Major project updates

The second phase of the MyResearch component, MyResearch – Projects, has continued to track well in the first quarter of 2022.

The build phase, which commenced on 5 October 2021, has been divided into 7 work packages, with each package divided into 4 sprints of 2 weeks duration. At the end of each work package, a functioning piece of the system is delivered by the vendor. Then detailed UAT is undertaken by the focus group to ensure the functionality delivered by the vendor meets the business requirement.

Three work packages have already been successfully delivered and the project team is currently working on the fourth with strong support from the process owners, focus group members, and the vendor.

MyResearch – Projects will streamline research administration activities for contract research, consultancy, competitive grants, and strategic funding. One of the many benefits to UQ researchers will be the integration of Unifi and MyBalance with MyResearch, which will give UQ researchers access to an authoritative source and timely view of their research finances.

The RMBT Program is supporting the process to ensure business readiness activities are complete prior to system go-live by working closely with the MyResearch project team and engaging with key stakeholders to identify communication, training and readiness requirements for the Projects component of MyResearch. The RMBT implementation team is developing learning materials to align with the project work packages for testing during the same UAT phases as the system. Final resources will be available on the Systems Training Hub prior to go-live.

March 2022

The Research Infrastructure Management System (RIMS) project team is continuing to work successfully with software vendor, Stratocore, to bring the project closer to completion. The project team has almost completed the pre-UAT component for 6 major facilities at UQ and have reported positive feedback from participants regarding system functionality. The team is currently settiing up and configuring RIMS software for UQ's Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis (CMM) with the expectation of go-live later this year. 

The project team, in collaboration with the vendor, is training CMM staff so they are familiar with the software prior to go-live. Project Manager, Mr Kamil Rashid, has been liaising with RMBT Program training and implementation staff members to ensure training and planning documentation is aligned with system development.

Recruitment for a functional analyst for the project team concluded successfully in January with the appointment of Mr Terry Wilkinson. With Terry's background in IT data migration, he is a good fit for the technical complexity of the system, and has already added value to the progress of the project. 

March 2022

All elements of the HDR Enhancement project have now been finalised, with the final milestone process in Unitask (HDR Progress Reviews) to be deployed by RQ2. The implementation of this new business process will benefit from lessons learned from the deployment of the oral examinations feature in the HDR thesis examinations process, which uses similar functionality.

The RMBT training team has developed learning materials for HDR systems that are located via UQ’s HDR Systems Training Hub, and training team members continue to develop resources that will be made available online as the need arises. Thanks again to project manager, Mr Sam Ferguson, for the great work he has done in bringing this project successfully into business as usual.

March 2022