BBCON 2009 - Integration: The Complete Story from the Back Office to the Web.

Integration: The Complete Story from the Back Office to the Web.

Rachel Welsh, Webmaster and Director of Data Operations, The Shipley School

Stephen Clark, Sales Engineer, Blackbaud, Inc.

Blackbaud’s Conference for Nonprofits — Charleston | Rachel Welsh | Page #2

Integration: The Complete Story

From behind-the-scenes work to the Web



The Shipley School Databases in 2005



Whipple Hill

BlackBaud

US Attendance Database

Shipley Shops

Student Service Learning

LS Comment Writing

Database

BlackBook

US Comment

Writing Database

MS Comment Writing

Database

External RelationsRaisers

EdgeAdmissions Office

Business Office

Financial Edge

Medical Records

Winschool

Auction Database

MS US scheduling

LSscheduling

Custom Access

Database for

Colleges & Reps

Custom Excel

Database Athletics Schedule

Star

US Discipline Database

E-class

Learning Support

Database

Student Support

Database

OTHER - Informational lists -student awards, extracurricular

activites.....

MS Tracking Databse MS

Disciplne Database

Enrollment List (spreadsheet)

LS Attendence

Community Service

Service Summary

January 2005



Shipley Databases Today



Blackbaud

NetCommunity & Online Campus

Community Website Management and

Portal System

Admissions Office

Education Edge

Registrar’s Office

FA Web

NetClassroom

Financial Edge

Student Billing

General Ledger

Cash Receipts

Accounts Payable

Wealthpoint

Raiser’s Edge



How did we get there? Systematic, Coordinated, Interactive Process

Stages 1. Exploration

– A snapshot of the current reality 2. Information Gathering

– Explore a shared vision – What will most likely close the gap between the current reality and the

shared vision 3. Implementation

– Consideration and support for everyone – Distributed and Shared Leadership

4. Supporting the Vision and the System – Leadership, Accountability, Planning

5. Moving to the Web



Stage 1: Exploration

Rachel Welsh, Webmaster

Rose di BenedettoDirector of Instructional

Technology

Development Office

Admissions Office

Nurses

Acadmic Areas

Scheduler

Divisioanl Administrative

Assistants

Teachers

Learning Support

AthleticsAssistant Division Heads

College Counseling



Shipley’s Exploration Results “The data is here but I can’t access it in useful ways.”

“The database source that I use is unreliable and not available in a

timely way.”

Concerns regarding the possibility of changes to the databases? (fear and hope?) “None, anything would be better than this.”

The Website can’t be audience specific.



Stage 2: Information Gathering 1. A Shared Vision & Clear Definition of Ideal Database Management

System 2. A Solution 3. A Plan



Shipley’s Ideal Database Management System Collection of interrelated data

Smooth retrieval and storage of information

An environment that is convenient and efficient to use

Ability to mine the data for specific information

Safety of information

Concurrency controls



Considerations Choosing a System Impact on

– Current way of doing business for each office – Tech Department – Training on teacher time/schedule

Training options/availability

Support – on campus, offsite, online, phone, web

In-house expertise

Summer availability of Staff / Faculty

Learning curve that will extend for a few years



Stage 3: Implementation

HOS Assigned Tri-chairs 1. Rachel Welsh

• Webmaster 2. John Zelek

• Director of Technology 3. Rose di Benedetto

• Director of Instructional Technology

Committee – Representative from each module/system

R J R





Linking Records (Details) 1. Merge RE Duplicates 2. Link AO & SB – merge duplicates 3. Add RO (import) – merge with AO/SB duplicates 4. Link EE & RE – record-by-record

1. Began with current students & their families





Stage 4: Ongoing Maintenance: Supporting the Vision and the System Director of Data Operations Skilled users Access to training Policies & Procedures Limited privileges Single point of entry for records Movement to Web

http://forums.blackbaud.com/forums/224.aspx



Stage 5: Moving to the Web



Pre-Promotion & Promotion of the New Site

Pre-launch views – All-colleague meeting – Upper School Parent

Visiting Day Postcard to all

constituents “Warning” to parents

– New site required login



Initial Features, Enhancements & Recent Projects Release Started by just making some

existing content password protected After 3 months made move to “fun” BBNC

tools, i.e. directories, targeted content Advanced BBNC training to create new

layouts – www.shipleyschool.org/news

No longer printing and mailing family directories – www.shipleyschool.org/directories

