Frictionless by Design: How Higher Ed Institutions Are Modernizing Campus Tech

Start With Reliable Wi-Fi and IT Infrastructure

The first place I look? Wireless networks. If your Wi-Fi doesn’t support seamless movement across campus, everything else gets harder. Students are toggling between in-person classes and digital learning environments. Faculty are accessing cloud tools on the fly. A strong wireless backbone isn’t a luxury, it’s the launchpad.

From there, it’s about the essentials: updated devices, relevant software and tools that feel intuitive, not intrusive. Even authentication plays a role here. We want to secure the environment, absolutely, but not in a way that disrupts the day-to-day. That’s why we work with institutions to design multifactor authentication processes that don’t slow users down.

If your Wi-Fi can’t keep up with the way people move through campus, you’re already behind. It’s the foundation for everything, from learning spaces and staff operations to student life.

LEARN: Why more universities partner to modernize their data center power and cooling infrastructure.

Prioritize Modern Devices, Software and the User Experience

Some of the most impactful upgrades are also the least flashy. Take service management platforms like ServiceNow or Freshworks: They automate IT support, reduce manual tasks and allow teams to focus on higher-value work. For students and staff, that means fewer headaches and faster resolutions. For IT teams, it’s a more strategic role in shaping campus experiences.

Then there’s digital signage and smart campus tools — things like real-time parking space counters or interactive maps. When implemented well, these solutions remove those microfrustrations that add up over a long day. Small changes add up to big impact.

Students and staff shouldn’t have to fight with their tech to get their work done. They should be able to log in, access what they need and move on. When the basics work well, everything else flows. And when institutions are rethinking device programs across campuses, the return on productivity alone justifies the investment.

EXPLORE: How higher education IT leaders are streamlining device management.

Partner for Campus Technology Assessments and Roadmapping

When we come in, we’re not trying to overhaul your entire operation, we’re listening for where the friction really lives and what your people are telling you without always saying it outright.

Every campus is different, and that’s why cookie-cutter solutions don’t work. When we conduct consultative engagements, we’re not just identifying gaps, we’re co-creating a roadmap that aligns with your goals and fits your campus, your culture and your capacity. It’s not about doing everything at once; it’s about prioritizing what delivers real value now while laying a foundation for tomorrow.

Sometimes, the quickest wins are also the most cost-effective: improving Wi-Fi coverage, upgrading key devices or installing signage in high-traffic areas, for example. These kinds of projects build credibility across campus and often open the door for more transformative investments down the line.

Enhance Student Experience Through Seamless Campus Technology

We talk a lot about faculty and staff, but for students, frictionless means fast Wi-Fi in every dorm, intuitive access to learning platforms, reliable tech in makerspaces and the ability to navigate campus without stress. Every one of those touchpoints is a chance to show students that their time, their energy and their experiences matter.

I believe higher ed institutions have a real opportunity right now. By focusing on the daily realities of users — students, staff and faculty — and designing environments in which technology works with them instead of against them, we create campuses where people can thrive. And when that happens, the technology fades into the background, where it belongs.