Customer Relationships – what we achieve when we listen to each other

Judy Russell, Queen’s University David Wilson, University of Guelph Andrea Chappell, University of Waterloo April 28, 2014

What’s an Advisory Committee?

• • • 2 way communication Collaborative Consultative

Why have Advisory Committees?

When Our customers tell us And we tell them And together we talk about We their needs, concerns, priorities what can and can’t be done and why what to do next create a common vision build trust and understanding share accountability

Advisory Committees at Queen’s

Student Advisory Committee 2011 -> Enterprise Information Technology Advisory Committee 2012 -> Faculty Advisory Committee 2014 ->

Student Advisory Committee

• • • • • Created 2011 (stole the idea from University of Guelph) 4 staff – 2 ITServices, 1 Library systems, 1 other campus IT 14 students – from 13 student government/associations Meetings - September – April, 1 st Monday @5:30, pizza & pop Annual report with recommendations

Faculty Advisory Committee

• • • • • • • Created January 2014 5 staff – 4 ITServices including CIO, 1 other on campus IT 8 faculty - each representing a different faculty or school 1 University Librarian (aka faculty) 1 grad student 1 meeting / month – 1 joint meeting with Student Advisory Annual report with recommendations

Challenges

• • • • Scheduling – food helps Who drives the agenda?

Turnover – lack of continuity Don’t make promises you can’t keep

Must haves

• • • Management backing Scribe Did I mention food helps?

• • •

Wins

Alumni email Course enrolment wait lists Timetables

When we do it together….

University of Guelph

ITSAC – IT Student Advisory Committee • Objectives • Critical Success Factors • Trends • Successes and Challenges

University of Guelph

Objectives for ITSAC Provide a forum for effective dialogue between students and the IT programs/service providers on campus.

Review IT-related programs and services used by students on campus.

Assess and recommend any changes or additions to programs/services for the future.

Submit an annual report including the review and recommendations of ITSAC to CCS and Institutional leadership

University of Guelph

Critical Success Factors for ITSAC Overall community awareness of the group and its mandate Active participation from committee members, organizational IT service providers as well as student body and IT executive An effective method of ensuring timely, two way communication between membership and constituent student body needs to be in place early Role of ITSAC needs to be clear to all stakeholders Feedback mechanisms to demonstrate that the group is an effective agent for change.

University of Guelph

Trends for ITSAC 2004 – IT services primarily provided by institution. Capability, reliability and performance in certain areas are in some degree deficient and we are looking for institution to remedy it.

2009 - Infrastructure is in good shape, now we want to do more with technology and we want institution to provide capability as well as skills to use it. Both for us and the faculty 2013/14 - We are quite happy with the infrastructure. We are looking to external sources for functional solutions. We want the institution to make information more available and organized so we can use it.

University of Guelph

Successes Implementation of Google Apps for Education IT Campus Security Awareness Campaign IT Bytes (short solution cycle issues)

University of Guelph

Challenges Keeping discussion strategic rather than operational Keeping discussion representational rather than personal Understanding ITSAC’s role relative to other continuous improvement initiatives, communication channels and sources of IT leadership

WATERLOO IT ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Andrea Chappell, Director of Instructional Technologies and Media Service, Information Systems and Technology

IT r esour ce gr oups at Wat er loo

• Reviewed groups as follow-up to IT community Strategic Plan (ITSP) project • 15+ groups, various purposes All groups include information sharing Operations & change planning Advisory to another group User groups • Mix of IT service providers, and IT users OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel

IT r esour ce gr oups ar e a mix

• Computing Technology Services Committee IT Directors and managers in IST and Faculties Meant as resource to campus IT committee, for operational issues, planning implementations, infrastructure topics • Learning Environment Operations 4 collaborating departments for tech and pedagogical support areas • Admin. Info. Governance Committee - New Campus data stewards Info management compliance, access to data, etc.

May infrequently bring items to campus IT committee

Sample advisor y gr oup : St udent Technical A dvisor y C ommit t ee

• Chaired by Special Advisor to VP & Provost • Monthly, Sep – Apr, 4:30 – 6pm, incl. supper • STAC recommendations that got traction Better cell coverage More complete wireless coverage Student portal (slow to get started) Access to data/Open data (infrastructure for, process to “clear” data not complete) OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel

N eed anot her commit t ee ( um, meet ing) ?

• Do you need to create a new committee?

• Do you need a specific constituent group committee?

• Do you need a committee focused on IT, or could you tap into other user groups?

• Consider the existing meeting group membership and mandates What gaps exist? How might those be filled?

OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel

G o G r een: R educe, R euse, R ecycle!

• E.g., input/feedback for Tech-enabled T&L Learning Environment Operations Student Technical Advisory Committee Undergraduate Operations Graduate Operations Teaching Fellows – one for each Faculty Student Success Office – organize focus groups Faculty Association Federation of Students OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel

When needed, cr eat e a gr oup

• E.g., created ad hoc faculty focus group for proactive learning environ “scan”, feedback 15 – 20 profs, from all Faculties, mix of heavy, typical, and light instructional tech users Sent questions in advance Met as a focus group, got input Summarized back to group Duties over, group dissolved OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel

So, another strategy …

• Find regularly meeting constituent groups Students, Faculty, Staff, IT Staff, Administrative users, etc.

• Find mandates and membership, consult Chair; if fits, get on their agendas • Consider short term for targeted input/feedback Ad hoc groups, focus groups, surveys, etc.

• But, if needed, create a new group!

OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel

Over to you … Questions?

Comments?

Or, we’ll ask you …  OUCC 2014 – Customer Relationships and Advisory Groups panel