When a large public university set out to implement SPOL as its central platform for strategic planning, its leadership knew that successful adoption wouldn’t come from top-down mandates alone. Instead, they embraced a people-first approach, building trust, cultivating buy-in, and focusing on authentic engagement with end users across campus. What followed was a large-scale, thoughtfully coordinated rollout that laid the foundation for long-term success.
Establishing Trust and Building Buy-In
The implementation team began at the highest levels of leadership, meeting first with vice chancellor units before moving through all 9 vice-chancellor units and 14 colleges. These weren’t one-size-fits-all trainings; they were personalized, 45 to 60-minute information sessions strategically scheduled with the help of administrative assistants. The team made a deliberate choice not to call them "trainings" at all. Instead, they positioned them as conversations.
A core tenet of the approach was transparency. The team shared how and why the institution had chosen SPOL, walking through the RFP process, the selection timeline, and the stakeholders involved. By demystifying the decision-making process, they built early trust and helped users feel like partners in the transition, not passive recipients of a new tool.
Tailoring the Message
Understanding the institution's "voluntold" culture around educational technology, the team knew that buy-in wouldn’t come from mandates. Instead, they leaned on a Socratic style of facilitation, asking meaningful questions like, “How many emails does it take to tell your story?” and “How much time are you spending gathering your data?” These conversations sparked reflection and helped units recognize the inefficiencies in their current processes.
Rather than relying on slide decks, the team dove straight into the SPOL platform during meetings, showing rather than telling. They focused on the features that mattered most, such as data entry, dashboard views, and reporting functionality, while intentionally steering clear of overwhelming participants with metrics or functionality they didn’t yet need. Using a spreadsheet-to-platform visual comparison, they demonstrated how familiar unit-level language could live and thrive inside SPOL.
Momentum Through Excitement and Support
This approach generated excitement across several colleges. One college, for instance, became an early champion, even with their unique dual-reporting structure to both the Provost and the Institute of Agriculture. Their team saw the platform’s potential not just for compliance, but for broader strategic planning, particularly around KPIs.
To reinforce learning, each unit received a follow-up PowerPoint deck with clear screenshots and step-by-step instructions. Some units began using SPOL immediately, while others circulated the information internally and followed up with additional questions.
Looking Ahead: Sustaining Engagement
As the initial wave of sessions wrapped up, only four colleges or units remained. The team convened a retreat with Institutional Research and Effectiveness leaders to strategize future support. From there, they began floating options for workshops and one-on-one meetings to deepen engagement and ensure lasting success.
This case demonstrates that large-scale end-user training isn’t just about software. It is about relationships. With intentional planning, clear communication, and genuine listening, this institution transformed a rollout into an institutional effectiveness movement.
If you are interested in hearing more about this case study, join us Thursday, May 29th at 2:00 PM EST for a live webinar with the implementation lead and Jayme Kerr, customer success and engagement manager, as they walk through the strategy, challenges, and lessons learned from this successful large-scale rollout.
