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Improvement

Accelerated Improvement Process (AIP)

Accelerated Improvement is a tool for quickly improving or creating a process. Group meeting time is concentrated into two very structured 3-4 hour meetings. A majority of the project work (data collection, flowcharting, benchmarking) is done outside formal meeting times by just a few members of the group and a facilitator. Meeting time can then be spent on generating and prioritizing solutions and developing action plans.

  • Meeting Facilitation
  • Process Improvement

Accelerated Improvement Process at Work at IUPUI

Please contact Karen Black (274 - 4111) or kblack at iupui.edu for further information about how to implement this process improvement technique in your department.

Economic Modeling and Budget Analysis

The Economic Model (EMOD) is a desktop computer-based decision support tool that uses activity-based costing techniques to analyze the costs of campus activities (e.g., degree programs, research projects, service activities).

The Economic Model consists of:
  • a graphic view of inter-related organizations and activities;
  • an activity-based costing tool that defines the costs of various activities and outputs;
  • the ability to perform "what if" cost variation analyses.

As a management tool, the Economic Model helps campus administrators understand their operations within a financial perspective. The model can be used to enhance decisions regarding resource allocation. It can be a key component in successfully realizing the benefits of Responsibility Centered Management (RCM). The value of the model can be especially significant when increasingly limited resources must be reallocated. The model is one tool of many to consider and must be applied in concert with other factors such as qualitative outcomes and strategic initiatives.

The model is specifically designed to enable managers to:
  • define the costs of unit activities;
  • identify potential investment or cost saving opportunities;
  • help address the issues of accountability;
  • estimate the cost impact of proposed changes in operations and varying customer demand.
The model has two significant benefits:
  • It provides a cost-based perspective of an organization's operations.
  • It supports the decision maker with information for operations improvement.

At its core, the model forms the basis for detailed analysis of costs and pricing. It can be used to identify the direct cost of unit activities so that rational pricing (or acknowledged subsidization) decisions can be implemented. The activity analysis involved in this phase can also identify underutilized resources and opportunities for enhancement of operations through organizational, procedural, or technological change.

The steps for the EMOD process are the following:
  • Define issues & the outputs of products and services
    • e.g. programs, student services, other cost centers
  • Analyze the activities to produce the outputs
  • Develop framework of economic model
  • Collect financial, registrar, and effort data
  • Continue model assembly and input data
  • Determine allocation scheme of internal support services to unit core processes,
    • e.g. admin & information tech to teaching, research & service
  • Validate economic model structure & review data
  • Integrate economic model into planning process
Interested in seeing how our services can work for you? Need more information? Please contact James Johnson (274-5048) or jnjohnso at iupui.edu for more information on economic modeling and analysis services.

Placement Testing Services in Support of Academic Advising (TC)

This section includes placement testing information that academic counselors or faculty advisors at IUPUI can refer to in conjunction with students’ placement test results that are reported via the Student Information System (SIS).

Placement Test Information

Best Practices

Presently, Best Practices Task Force members are drafting campus wide performance indicators on best practices. Preliminary indicators are listed below.

  • Goal 1: Conduct effective planning & improvement processes
  • Goal 2: Provide good stewardship of resources
  • Goal 3: Respond to and manage expectations of stakeholders
  • Goal 4: Provide effective human & physical resources to further the mission of the institution.
  • Goal 5: Communicate and manage reputation

Best Practices Indicators at IUPUI

Please contact Karen Black (kblack at iupui.edu) for further information regarding progress on best practices indicators at IUPUI.