Chief Information Officer Didier Contis hosted listening sessions in fall 2025 to understand the needs, pain points and priorities of UW–Madison’s community of information technology professionals. The sessions gathered stories, perspectives and innovations from across the university’s IT landscape.
The sessions were an opportunity for IT professionals to engage directly with Didier, influence his focus and help build stronger connections across UW’s IT community. The resulting report will inform strategic planning and help guide IT initiatives across the university.
Sessions overview
Between October and November 2025, 356 IT professionals participated across eight sessions — four online and four on campus. Experienced facilitators led each 90-minute session using digital tools to gather questions, comments and ideas.
On campus sessions
Oct 2 – Central campus
- Date: Thu, Oct 2, 2025
- Time: 10:30am to noon
- Location: DeLuca Biochemical Sciences Building, 440 Henry Mall
- Room: 1211 – Auditorium
Nov 12 – West campus
- Date: Wed, Nov 12, 2025
- Time: 9:30am to 11am
- Location: Health Sciences Learning Center, 750 Highland Ave.
- Room: 3110A – Interactive Learning Center A (3rd floor)
Nov 18 – East campus
- Date: Tue, Nov 18, 2025
- Time: 10am to 11:30am
- Location: Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall
- Room: 159 – Wisconsin Idea Room (1st floor)
Online sessions
Oct 7
- Date: Tue, Oct 7, 2025
- Time: 12:30pm to 2pm
- Location: Zoom
Oct 20
- Date: Mon, Oct 20, 2025
- Time: 9am to 10:30am
- Location: Zoom
Nov 13
- Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2025
- Time: 1pm to 2:30pm
- Location: Zoom
Discussion prompts
Facilitators guided attendees through discussions on these key topics. Participants shared feedback verbally and submitted anonymous written feedback via the Padlet app.
Discussion prompts:
- What are you proud of in your area?
- What are your biggest technology challenges? What are your biggest technology opportunities?
- Are there any local technology implementations for teaching and learning that could be scaled up to work at the university or enterprise level?
- How is AI showing up in your conversations? Are there key topics, issues, concerns or questions that you are exploring?
- Where are there opportunities to increase understanding and support between distributed and central IT?
Who participated?
The sessions brought together university employees whose work involves planning, developing, delivering, supporting or maintaining information technology services and solutions, including:
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IT professionals
- IT user support, system & application administration, network administration
- Application & web development, cybersecurity, data administration
- Business & systems analysis, IT project management
- User experience design, audiovisual technology
Instructors with technology responsibilities
- Academic or instructional technology and instructional design
- Research computing & data analysis services
- Faculty with technology integration responsibilities
Library & information services staff
- Resource management & data services
- Digital collections and systems management
Administrative support staff
- Administrative services staff who support IT departments
- Finance & budget staff working with IT operations
- Project coordinators & program managers in technology areas
- Communications and marketing staff supporting IT initiatives
Other IT-related roles
- University governance representatives with IT oversight
- Student technology support staff
- Multimedia and design professionals
- Graduate students & postdocs in IT-related roles
- Department administrators with IT oversight
- Job Rotation Program participants working in IT units
About the CIO
Didier Contis has served as UW–Madison’s chief information officer and vice provost for information technology since July 2025. He leads the university’s information technology strategy and ensures enterprise IT resources support the university’s mission and goals.
Born and raised in France, Contis moved to the U.S. in 1999 to begin his IT career at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he most recently served as the executive director of academic technology, innovation and research computing.
You’re invited to join him most Friday mornings on Zoom for unscripted discussions and conversations with special guests during the CIO Virtual Office Hours.