EDUCAUSE | Organizational Change

E08 Podcast: In Conversation - Organizational Change

gbayne — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:19:53 -0600

This nineteen minute podcast features a conversation recorded at the EDUCAUSE 2008 Annual Conference. The topic is Organizational Change. How does an institution maximize IT investments, mitigate security risks, and align IT planning with organizational strategic initiatives? How does IT governance figure into organizational change? Our discussion participants include:

Frederick Brittain, Director of Information Technology at the University of Maine at Farmington
Diane M. Dagefoerde, Director of Technology for Arts & Sciences at The Ohio State University

EDUCAUSE Southwest Regional Conference Think Stop #2

llarsen — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:50:00 -0600

EDUCAUSE Southwest Regional Conference Think Stop #2

Question: How do we move from working in reactive mode and into proactive mode?

Responses:

Moving from reactive to proactive requires a cultural shift that needs to be deliberately planned and executed over time - change management is critical.
Proactive behaviors are rewarded - reactive behaviors are discouraged.
By planning?!
Step back...to see the bigger picture & talk.
Encourage reflection with periodic retreats, whether departmental or by workgroup.
Try to involve people who are open minded and forward thinking in your planning/decision making process.
Focus on what's good about what's not and then strive to make it better.
Allow well intentioned mistakes to occur w/o punishment.
Schedule time for planning & execution - work on important but not urgent things.

2007 Enterprise Conference: The Changing Role of Enterprise Systems: From EDI to Internet Icons

gbayne — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:43:41 -0500

The opening keynote address from the 2007 EDUCAUSE Enterprise Conference in Chicago, Illinois. This speech was given by Kenneth C. Green, Founding Director of the Campus Computing Project, the largest continuing study of the role of information technology in American colleges and universities. This speech, entitled The Changing Role of Enterprise Systems: From EDI to Internet Icons, is approximately an hour and three minutes long.

Over the past 15 years campus administrative information systems have morphed into enterprise systems. This presentation will focus on the promises (implied and inferred) in this transformation from EDI in the 1990s ("systems will share data"), to the Internet-spawned expectations for online resources and services, to the recent Spellings Commission report mandate that campuses "bring data" from their enterprise systems to address critical assessment and outcome issues.

We Think in Bawlmer, Hon!

smiltenb — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:05:56 -0500

This is follow up to Ted Simpson's great post on creativity and innovation. And our institutional commitment to using technology to improve our business (and enhance the experience of our community).

Meandering from one interaction to another is so much easier in the virtual world (RSS, 24x7...). As a technologist I sometimes find it hard to look to the real world for inspiration and patterns for how we can improve and create something better.

Ted found something at our workplace today:

For those of you not too familiar with Baltimore, Ted can make an excellent case for how this one item captures and reflects the quirky spirit of the town. For me, this one object serves as a reminder for what the MICA Connected initiative is all about.

Think of it from an advertising and communication perspective -- multiple typefaces, a chunky glass bottle, the crooked double stick tape (that you can't see in this photo) -- all speak to MICA's current web and systems environment. A mis-matched combination of systems that perform some service needs, but sometimes in a cobbled-together and sometimes more-cumbersome-than-necessary-manner. Something we've all grown to accept, adore and rely on, but something that we have not looked at objectively to determine if it really suits our needs.

For those of you that do know Baltimore, the Odorite building is gone and UB has built a stunning facility on the property (where they have hosted a number of terrific technology conferences and events). When the Odorite building was demolished there was much discussion -- but hardly anyone remembers now. Ah, change is good.

Taking the Risk

smiltenb — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:17:05 -0500

As the technology department of a higher education institution, it is our responsibility to lead and set examples of how technology can help all areas of the college do business better. And this no longer is just about new hardware and software – it’s now about how we work together.

And sometimes this is about how we don't work together. We are constantly challenged to determine where the line is drawn regarding tools and policy. The email policy has changed: does Technology deliver the message or does Academics?

Our notion of training has changed (with help from our trainer who accepted a two year job with the Peace Corps in Africa --- go Rick!): do we fill jobs because they are vacant; or stop to determine if the jobs we define meet our needs?

Do we dare to take the time to discuss whether the needs are legitimate or hold-overs from a different point in time?

In short do the risks we take pay off? How do we help our community understand that change is a good thing? And how do we help our technology staff understand that being challenged is one of the most thrilling aspects of our job? I dare ya...

Resistance is...a good thing

smiltenb — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:07:29 -0600

I went for a bike ride on Saturday and it was a particularly windy day in Baltimore -- gusts between 18-22 mph. The way to ride in the wind is to lean into the gust in order to keep yourself upright (and to keep from getting blow across the road). Of course you have to be a bit careful -- as soon as the blast lets up continuing to lean (into the calm) may make you swerve into traffic or someone's mailbox.

Until two years ago I was convinced that riding in the wind was superior to riding in the hills. An epiphany occured after a time trial on the eastern shore of Maryland where the roads are pancake flat but the wind whips all around the course. I realized that hills have definite beginnings and ends and the wind does not. It keeps right on whipping your face or sides -- and you never know when it might start up again (or when it might end). Unlike climbing, there is no way to plan for recovery.

Riding in the wind, much like riding the hills, does make you stronger (just ask Lance Armstrong). And it was during my windy ride on Saturday -- as I was leaning into a gust on a downhill -- that I realized the resistance of wind is really no different that the resistance I've encountered leading technolgy initiatives at my institution.

MICA is just begining a multi-year technology iniative that encompasses web applications; our administrative systems and academic programs. In many respects, I consider this project to be a complete re-invention of how we do business (from paying bills to educating students). And while it's absolutey thrilling to be leading many of these objectives, I know there will be resistance along the way. In fact, there's been plenty of resistance just getting to the point of making an institutional commitment. And successful navigation through this resistance to change has required a bit of leaning toward the reluctance in order to get through it. In fact, accepting and embracing the resistance has been critical to getting buy-in and support.

When you're riding through the wind on a bike you can choose to accept it as a part of the experience and work with it; or you can fight it the entire way. During that time trial on the eastern shore, I fought the wind for 40 km and not only did I have a horrible finish, it was the most exhausting race. Facing fear and resistance with technology initiatives is no different.

Constant (and repeated) efforts to try to change the opposition are much like spinning your pedals and only going inches. Acknowledging the unwillingness to embrace a change provides some resistance in the gears and actually allows you to gain ground. As project leaders and innovators in our communities we need to lean on resistance and use it to sure us up. By leaning with those who are most reluctant we begin to help them move toward accepting change. And when they begin to accept change you are in for a great ride -- the wind disappears and suddenly you effortlessly move full speed ahead.

Each time we move with the resistance we get stronger. And our institutions become stronger. And that's a really good thing because there is bound to be another windy day.