Why Is Modernization Planning Urgent?

Over the last several years, we have heard much about digital transformation (DX) being important to higher education. However, DX is not a goal for every institution, as one of our clients recently reminded me. DX addresses fundamental change in an institution’s approach to delivering on its core mission areas: education, research, and service. […]
Enterprise CRM: Should I Care?

Summary In higher education, CRM technology has traditionally been scattered across multiple functional areas for multiple purposes. For a few institutions, looking at CRM more holistically has become an imperative. Why? Should you take this approach? It is not right for every campus, as it can cause unnecessary complications. But for some institutions, the alignment […]
Impact of the Salesforce Acquisition of Slack

In December 2020, Salesforce announced the multibillion-dollar acquisition of Slack. At the time, few details were released regarding how the two companies would operate or the potential impacts of the merger. Roughly seven months later, the acquisition is complete, and the future landscape is more evident. Current State When Salesforce announced the completion of the […]
Establishing a Data Management Program

Due to the overwhelming number of inquiries Tambellini analysts are receiving about data management, I want to resurface this blog post that I wrote last June. It starts by outlining the benefits of a full data management program. CTOs, CIOs, and other IT leaders tell us that getting clear on these benefits helps them explain […]
Data Management: What An Adventure!

The longer I work in higher education, the more interesting the adventure! During my time in higher education, we have seen the rise and fall of technology solutions, the expansion and consolidation of vendors, and the adaptability and resiliency of institutions and students. More recently, higher education began to discover the benefits of technology advancements […]
The Role of the Chief Data Officer in Higher Education

The Tambellini Group’s Katelyn Ilkani interviews San Cannon, Associate Vice Provost for Data Governance and Chief Data Officer at the University of Rochester. Cannon explains the duties of a Chief Data Officer and why higher education institutions should consider establishing such a position. Topics include technology’s role in data management, the importance of establishing relationships […]
What Did I Forget?! Top 5 Non-Implementation Issues to Think About During a Cloud Application Transition

After living through three generations of technology that have swept through higher education administrative systems over the last 30+ years, I have added the unique experience of stepping out of the institutions and into my role as an industry analyst. Thinking about my own experiences as I listen to many of you talk about what’s […]
Modernizing Reporting and Analytics

I have spoken to many institutions about their data management over the past several years. The one question I always ask is “Have your senior leaders ever brought conflicting data or reports to the provost or president?” Without fail, the answer is yes. Why does this happen? And what is the impact when an organization […]
Administrative Systems in the Short and Long Term

Co-Columnist: Dave Kieffer, Vice President, Research, Large Enterprise Systems, The Tambellini Group Requirements for administrative computing systems have changed in the last decade. Students, faculty, and staff now need the ability to easily and intuitively perform tasks and to view information on any device, at any time, from any location. Administrative offices need efficiency in […]