Process Improvement Advisory Team

The Process Improvement Advisory Team (PIAT) is led and facilitated by Quality Assurance from Administration & Finance. Since July 2016, PIAT has focused on streamlining campus processes, concentrating on creating incremental change and removing administrative barriers that impede student success. PIAT is committed to continue engaging and working with campus constituents in support of the University's missions and the Graduation Initiative 2025. You are welcome to submit your process improvement ideas.

Methodology

Our process improvement methodology is a continuous cycle that consists four primary components:

  • Engage - Document the process "as is" and collect baseline metrics
  • Streamline - QA team leads the process analysis and PIAT provides feedback
  • Execute - Implement the streamlined process while establishing communication and change management plans
  • Monitor - Measure and monitor the impact, and conduct revisions where necessary

In the past four years, we have focused on leveraging technologies to improve numerous University business processes by:

  1. Reducing costs
  2. Eliminating waste
  3. Enhancing service capacity and quality
  4. Creating a culture of continuous improvement
Continuous Improvement Cycle: 4 components connected as separate parts of a circle: Engage, Streamline, Execute, Monitor

PIAT Membership

Through its diverse membership, PIAT fosters cross-functional collaboration to drive process improvement solutions. PIAT is made up of managerial and administrative representatives across campus, including:

people having a meeting
  • Academic Technology
  • Budget, Administration, & Operations
  • Lam College of Business
  • Graduate College of Education
  • College of Ethnic Studies
  • College of Health & Social Science
  • College of Liberal & Creative Arts
  • College of Professional & Global Education
  • College of Science & Engineering
  • Disability Programs and Resource Center
  • Division of Graduate Studies
  • Division of Student Life
  • Financial Services
  • Housing, Dining, & Conference Services
  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology Services
  • Library Administration
  • Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
  • Procurement & Support Services
  • Risk & Safety Services
  • Student Affairs & Enrollment Management

PIAT Presentations

May 19, 2023

June 14, 2023

August 23, 2023

September 29, 2023

  • Director of Procurement: Procurement Process Improvement Approach, Plan, and Solution
  • Assistant Vice President of Academic Technology and Director of Service Management: Technology Acquisition Review (TAR) & Information Technology (IT) Reformation Project

Execution and Delivering Results

Electronic Signatures

  • Over 6,000 registered DocuSign users at SF State
  • 500+ University forms have been approved for DocuSign use
  • More than 60% improvement in process efficiency for the campus

Procurement Process Improvement Efforts

  • Assisted with Direct Payment/Low-Value Purchase Policy updates and enactment
  • Updated existing Direct Payment Request DocuSign templates and created new DocuSign templates for unauthorized transactions
  • Facilitated communication to campus about the changes to the policy and the updated and new templates
  • Develop and deliver a change management plan for the Procurement assessment project (ADKAR assessment summary)
  • Direct Payment Request and Training Materials  (with Procurement)
  • Honorarium Payment Request (with Human Resources)
  • Document Records Retention Initiative (campuswide)