About us

IT Innovation Team  

The team provides the university with an autonomous, full-stack technology development and innovation capability. As part of the IT Services Customer Engagement Division, it is dedicated to exploring and implementing innovative technology ideas across all aspects of the university. The types of work the team does continuously evolves as technologies and opportunities arise. The teams current focus falls into several categories.

• AI in education and assessment
• AI driven student support services
• AI driven business automation
• Data integration, analytics and the API economy
• Supporting others to innovate

What we do 

• We prove ideas and improve institutional understanding of technology, to inform future strategy, projects, and investments. 
• We develop proof of concepts and alpha prototypes that allow our users to explore new technologies, new ways or working and new ideas. 
• We are full stack software engineers, so we try not to bother other busy engineering teams to much.
• We make friends with failure and fail fast. 
• We add value quickly. 

How we do it 

• We listen to our customers, staff, students, and stakeholders’ challenges. 
• We work in agile way to explore new ideas, technologies, and opportunities. 
• We spend two to eight weeks on each idea, exploring opportunities and developing proof of concepts. 
• We “show the thing” to our users, stakeholders, and colleagues as often as possible. 
• We work with others across IT Services to convert ideas into long term value.  
• We don’t get offended when people have critical feedback, challenge our ideas, or ask difficult questions, we invite them to join the team. 
• We don’t always follow conventional IT processes, but bear with us, we might be on to something.  

How are we governed 

• We have our own steering group, made up of senior IT, Academic and Professional services colleagues.  
• The steering group is chaired by a Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor or equivalent (DPVC). 
• We report to the Digital Learning Advisory Group (DLAG) every quarter. 
• All our workstreams have a sponsor.