Why SIS Implementations Seldom Meet Expectations - Reason 4

Part 5 of 7

Reason 4: Pseudo-Investment Guarantee Poor Outcomes

Often the big goal for the new SIS is “optimizing the software” and “reducing maintenance costs.” Unfortunately, no one leading the implementation has a strategy to design how the future campus should look. Stakeholders insist on configuring outdated processes because “we’ve always done it this way.” The new software ends up heavily modified to match old business processes. Along the way, nobody asks students what they need.

Eventually, the software gets shoehorned into place. The school’s technology leaders give conference presentations about how they have “transformed the place.” But, in reality, students, faculty, and staff were moved from one set of outdated, difficult, inefficient, manual, and cumbersome processes to another. There is no real transformation. The school made a pseudo-investment in the future by changing the SIS system but didn’t make any real investment in their sustainability. 

What to do?

• Before you look for an SIS system, spend time with all stakeholders and develop a detailed, measurable vision for what a modern campus looks like for them. Don’t settle for broad statements like “improve the student experience.” Dig down on what that improved student experience looks like. Invest the 100s of hours to talk to all the constituents first. 
• Use the vision to assess the actual need for a new SIS. Determine if leveraging more of the capabilities of your current system and retiring unneeded modifications is a better use of resources. 
• Invest in everything needed to transform. Don’t be “penny-wise and dollar foolish.” You need to commit to making the needed investments in time, money, people, and talent to succeed. Skimp on any one of these and you risk crippling your future. 
• Begin looking for an SIS when everyone clearly understands what your transformed campus looks like. Only then can you find software that fits your needs for the future. Then, you will make a true investment in your future, not a large payment to a vendor to keep you stuck in place as the world rapidly changes around you. 

To download the full 7-part series, click here.