Name: Ann F. Trost Job Title: University Registrar Organization: Valparaiso University Address 1: Kretzmann 102 Address 2: ________________________________________ City: Valparaiso ST/Province: IN Postal Code: 46383-6493 Country: USA Phone: (219) 464-5212 Fax: (219) 464-5381 E-mail: Ann.Trost@valpo.edu Personal URL: ____________________________________________________________ Additional Presenters Please enter; Name, Title, Organization, Address, Phone, and E-mail. 2nd presenter J. Michael Yohe Executive Director, Electronic Information Services Valparaiso University Kretzmann 134 Valparaiso, IN 46383-6493 (219) 464-6763 (219) 464-5381 Mike.Yohe@valpo.edu Introduction: Many colleges and universities have converted to new administrative systems Why is Valparaiso University's experience any different from anyone else's? 1. Support from highest levels of administration 2. Nearly 100% buy-in from campus 3. Collegial, team effort 4. Few spats 5. Friendships have survived implementation problems -------------------------------- Survival Equipment: Getting Ready for the Journey 1. [FEATURE] Light on the Path: Institutional Purpose a. Support from the highest levels of administration b. Campus buy-in c. Collegiality d. Strategic Plan (institutional) 2. [FEATURE] The Balancing Pole: Communication a. Electronic communication i. weekly status reports ii. e-mail iii. intranet web pages - minutes - status reports - documentation - tables - schedules iv. network directories v. web b. Face-to-face i. meetings ii. working groups iii. one-on-one (the only one of these that really works in sticky situations) c. Caveats i. time spent communicating is time spent not implementing ii. well-known scientific principle: you can't measure an object without perturbing it. Translation: you can't investigate the status of a project without delaying it. 3. The Rescue Squad: Community a. collegial problem-solving b. mutual support c. expressions of appreciation (deliberate and repeated) d. celebration e. open communication/expression of concerns and frustrations 4. The Bungee Cord: Maturity a. take responsiblity for own actions b. don't be afraid to admit mistakes c. don't hesitate to back up and get a fresh start d. offer and receive criticism gracefully e. understand this is HARD work, and there is NO easy way f. take time off (but judiciously) 5. The Compass: Continuous Assessment a. is the schedule realistic? if not, how can you change it? b. is the budget realistic? if not, how can you compensate? c. do you have enough staff? if not, can you get more? can you adjust the workload? can you hire a consultant? d. are people trained well enough? broadly enough? 6. The Map: Plan Ahead a. establish timetable - realistic - flexible - allow time for delays b. have your IT people sit in on module training c. hire a consultant from the company to be on site for a period of time (2-4 weeks) d. check schedule with colleagues in other institutions Chasms and Bridges: Sunrise ------------- 1. [FEATURE] Buy-in Gorge a. I don't want to change b. your new system doesn't meet my needs c. I'd rather have another system d. I need to go my own way with a niche system Bridges: Needs Assessment and Consensus Building a. impetus from highest levels (president, board) b. task force representing all interests c. each office review - existing system advantages - existing system shortcomings - existing business processes - desired business processes - desired system features d. task force identify conflicting needs/desires and resolve (consensus) e. open communication with all offices, interests f. communicate the big picture (overall institutional best interest) 2. Expectations Canyon: a. my stuff is more important than anyone else's b. all you have to do is plug it in and turn it on c. a new system shouldn't require me to change d. a new system shouldn't generate any extra work for me e. all our needs will be met f. everything will work perfectly the first time g. when is IT (or someone else) going to do this for me? The Bridges (Tightropes): a. mediate conflicting expectations b. plan small successes c. reinforce community ownership 3. Culture Gully (is this the same as (1)? a. we need complete control over our data b. we shouldn't have to coordinate with anyone else just to make a simple change Bridges a. advantages of integrated system b. establish mechanisms to facilitate coordination High Noon ---------------- 4. Vendor Gulch a. My friend at another institution swears by Vendor A b. My friend at another institution swears at Vendor B c. Vendor C's system runs on cool hardware or software d. Vendor D has great marketing pieces e. Vendor E is the most popular Bridges: The Request for Proposals and Strategy a. process as important as product - involve entire institution - build collegiality - ensure needs heard b. articulate overall features needed, such as - integrated database - web-browser access - security and accountability - network/workstation characteristics c. document requirements specific to various offices d. identify needs for consulting, training, conversion e. don't forget boilerplate - legal clauses - penalty clauses - selection process - rules of the game f. require list of references and sites to visit g. structure into outline form, with each bullet SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, trackable) for easier evaluation h. ask for everything you want; let vendors tell you if they can't deliver h. be judicious in using "must," "mandatory," etc.; leave yourself flexibility i. ask for separate pricing for discretionary features j. send to as many vendors as you can think of; let them decide whether to participate 5. Sales Crevasse a. the end-run (appeal to President or Board) b. the helpful soul (offer to help you write RFP) c. the chef (wining and dining) d. the belittler (we don't believe in RFPs or benchmarks) e. our system is "gonna be" so much better than anyone else's Bridges a. strict conflict-of-interest policies b. write your own RFP c. make sure highest levels endorse process d. don't buy vaporware 6. [FEATURE] Confusion Chasm a. proposals aren't comparable b. they didn't answer the questions we asked c. they all claim to do everything d. there's so much to plow through e. the glossy promos so impressive f. the presentations are (too) smooth Bridges: Critical Analysis, Site Visits and Return to Reality a. use spreadsheets with predetermined weighting scheme to evaluate proposals b. read responses carefully and don't give credit for innuendo and implied features c. eliminate (or set aside) proposals not meeting mandatory requirements d. discuss relative merits in task force, subgroups, individual offices e. discount glossy pages and glitzy presentations f. take everything with a Megagrain of salt g. look harder at what they don't say than at what they do say h. talk to your friends, not just to the references vendors provide - EDUCAUSE lists - conference contacts - professional society contacts - friends of friends i. visit several sites - task-force visits - user office visits Afternoon ---------------- 7. Neophyte Ravine a. learning a new system is too difficult b. learning a new system takes too much time away from the real work we have to do c. I don't understand the new system d. I don't like the new system e. the new system can't do what I need done a. I'm used to acting independently; doing my own thing The Covered Bridges a. training may seem expensive, but it pays b. if the new system won't save work in the long run, you probably don't need it. c. focus on success stories from other institutions d. collegiality (commiseration) spans the deepest clefts e. build new culture for integrated system with understanding that individual changes affect entire system 8. Implementation Abyss: a. set-up mistakes b. incomplete/inaccurate conversions c. data going to wrong place e. reports don't look like they used to e. didn't start early enough The Rope Bridges a. take time to do set-up properly b. coordinate set-up with all interested offices c. don't be afraid to ash-can false starts d. define conversions carefully; know where the data is coming from and understand where it is going e. state explicitly who does what (each office, University as a whole, vendor) f. focus on function rather than form (of reports, for example) g. use technology effectively Dusk ----------------------- 9. Results Harbor: The Golden Gate Bridge a. things that are supposed to work, do b. existing processes streamlined c. new processes become possible d.