Driving Digital Transformation in Higher Education

by D. Christopher Brooks and Mark McCormack Monday, June 15, 2020

The Stages of Dx: Institutional Functions

Many institutional functions are focused more on digitization and digitalization than actual digital transformation. Digitization and digitalization both help lay necessary groundwork for digital transformation. The most digitally evolved institutional functions are those that have been engaged in the digitization of information and the digitalization of processes the longest: central IT; enrollment management, admissions, and recruiting; libraries; student learning; and research (see figure 7). Most institutional functions are believed to be either in the initial phase of digitizing information or just now moving to digitalization of processes.

Diagram showing how institutional functions are moving from digitizing information to digitalizing processes. Y-axis shows institutional function X-axis shows stages of digital transformation. Central IT: Primary focus on digitization of information = 0-9%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 30-39%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 20-29%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 10-19%; Enrollment management, admissions, and recruiting: Primary focus on digitization of information = 10-19%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 30-39%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 20-29%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Library: Primary focus on digitization of information = 10-19%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 30-39%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Research: Primary focus on digitization of information = 10-19%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 20-29%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Student learning: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 20-29%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Instructional management: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Alumni/development/institutional advancement: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Finance and budgeting: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 30-39%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Procurement: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 30-39%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Credentialing: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 30-39%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Human resources: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 0-9%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Corporate/employer partnerships: Primary focus on digitization of information = 20-29%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Institutional strategic plan: Primary focus on digitization of information = 30-39%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Faculty teaching: Primary focus on digitization of information = 30-39%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 10-19%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Faculty operations and management: Primary focus on digitization of information = 30-39%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 0-9%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Institutional partnerships: Primary focus on digitization of information = 30-39%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 0-9%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Academic disciplines and departments: Primary focus on digitization of information = 30-39%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 30-39%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 0-9%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Community partnerships: Primary focus on digitization of information = 40-49%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 10-19%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 10-19%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%; Faculty promotion and tenure: Primary focus on digitization of information = 40-49%; Moving from digitized information to digitalized processes = 20-29%; Primary focus on digitalization of processes = 20-29%; Moving from digitalized processes to digital transformation = 0-9%; Primary focus on digital transformation of the institution and its strategy = 0-9%.
Figure 7. Moving from digitizing information to digitalizing processes to digital transformation, by institutional function