The Higher Education TechQual+ Project

As a cooperative initiative of member institutions, TechQual+ provides IT leaders with the tools to assess, analyze and report on the effectiveness of technology services. The TechQual+ survey assesses objectively the key performance indicators that reflect high quality technology outcomes. The TechQual+ core survey contains 12 items designed to measure the performance along three core service vectors: 

1. Connectivity and Access (WiFi, Internet, mobile access, mobile device support);
2. Technology and Collaboration Services  (web sites, classroom technology, collaboration services); and,
3. Support and Training (support staff effectiveness, response to problems, communications, training offerings).
   

An added benefit of the TechQual+ Project is the comparative data made available by peer institutions. UB data can be compared to other institutions of the same “Carnegie Class." With this comparison, we can find out how we’re doing compared to other colleges and universities.

UB’s TechQual+ 2012 Survey

CIT initiated the UB TechQual+ project during the spring of 2012. More than 9,000 UB faculty, staff and students were selected at random and invited to participate in the survey, answering the 12 items and providing open-ended comments to improve services. In addition, IT support staff, number over 400 individuals at UB, were asked to participate. The end result is that 2,082 individuals participated, a return rate of just over 23%.

UB Faculty and Staff Key Findings

Faculty and staff expressed, on average that perceived levels of service did not exceed minimum expectations (where the green bar is below the red bar) on:

• Q5: Easy-to-use websites and services
• Q6: Mobile access to important websites
• Q7: Available collaboration services
• Q8: Available classroom technology
• Q9: Getting timely IT problem resolution

Themes from faculty and staff comments illustrate some of the deficiencies:

• A desire for universal Wi-Fi coverage on campus, and simplify UB_Secure
• Increased support for mobile devices and apps
• Provide mobile access to HUB and other key web services
• Address UB website organization and ease of use
• Build awareness of existing collaboration tools such as web/video conferencing
• Fully equip all instructional spaces with classroom technology on campus regardless of room ownership
• IT staff are highly valued, and are relied upon to be IT knowledgeable
• IT problem resolution and response time is inadequate
• Simplify IT messages conveyed to faculty and staff on campus
• Increase training offerings and self-help

Ratings and suggestions from faculty and staff reveal that they are genuinely looking for more and improved IT services in order to excel in their roles. The sentiment most negatively expressed by faculty and staff is their desire to have consistent access to classroom technology in all teaching and learning spaces regardless of space ownership.

For both faculty and staff, there is a strong desire to have easy access to official university information through the web, with an emphasis on that information being timely and accurate. Some negative sentiment for UB’s web information could also be due to dissatisfaction with the changes involved with the introduction of HUB, and their struggle with understanding how to proceed with their work using the new system.

Faculty and staff truly appreciate the efforts and assistance provided by IT supports staff. They want more access to IT staff expertise directly, and especially clear communication regarding IT matters that affect them.

Peer Comparison

When comparing UB’s combined data to the combined data from other institutions of the similar Carnegie Class, UB’s performance profile is nearly identical. UB, like our peers, is challenged with the same issues of size, technical complexity and breadth. UB’s similarity provides validity that our IT services reflect current, mainstream operations, and effectively address the appropriate issues. UB compares favorably on networking and connectivity, with Wi-Fi provisioning better than our peers, access to technology for teaching and collaboration, and the effectiveness of IT support. We can improve the organization of our websites and online services, to which our faculty and staff concur, and improve how information about IT services and facilities is communicated to campus audiences.

Next Steps

Assessing performance effectiveness is the first step in the improvement process. UB’s IT leadership is already taking action to address the issues revealed by the TechQual+ process, with some new initiatives already underway:

• Release of a new UBIT website, redesigned based on audience needs, that is aligned with UB’s overall web communication strategy
• Development of new mobile web apps and content designed specifically to serve the needs of our mobile faculty, staff and student audiences
• A plan to expand Wi-Fi coverage and quality on campus
• Improvements to the HUB to address usability and functionality issues
• Development of a new comprehensive classroom technology plan that addresses fundamental issues of access, uniformity and support, led by the office of the Provost
• Implementation of a new problem ticketing system within CIT to unify communication processes for customer problems and requests

Want to know more?

A complete UB TechQual+ 2012 Report, including analyzes of IT staff and UB student data and much more, is available at:

http://www.buffalo.edu/ubit/services/scoreboard/surveys.html