Before mobility became essential for recruiting and retention, we deployed a wi-fi network at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock that was adequate for meeting institutional requirements and academic demands.

Fast-forward several years and our hodge-podge of antiquated equipment from multiple vendors couldn’t handle modern needs. Today, as we’re finishing up a major refresh, we’d like to share nine steps that were critical to wi-fi innovation and gaining the right outcome for us.

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Step 1: Articulate the primary goal – it’s more effective than it may seem
Despite sounding like a no-brainer, honing our business drivers into a concise primary goal proved effective because the exercise informed many of the ensuing steps. For us, the primary goal was modernizing our wi-fi to be a differentiator for attracting and retaining today’s mobility-empowered students by offering a home-like user-centric wireless experience to permit students to connect any device quickly, easily, and securely.

About the Author:

Thomas E. Bunton is associate vice chancellor and chief information officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he is responsible for the strategic vision and leadership of information technology initiatives across the institution’s enterprise. Dr. Bunton has nearly 20 years of experience in technology and higher education, including leadership roles at various universities.