Case Study Advisory

The Project

Digital Transformation of a K-12 School

The Singapore American School (SAS) is an independent, non-profit day school in the north of Singapore. One of Singapore’s first international schools, SAS was founded in 1956 and is now the largest American school outside the United States. It is the world’s largest single-campus international school.

Date :

2019

Category :

Advisory, IT Strategy, Data Governance

Tags :

IT Strategy, Process Management, Advisory, Programme Management

Client :

Singapore American School (SAS)

The Challenge

SAS was faced with an urgent need to replace their current admissions system due to a lack of functionality and unproductive processes. Having just completed a procurement exercise to replace its entire data centre with cloud-enabled servers, the challenge was to implement a comprehensive core data system. The school management recognised the risk of such an implementation without aligned processes or a data governance policy, because with the new core data system and its integrated approach, the traditional processes were no longer viable as they were based on an isolated approach. In addition, the school needed to develop a new model for technology management, as well as a new type of data flow view based on an updated technology landscape.

The Solution

During the project, Reppel’s consultants were asked to support the process identification and document the results. In the process of selecting an enterprise resource management platform, a comprehensive process map was created through concurrent process discovery and consultancy services. Following this, the team began 3 concurrent activities. In the first step, the newly mapped processes were analysed for improvement opportunities such as excessive processes, repetition and dysfunctional behaviours. The results of this initial analysis were used in workshops with the departments to align the existing processes with the new core data system. At the end of this workflow, processes were reviewed again and redesigned where necessary (especially in HR due to a change in data responsibility). Next, the owners of each existing system (except the core data system) were identified and interviewed to identify licensing issues, planning/life cycles and data flows for each system. The resulting data was used to create a comprehensive overview diagram of data flows at multiple levels, including a three-year technology roadmap. At the same time, the data owners of the core data system were identified and a comprehensive model for data management and ownership was created and implemented. Finally, an overarching technology vision and mission were developed in a workshop with the school’s senior technical leadership team. The final statements were chosen because they complemented the newly created data governance policy, process orientation and technology as a means of learning.

Customer Success

Immediate impacts can be seen in the way the school operates. Improved and streamlined processes have reduced turnaround times and workload per staff member, resulting in higher staff satisfaction. The creation of a new data flow diagram helped the IT director to see the impact of system changes across the organisation, making the changes more effective without disrupting daily operations. Budget planning based on the licensing cycles shown in the system roadmap is much more accurate and reliable. The three-year technology roadmap plays an important supporting role in the planning process and in communication with system owners. Finally, a new and solid definition of the technology vision and mission will support the technology strategy and also serve as a guide for stakeholders to understand the role of IT in the school now and in the future.

Jason Cone, Executive Director of Education Technology

Without the external support of Reppel’s consultants, such a comprehensive change in our technology management would not have been possible. They brought an unbiased view and worked effectively with our executives. Together, we were able to create a system landscape that will enable SAS to meet the business challenges of the future.

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