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Grace Crvarich

Program Development and Execution

Welcome to Program Development and Execution (PDE), your trusted partner in project management support for the Division of Finance and Administration (DFA) initiatives and campuswide projects. One of our primary objectives is to drive operational improvements and streamline processes to optimize resources and maximize outcomes. We collaborate closely with stakeholders, departments, and external partners to identify opportunities for innovation, implement best practices, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Please contact us with any questions.

Grace Crvarich
Assistant Vice Chancellor

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Browse our list of services and projects.

DFA SERVICES

DFA Equipment Committee supports DFA in meeting the inventory tracking requirements of IT resources/equipment per the  UCOP electronic information security policy  (section 8.1.1 – inventory of assets).  

Resources  

DFA IT manages the DFA ISPG Project Portfolio, provides best in class project and product management services, and leads DFA information security initiatives.   For more information visit the DFA IT site.

Areas of Service

  • DFA IT application inventory management
  • IT project intake and evaluation
  • IT project and portfolio status reporting
  • Technical project management
  • Technology procurement support
  • Technical problem management and support escalation
  • Information security risk assessment and risk management
KSAMS Access Requests: DFA employees may submit their add/remove requests directly in KSAMS.

CAMPUS SPECIAL PROJECTS

Aldrich Hall Space Utilization - As DFA continues to review space utilization on campus to use our space resources most effectively, Chancellor Gillman has asked DFA to conduct a space review of Aldrich Hall. The goal of this project is to: (1) Conduct a space review of Aldrich Hall; and (2) Explore opportunities to reduce leased spaces to reduce expense.

E2E Procurement Project - The CFO and Vice Chancellor, Division of Finance and Administration charged this group with a review of procurement processes to understand and document the current end-to-end purchasing processes. The objectives for this review are to (1) clarify current processes; (2) document end-to-end processes; (3) cascade current processes; (4) solicit feedback for efficiencies; (5) implement process efficiencies. This will be addressed via eight (8) subcommittees, each dedicated to a specific procurement process.

Participation in OIT’s MS Teams Early Adopters Project - OIT has offered DFA the opportunity to identify 50-60 individuals to participate in the MS Teams Phone Early Adopter Program. The program is anticipated to start late March/early April. If you’re interested or have staff that would like to participate, please email Monica Chavez (mbchavez@uci.edu).

Research Committee - The Provost and the CFO and Vice Chancellor, Division of Finance and Administration charged this group with: (1) Reviewing the Huron Research Compliance Assessment; (2) Developing an implementation plan for the detailed assessment recommendations; (3) Establishing a timeline for implementing the plan; and (5) Seeking broad input for developing new or changing existing policies and procedures.

CRIT - UCI's Campus Recovery Implementation Team (CRIT) was established in support the Chancellor's Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) in campus reengagement efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. They helped navigate issues by reviewing changes to applicable guidance, providing analyses, making recommendations for campus operational activities, and monitoring progress. CRIT currently meets only on an as-needed basis.

Oracle Exploratory Project - DFA completed the Oracle Cloud Financials (OCF) exploratory project. Replacement of the campus financial system will not be further pursued at this time.

Tree Committee - The CFO and Vice Chancellor, Division of Finance and Administration charged this group with providing advice on the campus’ urban forestry management, considering tree health and safety to the university community. The Tree Maintenance Committee is focused on safety issues related to tree maintenance on campus and the campus vicinity.

DFA PROJECTS

DFA Information Security Program - Monitor and assess information security risks at unit and system levels and implement risk mitigation steps and related information security activities for DFA.

DFA Service Management Portal - Improve efficiency of DFA services and work order management by automating DFA service request tracking and fulfillment processes using ServiceNow platform.

Coded Memo Sunsetting - As of November 2022, DFA’s coded memos (internal process documents) were rescinded as we transition to more standard procedure documents.

DFA Org Assessment - Organizational Assessments are commonly conducted when significant changes have taken place in an organization, such as a change in senior leadership, as well as when organizations have evolved over time (like DFA) to ensure strategic alignment. For both of these reasons, we embarked on an Organizational Assessment of the Division. This was a systematic review of DFA’s processes, structure, staffing levels, with the goals of optimizing talent, operations, service delivery, and financial resources to meet business needs.

The goals of the assessment included the following:

  • Increase effectiveness and efficiencies
  • Reduce or eliminate redundancies
  • Leverage synergies
  • Create optimal reporting structures
  • Identify critical skills and competencies to meet business needs
  • Support immediate and ongoing budgetary commitments
  • KSAMS efficiency process for DFA

The project was completed in June, 2023, and the team is now focusing on process improvement ideas that surfaced through the many stakeholder interviews.

