IT Strategy Video Transcripts

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The U of G IT Strategy: Experience Reimagined
Student Experience Reimagined
Teaching and Learning Reimagined
Research Support Reimagined
Information Systems Reimagined
Cyber Security Reimagined

The U of G IT Strategy: Experience Reimagined

(gentle upbeat music)

[View of Johnston Green and the football field on the University of Guelph campus]

0:02 - Narrator: Through this IT strategic plan, we are reimagining the university experience.

[Students walking by the University of Guelph sign at the corner of Gordon Street and College Avenue; text appears that says “IT Strategic Plan 2021: Experience Reimagined.”]

0:12 - Narrator: Imagine...a university where wait times are a thing of the past…

[A female student is on her phone and a thought bubble appears beside her head with a graphic of people waiting in line.]

0:17 - Narrator: …and there are no barriers to accessing the information we need.

[We zoom out on the student who is still on her phone using the U of G student app, and we see different bubbles pop up around her head representing the different types of information she can access via the app: Classes, Fit&Rec, ID Card, Campus Help and Wayfinding]

0:22 - Narrator: From booking appointments…

[We see a female student sitting on a bench in Branion Plaza at the University of Guelph with a laptop on their lap. A graphic bubble appears indicating that she has successfully booked a course selection appointment online.]

0:24 - Narrator: …to exploring events or finding the closest available study space.

[Two female students walk up to a digital poster kiosk on campus that shows an interactive campus map]

0:30 - Narrator: We will spend less time finding our way, and more time connecting with our community.

[We see a male student check the campus wayfinding app and then walk away in the indicated direction; then we see four students sitting at a table talking together with laptops open.]

0:38 - Narrator: Together, we will see how our university fosters innovative experiences in teaching and learning, bringing smarter and more engaging technology to the classroom…

[We see students in a lounge-type classroom with a female instructor walking around and checking in with both in-person and online students. We then see a student answering quiz questions on her smartphone, and then flip to a male instructor lecturing in a traditional lecture theatre.]

0:49 - Narrator: …whether in person or remote, all from the location or device of our choice.

[We see the frame of the male professor in the lecture theatre change from in the classroom to someone viewing that same lecture/instructor on-screen from a picnic table outside.]

0:58 - Narrator: We will take a fresh look at how systems and processes are designed with the user experience in mind. They are cloud-based, secure and most importantly, easy to use

[View of the Science Complex building on the Guelph campus and then we see a female in a white coat doing research in lab. We see graphic of a notification icon pop up which prompts her to check her laptop. We now see the researcher’s computer screen showing a grant application status with various steps completed. We see graphics to indicate cloud-based (cloud), secure (shield) and easy to use (settings icon with check mark).]

1:13 - Narrator: We see a university that extends beyond the physical borders of campus, where users can stay globally connected wherever their studies, research or work takes them.

[We see the Johnston Hall tower with an IT network graphic superimposed in the sky. The Guelph sky then transitions to the sky of Paris, France with a view of the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower. We then see a male student working at a desk with the Eiffel Tower visible outside his window. We then see a male researcher doing field research on a tablet by a river outdoors, and then we see a female on a laptop, working in the comfort of her home with her cat on the windowsill.]

1:27 - Narrator: This is what we imagine for our campus, and this IT strategic plan is the blueprint to take us there.

[Arial views of the Guelph campus with many students walking around]

1:35 - [Gentle upbeat music with a dark screen then shifts to soft beat-like music and we switch to seeing/hearing key stakeholders talk about the IT Strategy]

1:39 - [Dave Whittle - Associate Vice President & Chief Information Officer at U of G]

Dave Whittle: Through this IT strategic plan, we want to reimagine the university experience. In the 2020 McLean's publication the University of Guelph was ranked number one for student satisfaction as voted by our students. We aim to continue this tradition by innovating the experience for everyone who interacts with our university.

[We see Dave Whittle, then we cut to students entering a U of G building, and then back to Dave Whittle]

1:57 - [Gentle upbeat music with a graphic that introduces the next part of the video. The graphic says “A Unique Approach”]

2:01 - Narrator: We divided the areas of focus into five distinct pillars: Student Experience, Teaching & Learning, Research Support, Information Systems and Cyber Security.

