1. business and industrial
2. business operations
3. management
4. project management

Cover Sheet for Proposals
(All sections must be completed)
e-Learning
Programme
Name of Initiative:
Institutional approaches to curriculum design
Name of Lead Institution:
Cardiff University
Name of Proposed Project:
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolse t
(PALET)
Name(s) of Project Partner(s):
N/A
Full Contact Details for Primary Contact:
Name:
Position:
Email:
Address:
Andy Lloyd
Assistant Registrar (Learning and Teaching)
LloydA@Cardiff.ac.uk
nd
Registry, 2 Floor
30 – 36 Newport Road
Cardiff, CF24 0DE
Tel:
Fax:
029 2087 6979
029 2087 4130
Length of Project:
3 Years 9 Months
Project Start Date:
September 2008
Total Funding Requested from JISC:
Project End
Date:
June 2012
£389,063
Funding Broken Down over Academic Years (Aug-July):
Aug08 – July09
Aug09 – July10
£121,808
£120,650
Total Institutional Contributions:
Outline Project Description
Aug10 – July11
£124,120
Aug11 – July12
£22,485
£461,783
Utilising the Lean Thinking methodology for process improvements, the PALET project will
develop revised procedures for the approval of new programmes to create a more agile,
efficient and flexible approach to the design of new curricula and the subsequent programme
approval process. In the context of the University’s Modern IT Working Environment (MWE)
project, a service-oriented approach will be utilised to develop a toolset to support academic
and support staff through each stage of the programme approval process, and to ensure that
the resulting programme and module information is clearly defined and can be seamlessly
utilised by other business applications.
I have looked at the example FOI form at
Appendix B and included an FOI form in
the attached bid (Tick Box)
I have read the Circular and associated
Terms and Conditions of Grant at
Appendix D (Tick Box)
YES
NO
v
YES
v
NO
FOI Withheld Information Form
We would like JISC to consider withholding the following sections or paragraphs from disclosure,
should the contents of this proposal be requested under the Freedom of Information Act, or if we are
successful in our bid for funding and our project proposal is made available on The JISC website. We
acknowledge that the FOI Withheld Information Form is of indicative value only and that JISC may
nevertheless be obliged to disclose this information in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
We acknowledge that the final decision on disclosure rests with JISC.
Section / Paragraph No.
Relevant exemption from
disclosure under FOI.
Justification
Section F – Budget
Section 40 – Personal
Information
Contains information that would
allow details of personnel
salaries to be inferred.
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
C.
Fit to Programme Objectives and Overall Value to the JISC Community
C1
This proposal is a request for funding against the JISC e-Learning Capital Programme call for projects on
Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design (Circular 05/08). Utilising the Lean Thinking methodology
for process improvements, the PALET project will develop revised procedures for the approval of new
programmes to create a more agile, efficient and flexible approach to the design of new curricula and the
subsequent programme approval process. In the context of the University’s Modern IT Working
Environment (MWE) project, a service-oriented approach will be utilised to develop a toolset to support
academic and support staff through each stage of the programme approval process, and to ensure that
the resulting programme and module information is clearly defined and can be seamlessly utilised by
other business applications.
C2
The PALET Project has been conceived in the context of Cardiff University’s ambitious vision and
mission. The University’s vision is to be a world-leading University and its mission: to pursue research,
learning and teaching of international distinction and impact, pursued in a rich and varied research-led
environment where all staff and students can achieve their full potential to the benefit of the wider
community and society as a whole. The University’s strategy is published at
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/plann/strategicplan/index.html. The project has been identified as a strategic
priority within the University’s Academic Standards and Quality Committee’s (ASQC) action plan.
C3
The project builds on existing and well-publicised high-level work on Lean Thinking and Service Oriented
Architecture, and is designed to explore the ways in which institution-wide problems in the domain of
business process efficiency can be supported and informed by technology. Support for process
improvement and redesign is given from the highest level of the University down.
C4
The achievement of these ambitions depends on investment and success in the key areas that enable
achievement of the core strategic aims: namely, people, financial resources, infrastructure and working
practices. It will also depend on maintaining excellence in both current and future activities.
C5
The revised procedures will be based on the outcomes from a recent end-to-end process review of the
programme approval process undertaken through the Lean University Project. This allowed different
stakeholder needs to be identified, and will enable the University to take a more holistic and strategic
approach to programme planning management, and decision-making, and ensure that the business case
for new programmes has been thoroughly and professionally explored.
