Based on the case study discussed in the previous blog article, this analysis explores three key questions related to data centralization within a university's Management Information Systems (MIS) department. The case focused on a university’s efforts to address challenges in managing fragmented data, optimizing IT services, and improving decision-making processes by centralizing its data. The article highlighted the impact of a centralized data warehouse on various aspects of university operations.

An academic institution experiencing rapid growth in its student and faculty population faced numerous challenges in effectively managing its data and IT services. The university’s Management Information Systems (MIS) department, which is in charge of overseeing the data infrastructure and academic systems, found it difficult to optimize how data was used, ensure consistent delivery of IT services, and preserve valuable institutional knowledge.

A University experienced significant setbacks when its automation systems, critical for supporting its business processes, were approaching the end of their lifecycle. This created operational risks, including system failures and downtime, which impacted the university’s ability to efficiently serve its clientele. The situation worsened after the exit of the university’s lead computer programmer, a key individual who had been employed on a contractual basis. His dissatisfaction with the offered salary led him to leave, leaving the university without the technical expertise needed for system upgrades.