2022
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Members: Tim Salazar (Team Lead), Keslie Fendley, Erica Gambrell, Ashley Chambers & Jessica Ezell.
The Office of Teaching Innovation & Digital Education – OTIDE (formerly the College of Continuing Studies) Agility team met every two weeks and focused on two areas. The first was to promote the knowledge of Agility including how to increase awareness and adoption throughout OTIDE. Second, they were developing new projects to automate processes to increase efficiency at the staff level.
The team faced numerous challenges. There were technical challenges where they tried to do things no one had ever done before, political challenges as they navigated the examination of processes that go beyond OTIDE’ control, and human challenges as they sought to navigate behaviors that are entrenched in status quo.
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To work through the challenges, they brought in perspectives from individuals with different areas of expertise and spoke with staff members who had never been engaged with this type of process to use their ability to look at the process differently. They engaged with the campus partner and presented compiled information showing the impact of their process on the OTIDE staff along with a demonstration of a proposed replacement that OTIDE designed.
Congratulations to the OTIDE Agility Team for engaging stakeholders and staff and collaborating with teams outside of your college!
Their next effort was the “Agility Team Efficiency Project,” where they invite OTIDE colleagues who have ideas on better ways to accomplish daily tasks to share with those who use similar resources.
How have Agility ideas benefited OTIDE? “I think it is a great move toward more efficiency.”
Dr. Amanda Ingram, discussing the electronic supplemental pay form (ePA)
2023
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The Spotlight is for Laura Thomas, Director of Professional Development at the Division of Student Life. Laura is the Team Leader of the Student Life Agility Team and a great partner and active supporter of Agility Concepts.
Laura believes that Agility at UA is important because the work of continuous improvement is everyone’s business. More efficient processes make customers happier, staff more satisfied in their roles, boosts morale, and creates more positive relationships through the process.
In Student Life, some innovative teams that have been working with the Agility concepts include University Recreation, Business Services and Student Engagement.
The Student Life Agility Team permanently encourage the staff to attend the Agility trainings offered through HR LMS.
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“Overall, I think one of the most impactful Agility concepts that we have used is to get everyone at the table when we talk process improvement. That means staff at all levels, student employees, student participants, etc. All people involved in the process can have a voice and a different perspective to ensure any continuous improvement outcome is mutually beneficial and enhances efficiency.”
The Process Improvement Department has been invited to present to the Student Life Division wide monthly meetings and we have the opportunity to share some of the Agility Concepts such as Psychological Safety, Change Management and Liberating Structures. Regarding the sessions Laura mentions: “The presentations have been well received and inspirational for staff of all types. Whether a staff member has worked for twenty years or is in their first year at UA, these principles can be helpful to everyone!”.