C6
The electronic toolset will support the collaborative working recommended by the review and will
specifically:
a) support process improvements for the approval of new programmes, so that academic schools can
more effectively design new programmes with appropriate support and input from support
directorates;
b) help the University better plan for new programmes that are attractive, innovative, market relevant,
and of a high academic standard, and assure itself that programmes are viable and can be
appropriately resourced; and
c) Allow the programme and module information created within a new programme proposal to be
seamlessly utilised by other business applications that support other parts of student learning,
student administration, and quality and standards.
C7
The toolset will also enable more efficient sharing and version-control of documents, and electronic signoff of milestones within the process. It will be developed during the 2009/10 academic session in
partnership with the Cardiff University School of Nursing & Midwifery Studies, which is frequently required
by the Welsh Assembly Government, NHS Trusts, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council to develop
innovative programmes in a short period of time to respond to identified national and local educational
needs. With its range of professional courses from degree to postgraduate level, the portfolio reflects that
of most HEIs.
C8
The redesigned process will be mainstreamed across the University from the start of academic session
2009/10. The toolset will be piloted in session 2010/11, and subsequently rolled out across the University
in session 2011/12, amended as appropriate to reflect the outcomes from the pilot exercise.
C9
By having both the right people and technology in place, the University will be able to sustain the project
outcomes well beyond the initial period of funding. The people will come primarily from the Programme
Approval Team in Registry, which will continue to support operation of the revised process and the
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
electronic toolset. The technology will be sustained by delivering this as part of the MWE, which will
become the key IT environment for the University as a whole.
C10 The project will contribute to the ‘vision’ of curriculum design in the following ways:
§
§
§
§
It will provide a system that supports the development of new programmes that is agile, efficient and
flexible, by providing all of the relevant stakeholders involved with access to an innovative toolset
that will support curriculum design and the relevant programme information (14);
It will use technology to support the development of curriculum documentation that will support
learning (15);
It will develop a system that will enable the outputs from the course approval process to be re-used
to support the range of processes and systems that support different stages of the student lifecycle,
and programme monitoring and review; (16, 17);
It will help support programme management across the University, allow schools to respond to new
markets and employer needs in an agile fashion, support amendments to existing programmes, and
facilitate the development of new programmes that meet the University’s strategic needs; (18)
C11 This project will be of interest and value to the JISC communities that have emerged as part of the eLearning and e-Framework for Education and Research Programmes. The project outcomes will include
improved understanding in the JISC community of how the Lean Thinking methodology can be utilised to
improve university business processes in general and specifically the programme approval process, and
how a service-oriented approach and technology can support this. The project will allow the community
to learn more about the ways in which the MWE can help support the delivery of different business
processes that impact on learning, teaching and assessment. The outcomes from the project will also
provide a case-study that will illustrate how a number of the elements within the ‘vision for curriculum
design’ have been realised, and how this change process has been managed.
C12 Through participation in the JISC Community, and with other networks and events as appropriate,
members of the project team will link with, learn from, and share findings with related projects in this area.
In particular, the project will liaise with a range of relevant existing projects supported previously by both
JISC and the Higher Education Academy, and with institutional initiatives such as the ‘Single Sourcing of
Programme Data Project’ operating at City University.
D
Workplan
The Programme Approval Process at Cardiff
D1
The current arrangements for the approval of new programmes are set out in the University’s Programme
Approval and Maintenance Handbook. [http://www.cf.ac.uk/regis/ifs/programmes/PA&M%
20Handbook%20May%202005%20web%20version.pdf]. The process has a number of identified
strengths, which include significant student and external involvement, specific arrangements for distance
learning and collaborative provision, a fl exibility that allows different academic needs to be
accommodated, and the integration of programme development with strategic and resource planning.
This last feature was identified as good practice in the QAA Institutional Review, held in May 2008.
D2
While many aspects of the current procedure work well, it has also been recognised that the process can
be time consuming, and that a substantial period of time can elapse between the generation of a new
idea and the final approval of a new programme. Consequently, an end-to-end review of the process was
undertaken through the University’s Lean University Project in July 2007, to identify ways in which the
procedure could be streamlined. This produced a number of recommendations that will help facilitate the
operation of a much more efficient and effective process. Implementing changes to the procedure has
been identified as a high strategic priority for the University.
