Mirrorborn

LLP Scenario 2: Evaluating a New Student Digital Platform

Scenario: An Executive facing decision with ambiguity, stakeholders, and pressure.

Decision Title

Should the university proceed with implementing a new student digital platform to replace multiple legacy systems?

Stage 1 – Mandate & Situation

Part 1 — Identify the Trigger

• Increasing complaints from students about fragmented systems (LMS, enrolment, support portals)  
• Internal IT reports highlighting rising maintenance costs and integration issues  
• A recent executive discussion raised the need for a “unified student experience”
• A vendor has approached the university with a platform solution  

Part 2 — Clarify the Mandate

Evaluate whether the university should:

• proceed with a new platform  
• improve existing systems  
• or take no major action at this time  

Provide a recommendation to the CIO and executive committee  

Part 4 — Current Situation

The university operates multiple disconnected systems:

• LMS (learning management system)  
• student enrolment system  
• support services portal  

Data is not well integrated across systems.

Students must navigate multiple interfaces.

IT teams spend significant time maintaining legacy integrations.

No single owner of the “student digital experience”.

Part 5 — Constraints

• Budget pressure over the next 12–18 months  
• Existing vendor contracts (some locked in for 2+ years)  
• Limited internal delivery capacity  
• Risk of disruption to teaching operations  
• Strong stakeholder opinions across faculties  

Part 6 — Decision Ownership

• CIO is accountable for the final recommendation  
• Decision will be endorsed by executive committee  
• Multiple stakeholders will influence (faculties, student services, IT)

End of Stage Reflection

What is clearer now than before?

• This is not just a technology decision — it is about ownership of the student experience  
• The trigger is both operational (cost, inefficiency) and experiential (student dissatisfaction)  

What was previously assumed or vague?

• The assumption that “a new platform” is the solution  
• Lack of clarity about whether the problem is integration, systems, or governance  

What still feels uncertain?

• Whether the issue is primarily technical or organisational  
• How much improvement is possible without full replacement  

Stage Decision

✔ Proceed to Stage 2 — Problem Framing  

Decision Summary (Draft)

The university is experiencing fragmentation across student-facing systems, resulting in operational inefficiencies and a degraded student experience.  

A decision is required on whether to pursue a new integrated platform, improve existing systems, or maintain the current state.

Stage 2 – Problem Framing

Part 1 — Symptoms & Hypothesis

Symptoms:

• Students report confusion navigating systems  
• Duplicate data entry across platforms  
• Delays in accessing support services  
• Increasing IT maintenance effort  

Initial Hypothesis:

• Fragmented systems and lack of integration are driving both operational inefficiency and poor user experience  

Part 2 — Impact – Why This Matters

• Student satisfaction and retention may be affected  
• Staff productivity is reduced  
• IT costs are increasing over time  
• Strategic initiatives (digital transformation) are constrained  

Part 3 — Problem Boundaries

Included:

• Student-facing digital systems  
• Integration between systems  
• Ownership of student experience  

Excluded (for now):

• Academic curriculum systems  
• Non-student administrative systems  

Part 4–5 — Stakeholders & Assumptions

Stakeholders:

• Students  
• Faculty staff  
• Student services  
• IT department  
• Executive leadership  

Key Assumptions:

• A unified platform will improve experience  
• Integration is currently insufficient  
• Stakeholders will align on a common solution  

Part 6 — Problem Framing Statement

The university’s student digital experience is fragmented due to disconnected systems and unclear ownership, leading to inefficiencies and reduced satisfaction.

Part 7 — Problem Statement

Refined Problem Statement:
How might the university improve the coherence of its student digital experience while managing cost, risk, and organisational complexity?

End of Stage Reflection

What is clearer now than before?

• The problem is not just “systems are old” — it’s fragmentation plus ownership
• Multiple solution pathways may exist (not just replacement)  

What was previously assumed?

• That technology alone is the issue  
• That a single platform is the obvious answer  

What still feels uncertain?

• The scale of change required
• Whether discovery is needed before deciding

Stage Decision

✔ Proceed to Stage 3 — Discovery Justification  

Decision Summary (Draft)

The problem has been reframed from a technology upgrade to a broader issue of fragmented systems and unclear ownership of the student digital experience.  

Further work is required to determine whether additional discovery is needed before making a decision.

Stage 3 – Discovery Justification

Part 1 — Discovery Purpose

To determine:

• the root causes of fragmentation  
• the feasibility of integration vs replacement  
• stakeholder needs and constraints  
• viable solution pathways  

Part 2 — Assessment

Materiality: High

• Impacts students, staff, and institutional performance  

Uncertainty: High

• Unclear whether replacement or integration is the right path  

Risk of Acting Without Discovery: High

• Potential for costly misinvestment  
• Risk of disruption to core systems  

Assessment Synthesis

The decision is high-impact and high-uncertainty, with significant risk if action is taken without deeper understanding.

Part 3 — Discovery Authorisation Decision

✔ Discovery is required before committing to a solution  

Part 4 – Orienting Discovery Parameters

• Focus on student journey and system integration  
• Evaluate both improvement and replacement options  
• Engage key stakeholders early  

Part 5 — Authorisation Record

Discovery authorised by CIO (pending executive awareness)

End of Stage Reflection

What is clearer now than before?

• It would be premature to choose a solution now  
• Discovery is justified and necessary  

What changed?

Shift from “choose a platform” → “understand the problem deeply first”

Decision Gate

✔ Proceed to Stage 4 — Discovery Charter  

Decision Summary (Draft)

Given the high materiality, uncertainty, and risk, discovery is authorised to better understand the problem and evaluate solution pathways before making a commitment decision.