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 […]
Why Identity Management Is So Important in Higher Education

You are two or three weeks into your new role as the university’s CIO and have learned a lot about the institution and its students, the technology at a high level, and some of the major players on campus and in your own organization. You are starting to visualize options for a path forward, but […]
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 Evolution of Electronic Payments

Electronic payment solutions are not new, as vendors have offered them in various iterations for more than 25 years. The bursar’s office was one of the first functional areas to provide electronic payments to make it easier for students and families to pay tuition and fees. Vendors expanded their solutions to include payment plans and […]
Process Automation in Higher Ed: Hype or Reality?

Hype. Whether scrolling through Twitter, LinkedIn, or your email, you cannot escape the hype around low code and robotic process automation (RPA). So, as you hear the hype, you may be inclined to read a little, then continue to scroll past it, given everything else on your plate. We’ve always dealt with the latest hyped […]
Four Technologies Higher Ed Apps Leaders Should be Investing in for 2021

So, 2020 did not go as we expected—in really any facet of our personal or professional lives. Our plans were derailed, so planning for 2021 is even more daunting than our normal annual planning. Should we just extend our 2020 plans? Or start over with what we’ve learned this year? What can we expect to […]
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 […]
The Plumbing of IT: Implementing an Integration Strategy

You have a request from your business area to integrate your student information to a new system. You ask your development team to assess it, and they determine that they can clone a batch interface that already has four versions that are running for four other departments. It will take six weeks and require forty […]