CSU | QI | Roles & Responsibilities - Function Representative

Balanced Scorecard Efforts
at
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
By Vicki Stover, Associate Vice President for Administration, San Luis Obispo

The Administration & Finance Division at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is using the Balanced Scorecard to improve quality on their campus. As part of the strategic planning process for the division it was recognized that there was a need to demonstrate that the division is incrementally more productive and the quality of services is better. Although the division had been involved in quality initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Benchmarking, and Customer Satisfaction surveys, there was a desire to find an assessment process that encompassed multiple aspects.

The process of determining a quality improvement assessment for the division began in September 1996 when Directors reviewed and discussed quality improvement assessments utilized by other institutions. The purpose of these discussions, which occurred over many months, was to identify the desired aspects within each of the models that should be used in the development of a model for the Administration & Finance Division.

Following a review of the material, the Directors identified the following criteria as essential:

Provide for customer input on the assessment of our services

Support the direction of the University and the Division

Provide quantifiable/measurable evidence of our services on a longitudinal basis

Be simple to use

Be a process that is not an end in itself

Provide for employee involvement

Provide a process and results that can be communicated easily

Provide an assessment that can cover multiple dimensions

In reviewing the criteria identified as essential in an assessment model, it was determined that the Balanced Scorecard included all the criteria identified by the Directors. On September 18, 1997 Frank Lebens, Vice President for Administration & Finance introduced the “Balanced Scorecard.” In the introduction, he indicated that the Balanced Scorecard instrument is appealing because it covers multiple dimensions and includes a quality component reflected by customer as well as employee satisfaction and financial measures. The Balanced Scorecard can be utilized as a communication tool for employees as well as for communicating with entities outside the division. Following a review of the components of the Balanced Scorecard, Directors identified a few high profile items that should be measured and team leaders were assigned for each. These items served as test cases in implementing the Balanced Scorecard process.

In support of the Innovation and Learning perspective of the Balanced Scorecard and to assist in the assessment process, the division developed and distributed an annual employee satisfaction survey that was administered this past spring. Also valuable in the Balanced Scorecard assessment are customer satisfaction surveys (the Customer Perspective) and benchmarking data (the Financial Perspective and the Internal & Business Process Perspective).

Currently, all critical processes have been identified. Department contacts and a timeline for completing the Balanced Scorecard assessment are being established for each critical process. The division’s goal is to have an assessment of all critical processes completed by June 30, 2001.

At the university level, each Vice President has been requested to identify a quality improvement contact for their division. The contact person's involvement will be dependent on the division's goals in the area of quality initiatives and at the very least would serve as a conduit so that quality initiative information can be shared. The university also has a Quality Improvement Facilitator (QIF) as a campus contact for system-wide quality improvement programs. The QIF will inform the division contact person of system-wide efforts and events, learn about their desire to be involved in them, and assist in their divisional quality improvement efforts.



QI NEWSLETTER-July 1999	06/22/99

Balanced Scorecard Efforts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo By Vicki Stover, Associate Vice President for Administration, San Luis Obispo The Administration & Finance Division at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo is using the Balanced Scorecard to improve quality on their campus. As part of the strategic planning process for the division it was recognized that there was a need to demonstrate that the division is incrementally more productive and the quality of services is better. Although the division had been involved in quality initiatives such as Total Quality Management, Benchmarking, and Customer Satisfaction surveys, there was a desire to find an assessment process that encompassed multiple aspects. The process of determining a quality improvement assessment for the division began in September 1996 when Directors reviewed and discussed quality improvement assessments utilized by other institutions. The purpose of these discussions, which occurred over many months, was to identify the desired aspects within each of the models that should be used in the development of a model for the Administration & Finance Division. Following a review of the material, the Directors identified the following criteria as essential: Provide for customer input on the assessment of our services Support the direction of the University and the Division Provide quantifiable/measurable evidence of our services on a longitudinal basis Be simple to use Be a process that is not an end in itself Provide for employee involvement Provide a process and results that can be communicated easily Provide an assessment that can cover multiple dimensions In reviewing the criteria identified as essential in an assessment model, it was determined that the Balanced Scorecard included all the criteria identified by the Directors. On September 18, 1997 Frank Lebens, Vice President for Administration & Finance introduced the “Balanced Scorecard.” In the introduction, he indicated that the Balanced Scorecard instrument is appealing because it covers multiple dimensions and includes a quality component reflected by customer as well as employee satisfaction and financial measures. The Balanced Scorecard can be utilized as a communication tool for employees as well as for communicating with entities outside the division. Following a review of the components of the Balanced Scorecard, Directors identified a few high profile items that should be measured and team leaders were assigned for each. These items served as test cases in implementing the Balanced Scorecard process. In support of the Innovation and Learning perspective of the Balanced Scorecard and to assist in the assessment process, the division developed and distributed an annual employee satisfaction survey that was administered this past spring. Also valuable in the Balanced Scorecard assessment are customer satisfaction surveys (the Customer Perspective) and benchmarking data (the Financial Perspective and the Internal & Business Process Perspective). Currently, all critical processes have been identified. Department contacts and a timeline for completing the Balanced Scorecard assessment are being established for each critical process. The division’s goal is to have an assessment of all critical processes completed by June 30, 2001. At the university level, each Vice President has been requested to identify a quality improvement contact for their division. The contact person's involvement will be dependent on the division's goals in the area of quality initiatives and at the very least would serve as a conduit so that quality initiative information can be shared. The university also has a Quality Improvement Facilitator (QIF) as a campus contact for system-wide quality improvement programs. The QIF will inform the division contact person of system-wide efforts and events, learn about their desire to be involved in them, and assist in their divisional quality improvement efforts.


Back
Last updated: November 9, 2004