Cardiff University’s Lean University Project
D3
The Lean University Project aims to develop and embed lean thinking across the University to improve
the efficiency and effectiveness of management practices, improve value to external and internal
customers and release resource to achieve strategic aims. The benefits of such an approach are to
reduce internal waste (for example reducing dependence on legacy processes that are not well
integrated) and improve customer value (for example by freeing up staff time by streamlining inefficient
administration processes).
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
D4
The project is being operated across the University, in conjunction with the Lean Enterprise Research
Centre (LERC), based in Cardiff Business School and is being delivered under the University’s Project
Management Framework.
Cardiff’s Modern IT Working Environment Programme (MWE)
D5
The MWE is an ambitious programme to deliver a new and comprehensive IT environment for everyone
in Cardiff University. The MWE infrastructure is being developed to help the University to achieve:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Collaborative research of international standing
Learning and Teaching excellence
A modern and distinctive Student Experience
Lean administration with high quality dynamic management information
D6
The MWE will support and empower all researchers, lecturers, students and administrators by giving
them the modern information tools, resources and services they need to achieve their personal goals. To
date most of the work undertaken on this project is to provide an infrastructure to support MWE including
security and single sign-on, a Portal framework and collaboration tools. The PALE T project will help the
University make good its substantial and well publicised commitment to implement lean, automated
business processes as part of the MWE initiative.
D7
The project will allow the University to build on the extensive experience of the project team and utilise
technologies to deliver a solution in an area that is of high priority to the institution. The project is part of
existing Cardiff strategy, and will address an institution-wide challenge with a high degree of innovation
and process efficiency. It will share the experience gained with the HE community thus providing a
source of knowledge, experience and good practice.
Project Structure and Governance
D8
The project will operate under the University’s Project Management Structure.
[http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/plann/resources/pmguidance.doc]. Through this, a Project Management Group
will be established to manage the project’s ongoing implementation. A Project Steering Group will also
be set up to monitor progress through regular review meetings. This will include members of the
University’s Academic Standards and Quality Committee – the body responsible for the Programme
Approval Procedure, and members of the MWE Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Portal
Services Implementation Group – the group charged with steering the gathering, analysis and reporting of
user and business requirements in this area. The revised process will be subject to the approval of the
University’s Academic Standards and Quality Committee. An independent reviewer for the Project will be
appointed. This structure will ensure that both the academic, process and technology-led parts of the
project can be appropriately linked and integrated. The project will be led from within the University’s
Registry. In addition to the input from the designated Project Manager, a range of other Registry staff will
contribute to the leadership and management of the project at appropriate points.
Project Timetable and phase deliverables
Task
Start
End
Notes
Develop project initiation document (including
full project plan)
09/08
12/08
Agreed project plan
Recruit dedicated project staff in Information
Services and Registry
09/08
03/09
Design and set up project website and Blog,
and develop a communication strategy for the
project locally and across the sector
09/08
11/08
Website live
Update website and Blog and engage with
other parts of the project communication
strategy, as appropriate and required
11/08
Ongoing
To include reflective
contributions from key
internal stakeholders
Initial set-up of project
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
Review of current processes and practice
Establish baseline and evidence base related
to the operation of the current Programme
Approval Process
09/08
12/08
Review the outcomes from the Lean end-toend process review, in consultation with
relevant parties in the School and central
Directorates
09/08
12/08
Analyse current approaches and existing plans
in relation to electronic storage of programme
data
09/08
01/09
Understanding the initial issue or challenge and identifying the changes desired by the end of
the project
Discuss required adaptations to the outcomes
from the Lean process review to allow a vision
of an improved process to be identified
09/08
12/08
Identify ways in which the electronic toolset will
support key stages in the improved process
11/08
03/09
Collaborate with other developments within the
University to ensure outputs from the toolset
can feed-forward appropriately
11/08
06/09
Ensure ongoing communication with all
stakeholders (internal and external)
09/08
Ongoing
To include the ‘support
and synthesis project’
Planning innovations in curriculum design processe s in order to realise the desired changes
Initial design for improved business process
available
11/08
03/09
Presented to ASQC on
25 Mar 2009
Internal consultation carried out on improved
business process
03/09
06/09
Consultation with
Academic Schools and
support directorates
07/09
Presented to ASQC on
1 July 2009 for
approval for use from
2009/2010
Approval of improved business process by the
University’s Academic Standards and Quality
Committee (ASQC)
Undertake option analysis to evaluate the most
appropriate way of managing the programme
structure and data.
