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Michel Biage & Robert Sawler January 13, 2010
uoMobile: Enhancing the University Experience with Mobile Technology Educause Mid-Atlantic, Baltimore Michel Biage & Robert Sawler January 13, 2010
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Copyright Copyright Michel Biage & Robert Sawler, 2010 This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. 2
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Overview University of Ottawa Background Why Mobile?
Drivers and Objectives Planning the Product Evolution of the Design Starting Block / Initial Direction Implementation of uoMobile Product Adoption Phase 1: Engagement of Staff / Leadership Phase 2: Engagement of Students / Early Adopters uoMobile at OUF: An Early Success Story Future: From Early Adopters to General Users Brief Technical Overview Lessons Learned in Year 1 Questions 3
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The University of Ottawa
Located in Ottawa, Ontario: Canada’s capital city 36,000+ students Students study in their language of choice: French or English Seventh in research intensity among Canada’s Universities Students and faculty from over 150 countries 360+ undergraduate programs and 120+ graduate programs in 10 faculties 4
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Why Mobile? Drivers for creating a Mobile architecture.
It has a good buzz factor and seemed like a cool project to work on. Despite Canada being slower to adopt upcoming mobile technology, the University of Ottawa wanted to be ready and at the front of the curve instead of playing catch-up. We had recently implemented a Text Messaging service and wanted to continue to explore options in that space. We want to be where the students are. 5 5
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Coffee Line at Hill of Beans
Capture and Retain Today’s mobile environment resembles the early days of the Web…plenty of experimentation but uncertain impact on the core mission. 1991 Trojan Room Coffee Pot 2009 Coffee Line at Hill of Beans For initial planning for uoMobile, we wanted to get past the experimentation and provide real value to our end users that would keep them coming back. 6 6
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uoMobile Objectives A mobile-enhanced website designed to be browsed on all smart phones Audience should include prospective students, current students, and employees. A simple base mobile architecture that allows us to do agile and quick future development. Not an App!! We don’t want to limit ourselves to only one type of technology. 7
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Starting Block / Initial Direction
As the project came together, the team identified a range of key environmental challenges that would have to be addressed by any solution Underutilization of online services Perception on campus of below average support Variety of hand-set types in use (one shoe won’t fit all) 8
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Product Adoption University of Ottawa was pursuing multiple objectives and audiences in creating a mobile campus portal. The challenge was developing a roadmap that would address all of them. Driving Questions Phase 1: How to engage staff/leadership? Phase 2: How to engage students/early adopters? Future: How to build on early success to begin changing the campus? Overall Approach Phased engagement of stakeholders Build on existing services/technology Drive towards measurable goals 9 9
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uoMobile Design Evolution
Initial Mock-up Feb 2009 Executive POC May 2009 uoMobile Launch Sept 2009 Working in partnership with FairChoice Systems enabled the university to go from a mobile mockup to proof of concept to 2 distinct full working sites with a flexible architecture within 7 months. 10
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Phase 1: Executive POC Initial Mock-up Feb 2009 Executive POC May 2009
uoMobile Launch Sept 2009 11
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1. Engagement of Staff / Leadership
Challenge: Lots of conversations on campus about “mobile” but not clear direction on how, why, what… Demonstrate Agility Core functionality ready in two months Available on iPhone, Blackberry, etc. Make It Useful for Staff Staff/department directory Events calendar Emergency notification Show Short Term Impact Plan to launch at Ontario’s largest admissions fair as a way to increase the number of prospects 12 12
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Phase 2: Launch to Public
Initial Mock-up Feb 2009 Executive POC May 2009 uoMobile Launch Sept 2009 13
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2. Engagement of Students/Early Adopters
The focus of the second phase is to provide high-value time-sensitive mobile services to meet the expectations of tech savvy students. Focus on Early Adopters Launch with the tools a power-user would expect on a mobile site Avoid any “group adoption” dependencies (e.g., community features) Time Sensitive Problem Solving Waiting in line at the campus Starbucks during a snow storm… Extend Existing Web/Portal Services Student information system Talisma CRM for prospecting Campus directory servers 14 14
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uoMobile Functionality
Current Functionality About the University Calendar of Events Info Request Emergency Contact My Schedule Directory Search Shuttle Bus Schedule Useful mobile Links Message Banner 15