[On the right we see students going in and out of Creelman Hall; on the left we see a graphic of the five IT Strategy pillars]

2:15 - Dave Whittle: With our unique engagement model, we heard from more than 3,500 people about how technology integrates into their daily lives.

[We see Dave Whittle speaking from a student lounge, and then cut to a female student sitting at a table in Branion Plaza on her phone].

2:23 - Dave Whittle: We also engaged subject matter experts across the campus to lead the pillars and lead some of the development of the plan.

[We see Dave Whittle speaking and then we cut to a group of staff members in a meeting room having a discussion with “Cyber Security Brainstorming” on a screen in the background]

2:31 - Dave Whittle: That was very unique, but very critical too, because they're the ones who understand the issues, the problems, but also the opportunities that may exist within those functional areas.

[We see Dave Whittle sitting in a lounge, and then cut to a male student in a lecture theatre and the instructor at the front of the classroom speaking.]

2:43 - [We then hear Shannon Thibodeau speaking. Shannon was a pillar lead for the Student Experience pillar of the IT Strategy. We see her speaking from another student lounge.]

Shannon Thibodeau: I think it's really important to have the right people at the table when you're working on such a big project like this. We're a really large institution, and we have a lot of different members of the community with different needs, and not having the right people would have meant that we didn't get to hear all the voices.

[We cut between Shannon talking, then to a time lapse video of people walking on campus, and then to a group of staff and faculty members in an IT Strategy brainstorming session]

2:59 - Shannon Thibodeau: What I really appreciated about the process was that it wasn't really centred on technology, it was centred on the user experience. Through technology, we're actually able to remove some of the barriers or obstacles to people being successful. And sometimes they're little things like finding parking, or 'what bus am I supposed to take?', or 'how do I get to the library and where is there study space there?' When we take those things away and make it more accessible, we actually create an opportunity for students to just be students and be successful at it.

[We cut between Shannon in the student lounge, to masked students sitting at a table inside the Science Complex Atrium with laptops having a discussion, to the information screen at the bus loop entrance, to students studying in the library]

3:29 - [We then hear/see David Poloni speaking. David was an IT Strategy Student Workshop participant. We see him speaking from another student lounge.]

David Poloni: I felt like these discussions really hit the nail on the head when trying to understand what common problems and issues we as students face, and how certain technologies might be able to help us solve those issues. What made me most happy about the workshop was seeing the summary of ideas that was generated from them and seeing some of my ideas on that list that potentially might be used in the future.

[We cut from David in the lounge to a student brainstorming session with flip charts up on the walls that contain ideas captured in the brainstorming session]

3:54 - [We then hear/see Thomas McIlWraith, an IT Strategy Faculty Workshop Participant. Thomas is sitting in a student lounge.]

Thomas McllWraith: I enjoyed the workshops because I got a chance to interact with a lot of different people who I don't usually get to work with on campus. I was pleasantly surprised at the opportunity to learn about how our different systems are going to come together efficiently and seamlessly, and generally how our campus stays cyber safe.

[We cut between Thomas speaking to an image of another brainstorming session with flip charts on the walls of the meeting room.]

4:14 - [We see a graphic on screen that says, “You talked. We listened.” We are then back to the narrator and gentle upbeat music]

Narrator: We have now taken these ideas, your ideas, and have built a plan to modernize the university experience for many years to come. Our plan is robust, innovative, and most importantly, actionable.

[Aerial views of Guelph campus buildings – Albert A. Thornbrough, Macdonald Institute, Macdonald Hall, OVC]

4:30 - Narrator: We are so excited to share this plan with our U of G community and start bringing it to life.

[Aerial view of the gryphon statue at the corner of Gordon Street and Stone Road and then cut to two masked students walking on campus.]

4:38 - [We then see/hear University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Charlotte A.B. Yates. Dr. Yates is sitting in a student lounge.]

Charlotte A.B. Yates: With this strategic plan now in place, together we are on the cusp of so many innovative projects that are poised to transform our day-to-day experiences at the university. I can't wait to see where this takes us next.

[We cut from seeing Dr. Yates speaking and then fade to black with the white U of G logo. Music fades and video ends.]

Student Experience Reimagined

(Mellow music plays and the video title, “Student Experience Reimagined” appears)

[Simone, a U of G student, walks up to the U of G bus loop and begins typing into her phone.]