11/08
03/09
First tools for the electronic toolset in
development
04/09
10/09
Piloting of improved business process with
School of Nursing
03/09
07/09
Develop and deliver education and training
programme for improved business process
08/09
12/09
Testing of initial electronic tools
08/09
12/09
Development of additional electronic tools to
support improved business process
08/09
03/10
Pilot electronic toolset with improved business
process for a new programme within an
Academic School
03/10
07/10
Develop and deliver education and training
programme for electronic toolset
08/10
12/10
Piloting the innovations
Cardiff University
Flexibility will be
required to meet the
different needs of
Academic Schools
Flexibility will be
required to meet the
different needs of
Academic Schools
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
Rollout and integration of toolset within the
range of appropriate business processes
07/09
Ongoing
Evaluation of the project
09/08
Ongoing
Evaluation of the improved business process
07/09
Ongoing
Evaluation of the electronic toolset
08/09
Ongoing
Annual Evaluation Reports produced
07/09
Ongoing
Publish case studies based on the findings
from the evaluation process
07/09
Ongoing
Evaluation of the new processes
To be produced each
year
Embedding the innovations and planning for sustainability
Roll-out of the improved business process with
Academic Schools
09/09
Ongoing
Roll-out of the electronic toolset with Academic
Schools
09/10
Ongoing
Explore ways in which electronic toolset can
support other quality and standards processes
09/11
Ongoing
Engage with the support and synthesis project
09/08
Ongoing
Publish description of current business
processes
09/08
12/08
Develop strategy for dissemination of lean
approaches to improve HE business
processes, to benefit wider JISC community
09/08
03/09
Prepare and publish six monthly reports
03/09
Ongoing
Prepare and publish final report
04/12
07/12
Dissemination and Community Engagement
Risk Assessment
Risk
Probability
Impact
Action to Prevent / Manage Risk
Failure to recruit key
project staff
Low
Probability
Medium
Impact
Accept that deliverables may potentially
be delayed in the short term, and reallocate tasks to existing staff.
Loss of Project Manager
Low
Probability
High Impact
Appoint new Project Manager from
within existing Registry team. Ensure
knowledge is shared across team.
Failure to agree on
improved business process
Low
Probability
Medium
Impact
Resolve through input from University
Governance structures.
Failure to produce
deliverables due to
unforeseen complexity
Low
Probability
High Impact
Project Management group to maintain
control of milestones and deliverables.
Reduce potential deliverables. Use
Project Steering Group to address.
Failure to produce
deliverables due to lack of
internal cooperation
Medium
Probability
High Impact
Apply more effort to internal marketing.
Utilise University governance structures
and senior management engagement to
enhance internal collaboration.
Process proves too
complex to implement with
chosen methods
Low
Probability
Medium
Impact
The project would be a failure if a
technical solution were not produced but
regular project progress meetings and
the deadlines set for publication of
progressive work, along with the
technical expertise and experience at
CU, should ensure that the deadline is
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
adhered to and a solution produced.
Choose a different method and delay
implementation of the deliverables
across the University.
Lack of stakeholder
engagement with improved
process
Medium
Probability
High Impact
Learn lessons of failure and document
reasons for lack of engagement. Use
University Governance structures to
facilitate increased buy-in.
Unrealistic expectations of
project deliverables
Medium
Probability
Medium
Impact
Project Management team will manage
expectations consciously throughout
project lifecycle and issue clear
guidance on the deliverables to different
stakeholders.
