Sessions

12:30 to 1:00

Coffee and Networking

We will convene virtually and then break out to small groups.

1:00 to 1:45

Technology Leadership Panel

Join us to hear Aaron Powell, Vice President and CIO for UW Information Technology, and other technology leaders from across the University of Washington discuss the technology lessons learned and successes achieved over the last 18 months that enabled the University of Washington to operate fully remote, and the challenges we currently face with moving to a new hybrid approach to work, teaching and research. This discussion will also offer a Q&A session at the end.

Presenters: Aaron Powell, Erik Hofer, Christy Long, and Mari Ostendorf

Session Recording

1:45 to 2:00

Break

2:00 to 2:45

Removing Data Silos – Foster’s Journey to One Data Source of Truth

In 2010, the Foster School of Business (FSB) adopted the use of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for management of Prospect, Applicant, Student and Alumni data for Master’s programs. FSB Alumni Engagement adopted the same CRM, but a separate instance, which was later adopted by other parts of FSB. The Undergraduate application was hosted in a siloed system. Many other applications and interactions with students were paper or ad hoc spreadsheets or surveys. Data was duplicated and often contradictory. In 2019 we determined that managing all our contacts in a single CRM system was a better solution, and one that many peer institutions are pursuing. We identified the clear market leader in this space as Salesforce. FSB IT adopted Salesforce and first moved our Undergrad Writing Skill Assessment (WSA) (applicant required) test registration process and then the FSB undergraduate application into Salesforce. Many efficiencies and improvements in student experience were achieved. As of May 2021, all feeder programs of the Undergraduate Program Office (UPO) are now in Salesforce. By June of 2021, FSB will have Graduate School applications flowing into Salesforce from the Graduate School for all 14 of their Master’s programs. They will also use Salesforce for prospecting students, managing Career Center contacts, and Alumni Data. This talk will outline how we have accomplished this, limitations and plans for the future, and why it has been greatly beneficial.

Presenters: Dorothy Ambrozic McKee and Zach Rickert

Session Recording

2:00 to 2:45

Lessons Learned for Creating an Inclusive (Remote) Work Environment

The UW-IT DEI CoP core organizers have been facilitating online events and conversations since the beginning of Covid, not to mention, collaborating online to organize these events! We’ve learned a lot through our experiences on how to create an inclusive environment where we strive for everyone to feel welcome and be heard. The following are some of the key topics we will share:

• The importance of a Territory statement
• Sharing pronouns (why plus dos and don’ts)
• Using closed captioning (and other inclusive features in online video conferencing tools)
• It’s OK to turn off your video and why
• The value of establishing ground rules/codes of conduct
• Recognizing unacceptable behavior and taking responsibility for it
• Equity vs equality in terms of the future hybrid working environment

Presenters will include a members from the UW-IT Diversity Equity and Inclusion Community of Practice.

Session Recording

2:45 to 3:00

Break

3:00 to 3:45

Embracing the Cloud

In this session we will discuss key motivations, benefits, and pitfalls of using cloud infrastructure and services. We will review three primary flavors of cloud namely Public, Private, Hybrid, and share some design patterns that could be readily modified and adopted for your scenarios. Finally we will demo E2E cloud devops flow that enable us to easily develop, deploy, and manage a typical 3 tier web application.

Presenter: Ani Anirudh and Glenn Sudduth

Session Recording

3:00 to 3:45

Humanizing IT: Developing Communications That Click and Stick

IT groups face the perpetual challenge of translating dry, complex information to non-technical audiences. In Autumn 2020, UW Bothell Information Technology launched a series of communications aimed at promoting safety and inclusion through the adoption of cybersecurity and accessibility best practices. While not the most compelling of topics, analytics indicate that our emails were among the most read on campus. How did we do it? If you’re interested in improving your ability to connect with nontechnical audiences and reinforcing IT’s role as a caring community member, this presentation is for you!

Presenters: Adriana MacArthur, Penelope Adams Moon, and Ana Thompson

Session Recording

3:45 to 4:00

Break

4:00 to 4:45

UW Medicine Interoperability Platform — Integrations and API-led Development

UW Medicine deployed an interoperability platform based on the cloud-hosted, Mulesoft AnyPoint suite at the beginning of 2021. This platform supports enterprise application and data integrations as well as API-led development using a federated model – meaning this platform is meant to be shared and used by teams across UW Medicine. Recently, the Office of Research Information System (ORIS) also procured a slice of AnyPoint, making this platform a potential point of digital collaboration across the entire UW and our external collaborations. I will discuss the technical aspects of the platform, the associated API-led development program, the emerging development standards and artifacts, and new business opportunities it enables. I’ll show how the platform is being used to securely expose UW Medicine data and digital services, future SMART on FHIR healthcare applications, and its role in supporting the Financial Transformation program and Workday integrations. I will also discuss the federated support model and how teams can get access to these capabilities for themselves.

