In 1972, our founder invented the student information system, a first-of-its-kind technology that used student data to create efficiencies and deliver reporting for school districts. Today, the SIS exists much the same as it did 50 years ago.
It’s still a repository of student data that can be queried and analyzed to make decisions and report on progress, so when we think about this industry we created, we also consider how to innovate beyond that initial invention. The questions we ask ourselves today are:
- What are the next levels of a SIS?
- What can we learn from similar platforms to integrate best-of-breed interactions that promote usage, and by extension, outcomes?
- How can we advance an industry with entrenched, legacy processes?
- How can we make a more meaningful impact on society and change our students’ futures?”
The answer: INNOVATION!
“We believe empathetic innovation starts with us.”
Consider the industries that have changed in just the last few years. AirBnB disrupted the hospitality industry, Uber upset the taxi monopoly, and Open Table rewrote the rules for reservations. These were decades old industries that few thought would be upended, until someone had an “AHA! Moment.” This is where innovation comes in.
During his keynote at virtual AeriesCon, you heard from our President, Brent Lloyd, that our North Star is delivering data-driven, intuitive, and innovative solutions that empower communities to ADVANCE STUDENT SUCCESS.
When our Product & Development division thinks about this mission, we investigate the new and exciting technologies around us, and we adopt new processes and methodologies to make our work more efficient and effective. We ideate on ways we can extend the data stored within our software to other modalities like mobile applications, portals, and more. Today, we’re innovating Aeries in four key ways.
First, Quality. Innovation isn’t done when the product has shipped; it’s an ongoing effort to improve the end-user experience. And driving toward student success requires us to deliver user-centered products with fewer bugs and better performance. It also means delivering scalable solutions that provide greater opportunities for new enhancements, while ensuring the security and reliability our stakeholders expect.
To accomplish this task, we’re investing in Process & Methodology, including efficiencies in our software development lifecycle, where we’re engaging our users to solve problems, managing requirements, and following a proven process for development, testing, and quality assurance. This commitment requires dedication to both change management and project management, so we can more consistently track our product development and engineering processes to deliver new features and functionality.
One of our most recent innovations was moving Aeries into The Cloud, which provides us with high reliability and scalability. It also allows our customers to host their SIS off premise and achieve greater uptime and reduced risk, while dedicating more staff time toward technologies that drive student success. Additionally, the cloud provides nearly limitless options, giving us the power to innovate even further. The opportunities are endless.
Finally, we’re looking at Future Tech and asking ourselves “What if.” What if we incorporated the future of technology into our world today? How is the technology landscape shifting, and how could we leverage new technologies to improve our world today? What if we could leverage Generative AI and machine learning to harness the vast amount of data stored in the SIS? How could that impact student outcomes across your district, state, our country, and the world? How do we change, disrupt, reimagine the ways we measure success, overcome challenges, and learn continuously?
The Aeries Product & Development division is dedicated to crowd sourcing ideas and information from you, our customers and partners, empathizing with your work and your world as we continue to innovate. Together, we’re dedicated to making a meaningful impact on society and change our students’ future.