Work Reimagined Program - The CFO and Vice Chancellor established an implementation team to manage the Work Reimagined (WR), UCI’s flexible work program, for the Division of Finance and Administration. The team facilitated the finalization of each unit’s implementation plan and helped to formalize best practices and procedures for a hybrid environment. On October 31, 2022, all DFA unit WR implementation plans went into effect (e.g., new space plan, work schedules, etc.).

Continuous Improvement Tools & Templates

We use process improvement, project management and change management methodologies and approaches to drive operational effectiveness and deliver more value to our campus community.

Lean Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma is a systematic approach to process improvement, combining two methodologies:

  • Lean offers tools to remove waste in processes, increase speed, and improve process efficiency.
  • Six Sigma offers tools to reduce defects and variation in processes, increase quality and accuracy, and improve process effectiveness.

Essential factors to contemplate when deciding whether to pursue improvement ideas are assessing their benefits, costs, feasibility, and risks, alongside defining the subsequent steps post-implementation. To aid in this process, use this tool, Evaluating Process Improvement Ideas, designed to assist in making informed choices about which improvement ideas to prioritize.

Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) is a methodology for continuous process improvement and provides guidance to managing and communicating process improvement projects. It is also referred to A3 since the template is typically printed on A3 size paper.

A tool to assess organizational preparedness to take on an improvement project, including goal alignment, management support, sponsor support, staff attitude to change, resource availability, previous organizational experience with improvements, etc.

A visual representation of cause and effect, providing a structured approach for brainstorming root causes to a problem and organizing ideas. The problem (effect) is displayed at the head of the fish, while the main categories of causes are the bones of the fish (e.g., equipment, people, process, materials, environment, management).

The "5 Whys" technique is a problem-solving method that involves asking "why" repeatedly to uncover a problem's root cause. By digging deeper with each "why," you reveal the underlying casue-and-effect of particular problems. This approach fosters understanding, prevents recurrence, promotes teamwork, and simplifies improvement efforts.

A type of process map, which visually shows the complexity of the workflow in a shop, office process, etc. It maps the actual path taken by the workers as they travel through the work area and is named so because the route typically looks like a plate of spaghetti.

A simple time-based tool to capture “what actually happens” in a process, completed by observing and writing the steps in the process, the running time, notes, and possible types of waste and issues. It helps identify and quantify value and non-value added steps.

A check sheet used to help identify the different types of wastes observed in a process, including Defects, Overproduction, Waiting, Non-utilized talent, Transport, Inventory, Motion, and Extra processing (DOWNTIME).

Project Management

Project management is the application of specific knowledge, skills, methods, and techniques to achieve project objectives within specified constraints, including timeline, budget, etc. It offers tools and templates to initiate, plan and execute projects, including managing scope, schedule, budget, risks, communications, etc.

A handout summarizing key foundational project management concepts, including the project triple constraint (scope, cost, time), the project management phases (initiation, planning, execution, and stabilization), and project management templates and success tips.

A tool to organize and communicate estimated costs needed to complete all project activities over a specific time period, as well as monitor and control the spending throughout the project, highlighting budget variances at every point in time.

A concise document outlining the project purpose, objectives, benefits, scope, timeline, budget, resources, roles and responsibilities, communications, and approvals. It is used to create alignment among key stakeholders and project sponsor(s) around the main elements of the project.

A form which formalizes the end of the project activities and marks transition to the operation phase. It contains stakeholder feedback on accomplishments and outstanding items, transition readiness checklist, and project success factors, providing key information about the project execution and enabling future process improvement efforts.

A tool to summarize and communicate all tasks that need to get done for the project, the allocated resources for those tasks, and the time that they will take to complete, establishing the total timeline for the project and identifying the major milestones.

At-a-glance depiction of the status of a project – whether it is on track, ahead of schedule, or behind. It includes completed items since the previous status report, plans for the next period, project issues and risks, including mitigation strategies, and creates visibility for the project and showcases its impact.

A one-page snapshot of a completed project, highlighting project purpose and objectives, project team, main project phases and outcomes, metrics, customer feedback, etc. It is used to communicate and celebrate project success as well as add to the institutional project repository.

A template to describe DFA or unit-specific standard operating procedure, including its purpose, any definitions pertaining to the procedure, personnel roles and responsibilities, and the step-by-step description of the activities necessary to complete the process.

Change Management

Change management is an enabling framework for managing the people side of change and prepare, equip and support individuals so they can successfully adopt the changes. It offers approaches and tools to effectively deal with transitions, including strategies for effecting change and empowering people to adapt and thrive.

A change management guide to help leaders navigate the change curve for themselves and their teams, recognize the signs and feelings associated with each phase (denial, resistance, exploration, and acceptance), and use effective strategies for mitigating the impact of change and communicate change messages.

A handout visually depicting the various phases of change (denial, depression, acceptance, and integration), the typical ways people react in each phase, and strategies which can empower people to adapt and adopt the change.