Examining the IDC MarketScape: Navigating Higher Ed’s Shift to Cloud-Based Student Information Systems

There are so many options out there for cloud student information systems that it can be difficult to cut through the noise and determine which system would best fit your campus needs. While there are many ways to evaluate vendors—online research, peer recommendations, etc—one way to gain a clear lay of the landscape is to read analyst reports like the 2024 IDC MarketScape for North America Higher Education SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Student Information Systems. The 2024 IDC MarketScape report provides decision-makers with in-depth evaluations of vendors and selection trends, comparing features and functionalities to understand what factors are influencing purchasing decisions. Below we examine which key insights from the report can help institutions choose the best cloud SIS for them.

Key Insights Offered by the IDC MarketScape

The 2024 IDC MarketScape for North America Higher Education SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Student Information Systems offers clear guidance across several critical areas.

• Determining Whether a Cloud SIS Is Right for Your Campus: The IDC MarketScape evaluates how well cloud-based SIS solutions address the specific needs of institutions. It offers readers a comprehensive checklist to determine whether a cloud-based SIS transition is the right move.
  
  
• Determining Whether Your Institution Can Lead a Cloud SIS Transition: The IDC MarketScape provides a list of key considerations that higher education leaders can use to determine whether their institution has the means to proceed with a transition.
  
  
• Determining Which Vendor Is the Best Fit for the Long Term: Finally, the report provides insight into vendor selection. Using its comprehensive evaluation methodology, it positioned vendors into one of four categories – Leaders, Major Players, Contenders and Participants. It also provides institutions with a list of questions to consider when making their selection.
  
  

Seeking Out Qualitative and Quantitative Market Assessments

When evaluating cloud-based student information systems, institutions need objective, balanced assessments—and these can be hard to come by. While many market reports can offer valuable insights, the scope of these reports can vary significantly. Broader market evaluations might not reflect the specific needs of regional institutions; similarly, some vendor assessments fail to consider the size of the institution and the type of student they serve.

What makes the IDC MarketScape’s approach particularly valuable is that it takes a targeted approach and provides a balanced perspective. In fact, the IDC MarketScape evaluates vendors across three key areas:

• Current Capabilities: How well do vendors meet the immediate needs of higher education institutions in terms of flexibility, user experience, data management, and system integration?
  
  
• Vendor Strategies for the Future: How aligned are the vendor’s future product plans with evolving trends in higher education, such as mobile solutions, data-driven decision-making, and AI integration?
  
  
• Customer Support and Implementation: How effective are vendors in supporting institutions through the implementation process and providing ongoing assistance?

Through a rigorous scoring methodology, the IDC MarketScape goes beyond market share to take a deep look at a product’s capabilities. It focuses on the unique challenges and needs of North American institutions, ensuring that evaluations are particularly relevant to this region’s higher education landscape.

What Does the IDC MarketScape Have to Say About Jenzabar One?

The 2024 IDC MarketScape for North America Higher Education SaaS and Cloud-Enabled Student Information Systems, notes that, “Jenzabar has established itself as a trusted partner in the sector, with nearly 30 years of experience exclusively serving higher education.” The report also noted, “Customers view Jenzabar as a partner in innovation, constantly working to stay ahead of industry needs.”

For access to the IDC MarketScape’s checklists, evaluative questions, and to learn more about why Jenzabar One was named as a Leader in the field, download Jenzabar’s excerpt of the IDC MarketScape report.