How to Implement
an Enterprise Portal
at a Small Campus
MWRC06
Ilya V. Yakovlev, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Outline
 Introductions
 University of Wisconsin-Superior
 Why Have an Enterprise Portal?
 Planning Process: Small Campus Perspective
 Implementation Process: Small Campus Perspective
 Measuring Success
 “Carrots”
 A Few Tips
 Conclusion
Introductions
 Ilya Yakovlev



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Information Systems Supervisor (2)
Patch management
Student Information System development
Portal planning
Student Records/Admissions/Advisement
support
Introductions

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

Degree Audit (DARWin) consultant
Adjunct senior lecturer in
Accounting/Computer Information Systems
Ph.D. in Computer Information Systems from
Nova Southeastern University
Contact: [email protected]
University of Wisconsin-Superior
 Small liberal-arts
college in Northern
Wisconsin with ~2,700
on-campus students
 Founded in 1893
 One of 13 four-year
universities in University
of Wisconsin System
 A small campus with
good technology
services
University of Wisconsin-Superior
 Running
 PeopleSoft Student
Administration 8.0 SP1
 PeopleSoft Enterprise
Portal 8.9 (“The EHive”)
 Active Directory
 Microsoft Windows
XP/2003
 Weblogic 8
Why Have an Enterprise Portal?
 A “Grand Entrance”
 Integrated content from multiple diverse
sources
 Single-signon/security integration with many
content providers (sources)
 No-click or one-click access to information
 User-aware
Why Have an Enterprise Portal?
 Built-in tools:

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
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Content ratings
Related resources
Related content
News publications
Discussion forums
Usage tracking
Surveys
 And more!
MY E-Hive Login Page
News
Events
Quick
Links
Planning Process: Small Campus
Perspective
 Where do you start?
 Identify needs
 Create a
Portal group
 Get Governance groups’ buy-in but keep
decision-making in the Portal group
 Get IT departments’ buy-in
SMALL
Planning Process: Small Campus
Perspective
 Identify
 Scope (phase it in!)
 Timeline (over 1 year is probably too long)
 Budget (>0 ?)
 Tools
 Training needs (pre- and postimplementation)
 Visit other campuses
 Define success measurement (usage,
budget?)
Implementation Process: Small
Campus Perspective
 Divide into sub-groups
 Consider using students (a CS/CIS class?)
 Keep communicating
 Show live prototypes
Implementation Process: Small
Campus Perspective
 Keep the process moving
 The process is similar to an ERP
implementation
 Post-implementation (maintenance,
improvements, eventual obsolescence)
Measuring Success
 One approach
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Track budget (easy)
Determine ROI (difficult in higher education
environment)
 An alternative approach – measure user
satisfaction
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Solicit feedback through surveys
Track usage
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Measuring Success
2500
Guests
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7 per. Mov. Avg. (Users)
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Measuring Success
Fall semester 2005
Guests
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Users
7 per. Mov. Avg. (Guests)
2000
7 per. Mov. Avg. (Users)
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500
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Measuring Success
“Carrots”
 What will bring to the Portal
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Prospects*
Students
Staff
Faculty
Alumni*
“Carrots”
 Students like self-service (Net-generation)
 Offer one-stop shop for
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Application for degree
Registration
Grades
Financial aid
Bills
Transcripts
Degree audits
MY-E-Hive Home
Classic E-Hive
Transaction
Set
My Info--No-Click
Student
information
Off-campus
Access to
On-Campus
Files
New
Security
Features
“Carrots”
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Instructor pictures
Office hours
Earnings statement
Off-campus file access
Password reset
“Carrots”
 Students like working in groups
 Offer
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Single signon into Learning Systems, Email,
etc.
Targeted discussion forums
News publications
Directory search
Multiple tabs to partition “real estate”
Other TabsAcademics & Student Life
Shortcuts to
popular
home pages
Directory
Searches
Discussion
Boards
Support
Resources
“Carrots”
 Students are faster than previous generations
 Keep news publications current
 Offer current weather information
 Add new features regularly
 Allow personalization of content
Personalize Content & Layout
“Carrots”
 Faculty and staff just want to get their work
done
 Offer
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earnings/benefit statements
targeted news feeds
advisee pictures and academic information
degree audits
transcripts
 Use students to encourage faculty and staff
use of the portal
A Few Tips
 Take advantage of the campus’ small size
 Attempt to involve students in a CS/CIS class
 Phase deployment
 Expect more use than current system and
plan for rapid growth
A Few Tips
 Find champions for portal areas (discussion
forums, news publications, and others) – quid
pro quo
 Revisit lessons learned from Web
development (real estate battles, etc.)
 Consider using Student Technology Fee and
vendor collaboration to help fund the project
 Keep tooting your horn
Conclusion
 Enterprise Portal is a must for large and small
campuses: be ahead of the game!
 Take advantage of the campus’ small size:
implement the Portal quickly but fulfill a few
pressing needs.
 Use the Portal to bring diverse systems
together.
 Use the Portal to augment, not replace
existing Web site.
Conclusion
 Utilize the Portal strategically: serve and
involve students and other constituencies.
 Continue to measure and advertise success.
 Monitor performance and usage.
 Keep the Portal fresh and plan for what’s
next.
Q&A/Demo?
 Ilya Yakovlev: [email protected]
 Sources used:
 Educating the Net Generation
(http://www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen)
 The New Face of the E-Hive by Jim Rink (2004-2005)
 Copyright (Ilya Yakovlev, 2006). This work is the
intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted
for this material to be shared for non-commercial,
educational purposes, provided that this copyright
statement appears on the reproduced materials and
notice is given that the copying is by permission of the
author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires
written permission from the author.