April 2013

Posted by Carlyn Foshee Chatfield on April 12, 2013

Virtual Coffee Shop - April 2013

Using Data, Analytics and Visualization to Enhance Campus Planning and Engagement Efforts

Lynn Latimer Wilson, University of Georgia

At the University of Georgia, we had data and town hall feedback, wanted to find a different way to use analytics in communications. Using the TechQual surveys, we got better, different data than we had access to in past.

Using qualitative and quantitative data, we revamped our annual reporting cycle.

Surveys distributed in March, closed in April, analyzed May-Aug, share initial results in September and October, then in December we develop a priority list for CIO.

Using the data to tell our story - we had a lot of complaints about email, then when we had our first TechQual survey and we got feedback in that survey that really helped us understand WHY people were complaining and what their specific issues were.

A radar graph is a way to map multiple dimensions in one graph.

See attached PDF for slides.

Lessons Learned - less is better, moved away from dashboards and scorecards, found customers weren't using them that much

Planning Communications - like any other change - takes time; getting IT staff to understand a single email is not enough was one challenge

Q&A

• • What started the changes? New leadership felt not getting the data from customers we needed and weren't communicating with end users effectively. Already had good communications with technical staff across campus, but not with end users (faculty, staff, students). What IT services did they think were valuable? What expectations were we not meeting?

  • To see results of survey, go to TechQual - techqual.org

  • Anyone else doing surveys? University of Kansas just looking into our first surveys. University of Buffalo - used TechQual for first time last year and really liked it - easy to sell this standard set of questions; also does standard graphs right there in the TechQual tool; will use every 18 months.

  • How to avoid survey fatique? UGA's strategy: TechQual survey in March, Educause student survey start up after TechQual survey closes. Students selected for TechQual were not selected for Educause student survey.

  • What is your survey response rate like? 30% fac/staff, 10% students in our first year. Probably still hovering around that percentage this year, still better info than our previous town hall. UBuffalo said same kinds of statistics. UNF has a little higher statistics on their own surveys. Some universities have a hard time getting the survey owners to understand the strength of random selecting survey respondents - want to send every survey to every person.

Chat Notes

• • Carlyn - Rice: Audience phone line for audio 877.944.2300 Code: 99281

  • Beth - Cornell: Cornell does -- at the CIO level for the long-term strategic plan

  • Shandon: University of Oregon is working on it.

  • L Trubitt-UAlbany: Working on it as well

  • Rick - SUNY Buffalo: We've done Strategic Planning for the last 8 years, including Central and Distributed IT support

  • Maureen - Hamilton: Working on that piece

  • L Trubitt-UAlbany: Ditto to Hamilton

  • David & Suzie - Univ. of Kansas: IT initiatives are included in the University of Kansas strategic plan. And, our internal IT comms plan aligns with the Univeristy plan

  • Beth - Cornell: We don't have an overall comm plan. The strategic plan is communicated by itself.

  • Rice guest: Do you try to identify the story you want to tell first and then look for data to support that story? Or try to figure out what story your data is telling?

  • Beth - Cornell: I wonder if you could explain why you use that circular graph -- it's different from what I've seen in similar surveys.

  • Rice guest: Email

  • David & Suzie - Univ. of Kansas: Email

  • Shandon: Email

  • L Trubitt-UAlbany: Email, although we're trying to branch out more

  • Rick - SUNY Buffalo: Web, email blasts, Social Media posts, local news media, town halls

  • Beth - Cornell: Email, constituency meetings, IT@Cornell News site, campus news outlets

  • Maureen - Hamilton: Email, dept meetings

  • Andrea-Madison College: email - face-to-face meetings - leadership meetings

  • Alison Cruess - Univ. of North Fla: Daily campuswide email, social media, IT Service Status on web site

  • Jeff O: email, supplemented by blog, Twitter, campus messaging system, liaisons

  • Beth - Cornell: Could you share the survey?

  • David & Suzie - Univ. of Kansas: Very valuable info about TechQual. Didn't know about that, thanks!

  • Maureen - Hamilton: MISO, but not annually. Don't want users to get survey fatigue. Do ECAR survey for students every year.

  • Alison Cruess - Univ. of North Fla: we survey students, faculty, and staff (seperately) about every two years

  • Jeff O: At Washington and Lee, we also survey on every-other-year cycle with fac/staff/students. Sometimes small ad hoc surveys in between

  • David & Suzie - Univ. of Kansas: What is your response rate on the surveys?

  • Alison Cruess - Univ. of North Fla: recent faculty survey response rate was 29.5%

  • Alison Cruess - Univ. of North Fla: we typically get a little higher with staff and about 10% with students

  • Rick - SUNY Buffalo: TechQual and LibQual are descendents of ServeQual

  • Suzie Johannes – KU: This has been very insightful.

  • Rick - SUNY Buffalo: TGIF!

  • Kerri-Univ. of Georgia: Thanks!