Project Team
Name
Job title
08/09
%
FTE
09/10
%
FTE
10/11
%
FTE
11/12
%
FTE
Days
allocated
to JISC
activities
Senior Team
Prof. Jonathan
Osmond
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and
Students)
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
Prof. Chris Turner
Director of Registry, Governance
and Student Support
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
25
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
10
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
10
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
10
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
10
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
5
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
5
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.1
5
1.0
1.0
1.0
-
20
1.0
1.0
1.0
-
20
0.1
0.05
0.1
0.05
0.2
0.05
0.1
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
5
Core Team
Andy Lloyd
(Project Manager)
Stephen Griffiths
David Lloyd
Richard Trueman
Neil Penry
Christine Stewart
Dr Dianne Watkins
Janet Cormack
Peter Boyce
Registry Post
(TBD)
Technical Post
(TBD)
Karl Jones
Gail Williams
Supporting team
Caroline James
Cathie Jackson
Zoë Grainger
Ann Saalbach
Cardiff University
Assistant Registrar (Learning and
Teaching)
Assistant Registrar (Learning and
Teaching)
Senior Assistant Registrar
Assistant Registrar (Quality
Assurance)
Learning and Teaching Manager
(INSRV)
Lean University Project leader
Director of External Relations,
Learning and Teaching (SONMS)
Head of Student Records
Head of Student System
Development
Senior Lecturer (SONMS)
Senior Administrator (SONMS)
Senior Consultant: Information
Literacy
Lean University Facilitator
Assistant Director, Business
Information Services
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
Clive Brown
INSRV Technical
Registry Officer
Application integration and
presentation in the MWE
INSRV Training
E
-
0.1
0.1
-
0.5
0.5
0.5
-
-
0.1
0.1
-
Engagement with the Community
Dissemination Activities
E1
The project will establish a website at the initiation of the project. The website will be openly accessible
and will contain information on the project, progress reports and resources published as part of the
project’s deliverables, such as reports, case studies and the final project report. Dissemination activities
will also be managed through the utilisation of a platform such as Crowdvine or Ning, which will allow us
to create a social network in the JISC community and beyond around the project. As part of this, a blog
will be created at project initiation to enable the project team to record their reflections on the progress of
the project, and regularly update interested parties on project progress.
E2
As the project will involve a partnership between a range of Cardiff University support directorates and
Academic Schools this will naturally engender close working and dissemination of information to key
stakeholders. An illustration of the ways in which different stakeholders will impact on the project is
contained in the attached stakeholder map (see appendix 1). The project will be developing an education
and training programme to disseminate information about the improved business process and the
electronic toolset to Academic Schools that have not been involved in piloting stages, therefore ensuring
the new process becomes embedded into the overall processes of the university.
E3
As key elements of this project are the use of Lean Thinking for business process improvements and the
use of a service oriented approach to the utilisation of IT, a strategy will be developed for the
dissemination of the use of these approaches in higher education so that the wider JISC community can
learn from its use at Cardiff. This strategy would be developed in conjunction with the support and
synthesis project and could include published models, guides and workshops.
E4
The project will ensure full engagement with the support and synthesis project from the full range of staff
involved in the project, including senior management. As can be seen from the work plan, the project will
be making a range of information and resources available that can be used to gain a shared
understanding within the community of curriculum design processes.
E5
Any software development undertaken as part of this project will be done using an Open Standard based
toolkit. We would be willing to make the software available to the community.
Evaluation
E6
The project will appoint an external evaluator to ensure that an independent, respected and professional
judgement can be made on the success of the project. Independent consultant, Professor Peter
Chatterton, has agreed to take on this role should the project be funded and would bring a wealth of
experience not only in terms of the evaluation of technology-based projects, but also in regard to Lean
Thinking.
E7
The project team will work with the External Evaluator to develop an evaluation plan for the life of the
1
project and beyond, based on the RUFDATA model [ ], and to ensure that evaluation is an ongoing and
holistic process for all involved in the project. The evaluation plan will focus on the evaluation of the
project’s operation, the evaluation of the improved business process, the evaluation of the electronic
toolset and longitudinal studies of the effect the new system makes on programme approval in general.
F
Budget
1 Saunders M. (2000) 'Beginning an Evaluation with RUFDATA: Theorising a Practical Approach to Evaluation Planning' from Evaluation
Vol 6(1): 7-21
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
Directly Incurred: Staff
08/09
09/10
10/11
11/12
TOTAL
Project Leader (Grade 8) 0.3 FTE in
yr 1, 0.2 FTE in yrs 2,3,4
Project Officer - Registry (Grade 6)
1 FTE
Technical Post (Grade 6) 1 FTE
External Evaluator
Total Directly Incurred Staff (A)
Directly Incurred: Non-Staff
Travel & Expenses
Equipment (Inc. Hardware / Software)
Dissemination
Other
Total Directly Incurred Non-Staff (B)
Directly Incurred Total (A+B=C) (C)
Directly allocated
Staff
Estates (Staff / Space contribution)
Research infrastructure Technicians
Other Directly Allocated (inc h/w / s/w)
Hardware Software
Directly Allocated Total (D)
Indirect Costs (E)
Total Project Cost (C+D+E)
Amount Requested from JISC
Institutional Contributions
Percentage Contributions over the
life of the project
JISC
46%
CU
54%
Total
100%
Qualitative and quantitative benefits
F1
Through development of a full project plan, the project team will develop a series of metrics through which
the benefits derived from the project will be measured clearly. These will be based around the key aims
of the project, as set out in paragraph C6. These will be both qualitative and quantitative, and will focus
on:
a) the length of time that it takes to approve a new programme;
qualitative feedback from schools on the operation of the new process and utility of the electronic
toolset;
b) student satisfaction with new programmes of study;
the level of student recruitment to new programmes;
c) the ways in which information created for a new programme is re-used;
qualitative analysis of the links made between different student and programme facing processes.
