Defining the Online Advising Project - Purpose/Goal/Objectives and Succinct Definition

Purpose: 

The purpose of the Online Educational Planning and Advising Project is to envision and implement a student accessible (web-based) application suite to support student educational planning and decision making as identified in the Need statement.

Goal(s):  What does this project intend to accomplish and deliver?

Goals will be refined (and possibly added) as the project progresses; however, initial expectations are that the Online Advising Project will provide:

1. Online (Web-based, mobile technologies, etc.) suite of educational planning tools that supports the student’s ability to plan and transition through the state’s educational systems.

2. Access to timely, accurate, and integrated information that supports students through the educational planning process with the help of faculty and staff that results in the student meeting their educational goals.

3. Automated notification for students that have gone off plan that provides information to get on plan, advisor scheduling options, and/or the ability to modify the plan allowing the student to make the best possible choices going forward.

4. Provide efficiency by the creation of a map and set of directions that outlines the “best route” (academic and use of resources) through academic systems that accomplished the student’s academic goals.

5. Understanding and promoting the concept of lifelong learning, assume that the student will re-engage with these planning tools at various points in their life. Provide the flexibility to support new educational goals and objectives to students as their life circumstances change.

6. Leverage the various data sources that influence the student’s academic planning efforts by providing the student and advisor a consolidated look at high school, college and transfer information that is pertinent to academic planning. The data would include high school transcripts, high school and college test results, career testing, college transcripts, degrees, certificates, etc.

7. Define student needs as they relate to the various views, roles, and tools needed for academic planning:  Educational Planning, interactive advising and scheduling, plan storage and maintenance, degree auditing, college transfer planning, plan monitoring and proactive intervention when the student becomes "off plan."

Objectives:  How will we go about accomplishing our Goal(s)?

Our team will:

1. Develop Business Requirements and Performance Standards designed to meet the identified needs via a web-based product suite, back-end database and reporting system.
2. Develop an RFP for external vendors and internal development groups who may also have solutions.
3. Assess how either external vendors and/or internally developed capabilities and resources would be able to meet these Business Requirements and Performance Standards.
4. Determine how the web product will be supported in terms of customer support and reporting for students, advisors, legislators and administrators.
5. Make a “Make, Buy or Hybrid” decision.
6. Deliver the team’s recommendation to the CIS Board for approval.
7. Review relevant technology trend literature and existing online tools to inform our process.

Succinct Definition:
Describe the project in 50 words or less: