The Changing Face of IR: The Changing Face of IR: How a New Student Record How a New Student Record System Changed Our Role System Changed Our Role

and How We Changed with It and How We Changed with It

AIR 2007 Session ID #640AIR 2007 Session ID #640

June 6, 2007June 6, 2007

Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri

Kat Collison, Senior Research Analyst, Kat Collison, Senior Research Analyst, Institutional Research and Planning, University Institutional Research and Planning, University of Delawareof Delaware

Karen DeMonte, Senior Research Analyst, Karen DeMonte, Senior Research Analyst, Institutional Research and Planning, University Institutional Research and Planning, University of Delawareof Delaware

Dale Trusheim, Associate Director, Institutional Dale Trusheim, Associate Director, Institutional Research and Planning, University of DelawareResearch and Planning, University of Delaware

Almost 50 years of combined University Almost 50 years of combined University experienceexperience

Today’s Today’s PresentersPresenters

University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware

Located in suburban Located in suburban Newark, Delaware Newark, Delaware midway between midway between Philadelphia and Philadelphia and BaltimoreBaltimore

Origins back to 1743, was Origins back to 1743, was chartered in 1833chartered in 1833

• Public, State Assisted Public, State Assisted UniversityUniversity

• Doctoral Research Extensive Doctoral Research Extensive University University

• 22,000 Undergraduate 22,000 Undergraduate ApplicantsApplicants

• 17,000 Undergraduates17,000 Undergraduates• 3,500 Graduates3,500 Graduates• 126 undergraduate degree 126 undergraduate degree

programsprograms• 82 master’s programs82 master’s programs• 39 doctoral programs39 doctoral programs• 4,000 Full and Part-time 4,000 Full and Part-time

EmployeesEmployees• Total FY06 Operating Total FY06 Operating

Expenses and Transfers – Expenses and Transfers – $617.2 Million$617.2 Million

Synopsis of PresentationSynopsis of Presentation

• History of Reporting at the University of History of Reporting at the University of DelawareDelaware

• Implementation plan for PeopleSoft Implementation plan for PeopleSoft ReportingReporting

• Creation of UD Data WarehouseCreation of UD Data Warehouse• Role of Institutional Research in UD Role of Institutional Research in UD

ReportingReporting• Transformation of Institutional ResearchTransformation of Institutional Research

2000 – Live with PeopleSoft Human 2000 – Live with PeopleSoft Human Resources 7.5Resources 7.5

2003 – Live with PeopleSoft Finance 8.02003 – Live with PeopleSoft Finance 8.0

2004 – Began PeopleSoft Student 2004 – Began PeopleSoft Student Administration 8.9Administration 8.9

Phased Roll Out of SA 8.9 Modules:Phased Roll Out of SA 8.9 Modules:Admissions Module first go-live August, Admissions Module first go-live August,

20052005Followed by Financial Aid and Student Followed by Financial Aid and Student

FinanceFinanceAnd Fall 2006, Student Records went And Fall 2006, Student Records went

live (mostly)live (mostly)

Welcome to the New Welcome to the New MillenniumMillennium

Remember the Good ‘ol Remember the Good ‘ol Days of Legacy Reporting?Days of Legacy Reporting?

• Production reports developed by ITProduction reports developed by IT• Users easily produced reportsUsers easily produced reports• Included data from several sourcesIncluded data from several sources

– Human ResourcesHuman Resources– FinanceFinance– Student RecordsStudent Records– Development, etc.Development, etc.

How can I help you?

Reporting in PeopleSoft HR Reporting in PeopleSoft HR and Financials Was a and Financials Was a

ChallengeChallenge• PSQuery – PSQuery – Heavily Used on Campus, but…Heavily Used on Campus, but…

– Too many tables to joinToo many tables to join– Report formatting was limitedReport formatting was limited– Outer Joins were difficult to programOuter Joins were difficult to program– System was slowSystem was slow

• Limited support from Information Limited support from Information TechnologyTechnology– ““IT out of reporting business”IT out of reporting business”

• Could not report across systemsCould not report across systems

UD Plan to Implement UD Plan to Implement Student Administration Student Administration

ReportingReporting• Functional teams were established by Functional teams were established by

management to comprise all areas vital management to comprise all areas vital to the implementation of PeopleSoft SA to the implementation of PeopleSoft SA (UDSIS). (UDSIS).

• The Reporting Team was made up of key The Reporting Team was made up of key individuals with reporting responsibilities individuals with reporting responsibilities from each major functional area:from each major functional area:– Institutional Research & Planning – Team Institutional Research & Planning – Team

LeadLead– Functional team representativesFunctional team representatives– IT-Management Information Services IT-Management Information Services

• Uncertain future of PS Query Uncertain future of PS Query

PeopleSoft Reporting – Now PeopleSoft Reporting – Now What?What?

•PSQueryPSQuery•N-VisionN-Vision•CrystalCrystal•Excel, Access, SPSSExcel, Access, SPSS

At times, all of the above…At times, all of the above… Other times, none of the aboveOther times, none of the above

How should I run this report?

How do we Resolve How do we Resolve Reporting Needs on Reporting Needs on

Campus?Campus?• A Committee was formed to select a reporting system A Committee was formed to select a reporting system

which will be used at UD with the enterprise systems - which will be used at UD with the enterprise systems - HR, Financials, Student Records, etc.HR, Financials, Student Records, etc.

• Criteria for evaluating packages:Criteria for evaluating packages:– Web-based deploymentWeb-based deployment– Easy to useEasy to use– Have more functionality than what was currently available Have more functionality than what was currently available

with PSQuerywith PSQuery– Share Reports via email and the webShare Reports via email and the web– Use existing data security in applicationsUse existing data security in applications– Give users the ability to write and deploy their own reportsGive users the ability to write and deploy their own reports– Download reports to excel and access. Download reports to excel and access.

• The selected vendors provided demos and then The selected vendors provided demos and then committee members followed up with other schools for committee members followed up with other schools for their recommendations. Cognos BI Tools was their recommendations. Cognos BI Tools was purchased in 2003.purchased in 2003.

Solution, Part 1: CognosSolution, Part 1: Cognos

• Framework Manager Framework Manager • Cognos ConnectionCognos Connection

– Query StudioQuery Studio– Report StudioReport Studio

• Training documents Training documents on-lineon-line

Hey, we can do this!

Cognos prefers Cognos prefers

Dimensional Data Dimensional Data structuresstructures

PeopleSoft is a PeopleSoft is a

Transactional DatabaseTransactional Database

I’m heavily

medicated

BUT…BUT…

BUT

Solution, Part 2: A Data Solution, Part 2: A Data WarehouseWarehouse

• IR took the lead - we live on data!IR took the lead - we live on data!– Proposed the implementation of a data Proposed the implementation of a data

warehousewarehouse

• We wanted outside experts We wanted outside experts – Did not have expertise on campusDid not have expertise on campus– No time; No resourcesNo time; No resources

• We did not want an out of the box solutionWe did not want an out of the box solution– Wanted customizationWanted customization– Ability to grow and expandAbility to grow and expand– OwnershipOwnership

Enterprise Solution

Partnership with Partnership with Phytorion, Inc.Phytorion, Inc.

• Expertise and experience Expertise and experience • Time savingsTime savings• New business requirements will drive New business requirements will drive

needsneeds• Won’t bog down productionWon’t bog down production• Generate data from the same sourceGenerate data from the same source• Speed of processingSpeed of processing• Simplify reportingSimplify reporting

Unlike Others, Phytorion Unlike Others, Phytorion Offered…Offered…

• Expertise and experienceExpertise and experience• Time savingsTime savings• Data consolidationData consolidation• Processing speedProcessing speed• Reporting sophisticationReporting sophistication• Knowledge of CognosKnowledge of Cognos• Knowledge transfer Knowledge transfer • Ability to decipher our business Ability to decipher our business

requirementsrequirements

IR ProposalIR Proposal

• Data Delivery TeamData Delivery Team– IR primary data users, data analysts and IR primary data users, data analysts and

data presenters data presenters

• Primary source of UD reporting needs Primary source of UD reporting needs – Reporting moved out of traditional location Reporting moved out of traditional location

in ITin IT

• Partnership with IT and Phytorion, Inc Partnership with IT and Phytorion, Inc • Design and manage UD Data WarehouseDesign and manage UD Data Warehouse

Why IR?Why IR?

