[:en]At the end of the month your salary is safely in your bank account. We consider this a given and hardly think about it. But who ensures it happens, without fail, every month?

Information is crucial and strategic for a knowledge-intensive and knowledge-producing enterprise, such as a university, to thrive. Institutional software solutions[1] form the basis of all institutional information systems and process most institutional information. Examples at SU include the Human Resources, Financial, Research Administration, and Student Information Systems.

Information Technology’s newly reorganised division, Institutional Software Solutions (ISS), led by Ralph Pina, is responsible for building, providing, maintaining and supporting reliable, innovative and sustainable institutional software solutions that meet the University’s needs timeously and over the long term. It comprises some 36 software developers, business analysts, and managers, all accommodated on an open floor in the new ICT Building.

Without these systems, you won’t be able to receive your salary or request leave. No financial transactions would be possible. Students would not be able to access examination results or register at the beginning of the year. Administration of student records would have to be done by hand. 

These are just a few of the software solutions ISS is responsible for. In order to fulfill its crucial function, the ISS division has to: 

• manage relationships with solution and system owners (clients), external and internal IT partners, stakeholders, communities and vendors;
• perform business analysis to understand and help refine institutional processes, and determine requirements;
• develop software, which includes designing and coding solutions with the long-term in mind, and establishing and maintaining the necessary software development environment, skills, and knowledge;
• maintain software over the long term;
• integrate  (connect) software applications and systems in order to orchestrate institutional processes, enable integrated reporting and integrated views of institutional information;
• source software solutions by helping clients and partners to select solutions, and by brokering solutions i.e. facilitating the procurement of solutions;
• support software solutions by monitoring operations, configuring systems, managing incidents, and problems, and helping clients and partners to train users;
• architect data, software solutions and integrations in collaboration with the IT Architecture Function.
• manage software solution development and implementation projects.

[1] University-owned or managed software applications (or solutions) that have a broad application across the institution, as opposed to specialised value for a single or few organisational entities within the university. The definition includes software such as web content management systems and mobile apps, amongst others. For example, a laboratory information system that has specialised value for only a single academic department or a single faculty would likely not be classed as an institutional software solution.

[:af]Aan die einde van die maand is jou salaris veilig in jou bankrekening. Ons beskou dit as `n gegewe en dink skaars daaroor. Maar wie sorg dat dit elke maand klokslag plaasvind?

Inligting is krities en strategies vir `n instelling wat kennis verskaf en ook kennis-intensief is, soos die universiteit, om te gedy. Institusionele programmatuuroplossings[1] vorm die basis van alle institusionele inligtingstelsels en verwerk die grootste gedeelte van institusionele inligting. Voorbeelde hiervan by Universiteit Stellenbosch  sluit die Menslike Hulpbronne, Finansiële, Navorsingsadministrasie en Studente-inligtingstelsels, in.

Informasietegnologie se nuutstruktureerde afdeling, Institusionele Programmatuuroplossings (ISS) word gelei deur Ralph Pina. Die afdeling is verantwoordelik vir die bou, onderhoud en ondersteuning van innoverende en volhoubare institusionele programmatuuroplossings wat tydig en langdurig aan die Universiteit se behoeftes voldoen. Die afdeling, bestaande uit 36 programmeerders, besigheidsanaliste en bestuurders, word gehuisves in `n oopplan-area in die nuwe IKT-gebou.

Sonder hierdie stelsels sal jy nie jou salaris maandeliks ontvang of aansoek om verlof kan insit nie. Geen finansiële transaksies sou moontlik wees nie. Studente sou nie toegang tot hulle eksamenresultate kon kry of aan die begin van die jaar registreer vir studies nie. Administrasie vir studente sou per hand moes geskied.

Bogenoemde is enkele programmatuuroplossings waarvoor ISS verantwoordelik is. Om sy kritieke funksie te vervul, moet die afdeling: 

• • verhoudings met oplossing-en stelseleienaars, (kliënte), eksterne en interne IT-vennote, aandeelhouers, gemeenskappe en verkopers bestuur;
  • besigheidsanalises uitvoer om institusionele prosesse te verstaan en verfyn en ook om behoeftes te bepaal;
  • programmatuur ontwikkel met langtermyn ontwerp- en kode-oplossings en die nodige omgewing vir programmatuurontwikkeling, vaardighede en kennis, vestig en handhaaf;
  • programmatuur in stand hou oor die langtermyn;
  • programmatuurtoepassings en – stelsels integreer sodat institusionele prosesse georganiseerd is, verslae ïntegreer kan word en institusionele inligting geïntegreerd bestudeer kan word;
  • programmatuuroplossings vind vir kliente en vennote, hulle help met hul keuses en die proses fasiliteer. 
  • programmatuuroplossings ondersteun deur prosesse te monitor, stelsels te konfigureer, insidente en probleme te bestuur en kliente en vennote te help om gebruikers op te lei;
  • datastrukture en programmatuuroplossings ontwerp en integreer, in samewerking met die IT Argitek.
  • die ontwikkeling van programmatuuroplossing bestuur en projekte implementeer.

[1] Programmatuurtoepassings of -oplossings besit en bestuur deur die Universiteit en wat oorhoofs gebruik word, in teenstelling met die gespesialiseerde waarde van `n enkele of paar organisatoriese entiteite binne die universiteit. Dit sluit programmatuur soos webinhoud bestuurstelsels en mobiele toepassings in.  `n Laboratorium inligtingstelsel wat waarde het vir `n enkele, akademiese departement of fakulteit, sal byvoorbeeld nie geklassifiseer word as `n institusionele programmatuuroplossing nie.