Formal Planning Optimizes BYOE Opportunities: University of Florida

Abstract

“Bring your own everything” (BYOE) represents more than people using their own devices on campus and upgrading the institution’s wireless network accordingly. It is a convergence of devices, services, and interaction that is causing significant change and creating new opportunities for how an institution conducts its academic, research, and administrative affairs. It’s a complex proposition for any college or university to fully grasp and address BYOE’s implications, and even more so for a large, decentralized institution such as University of Florida. The University of Florida Information Technology (UFIT) organization uses its inclusive and transparent strategic planning process and governance structure to understand UF’s BYOE-related challenges and the opportunities to support UF’s mission. Planning and coordination enable UFIT to synchronize BYOE-related strategic action items, resulting in a framework involving infrastructure, services, policies, and other elements that benefits both UF and higher education more broadly. This case study examines UFIT’s planning process and its framework of BYOE activities.

Citation for this work: Pirani, Judith A. “Formal Planning Optimizes BYOE Opportunities: University of Florida.” (Case Study). Louisville, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research, 2013, available from http://www.educause.edu/ecar.