ERP Applications Selection in a Changing Marketplace

Evaluation of Software Providers for Midsize Institutions

Bill Reed

Director, Special Projects

Northern Kentucky University

Northern Kentucky University

Major Metropolitan UniversityOver 14,000 Students (FTE 10,500)

Undergraduate Education; Graduate Programs; Community Engagementwww.nku.edu

Why Should We Do This?Information systems provide the infrastructure for delivery of essential services (recruiting, admissions, financial aid, course registration, grading, degree progress, reporting, budget preparation, fiscal management, organizational management, payroll, alumni development, facilities management, on and on and on)

Our current systems (financial, human resources, and student records) can’t meet the needs of a modern metropolitan university

We need systems that are enablers of change, not roadblocks

NKU’s strategic initiatives cannot be achieved without a foundation of robust, efficient information systems

Access to information for decision-making is difficult

The cost/benefit ratio for maintaining older technology platforms is very poor

Risk incurred by delaying replacement is too high

How Do We Get Started?

Create an operational framework

Steering Committee (executive level) – general guidance and authority

Advisory Committee (one level lower, key Directors and major stakeholders) – decision-making and consensus-building

Core Project Team (experienced staff from key departments on full-time re-assignment) – leadership and daily operations

How Do We Get Started?Establish goals and an identity

NKU’s PRISM Project – Process Re-Engineering and Information Systems Migration prism.nku.edu

Implement efficient, flexible, well-integrated systems that support our core mission of educating students

Improve our business practices internally and externally

Enhance our capacity and ability to manage change

Conduct Informal Research

What are our benchmark or peer institutions using?Who is making news in the higher ed space?What does the IT and business literature tell us about these providers?How do people commonly implement these systems?Can we get a fix on typical budgets for these projects?How do these systems look and feel?

How Do We Get Started?

Now We’re Getting Serious: How Do We Make a Good Decision?

Keep the focus on the project goalsDescribe the general scope and any known constraintsBe specific on format of responses and evaluation criteriaEstablish a reasonable timelinePreserve maximum flexibility for reaching a decision

Publish a Request for Proposals

Now We’re Getting Serious: How Do We Make a Good Decision?

Identify representative processes and/or critical business scenariosExamine the underlying technologyFocus on architecture, tools, and sample functionalityDon’t allow demos of versions in development (look at release history and R&D budgets as predictors of future behavior)

Conduct Structured Demonstrations

Now We’re Getting Serious: How Do We Make a Good Decision?

System architecture (including support for open standards), security configuration, reporting functionality

Application software functionality (including support for best practices)

Company characteristics (strategic vision, customer support resources and commitment, R&D, financial stability, client references)

Total costs (acquisition, implementation, maintenance)

Implementation and maintenance factors (availability and cost of 3rd party consulting and training services, proven methodologies for implementation and support, training plans and opportunities)

Evaluation and Selection

Why SAP?System architecture (including support for open standards), security configuration, reporting functionality

Application software functionality (including support for best practices)

Company characteristics (strategic vision, customer support resources and commitment, R&D, financial stability, client references)

Total costs (acquisition, implementation, maintenance)

Implementation and maintenance factors (availability and cost of 3rd party consulting and training services, proven methodologies for implementation and support, training plans and opportunities)

Our Advisory Committee unanimously agreed that SAP offered the best fit with our project goals.

Questions?

Bill Reed reedb@nku.edu

PRISM Project prism.nku.edu

Northern Kentucky University www.nku.edu