Headshot of Angela Henderson

26 Nov Spotlight on Strategy with Dr. Angela E. Henderson

Posted at 05:20h in Data Coaching by

At the IEHE, we are always excited to have the opportunity to highlight the incredible work being done by our colleagues. As part of the launch of Data Strategy in Colleges and Universities: From Understanding to Implementation, edited by our own Kristina Powers, we’re bringing you a series of profiles of the higher education professionals who share their knowledge and expertise in the book.

Head shot of Data Strategy in Colleges and Universities author Dr. Angela Henderson.

Dr. Angela E. Henderson serves as Director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness at Stetson University, and co-wrote Chapter 3: Using Concepts from Strategic Planning with Resche D. Hines. The authors explore strategic planning as it relates to data strategy and help readers connect familiar strategic planning topics to an unfamiliar data strategy. They note that some institutions already have an IT plan and may wonder if a data strategy is the same thing.

Key Chapter Takeaways

In the competitive environment of higher education, it is critical for an institution to utilize every possible advantage. Angela notes that the key takeaway from her chapter is the importance of developing a data strategy through a collaborative, data-driven strategic planning framework. This process allows an institution to examine its current position with an eye toward beneficial and attainable improvement.

Dr. Angela E. Henderson On the Process of Writing

She has an educational background in English, so Angela loves all aspects of the writing process, from research to the final editing. She believes it’s helpful to write with a co-author who thinks differently.

“Writing is most successful when the content reflects a variety of perspectives and perceptions. In the case of our chapter, Dr. Hines provided the contextual settings and big picture insights while I focused on the operational and implementation aspects.”

An Excerpt from Data Strategy in Colleges and Universities:

Excerpt from Chapter 3 of Data Strategy in Colleges and Universities: No strategy can succeed in the absence of planning and preparation. This is especially true of a data strategy, which may be an unfamiliar term to stakeholders. In framing this discussion, we look to strategic planning practices that have been effective in guiding institutional change. Historically, resistance to organizational change within higher education has been exacerbated by the lack of a strategic planning structure and data-driven decision making processes. The absence of these factors draws into question the dynamic between an institution’s culture, politics, and ability to implement effective change management strategies for improved performance. Most would agree that the organizational dynamics of higher education are unique and can be especially problematic in implementing a strategic planning process to drive organizational cultural change.

Want to read more? Order your copy of Data Strategy in Colleges and Universities: From Understanding to Implementation now! You can also read more about the chapter authors and an extended excerpt from the book.

Have you ever written with a partner who thinks very differently than you do? In what ways did you find that helpful to your process? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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