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
G
Previous Experience of the Project Team
G1
The PALET project is a truly collaborative venture, drawing on both relevant academic expertise, and a
range of staff in the support directorates. In addition to the involvement of staff in the School of Nursing
and Midwifery Studies (SONMS) who have significant experience of curriculum design and delivery, the
project includes staff involved in the development of the MWE, and staff who have successfully delivered
a range of other IT based projects within the University, such as the VLE and student records systems.
Core to the project is the experience and expertise of staff in the Academic Policy Support Section of
Registry, who support both the operation of the current programme approval procedure, and the creation
and implementation of the University’s strategies for learning, teaching and assessment. Both of these
areas of work were highlighted as examples of good practice in the recent QAA Institutional Review. The
project also draws upon the expertise of members of the Lean University Project, an initiative that has
implemented successfully a number of projects that have led to significant changes in a number of
University business processes. The project has been endorsed fully by a number of the University’s
senior management team, and by the Dean of SONMS.
G2
The Core Project Team
Andy Lloyd has worked at Cardiff University for more than 16 years, latterly in a role that involves the
management and co-ordination of the University’s strategies for learning, teaching and assessment. He
has played a prominent role in enhancing the University’s quality and standards procedures, and has
been involved with the integration of this work with lean thinking, and with the MWE.
David Lloyd has worked at Cardiff University for 17 years and has a broad background of experience in
developing and implementing quality and standards processes. This has included the review and
harmonisation of the full range of processes as part of the merger between Cardiff University and the
former UWCM in 2004 and leadership of the project established to oversee the University’s
implementation of its Degree Awarding Powers.
Richard Trueman has worked in Quality Assurance roles in Higher Education for 11 years, including the
past 4 years at Cardiff University. His role involves the management and coordination of the University's
internal procedures for the assurance of academic quality and standards within the University, which
includes the operational delivery of the University's current programme approval procedures.
Stephen Griffiths has worked at Cardiff University in a number of roles since 2000. As a member of the
Academic Policy team in the Registry and Student Support Directorate, he contributes to the
enhancement of learning and teaching in the University. In particular, Stephen has responsibility for
overseeing the management and co-ordination of the University’s Learning Environment Strategy, and
has led and participated in many projects on the virtual and physical learning environment, including the
Modern IT Working Environment; information literacy; quality processes; and the development of
programmes to support academic staff development.
Peter Chatterton has over 20 years experience of working with public sector bodies, the education sector,
industry, SMEs, and major plc’s in devising innovative strategies and implementation programmes
focused on e-Learning, e-Working, e-Government and e-Business. He has also developed and projectmanaged the development of innovative technology solutions, many of his projects in the form of joint
ventures or partnerships between the Government, industry and education sectors. He is a visiting
Professor in the Learning and Teaching Institute at the University of Hertfordshire, is the author of books
on the subject of innovative use of technology (e.g. published via the Financial Times, Pitman Publishing
and Kogan Page) and has also published many papers and reports on the use of new media and
technologies in teaching and learning.
Neil Penry has worked at Cardiff University for six years. In his role of Learning and Teaching Manager in
Information Services, Mr Penry manages a team of Learning Technologists who support all centrally
provided eLearning systems including the Virtual Learning Environment that is used by all Schools. He is
heavily involved in integrating Learning and Teaching functionality into the MWE and in developing the
learning environment. Prior to working at Cardiff University he taught for six years mainly at post-16 level
and prior to that he spent 12 years working in the IT industry.
