evolve.

The A&S Team will continue to review and revise the document, working with Office of Information Technology (OIT) personnel, departmental/college information technology personnel, and end-users to define and implement standards.

Standards defined in the document have varying review cycles, with a minimum review cycle of one year. ‘Future considerations’ information is included for many standards categories to indicate possible future conditions for those categories. Future revisions of the document may also include a notation on each standard category to indicate whether the standard applies to any or all of the following: end-users, college/departmental/offices, and Office of Information Technology.

• A&S Team Completed Goals
• A&S Team Ongoing Goals
• A&S Team Meeting Agendas

A&S Team completed goals:

• Initial gathering of data regarding current architecture and standards
• Development of A&S document, phase 1
• Feedback from OIT personnel
• Document released to Executive Computer Committee and Faculty Senate Technology and Operations Council
• Development of processes for handling feedback on document
• Web site development, including capability to handle feedback in form of general comments, requests for new categories, and requests for modified categories
• Release of document via IT Strategic Plan web site

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A&S Team on-going goals:

• Continued feedback from campus community
• Response to feedback via processes developed for general comments and requests for additions/modifications to document.
• Modifications to document based on feedback, R&D, changing technologies, etc.
• Guidance with the implementation of standards
• Review of standards
• Refine process for review of standards

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Architecture and Standards Team Meeting Agendas

Information Updates

• Strategic Planning Team/Communication Team
• OIT (R&D, news, misc.)
• User Group Updates

A&S Document modifications in progress

Development of Processes

• Progress reports from subgroups/individuals
• Continue with development
• (e.g. refining review process)

Review of A&S Feedback

• Requests for new categories
• Requests for modified categories
• General comments

Analysis of Standards up for Review

Action Items

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As submitted by the Architecture and Standards Team
June 16, 2000 and revised on May 18, 2001