Page 16 - 2021 OIT Progress Report

STABLE: A PARTNERSHIP WITH FACILITIES TO ENHANCE CAMPUS CUSTOMER SUPPORT
In 2017, Facilities invited OIT to participate in
a Request for Information (RFI) process as they looked for an Integrated Workplace Management Solution (IWMS). Facilities knew that SMU needed to better understand the utilization of our campus buildings, and to do that, we wanted to learn about the software solutions available. During that process, we learned the potential of an IWMS solution and how many other processes and departments might benefit from using
the software. In 2018, the official Request for Proposal (RFP) process was launched and various departments across campus participated in the selection process.
During the RFP meetings we captured many ideas from our departmental partners on ways the solution might help SMU. Very early in the vendor presentations, we had the “lightbulb moment” that this was truly a transformative opportunity. What if we could implement a solution that not only provided a wealth of data surrounding
our physical assets, but could also provide a streamlined customer experience? Rather than our campus community using multiple forms to request services from departments across campus, we could join forces on a single platform making the request process and the completion process seamless. We could help eliminate the confusion over where to report issues and who to contact, providing processes that encouraged a more consistent resolution process. At the same time, we could achieve a more global understanding
of requests and issues, using that data to make
strategic, collaborative decisions to better serve our community.
With the approval and encouragement of the President’s Executive Council (PEC), the software platform was selected, and we began the exciting project to implement what is now known as STABLE: Supporting Technology Assets Buildings Logistics and Events. Over the past year, we implemented various software processes and capabilities to better understand our campus space, manage facilities work orders, process invoices and cross charging, manage our physical assets and equipment, track our key inventory, oversee our real estate properties, manage our warehouse and stock inventory, and more.
In the year ahead, work on STABLE continues.
The room reservations and event management modules will be implemented at the start of the Spring semester. These two modules involve personnel from across campus who are responsible for managing rooms within their respective schools. Combining our efforts to ensure we simplify the process for reserving space while also better coordinating the various services related
to events will be a welcomed change for campus.
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