Presenter: Kevin Swank

Session Recording

4:00 to 4:45

Solution Architecture Principles for 202X

The UW-IT Enterprise Architecture Team wants to develop new principles around solution architecture. These principles should set up developers and designers for success for the next 5 to 10 years. In this session, you will do hands-on work to help frame the Solution Architecture Principles for 202X.

Presenter: Rupert Berk, Piet Niederhausen, and Jim Phelps

Media: Session Recording

8:30 to 9:00

Coffee and Networking

We will convene virtually and then break out to small groups.

9:00 to 9:45

The Nexus Between IT and Mindfulness

Tiffany Quatmann, Assistant Director of Finance Readiness Program Operations, and Helen B. Garrett, University Registrar and Chief Officer of Enrollment Information Services first met at the IT Tech Connect Conference in 2019. This launched them into a monthly peer mentoring connection where they discovered that it is possible to be a serious, impactful, and technical “IT” type and to practice mindfulness at the same time.
Join Tiffany and Helen as they talk about how far they have grown since starting their peer mentoring connections and learn how they dance between deep technical conversations and focusing on their values, being present, and their own personal growth.

Presenters: Helen Garrett and Tiffany Quattman

Session Recording

9:45 to 10:00

Break

10:00 to 10:45

Detecting Bad Things On Windows

Expect to see CyberOffense Techniques performed against Windows 10 and how to see it with Microsoft Free tool Sysmon. There will be some discussion on Mitre ATT&CK TTPs and Red Canary CyberOffense techniques.

Presenter: Jesse Moore

Session Recording

10:00 to 10:45

Take the Mystery Out of Data with the Enterprise Data Platform

“It’s a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.” ~ Sherlock Holmes

Detective Holmes could certainly spin a well-crafted tale and we all enjoy a good mystery. But when it comes to data, a mystery is a problem. And as Holmes says, you must have data to avoid a possible mistake. At the UW, there’s no mystery when it comes to where to get trusted data. Your first and best choice is the Enterprise Data Platform. In this interview-style session, meet some savvy data detectives. Learn how they’re using data from the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) and Enterprise Web Services (EWS) to make better decisions, create reports and dashboards, and integrate UW institutional data into their own applications and services. Through sharing their stories and answering your questions, we hope you’ll leave this session inspired to explore how the Enterprise Data Platform can take the mystery out of getting and using trusted UW institutional data.

Presenters: Paul Hanisko, Dawn Hemminger, Matt Portwood, and Sudha Sharma

Session Recording

10:45 to 11:00

Break

11:00 to 11:45

Improve Your Impact and Engage Your Technology Users With These Tips From the Pros

Learn how to reach and engage varied audiences — from students to staff to faculty — and communicate effectively about technology and technology services by hearing from communication professionals in IT shops at small and large institutions around the country. Learn how you can leverage what these communicators have learned in dealing with challenges they’ve faced during the pandemic and in communicating about cybersecurity, two-factor authentication, making technology more accessible and inclusive, and more.

Presenters: Dana Fair, Ignacio Lobos, Linda Ong, Joel Price, Elizabeth Sharpe, and Yasmeen Yahya

Session Recording

11:00 to 11:45

Engaging in the IT Investment and Procurement Customer-Centered Design

UW-IT and the Procurement Office are partnering to redesign and streamline the IT Procurement and Investment processes using a customer-centered design approach. In this session, we will share our vision for the future. You will have hands-on time to provide input into the work so far. Attendees will also learn how to engage and help shape the future state.

Presenters: Roland Lai, Erik Lundberg, and Jim Phelps

Session Recording

11:45 to 12:45

Networking Lunch with Communities of Practice

We will break out into rooms featuring different Communities of Practice (CoP) and general topics. Come and converse with the following CoPs: Agile, Business Analysis, Business Relationship Management, DEI, Front-end Technologies, Security Advocates, and UW Salesforce or join a general topic room.

12:45 to 1:00

Break

1:00 to 1:45

Decoding Bias in IT

Join us to hear a panel discussion inspired by the “Coded Bias” documentary released in 2020. We encourage you to watch the film prior to attending this event.
This documentary invites all of us to think about the other areas in IT where bias might be coded in how we think about, and use data. In an increasingly data-driven, automated world, the realization that artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning algorithms and other data models and tools will continue to influence organizational and societal decisions. Our panel of experts will discuss their experiences, concerns, and approaches to identify and decode (create awareness), and address bias in IT.

Presenters: Sheryl Burgstahler, Taha Kagadawala, Henry Lyle and Rebekah Skiver Thompson

Session Recording

1:45 to 2:00

Closing Statements