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Roll Your Own Panel Discussion CUMREC 2000 Arlington, Virginia May 2000

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Roll Your Own . Panel Discussion CUMREC 2000 Arlington, Virginia May 2000. Panelists. Bill Shirey Manager of Student Systems University of Washington (UW) Ken Servis Dean of Academic Records & Registrar University of Southern California (USC) Audrey Lindsay - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Roll Your Own

Roll Your Own Panel DiscussionCUMREC 2000

Arlington, VirginiaMay 2000

Page 2: Roll Your Own

Panelists Bill Shirey

• Manager of Student Systems• University of Washington (UW)

Ken Servis • Dean of Academic Records & Registrar• University of Southern California (USC)

Audrey Lindsay• Associate Registrar, Director Student Systems• University of British Columbia (UBC)

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Purpose of Presentation

Discuss key benefits and issues associated with custom systems

Opportunity for sharing among panel and audience

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Project Status - UW Public; full research; 3 campuses; enrollment 40,000 Platform: Unisys mainframe; NT/IIS; Unix Vendors: Intervoice Brite; DARS; CSS System / Project Overview:

• Mature integrated mainframe/COBOL core• NT/IIS front-end for web

What’s Next: • Web registration; webify everything• Transfer articulation; CAS

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Project Status - USC Public; full research; enrollment 28,000 Platform: IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, PI/Open, Universe

DBMS Vendors: DARS-TCA, Spectria, DAG, Ad Astra System / Project Overview:

• SIS in PI/Open converted to IBM AIX in 1996• Download data to server for WWW• Vendor packages integrated(DARS) and

peripheral(DAG) What’s Next: Web registration and schedule builder,

Web grade book

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Project Status - UBC Public, full research, 35,500 Platform: Sun Solaris, Oracle, BEA Vendors: DAG, Ad Astra System /Project Overview:

• conversion 6/98, custom 6/98 & ongoing• Java, delivered over the Internet• packages totally integrated into the system

Next: publications, scheduling, awards

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Key topics Why Custom?

• When does it make sense to go custom? • What do you need?

Costs • Higher, lower or configured differently?

Staffing • Anything special, keeping up-to-date

Vendor Relationships • All of us have some vendor components

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1. Why Custom -UW

The integrated legacy system is working Client/Server wasn’t viable at UW No time or money for acquisition

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Why Custom -USC

To satisfy special needs. To better tie into existing legacy system. Off-the-shelf package does not meet design

requirements. Faster customization and better integration. Limited time and resources to go through

the whole software procurement process.

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Why Custom -UBC

Tight timelines Packages didn’t meet vision 30 years of successful custom SIS projects Cost effective to re-use components

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2. Project Costs

Do packages provide more for the money? Are packages cheaper and easier to install? Training and roll-out costs Maintenance costs

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Project Costs - USC Package may not provide more for money. Vendor package developed on the same

platform often cheaper & easily integrated. Staff buy in not a problem with custom

software. Maintenance cost of vendor packages high.

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Project Costs - UBC $5M budget over 3.5 years Funded project by borrowing against future

operating savings Combination of consultants & internal

technical staff Decline in the Canadian Dollar Annual development, support and equipment

budget of 1.8M

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3. Staffing

Staffing levels Staffing skill set Motivation & retention of current staff

• Monetary and non-monetary Vacancies and hiring new staff

• Impact on project timelines, coping Training

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Staffing - UW 10 programmer/analysts for SIS Very experienced team core Retention challenge

• Salaries in the shadow of Microsoft, etc.• IS staff not part of user organization • Recognition, personal growth

Hiring challenge• COBOL, Unisys

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Staffing - USC 15 Staff for maintenance and development Varied programming environment Motivation

• Integration of new technologies• Mentors and challenging projects• Telecommuting and Flexible hours

Very difficult to find experienced programmers in PI/Open platform• Limited time and budget for training

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Staffing -UBC 14 staff for development & maintenance Research-type IT staff Small team synergy and communication Motivation

• Salaries well below market• One-time honorarium, Salary increases• Challenge, responsibility, pride, praise• Flex time, tele-commuting

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4. Vendor Relationships

All have some vendor components Special relationships Tools versus deliverables

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Vendor Relationships - UW

Components• DARS• CSS - INAS, PARS• CollegeNet - Schedule25/Resource25

Tools• InterVoice Brite: Write-1 IVR

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Vendor Relationships - USC

Components• Ad Astra, DARS-TCA, DAG

Project Consulting• Spectria

Development Partners• TouchNet

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Vendor Relationships - UBC

Components• DAG, Ad Astra

Tools • SUN, BEA

Development Partners• Sierra Systems Inc.• Ad Astra

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Questions?

Key areas Custom decision Costs Staffing Vendor relationships

Or other areas Project scope Integration Risk management Timelines Communication BPR