Continuous Improvement and Innovation
Work is underway in the University to encourage continuous improvement and facilitate beneficial change throughout the University. This work is to:
- improve existing services and processes
- create and initiate practices that improve the customer experience
- inspire an culture of continuous improvement
- motivate, empower and enable staff to continually seek and implement ways to "Do it better".
The need for continuous improvement and innovation was first outlined as part of the Change Management Program implemented by the University in 2005. In April 2009, the Evaluation of Administrative Changes Since 2005 document noted that the continuous improvement phase was not progressing as originally planned:
"Progress around the third phase of Continuous Process Improvement has not taken off as much as hoped. Of particular concern in relation to this phase is that neither the necessary culture nor practices have been established sufficiently to provide confidence that the required modus operandi can be taken for granted. Firstly, management has to reinforce the attitudes and practices that support a culture of continuous improvement as ‘the way we do things around here’. Such a culture would mean that staff are always looking at how they can improve service to students and to other staff - their customers - because they want to, and feel respected and valued for doing so.The culture would incorporate business practices that enabled continuous improvement actions to be identified, scoped and implemented, and achievements monitored and recognised.
Improvements and innovations range from micro to macro. They will be achieved by staff using their initiative on a daily basis, and by embedding attention to improvements and innovations within business planning and review processes. Consolidation, improvements and innovations will be achieved by a combination of singular and cross-functional and cross-hierarchical activities, and collaboration between functions and between academic and administrative areas".
The work is underpinned by a continuous improvement and innovation framework.