Did not print a 2008-2009 Annual Report

Coming Soon! Online Application In R&D – Teacher Pages In R&D – User Networking

http://www.shipleyschool.org/Page.aspx?pid=299

http://www.shipleyschool.org/directories



Benefits of using BBNC/OCC Online data changes – single point of entry

Online directories

EE/RE integration means single sign-on

Some audience specific messages Ease Alumni event registration process for Alumni and Alumni Office

Listing of lost alumni

As constituent moves through the process the web knows

– Parent becomes faculty, becomes former faculty, becomes honorary alumni







Drawbacks of Integrating Databases into Web “Hostage” to data base entries

– Can easily destroy Web set-up

Shipley has constituent/non-constituent set-up – Can’t use many BBNC features

Transparency of data



Unique Configurations for Shipley Targeted content with profile forms

Profile forms used to display profiles because they show relationships

Chapters used as class pages

All non-class specific alumni data in standard page configuration

Videos on YouTube and Vimeo



Making Your Move



Considerations for the Project Do you have the necessary support from your administration? All voices have to be heard Change of attitude as well as practice Fear of having confidential information made accessible to

unauthorized individuals Learning curve involved in understanding and using database How would a new system impact individual’s workload Thoughtful timeline for implementation Acknowledgement of the stress involved in change Willingness on everyone’s part to change some aspect of how they do

things A willingness to trust that everyone is capable of using and sharing a

database That was Then – This is Now



Phasing/timing of implementation/roll out

Possibility of temporarily running concurrent databases

Conversion of data

Growth potential of new system

Considerations for the Project: The Data



Considerations for the Project:

The people



Cultural Change in School Administration Communication between offices

Work Flow

Where to get information

Who has information

Emphasis on working smarter, not harder



What to Expect Culture Shift

Roles and job description changes

New positions

Bumps in the road with data migration



In order to succeed focus on the people



In order to succeed focus on the people Has to be directly and actively supported by the top level administration

Process has to be systemic, embedded in everything you do

Need to hold someone accountable for project

Need representation of all database users in the project

– representatives need to be held accountable for participation

Establish colleague – including teaching faculty -- understanding of need for database restructuring

Don’t expect it to be a magic database



In order to succeed focus on the data



In order to succeed focus on the data Give yourselves a generous/workable timeline for data migration

Need representation of all database users in the project and the

representatives need to be held accountable for participation

Establish colleague – including teaching faculty -- understanding of need for database restructuring

Develop institutional point of view for all employees

Educate all faculty and staff on use of new system

Don’t expect it to be a magic database



Don’t skimp on the … Pre integration/conversion Data Clean-up

Training

Internal Communications

– You’re changing people’s jobs – You’re changing the way the school does business

External Communication

– You’re changing the way people know what’s happening at your institution – You’re changing the way people support your institution



Implementing a Database Driven Website What we did right

– Clean and integrate EE and RE – Create and maintain policies and procedures – Put content behind the login that parents need – even if it wasn’t

confidential – Decisions by committee

• Move to online directories meant support from Administration

What we should have done – Design – use the Blackbaud design team – More promotion – you can’t over-promote the change

What I wish someone had told me – Be prepared to answer 5 “I need my password” emails a day – Before you release a new feature have the video tutorial ready



Resources Administrative Databases

– http://iris.inresonance.com/directory/1 Data Migration

– http://www.infotechnet.org/ntca/DataMigration.htm – http://partners.netapp.com/go/techontap/NGS_migration.pdf

Data Integration – http://www.inresonance.com/blogs/irkd/?cat=5 – http://www.inresonance.com/integration

Independent School Ning conversations – http://isenet.ning.com/group/whipplehillschools/forum/topics/1194706:Topic:31284

Clay Shirky on Collaboration vs. Institutions – http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/clay_shirky_on_institutions_versus_collaboration.ht

ml

http://iris.inresonance.com/directory/1

http://www.infotechnet.org/ntca/DataMigration.htm

http://partners.netapp.com/go/techontap/NGS_migration.pdf

http://www.inresonance.com/blogs/irkd/?cat=5

http://www.inresonance.com/integration

http://isenet.ning.com/group/whipplehillschools/forum/topics/1194706:Topic:31284

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/clay_shirky_on_institutions_versus_collaboration.html

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/clay_shirky_on_institutions_versus_collaboration.html

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