Using Continuous Quality Improvement in an Academic

Setting to Measure Quality

1. The Scientific Method2. Complexity in Processes3. Tools of the Scientific Method4. Examples5. Application

The Scientific Method: The Empirical Approach

Skilled

Experienced

A physician whoIs guided by

His experience

The Scientific Method: Empirical Approach

Scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring

new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on empirical and

measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning.[

Complexity 1. Mistakes/Defects 2. Breakdowns & Delays 3. Inefficiencies 4. Variation a. Common cause variation b. Special cause variation.

Mistakes/Defect

Breakdowns & Delays

Breakdowns & Delays

It was due three Days ago….

Sorry Mac, I got my own troubles…..

Ok. I got it….The ink restora……

Countersigned by the fig newton society

Reviewed by the…………

I got it boss….I got it……

Sign it?Of course I can sign it…

After it’s reviewed by ink conservation committee,

with duplicates countersigned bythe tree preservation consortium,

And, of course, it has to be reconciled with the

Budget inhibition clause….

Inefficiencies

VariationCommon Cause Variation is variation that is normal

To the process.

Special Cause VariationIs caused by

Something outside the Process.

a. Flow Chartsb. Work-Flow Analysisc. Deployment Chartsd. Pareto Chartse. Cause & Effect Diagrams.f. Practical Concepts Worksheet

Scheduled Delivery

ArriveOfficeOpen

RightDock

DockOpen

YY YY

Y

NN N N

N

Trace Wait Reroute Wait

Unload

N NN

Y YY

SpaceLift

ReadyLift

WorkUnloadSafely

Wait Wait Repair Salvage

EnterInto

Inventory

Process Flow Chart

Work Flow Analysis

Deployment Chart

Step Rene Jacob Olga Manuel

Plan theReport

Organize The Report

Write theReport

ProduceThe Report

Pareto Charts

Occurrences

PaperJam

Out ofInk

Out of Paper

Production Error

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Newspaper Print Room Daily Down-Time Report

Cause & Effect Diagrams

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers?

3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to:

What you make and how you make it. 6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to

which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this

complexity? (85/15 rule) 8. How would you go about measuring variation? How

could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?

9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?

10. How would you investigate a problem.

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

The Library supplies ancillary learning materials in a variety of formats to all campuses and providesstudy space for the main campus. The Library receives students from all campuses and aids them in gaining knowledge from its resources. The result is a better prepared student.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

The External customers of the Library are the Students and other Colleges.The Internal customers are the different campuses of the college.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

The External suppliers of the Library are the Students themselves. The Internal suppliers are the different campuses of the college.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Quality Characteristics are availability of needed material, timeliness of access, abundanceOf material, ease of access. The customers are most concerned that the students leave the Library with added knowledge and with an improved ability to gain access to knowledge.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Library users demonstrate an ability to gain knowledge learned through library use. Library usersDemonstrate an ability to see relations between knowledge groups through their use of computerizedcross references.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Difficult for Online students During weather disturbance.

Library is a 100 yearOld building.

Library does not provide Printout of all accessed Material.

Students cannot leave with Certain material.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Library does not provide Printout of all accessed Material.

Add a program that automatically prints A copy of each student’s full search at

The end of each search session.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Library does not provide Printout of all accessed Material.

One class of students with research projects are provided with the search reports sheets and another class is not. Students complete a questionnaire pertaining to how much they remember about the topic of research.

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Difficult for Online students During weather disturbance.

Students cannot leave with Certain material.

SCV – Active X control is set at too stringent a level on the student’s

computer.

Common Cause Variance

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

A Process Flow Chart following the steps it takes for a teacher to arrange for a class to meet in the Library.

Scheduled Delivery

ArriveOfficeOpen

RightDock

DockOpen

YY YY

Y

NN N N

N

Trace Wait Reroute Wait

Unload

N NN

Y YY

SpaceLift

ReadyLift

WorkUnloadSafely

Wait Wait Repair Salvage

EnterInto

Inventory

Process Flow Chart

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

A Work Flow Analysis following a librarian through their tasks for the day.

Work Flow Analysis

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Deployment Chart regarding how personnel should respond to research study requests.