Karl Jones leads a team providing support and development expertise to the Student Records System
within the University. He is a member of the SRS Steering Group and has project managed the technical
implementation of several high profile projects. Prior to attending Cardiff he worked as an IT consultant
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
for a number of UK companies. During this time he also led a European Commission Fifth Framework
project in Industrial Embedded Systems using Open Source operating systems and software.
Dr Dianne Watkins works as Director of External Relations, Learning and Teaching in the School of
Nursing and Midwifery Studies (SONMS). She has worked in education since 1990 and during this time
has held a number of senior positions. Dianne has extensive experience in curriculum design and
development and has project managed a review of the nursing curriculum in Wales, where she worked as
part of a national initiative. Her work within the School has centred on all educational developments for
the past 6 years which has included leading curriculum development on over 60 programmes and
modules. Dianne is a member of the University Learning and Teaching Committee, the Academic Quality
and Standards Committee and the Regulations Committee. She chairs the School Learning and
Teaching Committee and has recently written the School Learning and Teaching and Assessment
Strategies.
Gail Williams is a senior lecturer at Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies and, for many years,
has had responsibility for midwifery programmes as the Director of Midwifery and Lead Midwife for
Education. She has recently been appointed to the role of Director of Quality within the School. Gail has
detailed knowledge and experience of leading the development and implementation of a number of
midwifery programmes and of the university approval processes, at undergraduate and postgraduate
levels, chairing subject and programme approval panels. She is experienced in ensuring that
programmes meet the requirements of the statutory body. Gail represented the School on the Lean
University Project which conducted a process review of the programme approval process in 2007.
Christine Stewart is employed by Cardiff University as the Lean University Project Leader. Christine offers
the University some 15 years of Lean experience, predominantly based around the aerospace and
manufacturing industries. Christine has an undisputable understanding of lean and change management
and has been the driver for Lean implementation within the University, leading many successful projects
within this remit.
Janet Cormack is currently Head of Student Records based within the Cardiff University Registry. She
has worked for Cardiff University for 11 years, previous responsibilities including deputy to the University
Secretary and Head of Examinations and Graduation. Prior to her joining Cardiff University, she was
employed by the Welsh Funding Councils managing and developing quality assessment processes within
both the FE and HE sector.
Peter Boyce has been Assistant Registrar within the Student Systems Development Team within the
Cardiff University Registry for 3 years. He is primarily responsible for managing the development of new
functionality within the Student Records System. Recent projects in which he has played a lead role
include the development of an online registration and fee payment system, now used by all Cardiff
University students; the implementation of Cardiff University's Online Application Service. He is currently
leading a project to enable student to select/amend their module choices online.
The Project Officer in Registry will have a key role in supporting the Project Manager in the
implementation of the PALET Project. S/he will be responsible for co-ordinating the involvement of the
major internal stakeholders, facilitating engagement with the JISC Community and documenting and
disseminating the progress of the Project via the Project Website and other appropriate means. S/he will
also co-ordinate the development and delivery of education and training programmes in relation to the
improved business process and the use of the electronic toolset.
The focus of the technical post in Information Services will be on business process mapping / automation
and the utilisation of MWE tools for business process improvements.
Cardiff University
The Programme Approval Lean Electronic Toolset (PALET)
Appendix A - PALET Project Stakeholder Map
Area of Interest
Stakeholder
Strategy &
Policy
Learning &
Teaching
¤
¤
¤
¤
¤
¤
Academic
Standards and
Quality
Committee
Academic
Strategy
Committee
Registry
Information
Services
Technology &
Standards
Process
Improvement
Business
Case
Information
Sharing
¤
¤
¤
¤
¤
¤
Lean University
Project
¤
¤
¤
¤
¤
Schools
¤
¤
¤
¤
¤
Students
JISC
¤
HE Community
¤
¤
¤
Figure 1: PALET Project Stakeholder Interests
Cardiff University
Programme
Quality
¤
¤
¤
¤
Pro Vice-Chancellor
CAR..DIFF
(Education)
Professor Jonathan Osmond MA DPhil (axon) FRHistS FHEA
Dirprvvy Is-Ganghellor
(Addysg)
Yr Athro Jonathan Osmond MA DPhil (axon) FRHistS FHEA
)25
UNIVERSITY
PRI FYSGOL
CAER..DY@
Cardiff University
Main Building 0.46
Park Place
Cardiff CF10 3AT
Wales UK
Tel Ff6n
+44(0)2920870657
Fax Ffacs +44(0)29 2087 4879
Email E-bostosmond@cardiff.ac.uk
Prifysgol Caerdydd
Prif Adeilad 0.46
Plas y Pare
JISC Circular 05/08: E-Learning Programme:
Call for projects on institutional approaches to curriculum design
Caerdydd CF103AT
Cymru, Y Deyrnas Gyfunol
On behalf of Cardiff University, I am pleased to support the proposal for the PALET project, which
requests funding from the JISC E-Learning Programme's 'Call for projects on institutional
approaches to curriculum design', and will commit University resources identified in the budget
outline. I believe the award of this grant would be of significant benefit to both the wider JISC
community and the University.
