ThemeManaging self

CompetencyProblem solving and decision makingUse appropriate media to communicate

Managing self

Concept/learning transfer

The recognition that different team members prefer different ways to absorb information.

The visual communication of information (graphs and charts) often conveys meaning better than text.

Managing self

Situation

The Web Content Officer (WCO) team is a relatively new team of 4. Their sole initial remit was the instruction ‘to promote research on the web’. To achieve this, team members and their line manager created a detailed list of tasks.Effective communication between all parties was vital to ensure that these tasks were prioritised, to produce a plan of action.

Managing self

Task

To communicate effectively to team members in a way that will help them make decisions and prioritise tasks according to strategic goals.

Managing self

ActionThe WCO s had developed a list of actions, that included the development of 12 different sub-websites within www.gla.ac.uk. Each action was lengthy and we needed to find a way to prioritise these tasks.I used google web analytics software to see how many people visited each sub-site over the last 2 quarters of 2012 (and where they lived). A bar graph of these data was then distributed to the team at our weekly roundtable meeting.

Managing self

Results/outcome

Team members:

• found it easier to absorb information presented in a visual manner. • used the graphs to help prioritise the importance of actions ie. websites that attracted high volumes of visitors from key target locations (India, China, Brazil) were developed first.• now use their own charts and graphs (from google analytics) to communicate at college meetings.

Managing self

Contribution to University objectiveThis result has contributed to the University’s strategic objective of delivering excellent research and enhancing our global reach and reputation. By prioritising tasks, we can develop our most strategically important content first and reach our primary external audiences followed by our secondary audiences.

ThemeDelivering results

CompetencyContinuously improve service delivery

Delivering results

Concept/learning transferCreate performance improvements and standards that • ensure our systems and processes attain maximum customer satisfaction• align to the strategic objectives of Corporate Communications• are understood by and are achievable by staff (and Information Systems)• are continuously monitored

Delivering results

SituationEach Web Content Officer within the team is aligned to a college. One of their roles is to support the publishing of web content for the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF). All schools and research institutes use the web publishing system supplied by the webteam. However, some do not collaborate fully and question whether the tools and infrastructure are fit for purpose.

Delivering results

TaskTo ensure that the webteam provide a service that meets the needs of academics and support staff that publish web content for REF 2014.

Delivering results

ActionA questionnaire was developed and distributed to staff in research institutes.The response indicated a high level of satisfaction with helpdesk support (over 90% ‘Very satsified’) but under 70% were satisfied with publishing times and the presentation of content.The findings were presented to university services management with a request for extra budget to develop new web page templates and new hardware to reduce publishing times to two hours.

Delivering results

Results/outcomeBudget was allocated and new templates were developed and publishing times reduced to two hours.A susequent questionnaire revealed that satisfaction with publishing times has increased to 85% ‘very satisfied’.The Research Institute of Health and Wellbeing engage much more with us.Questionnaires will continue to be conducted every year.

Delivering results

Contribution to University objectiveThis result has contributed to the University’s strategic objective of delivering excellent research. By creating a community of satisfied web publishers we can publish a professional website that performs as a marketing tool to

• Grow our community of PhD students• Extend our knowledge exchange activity

ThemeLeading and developing others

CompetencyMotivate team and individualsAdopt coaching techniques

Leading and developing others

Concept/learning transfer

The importance of coaching to promote self discovery in team members. The development of the line manager’s• listening skills• ability to ask open questions• rapport with team members

Leading and developing others

Situation

The WCO team are forging a new role within Corporate Communications. College administration, management and academics make daily requests for web publishing assistance and developments to existing infrastrucure.

Each team member needs to develop the confidence to self assess whether these requests fit into our strategy and if so, prioritise their importance.

Leading and developing others

Task

Coach and support team members to develop their own decision making skills.

Leading and developing others

Action Since October 2012 to the present , when a member of the team comes to me with a problem achieving a task, I ask them the relevant open questions from the following list

Leading and developing others

Action

• What are you trying to acheive?• What have you tried so far?• What are the options?• What are the pros and cons of these options?• What option do you recommend?

Leading and developing others

Results/outcome

More thoughtful team members that understand their goals and can make their own decisions to reach these goals.Increasingly team members ask themselves the same questions and have learned to coach each other.

Leading and developing others

Contribution to University objective

By providing considered and strategic support to the publishing of web content, the WCO team supports the enhancement of our position as one of the world’s great, broad based, research intensive universities.