SMART Implementation

June 28, 2010

Greetings,

July 1, 2010 marks the day that the clusters officially begin their work together. Staff across the division will begin to move to their new locations with some moves being phased. Thanks to everyone who has contributed their leadership, feedback, analytical skills, and creativity to this process.
Here is an update on the SMART project. Over the last few months we have achieved the following:

  • Identified the staff that will be moving to the clusters and begin outreach
  • Created space for each cluster
  • Developed a “workflow” environment (more about this in the next paragraph)
  • Collected data to make sure that we have the right staffing levels
  • Developed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that will identify the performance targets for each clusters
  • Completed business process reengineering in two specific areas (Employee Relations and Budget Tracking)

An important next step in standardizing work across the clusters is the use of a common workflow tool. The Student Affairs Business Operations website has been created as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for our business process needs. This website provides standard forms and processes that will be used across Student Affairs. As a result of using this site, we expect to have less re-work, quicker turn-around times and easier steps to completion of tasks with these new work processes. The site will be available July 1, 2010.

It is my expectation that as a division we all will begin the transition of using the standards on this the Business Operations website. The site will develop over time, the amount of content will grow and regular updates are planned. There will be a “BusOps Site Improvements” box on the site. Please use the email address that will be provided to send us your ideas and constructive thoughts about the site.

Two SMART Roundtables will be hosted on July 1, 9-10am, and August 10, 3-4pm, both in 166 Barrows Hall. The focus of the SMART Roundtable will be to provide the most current up-dates and a forum to ask the SMART directors questions. Please consider attending and consult with your supervisor prior.

Thanks to everyone for the patience that you have shown. We have more work ahead of us. Many of you have asked how our work will fold into the campus’ Operational Excellence Initiative and I am pleased to report that I met with the team responsible for organizational simplification last week and they were very complementary of our efforts and applauded our creativity.

Our work is really a Phase One effort that will fold into and help inform the campus as it tackles this on a campus-wide basis. I have asked that they imbed a member of their team with our steering committee and they seem willing to do this. This will insure that our efforts are aligned with the greater campus initiative.

I am still encouraging everyone to submit any questions, comments or recommendations regarding the SMART initiative to smartideas@lists.berkeley.edu.

Thank you!

Harry Le Grande
Vice Chancellor