For most people, choosing a new technology ranks right up there with getting a tooth pulled. How do you set up your criteria for reviewing technology? Where should you use technology? Where are the holes in your business processes that technology can address? How do you narrow the choices? How do you know you made the right choice? These and other questions will be addressed in this session by Cyndy McDonald.

1. Blueprint for Changing
or Adopting New
Technology
2023
Cyndy McDonald

2. Cyndy
McDonald
• BS in Behavioral Science and MA in Education
• UCLA instructor in College Counseling Certificate Program
• College Counseling Professional for over 30 years: Helped start
Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA).
• Female Entrepreneur: started 1 consulting company, 1
technology company, 1 coaching company
• Reside and Practice in Central California
• Member/leadership experience in NACAC, WACAC, IECA, HECA,
NCAG, and former commissioner for AICEP
• Offering Business|Professional Coaching as the College
Counselor’s Coach

3. Look
familiar?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

4. Why?
Brings flexibility
Save Time
Save Money
Help your practice grow
Operate in same space
as students

5. Iterative Process Stage 1
•Identify your needs
Stage 2
•Prioritize Needs
Stage 3
•Explore providers
•Vet providers
Stage 4
•Ask for demonstration
•Set up a trial
Stage 5
•Conduct usability Test
•Evaluate results
Stage 6
•Select the standout
•Get started
•Celebrate
• No software package will meet
100% of your needs
• Find the balance between the
way you want to work and the
way the software forces you to
work
• Don’t be afraid to make feature
requests

6. STAGE 1
1. Your WHY
Business College Process
Communication Organization

7. STAGE 2
2. Prioritize
MUST
HAVE
NICE
TO
HAVE
DON'T
CARE
Use Blueprint for Adopting
Technology Chart

8. STAGE 2
2. Prioritize
Use Blueprint for Adopting
Technology Chart

9. STAGE 3
3. Explore
Market
Offer One
Function
Multiple
Function
Ease of Use Price

10. 4. Vet the
Providers
No more than 5
companies
Company
History
Support Compatibility

11. STAGE 4
5. Show &
Tell
Ask hard
questions
Use spreadsheet
Share MUST
HAVE priorities
Pricing

12. 6. Give it a
Spin as a
Trial
Prospect Journey
Client Journey
Consultant Journey
Organization’s Journey
Coupon Codes
CollegePlanner Pro: CYNDYCPP
360Planner: Cyndy
CounselMore: coach-cyndy
CollegeAidPro: Book a meeting

13. Counseling Process Management
Inputs
•Student background
•Surveys
•Transcript
•SAT/ACT Scores
•Major/Career Assessments
•Financial Assessment
•College Preferences
Research
•College Search
•List building
•Evaluate college fit
•Prioritize and assign
admissions expectation
Application Management
•Application requirements
•Application deadlines (ED,
EA, Regular, Rolling)
•Honors College, Portfolio,
Supplement
•Essays
•Letters of
Recommendation
•Transcript (high school,
CC, online)
•Test scores
•FAFSA/CSS Profile
•Scholarships
•Interviews
•Admissions results
CONSIDERATION
• How do you like to
work?
ADMINISTRATION
Email, Appointments, Reminders, Summaries, To Do Lists, Payment

14. Technology
Reports
Prospect Journey
Client Journey
Consultant Journey
Organization’s Journey
Coupon Codes
CollegePlanner Pro: CYNDYCPP
360Planner: Cyndy
CounselMore: coach-cyndy
CollegeAidPro: Book a meeting

15. STAGE 5
7. Conduct
Usability
Test
Create test
Create a Rubric for
evaluation of results
Have students, parents, team
members use it
Record & Compare results to
priorities
Coupon Codes
CollegePlanner Pro: CYNDYCPP
360Planner: Cyndy
CounselMore: coach-cyndy
CollegeAidPro: Book a meeting

16. Usability Results

17. Review results
Discuss
Solicit Recommendations
Prepare for Next Step
Coupon Coes
CollegePlanner Pro: CYNDYCPP
360Planner: Book a Demo
CollegeAidPro: Book a meeting
8. Review
Results
Coupon Codes
CollegePlanner Pro: CYNDYCPP
360Planner: Cyndy
CounselMore: coach-cyndy
CollegeAidPro: Book a meeting

18. STAGE 6
9. And the
Winner is?
Select the one that stands
Out the most to you.

19. 10. Getting
Started
Schedule time to learn new
system

20. 11. Celebrate!

21. Available
• Detailed Article: 11 Steps to Choosing A Technology
• Comparison Spreadsheet
• 2022 Technology Report
• Today’s presentation
Chat with Cyndy: https://cyndy-coach.youcanbook.me/
View user stories: @cyndymcdonaldchannel
Contact me: cyndy@cyndymcdonald.com

22. Questions?