Processes (P)

7P7 Collecting and Analyzing Measures of Effectiveness

One measure of the effectiveness of Western’s system for measuring effectiveness is accessibility of data needed for decision-making (Figure 7.2). Western is beginning to develop an institutional research web that makes much of its data accessible within the system. Help desks, such as the Information Technology Help Desk, is an example of how Western assures accessibility. A measure of its effectiveness is faculty, staff, and student satisfaction. Another measure is the IT Support Log.

Another measure of effectiveness includes the use of the data and its meaningfulness for helping units and Western as a system to reflect upon and improve processes. Measures include, for example, satisfaction and tracking.

Timeliness of data becomes critical for any routine use in decision-making. Institutional Research focuses upon collecting, reporting, and analyzing data specific to Western’s data needs and to external bodies that require the data, such as DHE and IPEDS.

An integrated relational database (SCT) is important to standardizing data. When Western, in 2004, replaced its hardware and software system with SunGard SCT Banner System, a goal was to empower users with access to current, accurate information. Western expects to enhance report generation from the Banner Gold system and to minimize the impact of report processing on the production database (2I2).

The integrity, reliability, confidentiality, and security of information has been addressed in 7P6 as high priorities for Western.