New rules of engagement!

Alarm bells ring for me when I hear you talk about 'IT projects'. Presumably an 'IT project' is something you can safely leave to the geeks. The geeks will work their magic and tell you when they are done.

This is magical thinking and dangerous.  It leads to familiar headlines - 'yet another IT project fails' - the ones that give politicians bad press days.  Those headlines make me shout, 'There's no such thing as an IT project!'

All projects are business projects. Ultimately, in our case, they must benefit learning or research else what's the point? None of them are just about new technology. None of them can be left to the geeks alone.

Technology means 'tool' and tools are useless until someone sees their potential and applies them with skill and purpose.  Most people are happy enough with the tool they have already.  It's familiar. Life is predictable and safe.  Why would they change? It's hard to convince them to adapt, and adopt the new.  In fact, this is nearly always the hardest part of any project.

This is where you need to lead and play the starring role. Yet, time and again, this is the part which is forgotten or underplayed. Time and again, this absence turns out to the be the truth behind the headline.

So here are our new rules of engagement....

1. There's no such thing as an IT project
2. Don't ask us for new technology. Tell us the business challenge you are trying to meet.
3. You play your role and we'll play ours. This is a double act

The 'e' should stand for 'excitement' not 'experience'

We talk endlessly about the 'student experience'.  We know this matters.  By coming to Nottingham students are investing in a life changing, challenging 'experience' through which they aim to discover their potential, become the best possible version of themselves and maximise their chances of a fulfilling life and career.  This is our product and it had better be different and special.  Why else would students choose our 'experience'.

For me, learning is exciting.  When I'm facing fears and learning fast, I feel energised, excited and happy.  These are the words I'd like our students to use about learning and being at Nottingham.  Excited and engaged students are more likely to be successful, more likely to speak affectionately about their University, more likely to remain part of a life long alumni community, and more likely to come back for more.

So here's the exciting thing for our IT geeks and creative geniuses - the University needs you!  You know how to put the 'e' factor into online learning and being.  You know that students  need no encouragement to use mobile apps and YouTube and Facebook and iPlayer and Netflix and Spotify…. Start thinking now and help us figure out how to build 'student excitement' in our digital University of Nottingham.