The PAL ET Project has been conceived in the context of Cardiff University's vision and mission.
The University's vision is to be a world-leading University. With its research-led mission and
breadth and depth in learning and teaching, it occupies a unique place within the diverse
provision of higher education in Wales. The University's mission is to pursue research, learning
and teaching of international distinction and impact, pursued in a rich and varied research-led
environment where all staff and students can achieve their full potential to the benefit of the wider
community and society as a whole. This project will be part of existing high-level work, where we
can already demonstrate leadership and innovation, designed to solve institution-wide problems
with a high degree of innovation in the domains of process efficiency and technology.
The project directly aligns with Cardiff's existing Lean University Project, which aims to develop
and embed lean thinking across the University to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of
management practices, improve value to external and internal customers and release resource to
achieve strategic aims. The benefits of taking a lean thinking approach to curriculum design and
programme approval will include reducing internal waste (for example reducing dependence on
legacy processes that are not well integrated) and improving customer value (for example by
freeing up staff time by streamlining inefficient administration processes). This will be the first
time in higher education that lean management principles have been applied in this way and
therefore the outcomes of the project will be of great benefit to the wider HE and JISC
community.
The project will also build upon our major Modern IT Working Environment Programme (MWE),
which includes a range of IBM software tools for business process automation, data management
practices and application integration using a Service Oriented Architecture. The project will allow
an electronic toolset for curriculum design and programme approval to be developed and
integrated into the MWE and other business processes.
The outcomes of this project will, in due course, become core university processes and as such
will be sustained well beyond the end of the funding period.
Therefore, I am pleased to confirm Cardiff University's full support for the project proposal and
also its commitment to engage with the JISC support and synthesis project for the duration of this
exciting and innovative project.
Yours FaithfUIIY~
I1A..
.....,...,~
Professor Jonathan Osmond
Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students
Our Ref SH/gls
17 June 2008
Cardiff University
Ty Dewi Sant
Heath Park
Cardiff
CF14 4XN
Tel Ffon: +44 (0)29 20 687779
Fax Ffacs: +44 (0)29 20 687843
Email E-bost
Hunts5@cf.ac.uk
Prifysgol Caerdydd
Ty Dewi Sant
Mynydd Bychan
Caerdydd
CF14 4XN
To Whom It May Concern
JISC Circular 05/08: E-Learning Programme:
Call for Projects on Institutional Approaches to Curriculum Design
On behalf of the Cardiff University School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, I am pleased to support the
proposal for the PALET project, which requests funding from the JISC E-Learning Programme’s ‘Call for
projects on institutional approaches to curriculum design’. I believe the award of this grant would be of
significant benefit to the wider JISC community, the University and the School.
The Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies embraces quality assurance and enhancement by
focusing on reflection and action. The School evaluates programmes from student, School and
stakeholders perspectives, and monitors the effects of learning on personal development and clinical
practice. Academic curriculum are written in collaboration with students and clinical colleagues, ensuring
that student evaluation informs decision making wherever appropriate. In particular, the School works in
partnership with Welsh Assembly Government, NHS Trusts, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council to
develop academic programmes that reflect the changing nature of the health environment and satisfy the
requirements of employers. These programmes are often required to be put in place quickly to respond to
identified national and local training needs and changes in regulation imposed by the professional body.
The School was recently involved in the end-to-end process review of the programme approval process
undertaken by the Lean University Project and can see great benefits in adapting this process based on
lean management principles.
The School is therefore ideally placed to collaborate with Cardiff University’s central directorates to
develop and pilot the re-engineered business processes and electronic toolset that would be created by
this project.
I am pleased to confirm Cardiff University School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies’ full support for the
PALET project proposal.
Yours faithfully
Professor Sheila Hunt
Head of School and Dean
Cardiff School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies