1. Views on TRAC and the UWE workload model
12/12/2013
Views on TRAC and the UWE workload model
12th December 2013

2. Agenda
Reflection on the Management Information Project on WLP and what we currently see
Workload Allocation Models and TRAC
Issues to consider in using WAM for TRAC

3. Reflections on the Management Information Project
Equity
Consultation / continuous improvement
Transparency
The key principles of WAM:
Why wouldn’t you want to apply this to the way you manage workloads?

4. Reflections on the Management Information Project
Involving academic staff in the delivery of training will help secure engagement.
Senior management buy in is crucial to the successful implementation of a new workload planning model.
Agree the principles up front and ensure that they are reflected throughout all phases of development;
Top Tips
Automating feeder systems (i.e. timetabling, research ledgers etc.) should be a phase two project, to prevent slowing the initial implementation of WLP
A TRAC compliant model will need to encompass all activities and include all academic staff,
The benefits sought from the process should be identified at the beginning and communicated to all stakeholders;
Agreement of the technical dimensions by the key stakeholders will facilitate implementation.

5. Reflections on the Management Information Project
Involving academic staff in the delivery of training will help secure engagement.
Senior management buy in is crucial to the successful implementation of a new workload planning model.
Agree the principles up front and ensure that they are reflected throughout all phases of development;   
Top Tips – UWE model
Automating feeder systems (i.e. timetabling, research ledgers etc.) should be a phase two project, to prevent slowing the initial implementation of WLP
A TRAC compliant model will need to encompass all activities and include all academic staff,
The benefits sought from the process should be identified at the beginning and communicated to all stakeholders; 
Agreement of the technical dimensions by the key stakeholders will facilitate implementation.   

6. Consultation / continuous improvement
WAMS and TRAC
The key principles of WAM:
TRAC is a logical additional benefit that a WAM process could provide
Avoids the need for time allocation surveys – less admin
Arguably a more accurate reflection of true workload compared to time allocation?
Can be used to inform other management information which require cost drivers such as resource allocation and department profitability.
Equity
Consultation / continuous improvement
Transparency

7. WAMS and TRAC – What the review of time allocation methods found
Extract from the review of time allocation methods in 2012:
Method
Advantages
Disadvantages
Workload planning systems
Clearer expectations for Academic staff
Feedback from parts of the sector suggest that the process provides more accurate and timely data for TRAC and how academic staff use their time
Better management tool for planning
Easier to distinguish between institution own-funded research and scholarly activity
More time is needed (up to 2 years) to implement and refine a university wide workload planning process, such that it provides reliable data to satisfy the TRAC requirements
Workload plans can be more difficult to apply to non-teaching activities, although this is possible
Getting buy-in across the University to adopt this method

8. WAMS and TRAC – What the review of time allocation methods found
Ways in which the burden of time allocation can be reduced:
Automate the process, including sampling, chasing and data collection
Move to WLM prepared routinely within departments each year
Move to a WLM that maps across to TRAC categories
More ownership by departments as part of normal management practices
In early institutions stated that they were looking at refining / implementing WAMs

9. Issues to consider in using a WAM for TRAC
TRAC Update 4 sets out the current guidelines for using workload allocation models to inform academic staff time allocation in TRAC.
Minimum requirement
UWE model design
It is used by the institution for purposes other than TRAC (e.g. to plan or manage workloads) 
A manager or administrator prepares the planned activity data for each year for each academic member of staff. This is based on a formal process e.g. with plans based on planned modules, courses and students, research projects and activity, other projects and activity, formal leadership and management responsibilities, requirements for scholarship and administrative activity, holiday entitlements and so on. This process is carried out with all academics in the departments covered by this method of TRAC time allocation, every year (i.e. there is no sampling)
Existing definitions of activities are followed. However:
Only time ‘managed by the institution’ and likely to represent a relevant use of their resources, is recorded
The activity categories of Teaching, Research Other and Support and their sub-categories are recorded as currently, and institution/own funded Research is allocated to Teaching where the primary purpose is Teaching
Academic time spent on Research is recorded at the level of research sponsor type. (It might be easier to do this at year-end rather than at the planning stage);

10. Issues to consider in using a WAM for TRAC
Minimum requirement
UWE model design
Each academic agrees to the plan drawn up for them as part of a formal process;
In progress
At the end of each year the academic confirms that the plan was delivered, or revises the data. This review would be informed by actual modules/courses and students taught, active research grants, etc (i.e. similar data to that described in the second bullet point above) as well as other events or changes in circumstance during the year that affected workload. Any revisions would be approved by managers;
A formal audit of the process is carried out every three years (this does not need to audit individual academic’s activity). This would be arranged by the institution and might, for example, involve their internal auditors. 
Institutions can use this workload planning/management approach in some departments, and other time allocation methods in other departments. All departments using existing time allocation methods should comply with the existing TRAC requirements as described in point B.4.1 of the Statement of Requirements.
University wide

11. Issues to consider in using a WAM for TRAC
Academic sign off at the planning
Academic sign off at completion
Allocation by research sponsor
“each academic agrees to the plan drawn up for them as part of a formal process”
“at the end of each year the academic confirms that the plan was delivered, or revises the data. This review would be informed by actual modules/courses and students taught, active research grants, etc (i.e. similar data to that described in the second bullet point above) as well as other events or changes in circumstance during the year that affected workload. Any revisions would be approved by managers”
Allocate after the year end using cost information?

12. Issues to consider in using a WAM for TRAC
Other issues to consider:
Completeness of the population
What level of response gives robust representative data?

13. Open forum

14. Thank you
Presentation by Andrew Bush

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