Financial stresses and employee retention issues suggest keeping software and expertise costs low. The software systems should accommodate the distinctive aspects of higher education. The higher education IT environment has a number of special characteristics, such as the migratory workstation habits of students, traditions of academic freedom and privacy, and the legal requirements of public institutions. Middleware solutions must accommodate these characterisitics. The software should be easy to use.
End users prefer natural naming and intuitive tools.
Users may not be able to handle complexity in management of middleware components or personal data.