IRP Student - 2023 in Review
IRP Student - 2023 in Review
December 08, 20232023 stands out as a momentous period, not only for IRP Student, but also for the entire UBC community. The program achieved a historic milestone in October with the successful first launch of Workday Student following a conditional Go Decision.
The transition to Workday Student will provide UBC with the foundation for a modern student experience that is adaptable and can evolve to meet the needs of both students and the University for years to come.
Throughout 2023, IRP Student has increased awareness within the community and commenced training opportunities to prepare our UBC Community for a smooth transition.
Below are some highlights from 2023:
Community Engagements (throughout 2023)
In 2023, the IRP Student program conducted numerous Call-in Sessions, actively engaging the community by addressing inquiries and demonstrating the functionalities of the new student information system. These sessions provided detailed insights into various functional areas, changes, and allowed participants to ask questions, covering all aspects of the updated system. Watch the session recordings or visit our community events page to register for upcoming sessions.
Institutional Readiness Assessment (Spring 2023)
The second institutional readiness assessment (IRA) was conducted in the spring of 2023 and involved a comprehensive evaluation of the readiness of UBC staff and faculty members. The assessment aimed to determine the preparedness for integrating and effectively utilizing Workday Student.
After qualitatively comparing the results of the second IRA with those of the previous year, a notable difference emerged. In IRA #1, the dominant theme was a general desire to understand more about Workday Student. IRA #2, however, exhibited a shift from wanting more information about the system to needing the knowledge and skills required to work within the new system’s capabilities. With these results, a possible conclusion was that our community had transitioned from having sufficient awareness and knowledge about what Workday Student is to wanting to learn more about how to use the system. These results provided insights into readiness activities leading up to Launch 1. Learn more about the second community readiness assessment results.
End-to-End Testing (Spring 2023)
In May, IRP Student moved from the Build to the Testing phase in preparation for Launch 1 and Launch 2 of Workday Student. End-to-End testing is designed to validate critical business processes, ensure data integrity across various platforms including Workday and its integrations, and confirm secure access for authorized roles.
The process, which took place in multiple rounds, involved engaging a number of key business owners within the UBC community to get hands-on experience and provide feedback and assurance that the system functioned as intended. Read more about the End-to-End Testing phase.
Workday Student Training (June 2023)
Workday Student Training for the UBC community, specifically those impacted by Launch 1, was initiated in June of 2023. Training is designed to prepare staff and faculty to effectively use the new student information system.
Following lessons learned from Launch 1, as well as feedback from the UBC community, the training approach for Launch 2 has been refined. The revised approach focuses on practical, hands-on training and will address users’ most common tasks, processes, and scenarios. This tailored training methodology is designed to align with community needs and preferences.
The training timeline adheres to the academic cycle. Training topics will be prioritized based on first business uptake of tasks in Workday. Scheduling of training will aim to provide Faculties, departments, and units with ample time to determine how they will use the newly trained functionality and incorporate it into their operations.
Read more about the revised training approach.
Go-Decision (July 2023)
In July, the Workday Student Go-decision was approved, signifying progress in the implementation process. Following rigorous evaluations based on predefined readiness criteria, the IRP Student Leadership recommended a Conditional Go, with support from IRP Student Leadership and UBC Governance. This decision depended on meeting specific conditions within agreed timelines, paving the way for Launch 1 in October 2023. Learn more about the Go Decision.
Usage Freezes/ Cutover (October 2023)
To prepare for the transition to Workday Student, a usage freeze was strategically implemented during the Launch 1 cutover period between September 22 and October 3, 2023. This freeze was intended to minimize disruption and ensure a seamless shift in operations after the launch. The cutover period for Launch 2 will follow a similar process, and details will be shared closer to Launch 2. Learn more about cutover periods here.
Launch 1 of Workday Student (October 2023)
On October 4, 2023, the IRP Student team successfully completed Launch 1 of Workday Student, activating the systems that will admit undergraduate students to UBC and prepare for the 2024 winter session.
The impacted users of Launch 1 were primarily Enrolment Services staff and staff in Faculties and Departments that support course scheduling. You can learn more about Launch 1 on the Launch 1 web pages and also find out who was impacted by launch 1.
Coexistence Period Begins (October 2023)
From October 2023 to September 2024, Classic SIS and Workday Student will run in parallel. Classic SIS continues to process, support, and complete all activities related to the 2023 Winter and 2024 Summer sessions at UBC, while Workday Student is exclusively used for activities relating to the 2024 Winter session, onwards.
Learn more about the coexistence period.
Workday Student Support (October onwards)
Since Launch 1 in October, the Hypercare Coordination Centre (HCC) has been meeting regularly, reviewing ticket volumes, and monitoring critical/high priority items. Hypercare Pods are addressing incoming tickets and prioritizing those with immediate business impacts to minimize disruptions.
In preparation for Launch 2, Hypercare refinements are underway in three areas: ticket prioritization based on business-defined priorities; reporting modifications to deliver meaningful business insights; and adjustments to resourcing commitments to support Launch 2 development. Visit Hypercare Updates for known issues and weekly retrospective reports.
Launch 2 Go Conditions Update (November 2023)
On November 30, 2023, following a thorough review process, the program received unanimous approval from Executive Sponsors for Launch 2 of Workday Student, having fulfilled all conditions required for the second launch. This marks a significant milestone in our commitment to transparency and readiness for the upcoming launch, on track for February 26, 2023.
Student Completion Approved (December 2023)
With the successful completion of Workday Student Launch 1 in October 2023 and Launch 2 on track for February 2024, the entire new student information system will be launched by fall 2024. Drawing lessons from IRP Release 1 (HR and Finance), the need for a follow-on phase for Student was identified, leading to the proactive development of the Student Completion project. This plan received unanimous approval, focusing on enhancing support for the university's Academic mission and ensuring a high-quality, modern educational experience for students from application to graduation. Learn more about the approval of the Student Completion project.
Looking ahead to 2024
IRP Student is preparing for Launch 2 of Workday Student, scheduled for February 26, 2024. Shortly after Launch 2, on May 21, 2024, UBC students will first gain access to Workday Student. Continued support will be provided to facilitate this transition for users, building upon the lessons learned from Launch 1.
Some upcoming milestones in 2024 include:
- Third Institutional Readiness Assessment (IRA)
- Launch 2: February 26, 2024
- Continued training: ongoing
- Mock Term: April 2024 – a community event aimed at simulating registration and subsequent activities occurring across UBC within one or more terms.
- Students get access to Workday Student: May 21, 2024
- Winter 2024 Registration in Workday Student: June 2024
- SIS officially offline and Workday becomes system of record at UBC: October 2024