Limitations of off-the-shelf software data collection platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, Survey Monkey) can possibly affect the types of survey data collected by higher education (HE) institutional data professionals. Overcoming this limitation could be beneficial for increasing the quality of results obtained when striving to support HE stakeholders. Consideration of creative and novel approaches to collect data in a way that overcomes common platform limitations has historically been constrained by steep software learning curves. R is a language often used at HE institutions for working with data. Generative AI (GAI) conversational coding paired with the R Shiny framework allows for the rapid prototyping of proof-of-concept (POC) web applications by HE professionals with limited software development experience, going beyond the limitations of existing platforms and possibly better supporting the specific contextual needs of HE stakeholders. Demonstrated in this work is a conversational coding example using a design science research framework applied to a hypothetical HE recruitment scenario. A novel survey data collection web application artifact is produced as an illustrative applied example to understand in what ways a conversationally coded app can extend the capabilities of HE data professionals beyond features offered by existing data collection platforms. The result is a functional POC and perhaps offers a fresh perspective on what is possible by HE data professionals with limited programming experience.