Visualizing work flow for process improvement: a case study of class scheduling at a university
Date
2008
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Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to analyze and map class scheduling by a school in a higher education setting so that the process could be understood, documented, and ultimately improved. Class scheduling is a process by which faculty and staff generate a class schedule. A class schedule is a common source of information from which faculty, staff, and students plan and organize their personal and professional lives. A class schedule has several components including course descriptions, days, times, locations, enrollment capacities, and names of instructors. The school, part of a university, initiated an analysis of class scheduling to address inefficiencies in the process and occasional errors that appeared in the final class schedule. The school offers numerous options for students interested in educator licensing, graduate degree programs, and professional development through its three main functions and respective academic programs of study. Opportunities for performance improvement often exist at functional interfaces, as described by Rummler and Brache. This qualitative research study took place in two phases from Fall 2006 to Spring 2008. Data were collected using multiple methods from a variety of sources including document reviews, interviews, and focus groups. A total of 34 individuals participated in Phases I and II combined. Three primary research questions were asked to address the present performance problem involving class scheduling at the school: (1) How does class scheduling operate within the school? (2) What are the problems associated with class scheduling? (3) How can class scheduling be improved? Answers to these research questions satisfied the aims of the study: the work activities or process steps and their sequence were defined and documented, performance issues were identified along with performance indicators, and finally recommendations were made for future performance improvement. Findings indicated written procedures describing class scheduling were not available and therefore the performance gap could not be properly assessed. Process maps and timelines were created to visualize work flow for further consideration in developing appropriate procedures and improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of class scheduling.
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Subject
case study
class scheduling
performance improvement
process improvement
qualitative research
university
work flow
school administration
higher education
case studies