• We collect data We collect data • We analyze, distribute, and present data We analyze, distribute, and present data • We assist in planning, decision-making, and We assist in planning, decision-making, and

policy formulation based on datapolicy formulation based on data• We ensure the accuracy of vital University We ensure the accuracy of vital University

statisticsstatistics• We respond to diverse requests for data We respond to diverse requests for data • We assist other units with research and We assist other units with research and

assessmentassessment

We Have a Vested Interest in ReportingWe Have a Vested Interest in Reporting

New ChallengesNew Challenges

• Learn new data architectureLearn new data architecture• Learn Dimensional Modeling SchemasLearn Dimensional Modeling Schemas• Learn new ETL build toolLearn new ETL build tool• Confidence that we are reporting the Confidence that we are reporting the

correctcorrect ‘single version of the truth’ to ‘single version of the truth’ to campuscampus

• Teaching ‘old dogs new tricks’Teaching ‘old dogs new tricks’– Data DefinitionsData Definitions– Dimensional StructuresDimensional Structures– Reporting ToolsReporting Tools

• And make it easy for our usersAnd make it easy for our users

Is IR Technical or Is IR Technical or Functional?Functional?

Neither and Both…Neither and Both…

Definition: Technical Expertise with Functional Knowledge.

Institutional ResearchInstitutional Research•Functional Unit LiaisonFunctional Unit Liaison•Built and tested Built and tested packagespackages

•Wrote reports in CognosWrote reports in Cognos•Verified outputVerified output

Information TechnologyInformation Technology•Software and hardware Software and hardware needsneeds

•Database copiesDatabase copies•ETL load timeETL load time•Technical supportTechnical support

PhytorionPhytorion•Business Business

requirementsrequirements•Star schemasStar schemas•Developed ETL Developed ETL

codecode•Trained technical Trained technical

DBA’sDBA’s

Success = Team WorkSuccess = Team Work

Build RelationshipsBuild Relationships

Institutional Research’s Institutional Research’s RoleRole

• Institutional Research built and Institutional Research built and tested packages in Data tested packages in Data WarehouseWarehouse

•Wrote reports in Cognos Wrote reports in Cognos ConnectionConnection

•Verified output by comparing Verified output by comparing data from DWH with data from data from DWH with data from PSQuery using Excel and AccessPSQuery using Excel and Access

Information Information Technology’s RoleTechnology’s Role

•Configure software and Configure software and hardware requirementshardware requirements

•Create copy of production dataCreate copy of production data•Technical support of Cognos Technical support of Cognos

toolstools•Work with Network System Work with Network System

ServicesServices

Phytorion’s RolePhytorion’s Role

• Gathered business requirementsGathered business requirements• Delivered Fact and Dimension tablesDelivered Fact and Dimension tables• Developed ETL code and trained UD’s Developed ETL code and trained UD’s

Technical DBA’s on use of Data Technical DBA’s on use of Data ManagerManager

• What makes Phytorion unique?What makes Phytorion unique?– Surrogate Identifiers (SID) for creating star Surrogate Identifiers (SID) for creating star

schemasschemas– Valid to and from dates for effective datingValid to and from dates for effective dating– Count fieldsCount fields– Derived fields based on user specificationsDerived fields based on user specifications

Additional IR Staffing Additional IR Staffing RequirementsRequirements

• Massive UndertakingMassive Undertaking– Creation, maintenance and expansionCreation, maintenance and expansion

• Over 100% time commitment for two SR Over 100% time commitment for two SR IR AnalystsIR Analysts– Hired one IR Analyst Hired one IR Analyst

• Assumed many functions performed by ITAssumed many functions performed by IT– ProgrammersProgrammers– Data AdministratorsData Administrators– TrainersTrainers– End-user supportEnd-user support

Proposed Data Delivery Proposed Data Delivery TeamTeam

• Warehouse Management & Warehouse Management & Metadata ModelingMetadata Modeling– Project mangerProject manger– IR programmerIR programmer

• Report Authoring, Training and Report Authoring, Training and SupportSupport– Project ManagerProject Manager– IR programmerIR programmer

Continuing WorkContinuing Work

• Growth of Growth of UUniversity of niversity of DDelaware elaware IInformation nformation MMart art WWith ith IInstitutional nstitutional TTools (unapproved title)ools (unapproved title)

• Write and distribute reports to the Write and distribute reports to the University CommunityUniversity Community

• Train usersTrain users• Go Live!Go Live!

Questions?Questions?

Contact InformationContact Information

Office of Institutional Research and PlanningOffice of Institutional Research and PlanningUniversity of DelawareUniversity of Delaware302-831-2021302-831-2021irp@udel.eduirp@udel.edu

Phytorion, Inc.Phytorion, Inc. 773-255-3861773-255-3861 Yiorgos.Marathias@Phytorion.comYiorgos.Marathias@Phytorion.com

Presentation available on-line: Presentation available on-line: http://www.udel.edu/IR/http://www.udel.edu/IR/

presentations/presentations/