UCD Guide to Business Value and Technical Fit Scoring
At regular intervals, each application in use at UCD will be assessed for its Business Value and Technical Fit. This assessment will be conducted by representatives from the relevant Unit or School acting as the Business Owner, and by the Technical Owner of the application.
Specifically, the designated Application Business Manager and Application Technical Manager will be contacted to complete this evaluation, using a standard set of predefined questions.
The results of these assessments provide evidence to support investment or rationalisation decisions within the Application Portfolio. For further details, refer to Application Portfolio Management.
Business Value
For each application the Business Owner must assess and provide the Business Value, based on the following criteria;
| Criteria |
Description |
| Accessibility |
How well the application considers ease of access, usability, inclusivity, and adaptability for all users, including those with disabilities. |
| Current Needs |
How well does the application support current functions, business processes, user needs, and business objectives? |
| Future Needs |
How well does the application support strategic priorities, future functions, business processes, user needs, and business objectives? |
| Data Quality |
Availability, accuracy, and timeliness of the data |
| Overlap |
Does the application provide a unique function? |
| Performance |
How well does the application manage expected and unexpected loads? |
| Value-for-Money |
How does the cost of the application compare to the value it provides? Consider Total Cost of Ownership (licencing, implementation, maintenance, support), Return on Investment (benefits and savings compared to costs), and Flexibility of cost model |
Technical Fit
For each application the Technical Owner must assess and provide the Technical Fit, based on the following criteria
| Criteria |
Description |
| Architecture Alignment |
Does the application use approved UCD technology standards? Consider Software/Platform, Hardware, and Integration compatibilities (runs on required OSes, existing hardware, seamlessly integration with existing systems and databases) |
| In-house Skills |
Do we have access to the required expertise to manage, support, configure, integrate, and further develop the application? |
| Maintainability |
How easily can the application be maintained over time, including aspects like scalability, support, and ease of updates? |
| Security Measures |
Overall security posture assessment, including security features and practices (encryption, incident response, audit, monitoring, patch management), potential vulnerabilities, and compliance with relevant security standards and regulations, access controls (effectiveness of authentication, authorisation) and user management mechanisms. |
| Vendor Viability and Support |
Is the supplier of the technology product actively supporting the version in use? Consider the quality and responsiveness of the vendor's support services, and completeness and alignment of their roadmap |
Notes
- Assessment capture is contingent on the identification and agreement of both a Business Owner and a Technical Owner for each application.
- To ensure accurate and meaningful results, Business Value and Technical Fit scores must be provided for all indicators. Scoring should reflect the application’s actual use within UCD, rather than theoretical potential. For example, while an application may be considered an industry-leading solution, if it is not effectively implemented to meet UCD’s specific business needs or technical requirements, it should be rated accordingly with a low score.
- Applications receiving low scores may be subject to follow-up reviews to determine the root causes—whether they stem from fundamental limitations or addressable configuration issues.
- In the case of University-wide applications, the designated Business Owner is expected to consider the needs of all user groups across the University, not solely those within their own unit.
- Investment or rationalisation recommendations will be made within the broader context of UCD’s Enterprise Architecture. For instance, an application with strong business value and technical fit may still be proposed for migration or elimination if it does not align with the overall architectural strategy.
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