How Benchmarking is Making a Difference at

Carleton UniversityCAUBO Conference – Making Connections

June 2008

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Carleton University Facts

24,263 Students

3,691 Total employee population

2,593 Residence rooms

30 Academic and administrative buildings

100,000 + Alumni

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What is Benchmarking?

“Benchmarking is a systematic and – frequently – continuous process for measuring own performance against Best Practice in order to identify improvement potential.”– Dr. Ing. Holger Kohl

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Message

• “The mean life of productivity improvement fads has been 8.3 years”

• “Best Practice Benchmarking has been used for over 20 years”

• “Why?….because it works!”– Dr. Camp, Best Practice Institute

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Office of Quality InitiativesMission:

“We provide and inspire quality through continuous improvement initiatives with a customer focused approach. In collaboration with Senior Management, Faculty, Staff and Students we strive to improve Carleton University’s performance to reach our strategic goals.”

Services:– Benchmarking Projects– Customer Service Strategies– Strategic Planning– Process Review– Best Practice Research– Focus Group

Team: – Associate Director– Benchmarking Co-ordinator – Part-time Student

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Benchmarking Model

Benchmarking Steering Committee

Benchmarking Team

Office of Quality Initiatives

Benchmarking Steering CommitteeChair: VP, Finance & Administration

Core Members:Director, Institutional Research and Planning

Director, Human ResourcesDirector, Internal Audit and Advisory Services

Assistant VP, University ServicesAssistant VP, Facilities Management and Planning

Executive Communications AdvisorManager, Project Office, Computing & Communications

1-2 Representatives from outside the Finance & Administration DivisionRotating Member: Process Owner(s)

Benchmarking TeamTeam Leader: Manager

1-2 Employees1-2 Stakeholders

1-2 Users/Customers Benchmarking Co-ordinator

Implementation TeamTeam Leader: Manager

3-4 EmployeesAdditional stakeholders as

needed

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Benchmarking Team

Team Leader:Process Owner

Team Members:Process SpecialistsOther StakeholdersCustomer Representatives

Benchmarking Co-ordinator:Facilitator and Researcher

Benchmarking Processes

Implement External Data Collection and Analysis Plan

Implement Internal Data Collection and Analysis Plan

Plan Benchmarking Process

Identify Recommendations for Change

Improve Performance

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Phase I: Plan the Benchmarking Process

Identify what to benchmark

Introduce the benchmarking process

Develop the measurement plan

Develop the data collection and analysis plan

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Phase II: Implement the Internal Data Collection and Analysis Plan

Collect and analyze internal original research data

Collect and analyze internal published information

Focus groupsProcess mapping

Survey ResultsInternal Procedures

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Phase III: Implement the External Data Collection and Analysis Plan

Collect and analyze external original research data

Collect and analyze external published information

Professional AssociationsArticlesWebsite searches

Surveys ConferencesSite visits

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Benchmarking Funnel

Brainstorming

Website Research

Telephone Surveys

Teleconferences

Web Presentations

Site Visits

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Typical Questions

What is your process for (insert topic/scope)?

How do you do it?

How well do you do it?

How do you know how well you do it?

What are your challenges?

What have you improved recently/or what are you about to improve?

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Mindset

• Look beyond higher education for benchmarking partners

• Think continuous improvement

• Move mindset from we’ve always done it this way

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Benchmarking Sites

Canada• McGill University• University of Ottawa• Queen’s University• Statistics Canada• Regional Municipality of

NiagaraUnited States• Penn State University• Notre Dame University• University of Texas at Austin• State Farm Insurance

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Phase IV: Identify Recommendations for Change

Select the changes to improve performance

Obtain the support of the Steering Committee

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Phase V: Improve Performance

Develop implementation plan

Implement the changes

Measure the impact and report the results

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Projects Completed

13 completed since 2003

2 more currently under way

4 – 6 months to complete

Up to 4 completed per year

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Processes Improved

• Application for Residence

• Managing Custodial Contract and Services

• Tuition Payment

• Accessing Courses

• Textbook Adoption/Ordering

• Security of Athletics Facilities

• Hiring

• Awards Administration

• Managing Construction Project Delivery

• Creating Healthy Workplace Culture

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Challenges

• Collecting relevant data

• Time consuming process

• Keeping an open mind

• Narrow to critical few recommendations

• Keeping momentum going through implementation

• Change management

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Successes

• Raise awareness of key decision makers

• Gaining a shared understanding of processes

• Breaking down silos

• Best practices research

• Open dialogue with customers/departments

• Career development for employees

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Productivity Impact

Cycle time to respond to and accept applications to residence improved by 3 months

Reduced the residence vacancy rate from 3.5% to 0.4%

Increased residence revenue by $400,000

Completely eliminated line-ups at the Business Office

Reduced the number of scholarship refunds issued by 50%

Increased the percentage of total payments (e.g. tuition) processed electronically from 59% to 77%

Reduced the number of thefts in the athletics facility by 35%

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Moving Forward

Build momentum

Align with strategic planning

Broaden to the entire university

Introduce mini benchmarking projects

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“Look before you find yourself behind”– Benjamin Franklin

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Visit our website

http://www.carleton.ca/qualityinitiatives