VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
March 17, 2009
Many hands make light work
- Irish Proverb
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Agenda
Task Force at Work
Report on the work of the Institute-wide Planning Task Force
Israel Ruiz, Member of Task Force Coordinating Team
Collaboration Through Technology
Community innovation and the MIT Idea Bank
Michael Faber, Advisor, Office of the President
Tools for Action
Two tools to simplify and streamline work
Margaret Ann Gray, Director, Organization & Employee Development
Dialogue: Use Less, Gain More
Transforming the way we operate by transitioning to paperless systems
Discussion facilitated by Margaret Ann Gray, Director, Organization & Employee Development
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Task Force at Work
Report on the work of the Institute-wide Planning Task Force
Israel Ruiz, Member of Task Force Coordinating Team
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Task Force Charge
Review and analyze current practices and expenditures
that support the Institute’s mission and operations.
Identify




Activities or operations closely aligned with MIT’s core mission
Opportunities for efficiency and cost reduction as well as
costs/benefits of proposed operational changes
Opportunities to promote environmental impact and sustainability
Paths to implementation that preserve MIT's mission, values, and
culture
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Task Force Structure
Task Force Coordination
Data Team
Academic
Administrative
Student Life
Working Group:
Working Group:
Working Group:
Education
Admin Processes
Student Life
Working Group:
Working Group:
Research
HR/Benefits
Working Group:
Space
Revenue
Enhancement
Working Group:
Revenue
Enhancement
Working Group:
Procurement @
MIT
Working Group:
IT @ MIT
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Process: Phase 1
February - May 2009

Each Working Group collects community input

Each Working Group develops prioritized list of opportunities

Deliverable of each Working Group:
List of opportunities with estimated impacts
June 2009

Synthesize inputs from all Working Groups

Task Force presents report to Leadership Team

Receive feedback
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Process: Phase 2
July - September 2009


Each Working Group receives feedback on opportunities list
Working Groups further refine list based on feedback



Highlight critical implementation issues
Refine estimates of impact
Deliverable of each Working Group: Report of opportunities with
estimated impacts
October 2009



Synthesize inputs from all Working Groups
Task Force presents report to Leadership Team
Receive feedback
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Information Gathering
Working Groups’ brainstorming
Information gathering interviews with faculty, staff, students
Outreach to groups across community
MIT Idea Bank
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Overarching Themes
Optimize
Share
Fewer
Simplify
Leverage
Automate
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Stop
Reduce
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Collaboration Through Technology
Community innovation and the MIT Idea Bank
Michael Faber, Advisor, Office of the President
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
http://web.mit.edu/instituteplanning
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
http://ideabank.mit.edu
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Emerging Themes
Revenue
Enhancement
8%
Procurement
10%
IT
8%
Site Engagement


Education
6%

Space
13%
Human Resources
or Benefits
15%

Over 2,000 unique visitors
Approx. 70,000 page views
Average visitor views 14 pages
Average visit: 7 min., 18 sec.
Idea Bank Postings
Student Life
7%


Administrative
Processes
30%
763 entries as of March 16, 2009
53% comments, 47% ideas
Research
3%
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Categories
Provide e-statements for direct deposited salary
Submitted by vonbosau@MIT.EDU
Categorized as: Administrative Processes
Currently, employees who have their salary direct
deposited receive paper-copy statements mailed either
through interdepartmental or US mail. Using similar
software as financial institutions, could we receive estatements instead?
Introduce electronic reimbursement deposit for
travel expenses
Submitted by rvalerdi@MIT.edu
Categorized as: Administrative Processes
By continuing with the paper-intensive process of filling
out travel reimbursement forms and waiting for a check to
be cut MIT will continue to waste money. To resolve this,
MIT could implement an online system that speeds up the
process and saves administrative costs by making
electronic deposits to employee bank accounts in the same
way paychecks are deposited. This requires an investment
in an online travel reimbursement system but the return on
investment will probably be very high.
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Top Rated Ideas
Examine how depts. use internal v. external vendors
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Tools for Action
Two tools to simplify and streamline work
Margaret Ann Gray, Director, Organization & Employee Development
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
17
What Is BPI?

Business Process Improvement (BPI) is an approach MIT and other
organizations use to review and redesign an existing process or to
design a new process

BPI is best used when the process crosses boundaries (e.g., is
cross-functional)

To learn more, go to this url: <http://web.mit.edu/hr/oed/bpi>
18
A High Level Sketch of BPI at MIT
19
MIT’s <Name for the Process>
(BPI “Lite”)
Adapting GE’s “Work-Out” Process
20
What Is It?

A method for “local level” units within MIT to identify, simplify,
and/or take out work.
Could be a whole activity
 Could be a step(s) within an activity

21
Who Might Use It at MIT?

Directors, AOs, managers, others who lead DLCs or offices

The key is to use it at the local level



The leader is local
The participants are local
The solutions are local
22
What GE’s Process Looks Like for GE
23
Reasons MIT Leaders May Want to Use <Name of
Process>

MIT solves problems



MIT is decentralized



This process supports creativity for quick problem solving and implementation.
It also simplifies and streamlines work.
This process is best used at the local level.
It also keeps those employees engaged and provides on-the-job opportunities for
professional development.
MIT has a Business Process Improvement tool which simplifies and/or takes out
work when it crosses boundaries


This process connects to MIT’s BPI process. Those who use it gain transferrable skills.
For more information on MIT’s BPI process go to <http://web.mit.edu/hr/oed/bpi>
24
MIT’s Next Steps for <Name of Process>

March




April



Understand GE’s process
Show to others at MIT and begin to “MIT-ize” it
Recruit groups to pilot it at MIT
Select 2-3 pilot groups
Seek local coordinators/facilitators
May, June, July




Conduct pilots (May 11 and 12) and further “MIT-ize”
Track pilots, assess results, make upgrades to the process
Support coordinators/facilitators
Update BPI web site to include the new process
25
Remember…

These are tools available to you
BPI crosses boundaries
 The new process is local


One tool -- or both -- may work for some departments
(and may not work for others)

Almost all such tools can be “department-ized”
26
The person who brings a story to you
will take two away from you
- Irish Proverb
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Dialogue:
Use Less, Gain More
Transforming the way we operate by transitioning to paperless systems
Discussion facilitated by Margaret Ann Gray,
Director, Organization & Employee Development
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Discussion Guide
Idea Generation

Automate Paper-based Systems

Stop Printing

Opt-in, Opt-out
Forces for, Forces Against
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Idea Generation
Automate Paper-based Systems
1.
2.
Self service pay-stubs
Room scheduling
Stop Printing
1.
2.
Telephone directories
Statement of accounts
Opt-in, Opt-out
1.
2.
Tech Talk
Newsletters
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
Forces For
Example
1.
Long-term operational
savings
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Forces Against
Example
1.
Upfront investment
needed
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions
A good beginning is half the work
- Irish Proverb
Office of the Vice President for Finance
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
VPF Community Forum:
Working Toward Innovative Solutions