Towards a product topology for universities
At UKEduCamp, Saul Couzens, Head of Research and Innovation IT at Sheffield University, said something like; “Products are the things the university provides, not the things provided to the university by IT teams”. It’s taken me months of thinking about this to start to understand what it means.
Universities provide lots of things. And how we divide and define these things, and then bundle them into coherent experiences is a complicated strategic choice (strategic in the sense of how it creates a competitive advantage). There’s no perfect topology for unbundling and bundling, but I thought it might be fun to try to map out some of the products universities provide, so here’s a few:
| Product | Discover | Apply | Funding | Support | Lectures & seminars | Submission & assessment | Library | Credentials | Appeals & complaints | Network | Careers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Find out about courses, funding, studying, etc. | Apply for a course. | Get funding for a course. | Get help to resolve a problem. | Get info about lectures & seminars | Submit an assignment, take an exam, get results | Read learning materials | Get certification for completed courses | Make a complaint or appeal a decision | Meet other students | Find out about careers & connect with employers |
| Hypothesis | If prospects can find all the information they need about a course and university, then they are more likely to make the right choice for them. | If applicants can apply for a course quickly and easily, then they are more likely to choose that university. | If applicants can secure funding for their course quickly and easily, then they are more likely to choose that university. | If students can resolve issues quickly, then they’ll have more time for studying. | If students attend lectures & seminars, then they will learn more and do better in assignments and exams. | If students do well in assignments and exams, then they are more likely to succeed in their studies. | If students access more learning materials, then they’ll learn more and do better on assignments and exams. | If students can provide proof of their educational attainment, then they’ll be more employable. | If students can get appeals and complaints resolved quickly and satisfactorily, then they are more likely to focus on their studies. | If students form relationships with other students, then they’re more likely to help each other progress in their career. | If students know more about industries and employers, then they are more likely to make good career choices. |
| Outcome | Prospects make an informed decision about choosing the university and course. | Applicants apply for a course. | Applicants get funding for their studies. | Prospects, applicants and students get issues resolved. | Students attend lectures and seminars. | Students submit assignments on time and attend exams. | Students access learning materials. | Students provide proof of credentials | Students get complaints and appeals resolved. | Students connect with other students. | Students make informed choices about careers. |
| Primary metric | Time taken to from first visit to start of course registration. | Time taken to complete application. | Time taken to secure funding. | Time taken to resolve case. | Time spent in lectures & seminars. | Number of assignment submissions & results on time. | Time spent engaging with learning materials. | Time taken for employers to verify credentials. | Time taken to resolve complaint or appeal. | Number of students connected to. | Depth of knowledge about a sector. |
| Channels | Web. Phone. Social media. Email. Agent. | Web. Phone. Agent. | Web. Phone. Agent. | Web. Phone. Email. Chat. | Web. Email. Video. | Web. Live. | Web. Chat. Agent. | Web. | Web. Phone. | Web. Social media. Live event. | Web. Live event. Email. |
| Capabilities | Social media marketing. Advertising. Email marketing. Content production & management. Enquiries. Telephony. | Course information. Registration. Telephony. CRM. System of record. | Website. Telephony. Forms. Data integration. | Website. Telephony. Case management. System of record. | Website. Video streaming. CMS. System of record. | Website. File management. Proctoring. System of record. | Website. Asset (physical and digital) management. | Access management. Website. System of record. | Website. Telephony. Forms. Data integration. CRM. System of record. | Social media and community management. Event management. | Data harvesting and analysis. Reporting. Event management. |