Pareto Chart from interview with Instructors regarding the most common problems observed in student research

Deployment Chart

Step Rene Jacob Olga Manuel

Plan theReport

Organize The Report

Write theReport

ProduceThe Report

Pareto Charts

Occurrences

PaperJam

Out ofInk

Out of Paper

Production Error

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Newspaper Print Room Daily Down-Time Report

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Deployment Chart regarding how personnel should respond to research study requests.

Pareto Chart from interview with Instructors regarding their opinion of the quality of final student research

Suppliers Customers

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers? 3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to: What

you make and how you make it.

6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this complexity? (85/15 rule)8. How would you go about measuring variation? How could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?10. How would you investigate a problem.

Cause and Effect Chart created in conjunction with faculty regarding Library skills they need to see in their students

Cause & Effect Diagrams

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers?

3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to:

What you make and how you make it. 6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to

which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this

complexity? (85/15 rule) 8. How would you go about measuring variation? How

could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?

9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?

10. How would you investigate a problem.

(2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)Strategic

Focus/ Institutio

nalGoal

 (SF#

and/or IG#)

Desired Outcome & Target/Criterion

 (Outcome begins with

verb, Target numerically

measurable)

StrategyTo Accomplish Desired

Outcome 

(Use bullets)

Budget

Link 

(Yes or

No)

Assessment Method/ Instrument

Findings &Use of

Results for Improvemen

t 

(Use bullets)

SF I.A, II.A, II.B, II.H, III.A IG I & II

Offer freshman and sophomore general education courses Target:Number of students completing core curriculum and transferring to four year programs will remain constant

Courses should transfer to traditional baccalaureate degree programs

  Use of the common course numbering system

 

SF I.A, II.E, II.H, III.B, III.D IG I & II

Increase online course offerings and continue to offer courses off-campus Target:All courses with ten or more students enrolled

Additional sections of anatomy & physiology, nutrition, and psychology will be added to accommodate the increased demand for online courses

  Enrollment numbers of students

 

(2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)Strategic

Focus/ Institutio

nalGoal

 (SF#

and/or IG#)

Desired Outcome & Target/Criterion

 (Outcome begins with

verb, Target numerically

measurable)

StrategyTo Accomplish Desired

Outcome 

(Use bullets)

Budget

Link 

(Yes or

No)

Assessment Method/ Instrument

Findings &Use of

Results for Improvemen

t 

(Use bullets)

SF I.A, II.A, II.B, II.H, III.A IG I & II

Offer freshman and sophomore general education courses Target:Number of students completing core curriculum and transferring to four year programs will remain constant

Courses should transfer to traditional baccalaureate degree programs

  Use of the common course numbering system

 

SF I.A, II.E, II.H, III.B, III.D IG I & II

Increase online course offerings and continue to offer courses off-campus Target:All courses with ten or more students enrolled

Additional sections of anatomy & physiology, nutrition, and psychology will be added to accommodate the increased demand for online courses

  Enrollment numbers of students

 

Major Assignments

Week 1: Course introduction; syllabus review, Pre-course essay

Week 2: Pre-course assessment; Library tour; Chapter 1

Week 3: Ch-1, Habits for Success, Syllabus Quiz

Week 4: Ch-2, Learning Styles

Week 5: Ch-3, Time and Money

Week 6: Ch-4, Setting and Reaching Goals

Week 7: Ch-5, Critical and Creative Thinking

Week 8: Ch-6, Memory

Week 9: Ch-7, Reading and Studying

Week 10: Ch-8, Reading Across the Disciplines

Week 11: Ch-9, Active listening and Note Taking

Week 12: Ch-10,Test Taking 1

Week 13: Ch-11, Test Taking 2

Week 14: Ch-12, Moving Toward Success

Week 15: Ch-12, Makeup Tests

Week 16: Final

Major Assignments

Week 1: Course introduction; syllabus review, Pre-course essay

Week 2: Pre-course assessment; Library tour; Chapter 1

Week 3: Ch-1, Habits for Success, Syllabus Quiz

Week 4: Ch-2, Learning Styles

Week 5: Ch-3, Time and Money

Week 6: Ch-4, Setting and Reaching Goals

Week 7: Ch-5, Critical and Creative Thinking

Week 8: Ch-6, Memory

Week 9: Ch-7, Reading and Studying

Week 10: Ch-8, Reading Across the Disciplines

Week 11: Ch-9, Active listening and Note Taking

Week 12: Ch-10,Test Taking 1

Week 13: Ch-11, Test Taking 2

Week 14: Ch-12, Moving Toward Success

Week 15: Ch-12, Makeup Tests

Week 16: Final

Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Communicates with appropriate modes of expression to individuals or groups.

