Swim Calls on Higher Education Leaders to Start With the Problem, Not the Platform
TAMPA, FL, UNITED STATES, August 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Rapid technological change sweeps across higher education, yet institutions often delay essential discussions about what they truly require from such innovations. As universities and colleges evaluate new CRM systems, artificial intelligence tools, and other solutions, Swim Digital Group is advising leaders to begin with a more essential inquiry:
Which issue are we aiming to resolve?
“In almost every technology conversation, the first question is, ‘What platform should we buy?’” said Trimeka Benjamin, CEO of Swim Digital Group. “Before comparing vendors or scheduling product demonstrations, institutions should pause and ask a different question: ‘What problem are we trying to solve?’ When institutions answer that first, technology decisions become much clearer.”
During the last several years, Swim has partnered with colleges and universities nationwide on CRM deployment, enrollment management, communications, and operational processes. Throughout this work, a recurring pattern emerges: technology functions best when institutions have a precise understanding of the issue it must address, how the workflow should be structured, and how people will engage with it. Often, the real obstacle is not the software itself. It is communication that remains uncoordinated across departments, enrollment workflows lacking clear ownership, or teams operating with mismatched definitions of success. When such challenges persist, swapping out a CRM rarely solves the root problem because the technology was never the main barrier.
“Technology can absolutely help institutions work faster and make better use of their resources,” Benjamin said. “But if admissions, marketing, IT, student affairs, and academics aren’t clear on what they’re trying to accomplish together, no platform is going to fix that. Technology should support decisions the institution has already made about what needs to change.”
Technology can enhance execution. It cannot define it.
The swift advancement of artificial intelligence makes that distinction even more critical. AI can cut down on repetitive tasks, help teams communicate on a larger scale, and present information that drives better choices. But it cannot determine which problems are most important, clarify who owns each piece of work, or decide what students actually need from their institution.
“AI is creating incredible possibilities for higher education,” Benjamin said. “But it doesn’t replace the work of understanding how things operate today. Institutions still have to look at their processes, decide who owns what, and understand where students are experiencing friction. AI can support that work, but it can’t make those decisions for you.”
Instead of starting with the question of which technology should come next, Swim urges institutional leaders to first reflect on:
What are we trying to make easier or better for students?
Where are students encountering unnecessary barriers?
Are departments working toward the same goals?
Which processes are creating unnecessary work for staff?
How will we know whether a change is actually working?
The responses often uncover opportunities that have little connection to acquiring another platform. An institution may already possess the necessary technology yet lack clear workflows, consistent communication, or a shared perspective on how the technology should serve the work.
As technology continues to evolve, the question for institutions is not simply what becomes available next. It is whether they grasp what they need technology to accomplish.
“Technology will continue to change,” Benjamin said. “The goal isn’t to have the newest technology. It’s to have technology that supports the work your institution needs to do and that your people know how to use well. When you understand the problem first, you can make much better decisions about the tools that belong in the answer.”
Read the August Issue of The Current: A monthly perspective from Swim on what higher education should be thinking about next.
About Swim Digital Group
Every institution has good people doing important work. Swim Digital Group jumps into that work with colleges and universities to understand how things operate today, where students and teams experience friction, and what is getting in the way. From enrollment and communications to technology and institutional operations, Swim helps campus teams make practical decisions about what needs to change and how to carry the work forward.
Learn more at swimdigitalgroup.com.
Caroline Day
Swim Digital Group
cday@swimdigitalgroup.com
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