Realizing the Benefits of Process Improvement: The Case of Queensland University of Technology

Abstract

(a) \n \nSituation faced: Queensland University of Technology (QUT) underwent an initiative to improve enterprise processes. However, like many organizations, QUT also struggled to position and communicate the initiative’s benefits and their impact on the university. \n \n \n \n \n(b) \n \nAction taken: A Benefits Realization Management (BRM) approach with a four-phased BRM framework was introduced as a mechanism with which to identify specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely benefits that the university can harvest to contribute to the university’s objectives. \n \n \n \n \n(c) \n \nResults achieved: As a result, the identification, awareness, measurement, reporting, and monitoring of benefits have improved. This improvement has increased process performance and assisted in identifying unanticipated issues and new directions for incremental process improvements, and the project’s benefits have contributed to the overall university objectives. \n \n \n \n \n(d) \n \nLessons learned: Findings provide rich insights into several challenges faced by the university, such as a lack of BRM approaches and frameworks for continuous process improvement and higher education, collecting current-state measures, and quantifying qualitative benefits. The importance and means of institutionalizing BRM and accumulating the project’s benefits to overall university objectives are also emphasized.