JISC

Overview

The project is developing an open source self-analysis toolkit, empowering Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to think through their people, process and technology issues before, during or after a Business and Community Engagement (BCE) orientated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation. It aims to support a wider UK agenda around how HEIs engage with external organisations for their mutual benefit. There is clearly a need for such a toolkit, as HEIs have been comparatively slow to adopt a strategic approach to CRM where BCE is concerned (Haywood et al, 2007).

Aims and objectives

There are 2 specific objectives for the project

• By the 31 October 2008 we will have produced a report which will contain a number of process maps from a range of different institutions (up to 25). These maps will reveal key processes (tasks, flows and decision points) around BCE and CRM usage. Where possible, the maps will also encompass the institutions ‘enterprise wide’ approach to CRM usage.

• By the 19 December 2008 we will have produced an interactive and open source toolkit which will contain a number of topics covering a range of people, process, and technology questions, issues and case studies around BCE orientated CRM.

Project methodology

In terms of the first objective, we will draw upon a pool of postgraduate students who have been trained in process mapping techniques. They will go out to interview HEIs and / or FECs and produce the process maps with a list of accompanying people, process and technology issues. These maps will then be used to produce a report, written by the project manger, covering BCE orientated CRM processes (and the systems used) and how institutions might wish to consider moving from one state (e.g. peripheral) to the next (e.g. tactical).

In terms of the second objective, research and information will be gathered from a variety of sources (e.g. Gartner, the web, previous JISC reports, the postgraduate interviews, use of the advisory group) to build up and then release an ‘easy to use’ toolkit. The main body of this work will be coordinated and produced by the toolkit developer, based in Information Services (University of Nottingham).

Anticipated outputs and outcomes

The deliverables of the project will be:

• Process maps (in Microsoft Visio)
• Toolkit (with road and process maps inserted)
• Report 1 (encompassing user views on the processes and the toolkit)
• Independent evaluators report
• Progress reports
• Project Website
• Face to face meetings with JISC Programme Board
• Publicity/Open Access

• Final Report

The hope is that the toolkit will be used by senior staff from HEIs / FECs to help guide them through some of the people, process and technology issues which underpin CRM implementation and BCE.

Lead Institution

• University of Nottingham

Project partners

• Agresso
• North Nottinghamshire PCT (NHS)