Narrator: It is the first day of the semester and Simone has an urgent question about one of her courses. She recalls in the past waiting in long lines at the Registrar's office and instead, hopes to find what she needs via the U of G student mobile app.

[A thought bubble appears above Simone’s head showing a graphic that reflects her memory of the long line-up of students at the Registrar’s office in the past.]

Narrator: She logs into the app and easily finds the Course Registration section and sees there is a chat bot option.

[We see a graphic of what Simone is seeing on her phone, which is the Course Registration site that she accessed via the U of G student mobile app. She sees two buttons: one says, “Sign up” and the other says, “Chat with us.” She selects the “Chat with us” option to open the chat bot.]

Narrator: She poses her questions in the chat, and while she gets answers to several questions, she is advised to make an appointment with her program counsellor for her particular issue.

[We see chat bubbles appear that reflect the conversation between Simone and the chat bot. Simone says, “I have a course scheduling conflict. What are my options?” The chat bot replies with, “I’d be happy to help you. Let’s schedule an appointment with your program counsellor.”]

[Simone is now sitting at a picnic table outside of the University Centre where she continues using the student app on her phone to make an appointment with her program counsellor.]

Narrator: Through the chat, she is seamlessly directed to the program counsellor's appointment booking system and books an appointment to be held online the next day.

[We see a calendar icon appear and see that Simone has the option of booking an in-person or virtual appointment. Simone selects the virtual option. Simone completes her booking and sets down her phone. She then opens her laptop to do some schoolwork.]

Narrator: The online appointment option is ideal for Simone as the appointment is in between two classes, and if she has to travel across campus to attend the meeting in person, she will likely be late for her second class.

[Next day/day of appointment]

Narrator: She receives a notification on her smartphone 30 minutes before to remind her of the appointment.

[Simone is walking by Rozanski Hall and gets a smartphone notification about her upcoming appointment. We see a graphic of notification icon above her head. Simone continues walking and then sits down in the U of G library. She opens her laptop and begins her virtual meeting with her program counsellor.]

[Simone is talking to her program counsellor via video conference.]

Narrator: She is able to virtually meet with her program counsellor and he helps her manage her scheduling conflict. Simone really appreciated how efficiently this problem was resolved and that she had the flexibility to meet virtually between classes. Her program counsellor follows up after the appointment to provide relevant web links for Simone to have on hand as a resource. Simone gets the support she needs in a timely manner, with no lines, and was able to make a meaningful connection with her program counsellor.

[Icons appear that represent the follow-up links sent by Simone’s counsellor, as well as a graphic of a handshape as the narrator mentions the meaningful connection Simone had with her counsellor.]

Narrator: With the University of Guelph's convenient tools, student life is much easier to manage.

[Simone packs up her laptop and leaves the library to get to her next class. The words “Experience Reimagined” appears in the frame as the upbeat music swells with the University of Guelph logo.]

Teaching and Learning Reimagined

(Upbeat music as the title “Teaching & Learning Reimagined” appears on the screen)

[We see a modern-looking, lounge-type classroom with students sitting at tables and on chairs/couches and a number of students attending virtually on screen. The instructor, Laura, walks into the classroom. We see her connecting with students in-person and online.]

Narrator: Laura enters the U of G classroom to facilitate today's collaborative learning activities. The active learning classroom is configured to support the group work she has planned, including study pods and digital displays to accommodate students attending virtually and in person. She is excited to utilize U of G's innovative classroom technology for a collaborative and learner-centric experience that solidifies skill development and provides opportunities for deep engagement with course material.

[We see a graphic of a side profile of a face with a lightbulb in the middle with a title of “Skill Development” and a second graphic of two people with word bubbles and a title of “Engagement.”]

Narrator: To assess learning, Laura utilizes cloud-based student response systems and peer evaluation methodologies.

[We see a graphic of a cloud with the words “Student Assessment” inside it. We see one of the students taking an online quiz and we see how she is doing – checkmarks appear for the questions she gets correct and an X for those that are incorrect.]

Narrator: With collaborative and innovative classrooms at U of G, the possibilities for enhanced teaching and learning are very exciting.

[Students pack up and leave the classroom.]

