Strategic change Office
The Strategic Change Office (SCO), part of the Directorate of Planning, supports University-wide change and the delivery of the Strategic Change Portfolio. The SCO currently manage a wide range of projects and programmes that cover both academic and professional service activities.
Objectives
- Strengthen how we manage, deliver and govern strategic change
- Champion the development of skills and toolkits for all colleagues involved in strategic change
- Introduce and embed assurance of strategic change
Approach
The SCO delivers projects that improve effectiveness and efficiency, contribute to financial sustainability and release funding for strategic investment across the University. This approach is delivering a number of benefits:
- Alignment of projects to University strategy
- Improved planning
- More effective use of financial and human resources
- Standardised reporting on all projects
- Improved project visibility through engagement and communication
Leading Change Portal
The Leading Change Portal is a resource designed to equip individuals and teams with the necessary tools, templates, processes, and guidance for effectively managing and delivering change. Whether you are leading a strategic initiative or supporting smaller-scale transitions, the portal offers a comprehensive range of resources that streamline the change process, making it more efficient and accessible.
The portal is built on best practices and proven frameworks, which provide a solid foundation for any change-related project. By leveraging these resources, colleagues can significantly reduce the time and effort required to initiate, plan, and implement change. Instead of starting from scratch, the portal offers ready-to-use templates, detailed guides, and practical tools, ensuring consistency and efficiency across all projects.
Some key benefits of using the Leading Change Portal include:
- Standardised Tools and Templates: These pre-built resources help ensure that change initiatives follow a consistent approach across departments and teams.
- Expert Guidance: The portal offers step-by-step processes, tips, and expert advice to navigate the complexities of change, whether it’s strategic, operational, or cultural.
- Enhanced Understanding: Access to clear documentation and examples allows users to gain a deeper understanding of change management principles and their application.
- Improved Efficiency: With resources readily available, time spent on planning and managing change is reduced, allowing for a faster and smoother transition.
- Best Practice Sharing: The portal consolidates years of experience and expertise into a single platform, allowing users to learn from previous successes and challenges faced by others across the University.
By tapping into the Leading Change Portal, we are better equipped to handle the ever-evolving nature of strategic and operational shifts. The ideas and frameworks shared provide us with a critical head start, ensuring that each new change initiative builds on proven methods rather than reinventing the wheel.
Explore the resources and unlock the potential for seamless, informed change management by accessing the Leading Change Portal here.
What is Continuous Improvement?
Continuous Improvement is a fundamental way of working at our University. It is not a one-off project or an initiative with a start and end date. Instead, it is embedded in our culture and daily practices, driving us to enhance efficiency, quality, and value continuously.
Key Principles of Continuous Improvement
- Ongoing Process: Continuous improvement is about making small, incremental changes in our day-to-day activities. Unlike large-scale projects that launch all at once, this approach focuses on gradual enhancements over time.
- Value to the Customer: A core aspect of continuous improvement methodologies is delivering value to the end users or customers. We constantly seek ways to maximise the benefits for those receiving our services.
- Removing Waste: This involves identifying and eliminating wasted time, resources, and efforts. By streamlining processes, we aim to reduce unnecessary expenditures and improve efficiency.
- Reducing Defects: We strive to minimise errors and defects in our processes. This doesn’t mean eliminating innovation but rather refining our methods to achieve better outcomes consistently.
Lean Methodology: Our continuous improvement efforts are guided by the Lean methodology, which many of you might already be familiar with. For those who are new to it, Lean focuses on creating more value with fewer resources by optimising workflows and eliminating waste. We encourage you to explore the Lean HE YouTube channel, an international organisation that shares valuable insights and sector-relevant videos on how continuous improvement can be effectively implemented in universities.
What Support Can Be Accessed If Needed
At our University, we believe that Continuous Improvement (CI) is most effective when driven by the teams directly involved in the activities. Typically, CI is managed and implemented locally by managers and leaders within various Directorates, Faculties, and Schools. However, we recognise that not everyone is a CI professional and may require additional support. This is where the Strategic Change Office (SCO) steps in to provide the necessary structure and assistance.
- Community Support: One of the key pillars of support is our community. We are bringing together a group dedicated to CI, and we will be seeking your input on what additional resources or support you might need. This community is designed to evolve and grow, providing a platform for collaboration and shared learning. You can join the CI community via this Change Colleagues community MS Teams. There is a separate channel here where we will share information specifically about CI.
- Tools and Templates: We offer a range of tools and templates based on LEAN methodology and best practices from higher education and other sectors. These resources are designed to assist you in implementing CI locally. During our presentations, we will showcase some of these tools and templates to help you get started.
- Training Programs:We provide comprehensive training on CI, ranging from broad introductory sessions accessible to everyone at the University to professional certification programs. These programs include various levels of Lean Six Sigma training, such as Yellow Belt, Green Belt, and Black Belt certifications. Our training is designed to equip you with the skills needed to effectively implement CI in your area.
- Consultancy Services: Our consultancy services offer tailored support for teams that require assistance with CI workshops, coaching, or specialised training. Our professional facilitators and CI experts can work with your team to develop new processes and provide on-the-job training. We aim to support you through initial implementations, enabling you to independently carry out CI practices in the future. For more complex processes that span multiple areas of the University, our team is ready to provide the necessary expertise and support.
By leveraging these resources, you and your teams can effectively drive continuous improvement within your respective areas, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation across the University.