Bridging the Gap: Building Trust Through the Use of Relationship Management in IT Projects

Small universities often face unique challenges when executing IT capital projects, including limited resources, siloed departments, and varying levels of technical understanding across campus. This presentation explores how one small university overcame these obstacles by applying relationship management principles to foster trust, transparency, and collaboration between the IT department and other campus units. By shifting the focus from purely technical execution to people-first engagement, the university transformed its project planning process, improved stakeholder alignment, and achieved greater success in delivering IT initiatives. Attendees will learn actionable strategies such as building dedicated liaison roles, hosting regular listening sessions, and co-owning project milestones with campus partners. This session will offer a replicable framework for improving cross-functional relationships and increasing the success rate of IT capital projects—regardless of institutional size.