DETROIT — Behind the scenes, universities operate like intricate machinery. Every application submitted, staff member hired, or purchase approved involves a complex web of processes. As these processes grow over time, they can become cumbersome and fragmented across various departments. Recognizing this challenge, Wayne State University has embarked on a transformative journey.
The Division of Digital Strategy and Operational Excellence (DSOE) has initiated a university-wide initiative aimed at refining these everyday operations. The objective is clear: to simplify, accelerate, and interlink processes for a superior experience for students, faculty, and staff.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy. Wayne State has established a new Operational Excellence unit within DSOE to spearhead these enhancements and promote lasting improvements across campus. Shifting perspectives, the university is no longer viewing technology merely as a support function; rather, it is adopting a strategic mindset that integrates people, processes, data, and systems for a cohesive operational ecosystem.
Rohini Ananthakrishnan, vice president of DSOE, encapsulates the essence of this initiative: “Operational excellence means we are improving how work gets done across people, process, technology and data,” she explains. This commitment aims to alleviate manual, repetitive tasks, empowering staff to concentrate on higher-value activities that align with the university’s mission to serve its community.
Currently, many processes involve numerous steps across different offices. Hiring a new employee or enrolling a student often requires coordination among various departments, creating opportunities for delays and confusion. The new initiative aims to streamline these processes from beginning to end, instead of merely addressing isolated steps.
Ananthakrishnan emphasizes the importance of user experience: “I don’t want students to have to understand how the university is structured to get what they need,” she states. “They should be able to navigate Wayne State seamlessly, without worrying about which office does what behind the scenes.”
Enhancing these processes not only enriches the experience for students and faculty but also promotes greater operational efficiency within Wayne State. Tasks such as hiring and enrollment can be executed more swiftly and effectively, while information becomes more accurate and easily accessible. This shift allows staff to dedicate their time and energy to assisting students and fostering important initiatives across the university.
Warren Doucet, who has taken the helm of the new Operational Excellence unit as assistant vice president, notes that a crucial first step is to assess the current effectiveness of existing processes. “Currently, many of our processes occur via email or forms, which complicates measuring their efficiency or pinpointing delays,” he explains. “By refining and standardizing these procedures, we can track performance and consistently enhance them over time.”
This concept of continuous improvement is central to the initiative. It’s not simply a one-off project; it’s envisioned as an ongoing program that will adapt and evolve as the university grows. “Operational excellence is continuous improvement,” Ananthakrishnan reiterates. “There is no end point. As the university changes, our processes have to change with it.”
As these changes unfold, they are expected to make a tangible impact. Processes are likely to become more intuitive, services will be easier to access, and employees will find themselves with more time to engage in meaningful work rather than administrative tasks. Ultimately, the effort seeks to enhance the functionality of Wayne State University for everyone who relies on it daily.
