Improving the Student Experience Through Process Mapping

For the Record, An AACRAO Podcast

Every registrar’s office has a series of functions they perform as part of their regular business. Sometimes these functions are well thought out and run smoothly every time. Other times there are things we do that are cobbled together and have steps that accrue over time and no one is really sure why we’re doing what we’re doing. If you’ve ever wanted to crack some of those processes open because you think there’s gotta be a better way, then this episode is for you. We talk with Alex Aljets about how to map a process, key pitfalls to avoid, and how your office can benefit from well-documented process maps.

Key Takeaways:

• Mapping a process doesn’t take any complicated software, but there are some very good digital tools available. You probably already have everything you need, though! Don’t let technology limit your process mapping.
• Process mapping is collaborative. It’s important to include representatives from the entire span of the process for quality assurance and change management.
• Start small! But keep going! It doesn’t take much to map a process, but the benefits can be significant in terms of time savings, gained administrative efficiencies, and more institutional knowledge.

Host:

Doug McKenna, University Registrar
George Mason University
[email protected]

Guests:

Alex Aljets
Higher Education Process Improvement Strategist
[email protected]
Connect on LinkedIn

References and Additional Information:

AACRAO Core Competencies - Leadership & Management

AACRAO Professional Proficiencies - Records and Academic Services

“Given these constraints, how might we…”

University Innovation Alliance

IDEO U