This document outlines lessons learned from 15 years of experience in higher education technology management and marketing. It discusses bringing business practices to higher education technology management, including treating it like a business with consumers, sales and marketing, costs and returns on investment. It suggests training staff differently, providing different tools, setting different goals, and prioritizing differently. It also emphasizes the importance of clear communication, accountability, empowering staff, and outsourcing non-core functions. Finally, it encourages rethinking traditional structures and embracing change.

1. Lessons Learned
Bringing Business Practices to Higher
Education Technology Management

2. 15 Years in College Enrollment
Management and Marketing
Started TargetX in 1998
410 College & University Clients
Technology - Creative - Experience

3. Online.
In print.
In person.

4. Recruitment Minute (Fridays)
Xpert Tips (Mondays)
The iThink Blog
Free on Fridays Webcasts
XpertSummit (2009 in Atlanta)
iThink & iDrink (NACAC 2009 Baltimore)

6. Two Stories.
My “challenging” relationship
with Information Technology.

7. Another Story.
My frustrating relationship
with purchasing.

8. One Final Story.
My indignant relationship
with shared governance.

9. What drives you crazy
about higher education?
(or your college :)

10. The Tipping Point

11. ROI

12. A Time for
Different Decisions.

13. Humans instinctively
resist change.

14. Lessons Learned
Ideas to Consider

15. Watch Your
Language

16. You provide a service.
You accept money for it.
You have delivery costs.
You pay people.
You may (or not) have profits.

17. It’s a Business.
Stop thinking it’s
something else!

18. Business
Consumers or Customers
Sales & Marketing
Costs, Return, Investment
Experience

19. Train staff differently.
Provide different tools.
Create different plans.
Set different goals.
Hire different skills.
Have different priorities.

20. Get Everyone On Board
(or get them off)

21. Hire the best people you can
afford, pay them well, get out
of their way.
TargetX Human Resources Strategy, 1998-Present

22. Everyone is replaceable.
Everyone is accountable.
Everyone has ownership.

23. Do you know what your
staff spend their time
doing?

24. Do you know what you
own?

25. 30-Every-90

26. Share Information
(especially financials)

27. Knowledge is Power.
Empower your People.

28. Department Budget
Short-Term Focus
Long-Term Direction

29. Employee
vs.
Team Member

30. Do What You Do Best
(outsource the rest)

31. What is your college
“in business” for?

32. Bookstore
Food Services
Housing
Information Technology
what’s next?

33. What is your
department
“in business” for?

34. A Time for
Different Decisions.

35. What is “core” to you?

36. Build vs. Buy
Tool vs. Service
Want vs. Need
Today vs. Tomorrow

38. Your Vendor
Relationship

40. Vendor Partnership
Mutual Goals/Understanding
Regular Communication
New External Perspective
Teardown Mistrust

41. Take back purchasing
responsibility.

42. Read Different Stuff

47. “How does cloud computing
relate to your institution’s
security policies?”

49. Down with
Committees!

50. “Committee on Committees”

51. Hire great people.
Give them ownership.
Make them accountable.
Provide necessary resources.

52. Take the Chairs Away

55. What are your 3?

56. Subigentes
Humanitas
Mortuas

57. Overthrowing
Dead Culture

58. The Times They
Aren’t a Changing.
They already have.

59. Lessons Learned
Brian Wm. Niles
niles@targetx.com
877-715-7474