OUC staff delivered several well-received presentations at the recent Alliance 2015 Conference. This annual international event unites almost 4,000 higher education and public sector users of Oracle applications (financial, human resources, and student information systems).

A number of individuals from System Administration and the campuses were invited to share information at Alliance about CU's approaches and practices. From the Office of University Controller (OUC), these included the following ...

• FIN Project Lead Vickie Martin and FIN Project Manager Carolyn Landa presented Beyond Fit/Gap: Detailed Approach to Successful Requirements Analysis. This session described the highly successful Deep Dive model the two have used for the Elevate: FIN Upgrade project. Deep Dives provided direct, hands-on experience with FIN 9.2, offering early exposure to new procedures and early identification of requirements. They've proven to be invaluable in terms of CU user awareness, positive perception, and acceptance. High audience interest resulted in the on-site scheduling of a follow-up session to accommodate additional Q&As.
• Vickie and Carolyn also delivered a session titled Security: From Archaic to Innovative. This presentation outlined the FIN project team's comprehensive security-related goals, which included ensuring readability, eliminating duplication, accommodating incompatible access, maintaining security for multiple systems wholly within PeopleSoft Finance, supporting single sign-on, and retaining an electronic request/routing process.
• Finance & Procurement Business Services Director Normandy Roden and colleague Jen Bosma (Technologies Project Manager-Employee Services) collaborated to present the Alliance's first Learning Activity Exchange. In a highly interactive session, the two led an audience of training and communication professionals through a series of ice breakers, energizers, revisiting/review techniques, and training games to create audience engagement and promote subject matter retention. “You should write a book!” was one participant’s enthusiastic reaction.
• Last but not least, Financial Systems Analyst Ryan Day facilitated The Single Biggest Problem: A Panel on Engaging, Accessible Communication. Panelists from several higher education settings explored the creation of engaging, accessible communication and its delivery through a variety of mechanisms. The session focus was on providing direct, practical tips for participants to take away to their own institutions. Presented on the last morning of Alliance, the panel prompted interest in collaboration and networking through the very end of the conference.

Congratulations to all!