A. Demonstrates thesis clarity

B. Organizes information

C. Uses support

D. Presents ideas in appropriate mode of expression

2. Demonstrates awareness of cultural differences and similarities.

A. Identifies cultural characteristics (beliefs, values, perspectives, or practices)

B. Interprets works of human expression within cultural context

C. Shows awareness of one’s own culture in relation to others

3. Uses critical thinking skills

A. Identifies problem, argument, or issue (to determine extent of information needed)

B. Differentiates the facts from opinions as relates to situation

C. Constructs possible solutions or prediction or consequences

D. Uses logical, sound reasoning to justify conclusion

Program Student Learning Outcomes

1. Communicates with appropriate modes of expression to individuals or groups.

A. Demonstrates thesis clarity

B. Organizes information

C. Uses support

D. Presents ideas in appropriate mode of expression

2. Demonstrates awareness of cultural differences and similarities.

A. Identifies cultural characteristics (beliefs, values, perspectives, or practices)

B. Interprets works of human expression within cultural context

C. Shows awareness of one’s own culture in relation to others

3. Uses critical thinking skills

A. Identifies problem, argument, or issue (to determine extent of information needed)

B. Differentiates the facts from opinions as relates to situation

C. Constructs possible solutions or prediction or consequences

D. Uses logical, sound reasoning to justify conclusion

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers?

3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to:

What you make and how you make it. 6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to

which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this

complexity? (85/15 rule) 8. How would you go about measuring variation? How

could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?

9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?

10. How would you investigate a problem.

1. What is you job? Into what process or processes does it fit? What product or service results from it.

2.Who are your external customers? Internal Customers?

3. Who are your external suppliers? Internal Suppliers? 4. What are the quality characteristics of the product or

service? What criteria are important to your customers? 5. Give examples of quality characteristics related to:

What you make and how you make it. 6. Review sources of complexity. List complexity to

which your job is subject. 7. What would it take to reduce or eliminate this

complexity? (85/15 rule) 8. How would you go about measuring variation? How

could you determine its impact on the quality of your process?

9. What kinds of common causes exist? What special causes exist?

10. How would you investigate a problem.

THECB report on Higher Education Cost EfficienciesTo the Governor - 2010

Students are not accuratelyIdentifying students

Needing developmentalClasses. $3,900,000.00

Potential waste inHigher Ed. In

Texas

Developmental Ed.

Drop-Out

Faculty aggressively Intervene with

Problem students

Students mustChoose degree

Plan within 30 hrs.

$45,900,000.00

Transition

Better output byHigh Schools

College interactionOn H.S. Levels

$7,800,000.00

PhysicalPlant

Increased use ofExisting physical plant

beforeExpansion is

Approved.

$31,600,000.00

Admin.Structure

Too heavyAdmin. structure

$83,500,000.00

Variation in Degree Plan

Cap Associate Degree at 60 Hrs.

$6,500,000.00

THECB report on Higher Education Cost EfficienciesTo the Governor - 2010

Students are not accuratelyIdentifying students

Needing developmentalClasses. $3,900,000.00

Potential waste inHigher Ed. In

Texas

Developmental Ed.

Drop-Out

Faculty aggressively Intervene with

Problem students

Students mustChoose degree

Plan within 30 hrs.

$45,900,000.00

Transition

Better output byHigh Schools

College interactionOn H.S. Levels

$7,800,000.00

PhysicalPlant

Increased use ofExisting physical plant

beforeExpansion is

Approved.

$31,600,000.00

Admin.Structure

Too heavyAdmin. structure

$83,500,000.00

Variation in Degree Plan

Cap Associate Degree at 60 Hrs.

$6,500,000.00

Using Continuous Quality Improvement in an Academic

Setting to Measure Quality