Creating Value
Learning resources for managers to
deliver efficiencies whilst improving
effectiveness
Iain Springate, Project Manager & Researcher
Introductions
•Welcome and introductions
•The project
•Activities at Exeter, Falmouth, Sussex and
UCA
•Emerging findings
•Discussion
Re-Branding!
‘Creating Value’
Aims to develop learning resources for managers in
HE to aid them in generating efficiencies
Funded by HEFCE (matched-funding) and led by
the University of Exeter in partnership with the
University of the Creative Arts, University College
Falmouth and the University of Sussex
Project Activities
Literature review
Interviews with managers
across different sectors
Projects at participating
institutions
Evidence
Learning resources
(e.g. guidelines for delivering more with
less, practical ‘toolkits’, case studies,
examples of good practice)
Dissemination
(e.g. conferences, training and
information events)
University of Sussex
Strategic & operational efficiencies in relation
to enhancing the student experience:
• Student advice services
• IT learning resources
• Graduate employability.
University for the Creative Arts
Structural & organisational change to deliver
enhanced international support functions:
• Efficiencies in delivery of services currently
dispersed across multiple depts
• Lower cost per head
• Best practice review
• Several scenarios.
The University of Exeter
Drive out the efficiencies from the recent
transition to colleges:
• Common Action Teams
• VfM Committee
• Staff suggestion scheme.
Exeter: Approach
Savings made by initiatives identified and managed within Departments
Specific to
college/
service
initiatives
Opportunities identified through benchmarking
College/
service
cost savings
Staff
Suggestion
Scheme
Lead Patrick
Kennedy
Quick Wins
Procurement
Lead
Department
Heads
Lead John
Malloch
Tactical initiatives to build
momentum
Modernisation
Fund
Lead Patrick
Kennedy
HR
Lead Stephen
Cooper
Strategic initiatives
Working
Smarter
Lead Jeremy
Lindley
Cross university
initiatives that can
contribute toward
participating
service/college
savings targets
Exeter: activities
Tell Us
• Evidence-based
• Devolved model
• Issues?
Investigating SPC
University College Falmouth
Using Enterprise Architecture as part of a
change management cycle to:
• Identify areas efficiencies could be made
• Design and communicate changes
• Estimate potential savings.
• Mapping core processes and architecture involved in
Timetabling – CRM – Student Records System projects
UCF: Enterprise Architecture
EA “… provides an evolving, dynamic way of
describing and aligning the functional aspects of
an organisation, its people, activities, tools,
resources and data/information, so they work
more effectively together to achieve its business
goals.”
JISC EA Early Adopters study
Duplication of effort
Automation needs extending
Some automation not utilised
UCF: Outcomes to date
• AD-hoc room bookings system: £14k pa
• Student withdrawal process: £13K over 5 yrs
• Retention: Mapping identifies issue re. key
student contacts.
• Process maps will be available as part of the
project.
Creating Value: Emerging
Findings
• Based on literature review, interviews & early
reports from institutional projects
• Challenges
• Key principles for delivering efficiencies
• Potential mechanisms for delivering
efficiencies
Challenges
Enabling and sustaining culture change
Resistance; poor performance higher profile than
reduced cost; communication & involvement of
managers key.
Capacity
Time; skills; training/consultants; ‘trickle-down’ of
complexity/uncertainty.
Key principles: Management &
leadership
• Commitment to changes
• Involvement in changes
• Fully understand the what and why
Lessons from previous recessions: core
business; cost control; positive and committed.
Key principles: Supporting
staff
• Communication/training/information
• Specialist skills
• Ongoing feedback & incentives
Key principles: Planning
change
• Data use
• ‘Fit’ of interventions with organisational culture
• Pilot projects
• Embedding for sustainability (e.g. LDPs; performance
management frameworks; strategic documents etc.).
Mechanisms: Business
process review
Savings evidenced in literature
• More applicable to processes needing
complete overhaul
• Complexity of non-manufacturing
environments
• Language use.
Mechanisms: Lean
Lean: Customer-focused; identifying value;
removing waste
• Need full implementation to draw full benefits
• Apply all Lean principles
• Staff focus on customer & understand have a
role in improving performance
Mechanisms: Lean
resources
• http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/lean/
• http://www.leanenterprise.org.uk/
• ‘Lean Higher Education’ William Balzer
• ‘Analysis of Lean Implementation in UK
Business Schools and Universities’ Radnor &
Bucci
Mechanism: Idea capture
schemes
• Evidence of significant savings and other
benefits
• Different models
• Key success factors: Scope; process of
evaluation; communication; reward; publicity.
Mechanism: Energy use
• Technical interventions
• Behaviour modification schemes
• Key success factors: feedback & visibility of
use; incentives; tips for saving
• http://www.electro-magnates.com/
Summary: Considerations
• Investment required
• Difficulty of measurement
• Fitting interventions to organisations.
‘Simple’ things:
• Extracting value from what we have
• Communication with colleagues
• Language
• Quick solutions!
Two questions for discussion
Is there successful experience you have
been involved with/aware of that others could
benefit from?
Are there particular approaches or issues
that you would like our research to
investigate?
Keeping in touch
www.twitter.com/morewithlessHE
http://www.exeter.ac.uk/spc/stratplan/hefcecreatingvalue/
I.E.Springate@Exeter.ac.uk