TIPS VISION
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THE SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENTAL VOICE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
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BACKGROUND
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The Team for Improving Productivity at Stanford (TIPS) is a broadly-
based organization for achieving administrative productivity gains. It
represents Stanford's Schools and academic departments, research labs,
centers, institutes, and other academic and student-support
organizations. TIPS received its charter from the Vice President for
Information Resources in 1988 and is supported administratively by the
Departmental Systems Group in the Stanford Data Center. A primary TIPS
goal is to advise on and influence the development, acquisition and
maintenance of central systems, so that these systems support the
administrative productivity needs of the TIPS constituencies mentioned
above.
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VISION
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TIPS is a collaborative and active partner with the Central Offices in
priority setting for and development of information systems. TIPS
Information System Development Roles:
1. TIPS is responsible for determining that the needs of its
constituencies are met in the development or purchase of new
University-wide information systems, and in the maintenance and
enhancement of existing systems.
2. TIPS plays a major role in priority setting, developing information
system specifications for new systems, and acquiring new systems,
whether they are procured externally or developed in-house. TIPS
also plays a major role in priority setting for modifications to
existing systems.
3. TIPS is responsible for helping system providers develop consistent
user interfaces and help systems, and ensures that systems are easy
to use.
4. TIPS helps to ensure that data is integrated across all university
systems and that local data can be integrated with University data.
TIPS works with the Central Offices to assure that systems allow
Schools and Departments to keep local data in a way that avoids
duplication of effort. TIPS works with Central Offices to consider
the integration of data from and to common microcomputer products.
5. TIPS expects central offices to discuss with its representatives
reasons for limiting or expanding access to data.
6. TIPS helps to ensure that issues of administrative efficiency for
faculty, staff, and students are taken into account as new systems
are developed or old systems are enhanced. TIPS supports a full-
costing approach to system development and procurement, and helps
Central Offices determine School and Departmental costs associated
with systems.
7. TIPS ensures that University IS policies such as the Electronic
Transactions Policy are implemented at the School and Department
level.
TIPS Coordinator: Catherine Knipe
Last updated 12/94