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August 2019 1
TIP SHEET
3 Tips for Creating an LMS/SIS Policies
and Procedures Guide
BY JACQUI WISHART, Professional Services Business Analyst, Blackbaud
From registrars to department heads and teachers, there's no shortage of people editing data in
your school's learning management and student information systems. That's why schools should
maintain and enforce an LMS/SIS policies and procedures guide to preserve data quality. These
tips will help your school keep everyone on the same page.
1
Create a project plan.
Start by organizing a team of cohesive decision-makers that will shape the policies and
procedures guide, and make it clear who gets the final vote in a split decision. Begin project
planning by outlining the basics of the guide's format and location (wiki, Google Doc, .pdf,
etc.). Then decide upon document control measures—how often will the policies get reviewed,
what is the approval process on edits, who has access to make changes, and how will updates
get communicated?
Project planning should include rollout and training. When will the guide go into effect, and
how strong is the mandate? For example, will adherence to the guide be part of performance
reviews? Also, how will new employees get brought up to speed on the guide?
Once an agreed-upon project plan is established, your team can begin creating the guide.
2
Start with what you know.
Finding a starting point for the policies and procedures guide may seem daunting. To make it
manageable, start small with the information you already have available to you. For example,
the school calendar can help prioritize topics such as grading or scheduling, depending on
what's coming up next in the school year. The school's student and faculty handbooks are
other resources that can help outline the items to include in the guide.
3
Identify, brainstorm, and document.
Establish regular meetings with the project committee to brainstorm the policies and
procedures to document for the identified topics. It's also essential for committee members to
