1	Choosing and Using Portals to Improve University Administration Strategic Issues and Directions John A. Bielec; Ph.D Vice President Information Resources and Technology Drexel University Email: jbielec@drexel.edu * Fax: +1 (215) 895-6777 * http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jbielec
2
3
4	Typical University Strategy for Administrative Application Development Identify Business Area for Improvement Form a Committee of All Stakeholders Spend Significant Time on Business Process Analysis Create Functional Requirements Document Decide to Buy or Build
5	Typical University Strategy for Administrative Application Development IF “Build” Develop a Project Plan, Timeline and Estimate Resource Requirements Re-engineer Business Processes Create Application Specifications document Analyze, Program,Test, Feedback, Reprogram Eventually Provide Stake Holders with Functionality Implement - Change Business Processes to Leverage Functionality of New Application
6	Typical University Strategy for Administrative Application Development If “Buy” consider “Best of Breed” or “Integrated” Provider Translate Functional Requirements into an RFP Evaluate Vendors based on Functionality, Technology, and Affordability Select Vendor and Develop Project Plan Eventually Provide Stake Holders with Functionality Implement - Change Business Processes to Leverage Functionality of new product
7	Drexel is NOT a Typical University! Internet Time has Changed the Game IT is strategic Time to market is critical and time is compressed 1 day = 1 week 6 months = 3 years An IT-intensive project may not be worth doing if it takes more than 6 months?
8	Strategic Assumptions Skills and Internet time will dictate strategy “Close follower” on major projects with high stakes “Early adopter” when failure has minimal penalty Use “proof of concept” or “preview” pilots Rapid Rollout at “break-thru” product cycles IT management will shift toward system integrator IT performance will move from measuring efficiency to effectiveness
9	Drexel’s Technology Strategy Corporate Decision Model Deliver results in Internet time Provide All Services via the Web Recognize the shift from Assets to Access Use Application Service Providers (ASPs); for example AJDrexelBank.com for small item transactions Verisign.com for tuition and fee payments Paymentech.com for University purchasing Buy rather than Build Customer centric self-service – CRM/CIC
10	Drexel’s Technology Strategy Identify Business Area for Improvement Identify Market Leading Vendors in Business Area Space Conduct “proof of concept” in actual operating environment - Must meet affordability test IT Organization functions as a System Integrator Commit at the beginning of product “break thru” cycle Rapid rollout of functionality to Stake Holders is Critical Change Business Processes to Leverage Functionality
11	Market Leader Characteristics Substantial Market Share Professional Organization Participation Stability – Resources to deliver Proven Experience and Skills Multi-generational – a past and a future Product Breadth
12	Use of Portals/Intranets - Why? Improve Service to Constituents Rationalize existing disjointed online services Implement single sign-on and authentication Further integrate technology into classes Deploy LMS for all course sections
13	Portal Goals Gather scattered digital sites under one roof Digital “One Stop Shopping” Expose functional sites as eServices Improve constituent “connectivity” Protect privacy, allay security concerns Leverage existing technologies Demonstrate Results fast
14	Constituent Service Use of portal as entry to the digital campus Single sign on and authentication Security Adding value to customer input - “personalization” Push technology - customer profiles - Intelligent agents Emphasis on “customization” and interaction Provision of Information for customer decisions Vendors (AP), Students (Books), Faculty (Advising)
15	Campus Pipeline “Buy” Decision CP an Early Leader – Significant Market Share Integrated Product with SCT Banner Product Cycle Change in late 2001 – Version 3.0 Drexel Rollout of Ver 3.1 provides a “preview” to the community – evaluate feedback Move to production version Spring 2002 Position for Next Generation rollout - Luminis
16	Campus Pipeline “Buy” Decision Leverage uPortal initiative without resource commitment and cost of direct participation - open source is NOT free “…even using the open source uPortal software (as opposed to paying a vendor for a customized solution) the cost of creating the basic infrastructure and 5 initial channels will be a little over $1.1M …”Carnegie Mellon 2/2002 University of Delaware – 3 year effort/15 programmers will not launch until Fall 2002 … Chronicle of HE 8/2002 High Risk – High Cost of Self Development. University of Michigan abandons Portal Development ….4/2002
17	Campus Pipeline “Buy” Decision Leverage CP vendor relationships re: complementary product integration Content Management - Documentum Learning Management - WebCT Adhere to rapid implementation cycle Affordability - Annual licensing cost less than 1 programmer
18	DrexelOne Initial Services Basic Information and Campus News Email and Calendar Integration Full LMS Integration Drexel Developed Applications Banner Applications
19	DrexelOne Mobile Announced at June Commencement Extend on-campus boundaries – a “Leapfrog” opportunity Access anywhere – no geographical boundaries, no single technology Device independent– Laptops, Handhelds, Cell Phones Deliver via Software leveraging existing products where possible Set initial goal at key, high visibility, eServices - i.e. business transactions
20	DrexelOne Mobile Services NOW! Basic Authentication Directory Services – telephone # lookup Grades and course schedules Targeted Announcements – push and pull Headline news Select university information – academic calendar, important dates, deadlines Links to Other Services
21	Demonstration