Swim Calls on Higher Education Leaders to Start With the Problem, Not the Platform
TAMPA, FL, UNITED STATES, August 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The pace of technological change in higher education is accelerating, but the discussion about what colleges and universities truly need from those tools frequently happens too late. As campuses investigate new CRM systems, artificial intelligence features, and other technologies, Swim Digital Group is urging decision-makers to pose a more essential question first:
What problem are we trying to solve?
“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.”
Swim has worked with colleges and universities nationwide on CRM implementation, enrollment, communications, and institutional operations over the last several years. Across that experience, a recurring pattern emerges: technology performs best when institutions have a clear understanding of the problem it is meant to address, how the work should flow, and how people will actually use it. Often, the real issue is not the software. It is communication that lacks coordination across departments, enrollment processes with no clear ownership, or teams operating from differing definitions of success. When those conditions exist, swapping out a CRM rarely solves the core challenge 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 improve execution. It cannot define it.
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence makes that distinction even more critical. AI can cut down on repetitive tasks, help teams communicate at a larger scale, and surface data that aids better decision-making. But it cannot determine which problems deserve the most attention, clarify who is responsible for the 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 advises 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 buying another platform. An institution may already own the technology it needs but lack clear processes, consistent communication, or a shared understanding of how the tool should support the work.
As technology continues to evolve, the question for institutions is not simply what becomes available next. It is whether they understand what they need technology to do.
“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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