Academic Technology Project Management Group

What we do

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Advocate for a human-centered approach

While managing projects, the AT PMG focuses first on meeting the needs of the project team. The PMG works to ensure the teams we work with can be successful, feel safe and comfortable in their contributions and advocate for escalation of issues to management, stakeholders and sponsors. Additionally, the PMG supports a human-centered approach to designing solutions to meet the diverse needs of students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.

Focus on teaching and learning

The AT PMG consists of a team of academic project managers who are not only well-versed in traditional project management techniques but also have skills in strategic planning, change management, organizational development, and meeting the unique needs of student, faculty, and staff. Knowing the university is diverse and decentralized, AT project managers bring their unique skill sets to each project and design strategies and solutions specific to the project’s needs. No project is run the same. Each project is approached with a fresh perspective, drawing from creative tools and techniques to meet the needs of the project, the team, and the sponsors.

Facilitate diverse, cross-campus project teams

The AT PMG strives to cultivate an inclusive environment and foster communication and understanding in project teams that can range from all areas of the university. The PMG understands that leveraging and advocating for diversity produces the best solutions and strives to ensure a safe environment to support everyone.

Accelerate initiatives and drive forward momentum

The AT PMG promotes shared responsibility and accountability to keep complex projects and initiatives moving forward. The PMG is also committed to listening to the questions and concerns of the project team, escalating issues to sponsors, and advocating for re-scoping, re-prioritization of project deliverables, resource reallocation and timeline adjustments as needed. Above all, the AT PMG is known for being flexible, completing proactive planning with cross-campus stakeholders by providing early value through iterative planning and finding person-first solutions.

Employ flexible project management practices

The AT PMG provides standard project management support with a flexible and customizable approach. Standard practices include scoping work, creating budgets and timelines, status updates and project close-out documentation. We apply these fundamentals while responding to complex spaces such as technical implementations, governance facilitation, and managing cross-functional initiatives. The AT PMG team employs a cross section of skills from project manager to business analyst to strategic planner to professional coach.

Projects and partnerships

Projects

Current and past projects include, but are not limited to:

  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusive, and Belonging (DEIB) Microgrants
  • Center for the First Year Experience (CFYE) Application Development
  • Center for Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring (CTLM) Project Consultation
  • SOAR Modality Reconfiguration

Partners

94% of our partners highly recommend our services. Current and past campus partners include:

  • Center for the First Year Experience (CFYE)
  • Center for Teaching, Learning and Mentoring (CTLM)
  • Office of the Provost
  • Office of Advising and Career Success

and many others.

Who we are

The AT PMG brings 65+ years of experience in higher education, 85+ years of experience in project management, and experience in 11+ UW–‍Madison initiative domains. Our PM skill rating has been surveyed at 4.6 out of 5. Past partners have appreciated our team’s diverse contribution, maintaining forward momentum, flexibility and adaptability, and inclusive practices

Jon Orum

Position title: AT Project Management Group Associate Director

Email: jon.orum@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 890-3802

Naomi Bernstein

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: naomi.bernstein@wisc.edu

Alison Caffrey

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: alison.caffrey@wisc.edu

Amber Gray

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: amber.gray@wisc.edu

Hannah Kinley

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: hannah.kinley@wisc.edu

Emily Loew

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: emily.loew@wisc.edu

Eric MacKay

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: eric.mackay@wisc.edu

Nicole Olthafer

Position title: Academic Project Manager

Email: nicole.olthafer@wisc.edu

Phone: (608) 890-3184

How to work with us

If you need assistance with a project at any phase, from research and feasibility to project close-out, please contact us at ATPMGroup@office365.wisc.edu. Our project managers can engage in a variety of efforts spanning human change management, technical implementation, equitable and inclusive team facilitation, cross-campus collaborative support, and of course traditional project management.

Cost

Efforts will be estimated with a quote for the hours per week and length of time that PM would best serve the effort. Upon agreeing to the engagement agreement, departmental billing will be connected with monthly billing memos provided.

Project management process & goals

The PM assigned to the project will connect with sponsors and stakeholders to scope the project and document business requirements via a project charter or statement of work. From there, the PM will assist in identifying the project team, subject matter experts (SMEs), partners, vendors, and governance groups that will need to be involved and communicated with. The PM will facilitate the project team through the creation of project deliverables as necessitated by the type of effort they are leading. A project sponsor can expect regular project reports with updates on deliverables and timeline as well as information on risks, issues and decisions needed. The PMG specializes in a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) via 5 principles that are applied to all phases and aspects of the project:

  • Cultivate an inclusive environment
  • Foster communication and understanding
  • Provide a safe environment to support everyone
  • Enhance, leverage, and advocate for diversity
  • Promote shared responsibility and accountability

As the project nears completion, the PM will assist the project team in completing project close-out documentation, knowledge transfers, lessons learned as well as operational handoffs.

To ensure a successful project, we will re-emphasize that engaging project management early and often is key to a successful partnership and appropriately scoped effort.

Contact us

Schedule a consultation

There are a wide range of tools available and our learning technology consultants are happy to help you choose the best tool to fit your needs. Instructors and instructional staff can request a consultation with a DoIT AT consultant through the DoIT Help Desk.

DoIT Help Desk

Other questions or feedback?

For general questions about Academic Technology, please contact us here. We’d like to hear from you.

Feedback form