Evolution of Business Applications - Personal Perspective
Attention to the constant "evolution" of innovation in both technologies and new business practices is mandatory for institutions seeking greater efficiency, user satisfaction and, most importantly, reduction in costs. To this end Information Technology leadership must dictate the environment by infusing two critical concepts:
1. Making the Evolution Case - IT leadership and developers need to be constantly creating and selling a vision of the future - e.g., explaining the significance of implementing new or complete changes in underlying technologies; how applications could and should perform differently and for the better; depicting new ways of delivering information to users; etc.
2. Atmosphere of User Excitement - Both departmental users and end users (e.g., students) need to experience new system features and and the latest end-user technologies on an on-going, month-to-month basis, not annually, in order to sense progress and innovation, stay engaged and be receptive to disruption and change.
The business problem (e.g., student billing) isn't going to change significantly over time but the constant emergence of new supporting technologies and techniques will lead to new improvements in business. Unfortunately, institutions have often taken the approach of perpetuating the life of static and outdated systems and technology and allowing their schools to become captives to enterprise proprietary software providers. The result has been outmoded processes, long and costly upgrades, and mounting cost consequences.
For executive decision-makers (CEOs, CFOs and CIOs) at colleges and universities that are stuck in this costly, stagnant box, the time to reassess and react is NOW! Let us show you some simple and inexpensive ways to get your campus back on a path on continuous improvement.
Attention to the constant "evolution" of innovation in both technologies and new business practices is mandatory for institutions seeking greater efficiency, user satisfaction and, most importantly, reduction in costs. To this end Information Technology leadership must dictate the environment by infusing two critical concepts:
1. Making the Evolution Case - IT leadership and developers need to be constantly creating and selling a vision of the future - e.g., explaining the significance of implementing new or complete changes in underlying technologies; how applications could and should perform differently and for the better; depicting new ways of delivering information to users; etc.
2. Atmosphere of User Excitement - Both departmental users and end users (e.g., students) need to experience new system features and and the latest end-user technologies on an on-going, month-to-month basis, not annually, in order to sense progress and innovation, stay engaged and be receptive to disruption and change.
The business problem (e.g., student billing) isn't going to change significantly over time but the constant emergence of new supporting technologies and techniques will lead to new improvements in business. Unfortunately, institutions have often taken the approach of perpetuating the life of static and outdated systems and technology and allowing their schools to become captives to enterprise proprietary software providers. The result has been outmoded processes, long and costly upgrades, and mounting cost consequences.
For executive decision-makers (CEOs, CFOs and CIOs) at colleges and universities that are stuck in this costly, stagnant box, the time to reassess and react is NOW! Let us show you some simple and inexpensive ways to get your campus back on a path on continuous improvement.