Technology Analysis

LTDE 5350 | Emerging Technology

This form is designed to provide the governance committees with basic information about your
proposed project. Please consult with appropriate administrators, staff and/or ITS staff for
assistance with completing this project proposal. For the purpose of this assignment you are the
Evaluator. You should feel free to reach out to any professionals or product representatives who
can help provide important information.

Project Title: Comprehensive Credentials - Badges and Micro-credentials for a Campus

Community

1. Project Type
Select a category that best describes the proposed project type.
Project Type - select one.
☐ New-record or application currently does not exist.
☐ Enhancement-adding functionality to an existing report or application.
☐ Replacement-replace an existing application or report.
☐ Fix-report or application does not work as expected.
☐ Upgrade-mandatory upgrade for vendor providing software.
☐ Other:

2. Project Description
Software for micro-credentials and badges: As the demand grows for short-term, skills-
based learning options, some programs would like to offer micro-credentials as part of the
offerings at your university to attract more learners.

The technology being analyzed is BADGR, which is now known as Canvas Credentials due to a
recent acquisition.
According to their website, their goal is to use digital badges in order to help higher education
institutions:
● Increase enrollment and completion rates
● Foster engagement
● Validate skills in order to showcase workforce readiness

A project is defined as a temporary group activity designed to produce a unique product or result. A project team
often includes people who don’t usually work together – sometimes from different organizational units within the
university.
3. Project Timeline
In order to help faculty better understand badges and to familiarize themselves with BADGR,
rollout of the project will begin with faculty professional development badges. Once faculty are
familiar and have buy-in to the process, student badges will begin to be utilized.

June 2023 ● Purchase BADGR

● Begin developing badges for faculty
professional development.

August 2023 ● Introduce faculty to BADGR and a

sampling of the badges they can earn
as a part of professional development
training before the semester begins
● Faculty can begin earning badges.

November 2023 ● Review faculty participation in BADGR

- how many badges were earned?
What worked? What didn’t work?
● Identify the college/school where the
largest percentage of faculty engaged
in badges for professional
development purposes.

January 2024 ● Launch Badge Committee within the

college/school previously identified.
Begin developing Badges that are
stackable into their programs.

August 2024 ● Launch student badges within the

college/school where the largest
percentage of faculty engaged in
badges for professional development
purposes.

4. Project Benefits
Enhance or simplify the user interface
● Professional development opportunities for faculty will be clearly defined. Skills
identified by the University as important will be highlighted and there will be clear next
steps for faculty to receive the training they need. Additionally, badges will be able to be
displayed within email signatures and in annual evaluations.
A project is defined as a temporary group activity designed to produce a unique product or result. A project team
often includes people who don’t usually work together – sometimes from different organizational units within the
university.
Provide better access to data
● By piloting badges with faculty, the institution will be able to see what works and what
did not work before rolling out to the student community.
Streamline complex processes
● When introduced to students, badges will help students see the clear next steps they
can take as they earn badges as their way to completing degrees.

Select the categories that best describe the benefits realized and what groups would be
impacted through this proposed project.
Project benefits-select all that apply.
☐ Automate repetitive or complex Manual tasks ☐ Manage data import, export, etc.
☐ Enhance or simplify the user interface ☐ Provide better access to data
☐ Prevent unwanted actions or enforce standards ☐ Required reporting need
☐ Streamline complex processes ☐ Required system upgrade
☐ Other:

What groups would be impacted?-Select one

☐ The HBU community and beyond ☐ The HBU community
☐ Faculty and administrative staff ☐Students
☐ Subset of student or staff ☐ Single department
☐ Other: Recently Graduated Students

5. Project Alternatives
● Rather than beginning with faculty, the institution could focus first on student badges
and using a college/school or other subset of the student population as a pilot.
● Other digital tools could be explored. Additional options include:
○ Accredible
○ Digital Promise
○ CourseLoop

6. Project Costs

Implementation Cost Credentials Total Cost for 1st Year

$5,370 $4,000* $9,370
(to allow for 1,000 individuals
to be able to earn badges)
*The system can be utilized by more than 1,000 badge earners. This is the starting number to
address the badge needs of faculty and the students in the first college/school.
A project is defined as a temporary group activity designed to produce a unique product or result. A project team
often includes people who don’t usually work together – sometimes from different organizational units within the
university.
Project Proposal Ratings
The committee will review your request and assign a rating to your proposal. This rating will
help the committee to evaluate the proposal for endorsement. The committee asks that the
Requestor and Sponsor also provide a proposal rating analysis for the committee’s
consideration. Rank the proposal based on benefit, cost, visibility/impact and risk using the
following guidelines.
Benefit Cost Visibility/Impact Risk Total
Evaluator Rating 3 2 3 3 11
Final Review/Rating

Category Rating Guidelines

Benefit 5 High Benefit – this request will deliver any or all of the following: significant university
savings, significant productivity/business process improvement, significant
business/infrastructure opportunity
4
3 Moderate benefit – this request will deliver any or all of the following: university
savings, moderate productivity/business process improvement, moderate
business/infrastructure opportunity
2
1 Low benefit – this request will deliver NONE of the following: university savings,
productivity/business process improvement, business/infrastructure opportunity

Cost 5 Total project cost > $50,000

(dollars & people) 4 Total project cost > $25,000 and <= $50,000
3 Total project cost > $15,000 and <= $25,000
2 Total project cost > $5,000 and <= $15,000
1 Total project cost <= $5,000

Visibility/Impact 5 High Visibility – this project will be responsive to the Board of Trustees / Senior
(campus wide) Administrators / Regulatory Agencies
4
3 High Impact – this project will impact all users and constituencies
2
1 Low impact – this project will impact some users AND/OR constituencies

Risk 5 This project presents a high risk of disrupting university operations AND/OR no risk if
not implemented
4
3 This project presents a moderate risk of disrupting university operations AND/OR
some risk if not implemented
2
1 This project presents a minimal risk of disrupting university operations AND/OR a high
risk if NOT implemented

Project Proposal Request

Requestor Signature:______________________________________________________ Date: _________________

A project is defined as a temporary group activity designed to produce a unique product or result. A project team
often includes people who don’t usually work together – sometimes from different organizational units within the
university.