Navigation
Select a link below to jump to that section:
What is the purpose of this form?
This form is used to document and affirm a team’s intent to treat work as a MSU IT Top Project. It is not an approval step. Projects are already submitted and tracked in TeamDynamix (TDX). The purpose of this form is to ensure that when work is labeled as ‘priority,’ the sponsoring area has intentionally, thoughtfully, and thoroughly considered the value, scope, risks, and impacts—and has explicitly committed and negotiated the business and IT resources required to proceed.
Back to Top
Is this an approval or gating process?
No. This form does not approve or deny work. It does not replace TDX intake and it does not function as a pass/fail gate. Instead, it records a sponsor’s commitment to clearly define the work, treat the work as a priority, and makes that commitment visible across MSU IT.
Back to Top
Why is Executive Sponsor affirmation required?
The Executive Sponsor’s affirmation signals ownership and accountability, not permission. By affirming the form, the sponsor acknowledges that the work is a priority and that the associated tradeoffs, resourcing, and impacts have been considered and accepted.
Back to Top
Why does the form require naming resources and allocations?
Priority without resourcing is not meaningful. This form ensures that when something is identified as a priority project, there is a shared understanding of who will do the work, at what level of effort, and for how long. This prevents overcommitment, hidden tradeoffs, and unrealistic expectations across the portfolio.
Back to Top
What if we are not fully certain yet?
That is exactly when this form is most useful. The form is designed to prompt the right conversations before work is treated as a priority. If resource commitments or scope are unclear, the work may not yet be ready to be labeled as a priority project. The project can be managed in TDX until it is ready for addition to the MSU IT Top Projects list.
Back to Top
Who decides whether something is a priority?
The sponsoring area does. This form documents that decision and the associated commitments. MSU IT PPMO reflects the declared priority in TDX and portfolio reporting (and may give feedback if the form is light on information) but does not grant or deny priority through this process.
Back to Top
What happens after the form is completed?
Once completed, the form is sent to MSU IT PPMO to record and reflect the declared MSU IT Top Project in TDX. This ensures visibility, consistency, and shared understanding across the IT portfolio.
Back to Top
What if priorities change later?
Priorities can change. This form provides a clear record of what was committed, why the work mattered at the time, and what resources were involved—making it easier to revisit decisions, rebalance capacity, and explain changes transparently. Projects could fall off the priority list if progress is not being made, resource commitments are not met, the project is put on hold, or if the sponsor no longer feels it should be an MSU IT Top Project.
Back to Top
Why is this form necessary?
As MSU IT scales, informal agreements and implicit assumptions do not scale with it. This form replaces ambiguity with clarity by ensuring that priority work reflects intentional decisions, explicit commitments, and shared accountability, rather than urgency alone.
Back to Top
Bottom Line
If work is labeled a priority MSU IT Top Project, this form ensures that it truly is one—backed by rationale, resources, and sponsor commitment. It is not about permission; it is about responsibility.
Back to Top