Synch-Solutions’ Campus Accelerator delivers rapid implementations of Oracle PeopleSoft ERP using our proven experience, methodology and toolset developed specifically for Higher Education institutions. We applied the Campus Accelerator model at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, enabling full implementation of each of three enterprise suites – Campus Solutions, Human Capital Management (HCM) and Financials – within 12 months. Compare that to a traditional implementation, which can take 2 years or more.

Although in UAM’s case, implementation of the three suites was staggered to adjust for the already busy schedules of the institution’s internal IT resources, the success of the project moved the solution from theoretical model to proven reality. Synch-Solutions is excited to have Oracle recognize this offering as a first-to-market solution and to partner with us to promote it.

Campus Accelerator is offered at competitive fixed-fee pricing, and the compressed timeline reduces implementation costs and shortens time-to-value for client institutions. It thus gives small and midsize institutions an affordable means to gain a world-class Oracle PeopleSoft ERP system that can enable a competitive operating advantage in the marketplace.

Synch-Solutions has also applied aggressive timelines to upgrades for PeopleSoft and Oracle E-Business ERP systems. And we can deliver “a la carte” rapid implementations and upgrades of individual suites. All of these services are designed to deliver faster ROI than traditional solutions.

Is it any wonder Synch-Solutions is excited about this offering?

In a series of four blog entries, We’ll be discussing the best-known methods and best practices in identifying and defining the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), measures and dimensions used when building a digital dashboard that aligns with a higher education institution’s strategic goals and performance measurement plans.

In working with various institutions of higher education to implement Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence projects, Synch-Solutions’ professionals have gained a first-hand understanding of their organizational strategies, goals, visions, missions, plans and objectives. In order to stay competitive in this ever-changing and challenging socio-economy, many colleges are embracing new technologies to manage performance and enable informed decision-making. Business Intelligence applications such as dashboards are becoming popular performance management tools among institutions of higher education.

Before diving into the details, let us briefly explain the three key terms we will be using frequently in this discussion.

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), also known as Key Success Indicators or Metrics, help an organization define and evaluate how it is progressing toward its long-term organizational goals

• Measures refer to direct numerical variables that represent pieces of business data in relationship with one or more dimensions associated with a KPI

• Dimensions provide the means to view data elements that categorize measures

The aforementioned keywords are the foundations in developing a digital dashboard.

The biggest challenges are where to begin and how to plan.

We will begin to address these two issues in our next blog entry.

The recession is raising consciousness, for example, about just how much money is being spent on IT maintenance and support.  As the role of IT has expanded within organizations, starting with pure data management, then moving on to information management, and then strategic knowledge management, maintenance and support costs have also expanded to consume a staggering 70% to 80% of IT budgets, according to Forrester Research.  It’s not uncommon for companies to own a multitude of data centers and hundreds of servers. 

One way to look at this problem is to simply acknowledge that this is the inevitable trend. But, the other way to look at it is that the cost-saving opportunity here is huge.  There is no question about the fact that adopting a managed services approach can save the organization significant amounts of money, because you are giving over day-to-day maintenance and support responsibilities to a firm that can take advantage of the economies of scale that come with being in the business of managing technology for a multitude of organizations.

The transition to managed services has been understandably difficult for many organizations to embrace.  First of all, it is big change, and change brings up the very natural and appropriate attention to risks.  Are there security or privacy risks, for example?   

As it goes with technology, however, continuous improvements have been made to ensure that the organization is not putting itself at risk with the transfer of IT maintenance and support to an outside partner.  The solutions have been baked in to ensure that your data is perhaps even more secure with an outside vendor that provides managed services for a living.  The risks have been addressed…and managed services should enable you to provide even more proactive and preventive support than can be provided internally.  This is because, to be a player in the managed services business, a vendor must have state-of-the-art equipment, processes and practices, all across the board.

And think what you could do with the budget freed up for more strategic work.  Your organization definitely needs to make the best use of the “I” in your “T,” but it does not need to have the “T” maintained and supported internally, at a cost that, almost invariably, far surpasses what can be provided by an external vendor. It’s the 21st century, and you now have a higher strategic calling.  Your organization needs you to free up dollars to invest in strategic innovations that improve the financial position of your organization, better serve your customers and, if yours is a commercial enterprise, give you a differential advantage.