(Upbeat music grows louder as the words “Experience Reimagined” appear and then we see the University of Guelph Logo)

Research Support Reimagined

(Gentle upbeat music with the title, “Research Support Reimagined”)

[We see U of G researcher, Samir, wading into a river to take water samples.]

Narrator: Samir is conducting time- and weather-sensitive research off campus. While in the field, he receives a notification for the grant application he has been working on. Samir has been leveraging the automated workflow capabilities of the new U of G Research Portal to get the internal approval he requires.

[Samir’s supplies and his tablet are sitting on a large rock by the river shore. We see a notification bubble appear from his tablet which says, “Notification from U of G Research Portal.” Samir leaves the water and sits down on the rock to check his message. He is pleased to see that his message says, “Workflow complete.”]

Narrator: He logs into the Research Online Portal and sees a personalized dashboard of his current proposals, awards and relevant certifications. He uses the automated workflow to get the necessary digital signatures and submit his grant application, with his information being auto-populated based on recent applications.

[We see a graphic that represents what Samir is seeing on-screen: his personalized dashboard on the Research Online Portal which shows his name, his proposals, awards and certifications.]

Narrator: The automated workflow allows for easy completion of all the internal approvals for his grant applications.

[We see progress bars reach 100% complete for the four different steps that Samir has completed.]

Narrator: He can now pass this on to the Office of Research Services for review, approval and submission to the granting agencies.

[Wide view of Samir with the river behind him. We see a graphic illustrating the completion of the next steps in the process: Final Review, Approval and Submission.]

Narrator: Samir was pleased that he could easily keep his administrative tasks moving forward without disrupting his important field research.

[Camera comes closer to Samir as he sets his tablet down to pick up his test tubes again and return to the river. The words “Experience Reimagined” appear on screen, the upbeat music swells and we see the University of Guelph Logo.]

Information Systems Reimagined

(We hear upbeat music with the title, “Information Systems Reimagined” appearing on the screen.)

[We see a new U of G employee, Leo, entering his office area via wheelchair and entering his cubicle, where he gets online and logs into the U of G intranet.]

Narrator: Leo logs into the U of G SharePoint intranet for the first time. He is instantly recognized as a new employee and receives several notifications for various onboarding activities, which he easily completes.

[We see that Leo is instantly recognized by the system, as he receives a greeting that says “Hello Leo. Welcome to the University of Guelph.” The system then sets out a task list for Leo, and we can see the checkmarks appear beside each task as he completes them.]

Narrator: Within a few moments, a service ticket is automatically created to get his new ID card and he receives notice of his role-based enrollment in the applicable University enterprise systems. He is also provided the ability to register for specific learning and development courses, which could ease his transition to the University.

[We continue to see checkmarks as Leo continues to complete the various onboarding tasks. We see other graphics indicating the completion of various actions: a graphic of an ID card and the word “Processing;” “Appropriate System Access Granted;” and a checkmark beside the task of “Recommended Learning & Development Courses.”]

Narrator: He can easily find information about the different services available to him as a U of G employee and makes an appointment with his Human Resources representative to discuss his pension contributions and benefits.

[We see icons representing the various services Leo has access to, including a “P” for parking, a fork and spoon for Hospitality, and an individual exercising to represent Athletics. When see a calendar where Leo can easily schedule the time and date of his Human Resources appointment. We then see a notification confirming his appointment, and an option to view appointment location and directions, which Leo clicks.]

Narrator: Leo utilizes the wayfinding feature to find the best route to his HR appointment. The personalized experience contributes to a positive, organized and well-informed first day for Leo. He is feeling really good about his new position at the University.

[We see Leo hold up his phone to scan a QR code from his computer monitor, which then loads up the wayfinding system on his phone. We see a red arrow on his phone pointing him out of his office. Leo leaves his cubicle and follows the arrows toward his HR appointment.]

(Uplifting music grows louder as the University of Guelph Logo appears on the screen.)

Cyber Security Reimagined

(We hear upbeat music with the title, “Information Systems Reimagined” appearing on the screen.)

[We see a new U of G employee, Leo, entering his office area via wheelchair and entering his cubicle, where he gets online and logs into the U of G intranet.]

(Uplifting music grows louder as the University of Guelph Logo appears on the screen.)