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Roll Your Own

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

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Roll Your Own

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

  2. 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)

  3. Purpose of Presentation • Discuss key benefits and issues associated with custom systems • Opportunity for sharing among panel and audience

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 1. Why Custom -UW • The integrated legacy system is working • Client/Server wasn’t viable at UW • No time or money for acquisition

  9. 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.

  10. Why Custom -UBC • Tight timelines • Packages didn’t meet vision • 30 years of successful custom SIS projects • Cost effective to re-use components

  11. 2. Project Costs • Do packages provide more for the money? • Are packages cheaper and easier to install? • Training and roll-out costs • Maintenance costs

  12. 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.

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 4. Vendor Relationships • All have some vendor components • Special relationships • Tools versus deliverables

  19. Vendor Relationships - UW • Components • DARS • CSS - INAS, PARS • CollegeNet - Schedule25/Resource25 • Tools • InterVoice Brite: Write-1 IVR

  20. Vendor Relationships - USC • Components • Ad Astra, DARS-TCA, DAG • Project Consulting • Spectria • Development Partners • TouchNet

  21. Vendor Relationships - UBC • Components • DAG, Ad Astra • Tools • SUN, BEA • Development Partners • Sierra Systems Inc. • Ad Astra

  22. Key areas Custom decision Costs Staffing Vendor relationships Or other areas Project scope Integration Risk management Timelines Communication BPR Questions?

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