Farmington Hills Company VP Helps Create New Software for Schools

Tamiko Ogburn knew there had to be a better way to handle the mountains of paperwork schools have to produce in the accreditation process. 

While working in post-secondary education, Ogburn recalls, she would board a plane carrying two large binders for some reviews. Occasionally, the one person who could provide a specific piece of information was out of the office. The reviews were critical to the school's ability to offer students federal grants, among other things. 

"There are many accrediting agencies, and the application process is rigorous," she said. "It became a very daunting task."

Ogburn began working on a web-based application in 2009. The result is Accreditime, a subscription-based software that stores all applications, documents and attachments, which can be accessed and updated any time. The system even sends out reminders when updates are due. 

Now Kyyba's vice president of compliance, Ogburn said she served as a consultant to developers, explaining the accreditation process. The niche software is developed specific to schools and the applications they submit, she said. In addition, a dashboard product helps accrediting agencies track the applications they receive. 

Accrediting agencies have been slow to enter the electronic world, Ogburn said, although some have moved to accepting information on CDs or memory sticks. A major concern is security, but she said the company is able to explain how information is kept safe. 

"I think agencies are trying to adapt to the online world, but some are very resistant," she said. "We're building trust."

Once schools make the change, the process is easier, Ogburn said. She estimates that an average-sized school could save as much as $14,000 a year in time, paper, ink and shipping costs.

But perhaps the biggest savings lies in reducing the stress of putting together all that paperwork – as Ogburn well knows. 

"This web-based system was birthed out of the pain," she said. 

For more information, visit accreditime.com.