Project Info
Client
Council on Higher Education (CHE)
Service
Bespoke Software Development
Industry
Public Sector — Higher Education
Duration
12 Months (October 2022 – October 2023)
Stack
QAF-MIS, HEQSF Online, HEQCIS, SDLC, Agile / Sprint Methodology
Challenge
The Council on Higher Education (CHE) needed to modernise its Quality Assurance Framework Management Information System (QAF-MIS) — a complex platform spanning seven functional subsystems used by higher education institutions across South Africa. The core challenge was bridging the gap between regulatory requirements and technical implementation: the CHE's internal teams lacked dedicated Business Analysts and Solution Architects who could translate policy mandates into actionable technical specifications. Without this capability, system enhancements risked misalignment with quality assurance standards and delayed rollouts affecting the entire higher education sector.
Our Process
Kyxis Technologies deployed two experienced Business Analysts / Solution Architects embedded within the CHE for a 12-month engagement. Working in Agile sprint cycles, the team conducted stakeholder workshops, documented as-is processes, and produced detailed functional and technical specifications across all seven QAF-MIS subsystems.
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QAF (Quality Assurance Framework) core module
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DRP — HEQSF Diploma Route Processing
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Quality Reviews Online portal
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HEQSF Online qualification registration
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HEQCIS Higher Education Contact Information System
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Institutional Profiles management module
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HEQSF Online Backups & data integrity
The Solution
Kyxis Technologies embedded a dedicated BA/SA team within CHE's ICT and quality assurance divisions, ensuring real-time alignment between business requirements and technical delivery. The team authored business requirements documents (BRDs), system design documents, test plans, and sprint backlogs — enabling the CHE's development partners to execute with precision.
Full SDLC coverage from requirements to UAT sign-off
Agile sprint planning and backlog management
Stakeholder workshops and process mapping across all 7 subsystems
Technical documentation aligned to CHE regulatory mandates
The Impact
Over the 12-month engagement, all seven QAF-MIS subsystems received complete, implementation-ready specifications. CHE's development partners were able to proceed with confidence, reducing rework cycles and accelerating delivery timelines. The embedded model ensured that business intent was never lost in translation between policy teams and technical teams.
7 subsystems fully documented and specification-ready
Accelerated delivery timelines with reduced rework
Seamless alignment between CHE policy requirements and technical teams
Improved institutional data quality across HEQCIS and HEQSF Online
Conclusion
By embedding seasoned Business Analysts and Solution Architects directly within CHE, Kyxis Technologies ensured that one of South Africa's most critical higher education regulatory systems was modernised with clarity, rigour, and alignment. The engagement demonstrated Kyxis Technologies' ability to operate at the intersection of policy and technology — translating complex regulatory frameworks into actionable system designs.
"Kyxis Technologies proved to be a reliable partner in our QAF-MIS modernisation journey. Their BAs brought the right blend of analytical rigour and stakeholder sensitivity, which made all the difference in navigating the complexity of our systems."
— Dr Britta Zawada, Director: QAF Implementation, Council on Higher Education
Business Analysis
Comprehensive requirements gathering, process mapping, and BRD authoring across all QAF-MIS subsystems to bridge policy and technology.
Solution Architecture
End-to-end system design documents and technical specifications enabling CHE's development partners to deliver with precision and confidence.
Agile Delivery
Sprint-based engagement model with iterative stakeholder reviews ensuring continuous alignment and on-time delivery across a 12-month programme.