Assuring quality using “moments of truth” in super‐converged services
| Pages | 414-420 |
| Date | 20 July 2012 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435121211266230 |
| Published date | 20 July 2012 |
| Author | Leo Appleton |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Assuring quality using
“moments of truth” in
super-converged services
Leo Appleton
Library and Student Support, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
Abstract
Purpose – Bringing together diverse areas of a university means having to work with several different
methods and frameworks for measuring and assuring quality and identifying key performance
indicators. The Business and Strategic Planning area of Library and Student Support at Liverpool John
Moores University (LJMU) has been involved in such a case study, and this paper aims to present the
findings of this work, which may be of interest to performance measurement practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper applies a case study approach, in tha t the
background of the institution and change management programme will be clearly presented in
order that the subsequent overview of the performance management work can be placed into context.
The newly-formed department already had several quality assurance and user satisfaction
measurement instruments which were being used within the constituent parts of the service area
(i.e. LibQUAL, SCONUL benchmarking exercises, Matrix assessment, enrolment surveys) as well as
the results of the annual National Student Survey. The work in question has allowed for an
investigation into how to establish a framework for inputting measurement and key performance data
from all of these instruments and being able to respond to them as a single department. Having
consulted some of the university’s external corporate partners (namely Shop Direct and Merseytravel),
the resulting framework now incorporates embedding departmental values and behaviours, and
identifying particular moments of truth within the student lifecycle, where Library and Student
Support has a particular impact on the student experience. By identifying these “moments of truth” the
department is better placed to measure its impact and subsequently assure quality. The paper will
present the experience of Library and Student Support in their efforts to find a single framework, made
up of constituent methods and instruments, by which it can measure and assure quality.
Findings – The findings of the paper bring together the method outlined above and allow for the
disseminationof the first year’s work of the Library and Student Support Quality Assurance Framework.
At the time of writing, this is a work in progress, as the first year’s data, analysis and resulting quality
actionsand responses are for the academic year 2010-2011. This paper presents an opportunity to find out
how the framework was developed, constructed and implemented, how effective it has been and what
further development needs to happen in order for the framework to continue to be effective.
Originality/value – Super-convergence of university support departments is becoming increasingly
more common, and existing quality and performance measurement channels now appear less and less
meaningful within this new paradigm. This case study should present itself as one of the first studies
of a “whole service” approach to quality assurance within this new order, and will therefore be of great
interest and value to anyone else currently working within the business, planning and quality areas of
super-convergence.
Keywords Super-convergence, Quality, Performance measurement (quality), University libraries,
United Kingdom
Paper type Case study
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
This paper was originally presented at the 9th Northumbria International Conference on
Performance in Libraries and Information Services.
LM
33,6/7
414
Received 4 May 2012
Accepted 15 June 2012
Library Management
Vol. 33 No. 6/7, 2012
pp. 414-420
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435121211266230
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