Idea Intake Process

This process guides the evaluation and intake of ideas from faculty, staff, and students.

Phase 1: Initial Submission (Day 0)

An idea is submitted via intake form on LTIC website form with basic information:

• Name, association with university
• Brief description of the idea (2-3 sentences)
• Is this for an existing tool or new tool creation?
• Do you have funding? (Yes/No)
• Contact details

Automatic response sent informing user of timeline for next steps.

Phase 2: Initial Review & Triage (Days 1-3)

Team conducts initial assessment:

• Is the idea technically feasible with available resources?
• Does it align with university mission/priorities?
• Is there potential for broad impact?
• Are there obvious red flags or conflicts?

Outcomes:

• Clear rejection: Move to rejection process
• Needs clarification: Move to Phase 3
• Promising: Move to Phase 3

Phase 3: Detailed Discovery (Days 4-10)

Schedule brief meeting/call with requestor to gather:

Project Scope & Requirements

• Who are the intended users? (How many? Which groups?)
• What specific problem does this solve?
• What would success look like?
• Are there existing alternatives they’ve considered?
• Any technical requirements or constraints?

Timeline & Resources

• Is there a preferred or required timeline?
• Level of involvement expected from requestor during development
• Ongoing maintenance expectations

Compliance & Approval Check

• Does this involve student data, grades, or personal information?
• Are there accessibility requirements?
• Any other university approvals needed?
• Integration with existing university systems?

Budget & Funding

• If funded: What’s the budget range? Funding source/timeline?
• If unfunded: Would they be open to seeking funding if we recommended sources?
• There is a possibility that LTIC can help fund the initial proof-of-concept/small trial stage of your app, such that, if successful, you can more easily secure funding. Details on request.
• For project requirements that reach up to $10,000, with verified department matching indication, LTIC requires a minimum of 2 months notice.
• For projects requirements that exceed $10,000, again with verified department matching indication, LTIC requires at least 6 months notice.

Phase 4: Internal Assessment (Days 11-13)

Team evaluates and documents:

Feasibility Analysis

• Development time estimate (hours/weeks)
• Required skills/resources
• Technical complexity rating (Simple/Medium/Complex)
• Cost estimate (if no funding provided)

Impact Assessment

• Number of potential users
• Alignment with university strategic priorities
• Potential for reuse/scaling
• Educational/operational value

Resource Planning

• Can we do this with current team?
• Would we need to hire? And who? FTE/Students?
• Timeline realistic with other commitments?
• Ongoing support requirements

Recommendation

• Accept: Move forward with project
• Accept with modifications: Suggest alternative scope/approach
• Defer: Good idea but not feasible with current resources
• Redirect: If an alternative pathway at the university makes more sense
• Reject: Not aligned with mission/capacity

Phase 5: Decision & Communication (Day 14)

Academic Director reviews recommendation and makes final decision

Response to requestor includes:

• Decision (Accept/Accept with modifications/Defer/Redirect/Reject)
• Brief rationale
• If accepted: Next steps and timeline
• If modified: Explanation of suggested changes
• If deferred: Potential future timing or funding suggestions
• If redirected: Soft hand-off to the redirection target
• If rejected: Reference to rejection process for detailed feedback

Process Notes

Quality Control

• Track response times and adjust process if missing targets
• Monthly team review of accepted/rejected projects and outcomes
• Quarterly process review with Academic Director

Handoff Points

• Accepted projects: Transition to project management process
• Rejected projects: Transition to rejection communication process
• Funding needs: Connect with university funding resource contacts

Documents For This Process

• Initial submission form
• Discovery meeting agenda/questions
• Evaluation template

Success Metrics

• Response time (target: within 2 weeks)
• Requestor satisfaction with process clarity
• Quality of information gathered for decision-making
• Project success rate for accepted ideas