Information Technology Services (ITS)

Top ten IT@UofT digital moments

Published on: February 14, 2019

Two students sitting in hallway and looking at laptop screen

Information Technology Services (ITS) launched a strategic planning process in summer 2018. This exciting initiative engaged over 600 staff, students and faculty across all three campuses during phase two, and is in its third and final phase.

A key component of the process is an analysis of more than 75 digital moments gathered from participants during community consultation in the fall 2018 term. Digital moments are scenarios where participants looked toward the future to imagine what IT@UofT would look like and how it would help staff, students and faculty reach their teaching and academic goals. Chief Information Officer Bo Wandshneider said, “We are using your creative ideas and scenarios as a basis to identify and prioritize broad IT@UofT strategic objectives for the next three years. All the stories contributed are informing the strategic plan. I am pleased to share a preview of the top ten engaging digital moments that are helping to shape IT@UofT. As we dig into the details, these scenarios really come to life!”

Read highlights of the top ten digital moments below.

  1. A seasoned instructor explores online curriculum development resources and a range of tools available at their fingertips to automate online access and enhance course design.
  2. An undergraduate student advisor accesses and shares information, forms and referrals during consultation to ensure effective and optimized student support.
  3. A new employee experiences seamless onboarding including HR records, email, phone and laptop set up and access to IT systems to ensure a satisfying introduction to working at the University of Toronto (U of T).
  4. Incoming student gets their T-Card/UTORid via an online app that outlines the required documentation, allows uploading of a photo and supports a fully online process for authorizing access to avoid long line ups on their first day on campus.
  5. A researcher writing a grant application and consults with ITS and their local IT unit to develop a collaborative approach to IT infrastructure planning that will be sustainable.
  6. A graduate student starting a Masters degree discovers departmental contacts, research resources, financial aid, graduate student skills workshops and other key services using online tools to begin their program on the right foot.
  7. A staff member uses a one-stop service portal to identify collaborative tools that can be used to support a cross-divisional project requiring access to shared documents and user friendly real-time communication between team members.
  8. First year student with medical/learning accommodation needs receives online confirmation of exam details, customized mapping to the exam location and automated access to accommodation requirements to reduce stress.
  9. A business officer assembling a budget presentation for the dean is able use real time data from the various systems required to create budgets and make financial forecasts accurately and efficiently.
  10. A fourth-year engineering student browses a single database of experiential learning opportunities and is guided through the application requirements to locate an international program that matches their interests.

Stay tuned for the full strategic plan in spring 2019.