What Are the Benefits/Costs of Process Management?
BENEFITS:
Although Northern Essex has only been involved with process management since Fall 2004, we have already begun to experience its benefits. By engaging in process management, we have found solutions to problems that have been effecting us negatively for some time. Most importantly, we have begun to see a culture change within the institution. People from different departments are working together very successfully, and faculty and staff are excited about the progress that is being made.
Here are some of the key benefits of process management:
1. DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS
Process management teaches the skills to collect
and analyze data and make decisions based on research, rather than instinct,
politics, or personal relationships. The result is greater objectivity and
better decisions.
EXAMPLE:
It was taking students in our English as a Second Language courses far too long—up to two years—to enter college level courses. A process management ream reviewed the sequence of ESL courses, collected data on the time students spent in each sequence, and made recommendations based on the data they collected.
2. BROAD-BASED PARTICIPATION
Process Management teams are composed of faculty,
staff and administrators from all levels, working together to gather and analyze
data and make decisions. Persons on the front lines of service often have critically
important perspectives and invaluable ideas to contribute and their input can
lead to better decisions.
 |
|---|
A new Academic Tutoring Lab was created
in large part because of a Process Management team recommendation. |
EXAMPLE:
Faculty had long felt that the college needed a tutoring lab open to students in any credit course in addition to our academic support labs for students in developmental reading, writing and mathematics. A process management team comprised of faculty from across many academic departments studied the problem and made recommendations for a new tutoring lab, including appropriate staffing and technology. The new tutoring lab opened in the Fall of 2005.
3. BREAK DOWN INSTITUTIONAL SILOS
Process management teams must include
representatives from all college areas affected by the process under review.
Because of this, areas of the college that might not collaborate on a regular
basis, if ever, come together to address problems and create solutions. The
result is that people who do not know each other or have never worked together
before develop strong professional, and sometimes personal, relationships that
extend far beyond process management.
 |
|---|
Cross-departmental Collaboration Thomas Goulet, a maintainer, was an active member of the student preparedness process management team. He says "Being on this team was a great opportunity to work with members of the college community that I've never worked with before." |
EXAMPLE:
Driven by faculty concern, a process management team was created to look at student preparedness. This team included faculty, student service representatives, students, and a member of the maintenance staff who was a former student and proved to be a very active member of the team.
4. MAXIMIZE RESOURCES
The ability
to maximize limited resources represents one of the main benefits of implementing
process management strategies. This is accomplished by minimizing the drain
of wasted time and energy that is inherent when dealing with outdated and
ineffective processes. Real and significant savings are realized when workflow
systems are designed to optimize the potential of the available resources,
particularly in an environment where those resources are stretched thin by
ever-increasing demands.
EXAMPLE:
In the Fall of 2004 one of our Process Management teams recommended the development of one central database repository to house all of the college’s credit course descriptions. This process improvement resulted in one source feeding current and accurate course descriptions to multiple end users (the website, publications, the Registrar, etc.), eliminating the need for maintaining duplicate source files. The long term savings, by eliminating redundant file maintenance and proofreading efforts, added up to hundreds of manpower hours saved per semester (which equates to thousands of dollars in savings per year). This new approach also freed up staff (including faculty, advisors, and people from our enrollment services team) to focus more of their time and energy dealing directly with student needs.
5. IMPROVE INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY
Necessary processing
and communication of critical information is done more effectively and efficiently.
This has a direct and positive impact on enrollment and retention.
EXAMPLE:
We did not have a clear process for making decisions about admissions criteria for our health care programs and for communicating this information to academic departments, the admissions office and to students. As a result, we often gave out confusing or outdated information. A process management team examined this situation and recommended a clear and timely procedure that has now been implemented.
6.CREATE A CULTURE OF BETTER DECISION MAKING
The benefit of
process management goes beyond the processes that are addressed by the process
management teams. Once faculty and staff become comfortable with process management
tools, they will begin to use what they have learned in their daily decision
making.
 |
|---|
Process Management Tools Jackie Long Goding, Dean of Health Professions, says she is currently using the principles that she learned while on a process management team to make departmental decisions such as what to do about excessively long program wait lists. |
EXAMPLE:
Our Division of Health Professions is currently using the principles of process management to make departmental decisions, such as how many students should be accepted to the wait lists for health programs, and to develop an educational ladder for students who are seeking admissions to health programs.
COSTS:
Measuring the costs of process management is a challenge since most of the costs involve faculty and staff who are released to participate on process management teams. While most faculty and staff participate as a college service, there are times when further accommodations, such as course reductions, are required. In addition to the staffing commitment, other costs include consultant fees, administrative support, and refreshments. Costs in the first year (approximately $55,000) are the highest and should decrease significantly in each consecutive year (approximately $45,000 in year two and $30,000 in year three).
Case Study:
Here are the costs that Northern Essex incurred during its first year of process management.
. Most staff need release time to participate on the teams
. Consultant fees, including travel, lodging and per diem, were $50,000 the first year
. A member of the president’s support staff devotes 10 hours per week to process management, including scheduling meetings, coordinating activities, and record keeping. We found the first year required more administrative support than the second year. Coordinating the First Year (PDF)
. Modest refreshments (water and a snack) are provided at all team and steering committee meetings.
. A celebratory lunch for all participants is held at the end of each semester and participants receive a modest thank you gift.
. Initially, money was spent on the printing and duplication of our Team reports. Now, they are only published on our Process Management website.
