The Office of Business Practice Improvement (BPI) was created in December of 2010 to provide dedicated project management resources to work collaboratively with Emory leadership, schools, and units to address opportunities for business practice, process, and policy improvement.
The BPI in conjunction with the Office of Research Administration and the Woodruff Health Sciences Center launched a project in July to review and improve the research administration functions at Emory University, both centrally and within schools and units.
The BPI Research Administration Project, Phase 1 is the first phase of a multi-year effort to improve research administration functions at Emory. The effort seeks to improve Emory’s ability to win and execute sponsored projects. This project seeks first to outline the current processes and structures for research administration, both on a macro level and within departments. The project will then identify areas for possible improvement, as well as execute some “quick win” improvements wherever possible. Improvement efforts would begin in early 2012 as phase 2.
Phase 1 activities to achieve these goals include (i) documenting the current state of research administration activities (at both central and the schools and units), (ii) conducing focus groups and interviews to gather information on “pain points” and best practices in research administration, and (iii) benchmarking innovative organizational designs, design elements, and practices in research administration and other universities and assessing applicability to Emory. This work is being conducted by a working group of over 30 individuals from multiple schools, units, and departments.
To read more about this project, please visit the project website at: http://www.or.emory.edu/Projects/index.cfm
In addition to the BPI Research administration Project, BPI is also running a related project called the BPI Participant Stipend Process Project. The Participant Stipend Process Project is developing a new process for distributing cash and cash equivalent stipends to human subjects research participants. Activities to achieve this goal include (i) understanding the needs of PIs, research coordinators, research subjects, and finance/audit functions through focus groups and interviews, (ii) benchmarking participant stipend processes at other schools, (iii) documenting the current state process and inefficiencies, developing a new process, and calculating a ROI for a new process, (iv) conducting a risk assessment of both the current and new process, (v) developing, and likely conducting a pilot program. This work, including a pilot program, is expected to be completed in early 2012. This working is being conducted by a working group of approximately 20 individuals from across the university.
If you are asked to participate in a focus group or interview for a BPI project, we please ask that you accept and come willing to share your opinions and thoughts. If you have any questions about either project, please contact Kimberly Hyde in the Office of Business Practice Improvement at Kimberly.hyde@emory.edu or bpi@emory.edu.