Introductions and Brief History
Team Members:
• Damond Nollan
• Derek Brinson
• Darin Tyler
• Michael Render
• Teccara Carmack
• Chesiree Mooring
Overview:
• Where We Were
• Where We Are
• Where We’re Going
Web services history
• The Upside
– Largest increase in enrollment in any university’s history during this same period
– Our website’s reliability, usability, and overall quality increased in the same period that our enrollment increased by record numbers (Howard University DLL Study)
– One of the first universities to broadcast live commencement activities
– WNCU 90.7 FM
– Established Web Internship Program (W.I.P.)
• The Downside
– No Web Standards/Policy, No Consistency
– Difficult to Navigate
– Information was hard to find and often times outdated
– NCCU’s administrators ran web content, thus turning the web into a large administrative document.
• How is that a problem? Administrators do not enroll; students do.
– Under resourced
– Unmanaged
– Under valued
– Browser compatibility issues
Where We Were
• Where We Were
– Web Team started as team of one that was lead by a committee
– All work was done on a part time bases as a part of desktop support services
– Web projects where not determine by priority, but by “who do you know” or “first come, first serve basis”
– Some departments handled their own content and design. Others outsourced design work, but lacked the technical maturity to maintain the content.
• As a result, ITS performed maintenance work on unfamiliar sites, in turn, increasing the level of difficulty.
• When and Why Did It Get Better?
– Decision makers recognized the need to manage our website.
– Today, a cohesive top-notch website is not a luxury - it is a necessity.
– NCCU began the life-long process of learning to leverage the web site as a business tool.
Lessons Learned
• Make Your Right Hand Talk to Your Left
– All departments should be trying to go into the same direction
– Effectively communicate your enterprise web strategies
• Get Real Web Expertise
– Web Manager
– Developers
– Designers
– Content Writers
• Give Experts the Backing of Policy
• Deliver Comprehensive Enterprise-Wide Web Services
• Adhere to web standards
– Better cross-browser compatibility
• Management Content Effectively
– Internal vs. External Content
– Centralize and consolidate information. This Creates Ease-ability to manage content. Duplication leads to Inaccuracies.
– Prioritize content
– Know the difference between Static and Dynamic
– Content Management vs. Business Management
– When NCCU’s web site content was run by our administrators, it became a big administrative document. How is that a problem? Administrators do not enroll.
Lessons Learned (cont’d)
• Create Compelling and Relevant Content
– Create Professional Quality Graphics
– Keep Content Up-To-Date
– Remove Clutter
• Be concise. Web user’s do not read – they scan.
– Improve Information Architecture
• Increase Usability and “Findability”
Where We Are
• Resources and Tools– S.C.R.U.M.– Web Liaisons– Student Web Services Internship Program– Google Analytics– Feedback Application– Streaming Media– Content Management System
• Cohesive Web Strategy – Acquiring advocates (professorate, administrative,
student, etc.) of the university web strategy– Web Liaisons
• Fulfils our need to collaborate with campus representatives
• Content is managed by those who know it best
– Maintaining a consistent vision and agenda across different teams and different levels of management
– Creating a unified web presence• Uniform look on all pages
– Developing policies and guidelines– Prioritized our services towards Prospective
Students– Meet the needs of the University vs. the needs of
a single department. • All Boats Rise
Where We’re Going - The Future
• More efficient Web-based applications
• Creating a Web Presence for Mobile Devices
– Apple iPhone & iTouch
– BlackBerry
– Windows Mobile and other Smart Phones
• Utilizing Cloud Computing
– Google Apps,
– Eye OS
– Aviary
• Better implementation of Web 2.0
– More than just a pretty face
– Application based web design driven by compelling content
– Refocus on content
• Content is king
• Data Warehousing for Business Intelligence and Predictive Analysis
Where We’re Going - The Future
For NCCU, The Future is B.I.: Business Intelligence,Data Warehousing, Data MiningPredictive AnalysisDefinitions:
Turning data into information and information into knowledge. Utilizing enterprise data to make decisions of value to your business.
Where We’re Going - The Future
Today, BI is in a similar place that the WWW was circa 1990
– Fortune 500’s current BI expenditures resemble their Web expenditures in early ‘90s
– Why is this important?
Where We’re Going - The Future
How Are We Doing, *Now*?
As available ScorecardRight This Instant! Dashboard
• Overall Retention Rate – by Class, by Residence• GPA or Drop/Add Rate – by Class, Overall, by Major• Research Money In vs. Out• Turnover Rate of Faculty and/or Staff• Time to Graduate (AKA “Length of Stay”)
Where We’re Going - The Future
B.I. is not just for execsStudents also ask, “How am I doing?”
• The Obvious Questions– GPA– Percentile Rank– Total Amount Due (with drill down to particulars)
• Map residence addresses by block• “Students Who Took This Class Also Liked…” (Amazon app)
Better Service = Better Retention
Where We’re Going - The Future
Online Reporting is only the Beginning of B.I.
• Data Mining– Consider Harvard Business Review Study
Diapers and Beer Valuable Business Decisions
• Predictive Analysis– Modeling the Future
What if…?
Where We’re Going - The Future
How You Can Leverage BI, Today You already own the data Now, make it work for youYour competition is
Where We’re Going - The Future
The Big Uneasy
Does all of your data come from the same source?
• Data Integration• Data Governance• Data Management
Where We’re Going - The Future
Data Integration
Pull today’s data together coherently
• ETL Tools• Data Mappings
Putting this cart before the horse causes many a BI project to fail.
Where We’re Going - The Future
Data Governance
C-Level Management setting policy for the entire enterprise/institution
• Data Standards• Culture Change• Top Down (the tail can’t wag the dog)
Where We’re Going - The Future
Pitfalls & Caveats:Remember that, Do-It-Yourself BI will only take you so far Get the expertise– No need to re-invent the wheel– Vendors with experience in higher education
One Size Does NOT Fit All– Understand your data, fir$t– New skill sets need to be part of the BI Team– Database Admin <> Subject Matter Expert <>
Business Analyst <> Data Architect
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