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Phase 2: uoMobile OUF Initial Mock-up Feb 2009 Executive POC May 2009
uoMobile OUF Launch Sept 2009 16
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uoMobile – OUF: An Early Success
Problem Needed to collect prospect contact information in a easy / interesting method at a large recruiting fair in Toronto (OUF). Solution Create a Prospect-Specific uoMobile site for the Ontario Universities Fair Primary objective of site is to electronically collect prospect information Secondary objective was to provide prospects with recruiting information such as: Quick slide show Promotional Video uOttawa quick facts Time and Location of next uOttawa presentation 17
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uoMobile – Mobility for Recruitment
Sign up to Win Why uOttawa? Video Slideshow Visit uoMobile Based on the uoMobile architecture, this new, recruiting-specific site (along with the hardware solution) was developed in a very short time frame (between 1 and 2 months). In order to ensure stability of the site, a wireless network was setup at the fair to cover the whole conference area. Anyone who tried to connect to our wireless site would automatically be directed the uoMobile Recruiting site. 18 18
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Prospect to Admitted Comes Full Circle
Once in recruiting campaigns, goal is to convert prospects to applicants and then ultimately to admit. Collected information is imported automatically into the university’s CRM application. While in the admission process, candidates can sign up for a text messaging service which will text their offer of admission when a decision is made. Process initially started on uoMobile comes full circle when Applicants receives a congratulations of admittance via text Prospects provide contact information via uoMobile. 19 19
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Benefits Realized Easy Collection of Contact Information Over a 3 day fair over 2700 prospects (+1200 paper) were captured via the mobile site (compared with 2300 via paper forms the previous year) Since the info was collected and imported automatically, no manual work required to put it into our CRM. Unique Use of Relatable Technology iTouches still have a buzz factor. Kiosks to browse the site and enter information were very popular and no other university had anything similar. Broadcasting our own Visit_uOttawa network enticed attendees to stop by who might not have. Text message allows us to communicate quickly and in a format that is familiar with current group of applicants. 20
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2010: From Early Adopters to General Users
The focus of the third phase will be “crossing the chasm” to from “early adopters” to “general users” with time-sensitive alerts that draw students in, and content that keeps them coming back for more. New Scenarios Requested a library reserve Waitlisted for a popular course Changed a grade New Functionality Integration with library/reserves Info request routes to any help desk RSS for personalized campus news Push messaging integration with Talisma for admissions, etc. 21
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2010: Expand Service to the Full Campus
Moving beyond adoption, to addressing areas where students are making unnecessary trips to on-site service locations. High-Value “Push” Services Registration confirmation Grade posting Refund check availability Frequently Used “Pull” Services Student & staff directory Library catalogue search Library reserves availability Other Transactions Payment of bill Recharge of campus card Space reservations 22 22
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(CRM, EMS, LDAP, SIS, Library)
The Technical Slide The uoMobile team has followed an incremental agile approach for both its adoption strategy and technology. Long-term plans must accommodate whatever replaces the iPhone/Kindle/Blackberry in the next few years. Today’s Infrastructure Roadmap for 2010 Mobile Front End (VM Linux, PHP) Mobile Front End (VM Linux, Drupal) Sources (CRM, EMS) Security (Shibboleth) Web Services (SOA) SIS via Direct SQL (Natural, DB2) Sources (CRM, EMS, LDAP, SIS, Library) Direct SQL to existing systems Light-weight html front end Replace direct SQL with SOA CMS/portal for front end 23
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Lessons Learned from Our First Year
Success factors from the first phases of the project are driving the next round of enhancements to uoMobile Sources: Leverage your existing technology infrastructure Scenario: Base the design on real unmet needs (e.g., blizzard, waiting for admissions decision) Location: For a mobile solution where is as important as who (e.g., at the library, on the bus, in line at Starbucks, at a fair) Services: Deliver value at each stage Location Library Bus Starbucks Scenario Prospects Students Staff Sources SIS Talisma Shibboleth Services Directory Calendar Info Request 24
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Questions Extra Information: uOttawa uoMobile Press Release
FairChoice Systems m.uottawa.ca 25 25
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Contact Us! Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in bringing this technology to your institution. Michel Biage Assistant Director Student IT Services University of Ottawa Robert Sawler Group Chief, Student IT Services Bernard Kluger Chief Executive Officer FairChoice Systems 26 26
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