Appendix 2 - QI Terminology
Action Items: A running list of items identified by the team that require action. Should also include the team member(s)
responsible for seeing that it is done.
Agenda: A planning and meeting management tool that identifies what will be discussed at meetings, who is responsible, the
format for the activity, and the expected duration.
Brainstorming: A structured technique in which a group of people generates a large number of ideas by listing anything that
comes to mind
Champion: An individual who sparks and coordinates the quality process in the organization or department.
Charter: Document establishing the team. It is negotiated between the team and its sponsor and may include such information as
team mission and membership, roles, authorities, ground rules and boundaries.
Consensus decision making: A process in which team members openly express their views to come to agreement; employs
negotiation and mediation skills; means unanimity of support, but not necessarily total agreement on solutions.
Continuous Improvement: A systematic method of increasing the reliability and capability of a work process
Cross Functional Team: A team consisting of individuals from different functional areas, either within an office or an outside
office.
Customer: The individual or entity that benefits from your services. Customers can be internal or external to your work unit/UW.
Financial Management’s key customers include students and research faculty.
Customer Complaint: An opportunity to improve the process.
Cycle Time: The amount of time a process takes, from beginning to end.
Data Analysis: Review data and propose conclusions. Can include, but is not limited to, proving the problem exists, defining the
extent of the problem, identifying causes of problems and opportunities for process improvements.
Appendix 2 - QI Terminology
Data Gathering: Collecting meaningful information. Can include, but is not limited to, measuring, counting, tracking, rating,
surveying to evaluate cycle time, volume, customer satisfaction, ease of use, and error rates.
Driving Forces: Forces which move a situation toward change.
Executive Improvement Team: Team involving all senior managers in Financial Management formed to communicate Ql
successes, share Ql experience, educate its members and maintain consensus on key strategic efforts in Financial
Management.
Facilitator: A trained individual who assists in education and training of the team, meets with groups, and is a combination of
coach, teacher, enthusiast, and communicator.
Flowchart: Pictorial representation showing the steps and decision points of a process. Can be minimal or detailed.
Goal: What the solution(s) should achieve. For example, this solution should reduce errors by 25% or reduce cycle time by three
days, or bring 92% of the activity within statistical limits.
Ground Rules: Team guidelines that reflect team values and create procedures and environment to achieve common goals;
usuallly established by team members with guidance from the team leader.
Ice Breakers: Activities that initiate a meeting and help get team members comfortable with each other.
Implementation: Making the approved solution a reality.
Leader: The leader of a team acquires the necessary knowledge and training; assists in training; helps members stay focused on
the process; sees that records are kept; and encourages involvement.
Leadership Qualities: Qualities, values and behaviors of Financial Management leaders, including trustowrthy, trusting of others,
approachable and inspiring (see Team Leader for explanation of that role).
Measures: Data collected and analyzed before and after problem selection and solution to develop benchmarks for solution
assessment.
Member: The member participates fully in the process, shares ideas and information freely, encourages the support of others,
and attends meetings regularly and promptly.
Appendix 2 - QI Terminology
Mission: The goals and objectives of the team.
Pilot: To pilot something is to try it out for a period of time.
Plus Plus/Plus Evaluation: An evaluation of an activity or process. Team members brainstorm on the things that went particularly
well. (Plus Plus) and the things that need improvement (Plus).
Prevention: Future-oriented strategy that improves quality by directing analysis and action toward correcting the production
process.
Process: Transforming an Input to an Output by adding value. A group of logically related activities which produce results.
Process Partner: The next person or group in the process flow chart. Co-workers are linked by the process and are either suppliers
to the next person/work group in the process or process partners to the previous person/work group in the process.
Process Improvement Team: A team made up of the right people to identify problems and propose and implement solutions for a
process. Usually crosses department/divisional lines.
Quality: The characteristics necessary to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Quality Improvement Team: A team made up of the members of a natural work group, such as a supervisor and her/his direct
reports.
Quality Improvement Tools: Tools and techniques for continuous improvement. Includes, but are not limited to, flow chart,
brainstorming, check sheet, nominal group technique, pareto chart, run chart, control chart, histogram, pie chart, cause & effect
diagram, scatter diagram, force field analysis, bar graphs and checklists.
Recognition: An ongoing activity through which people express their appreciation for each other’s value and contribution.
Rework: Redoing work due to errors, system failures, or not meeting customer expectations. Rework can be internal or external
(rework done by customer).
Root Cause: The underlying reason(s) for a problem. This is normally discussed after the problem is well-defined.
Appendix 2 - QI Terminology
Sponsor: The sponsor is the highest level manager of the organizational unit that controls the process. The sponsor does not
serve on the team, but supports the team, provides resources and concurs with team actions as appropriate. The charter
establishes the authority of the team and the role of the sponsor.
Synergy: A combined or joint action or operation which results in a better product than an independent action acting alone.
Team: A group of people who have developed and share a common mission, goals, activities, spirit, and appreciation of one
another’s skills.
Team Building: Exercises and other activities designed to build team synergy, involve team members and break down barriers.
Team Leader: Elected or appointed key team member who coordinates team meetings and actions.
Team Presentation: Presentations to mark key milestones in the team project. Presentations cover the team mission, problem
statement/process, team activities, results of teamwork, proposed solution, implementation plan, confirmation process in a
way that is understandable to anyone unfamiliar with the project. Presentations involve/include every team member.
Type I Problem: A problem that the team can control, i.e., the team has information, expertise, resources, and authority
necessary to solve the problem.
Type II Problem: Team can influence, i.e., the team does not have full control but can influence outcome, with assistance.
Type III Problem: Team has neither control nor influence, and should not take on this problem.
Vision: The model of how the organization would like to be perceived by those internal and those external to the organization.
Appendix 3 - Acronyms
Awareness Training
Team
Trainers in FM regarding orientation for new staff on QI and FM
CFD
Combined Fund Drive
Dashboard
Developers
Responsible for unit dashboards
Diversity
Team responsible for mentoring program and focused on climate and communication in FM as it regards diversity
DSC
Decision Support Center
EDP
Employee Development Plan
EIO
Equipment Inventory Office, part of FA
EIT
Executive Improvement Team (leadership in Financial Management)
F² or FF
Finance and Facilities
FA
Financial Accounting (also includes Tax, and Equipment Inventory Office)
FM
Financial Management
FS
Financial Services (Payables Administration, Travel, Procurement Card, Equipment Inventory Office)
GCA
Grant and Contract Accounting, part of RAA
IA
Internal Audit
LEAD
Team that works on developing leaders in FM and focused for 06-07 on project management
MAA
Management Accounting and Analysis, part of RAA
New Directions
Quarterly newsletter team
Appendix 3 - Acronyms
OSP
Office of Sponsored Programs (formerly Grant & Contract Services (GCS))
P&S
Purchasing & Stores
PDCA
Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle
PI
Process Improvement
QI
Quality Improvement
RAA
Research Accounting and Analysis
RATT Team
Recognition Awareness Training Team
REO
Real Estate Office
RM
Risk Management
RQT
Recognition Quality Team
SFS
Student Fiscal Services (also manages credit card merchant accounts and campus collections)
SMG
Strategy Management Group of F2
STEAM
Strategy Management Team (Senior Leadership of F2)
SVP
Senior Vice President, FM reports to SVP
TAP
Training and Paperwork Team, responsible for collecting EDPs and other training-related paperwork and reviewing
for basic info before forwarding to OSM staff
TQM
Total Quality Management
UCIRO
University Complaint Investigation Research Office