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  • 1.  Feedback collection methodology

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 01-21-2022 16:42
    Howdy, all!

    While we are constantly working on improve our resources and outreach across campus, I'm curious what everyone's favorite method of collecting information for FAQs or getting feedback might be.

    I've used Survey Monkey and RedCap (though RedCap in an informal capacity) before, but thought maybe Google or Microsoft Forms might be more appropriate. Is there an option that gives you more control? More user-friendly?

    Thanks!
    Lyndal

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    Lyndal Arceneaux, MRA, CRA
    Sr. Proposal Administrator II, Team Lead
    Texas A&M University
    College Station, TX
    979-862-2465
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Feedback collection methodology

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 01-24-2022 06:07
    Those are all good.  But taking a different approach to the problem, we also have a "what are you hearing?" section of our staff meetings.  Bearing in mind that these could be one-off things, we still want to know about them and address them - and once we've heard the same thing two or three times, it's likely to be systemic and merit focused attention.

    A

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    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
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  • 3.  RE: Feedback collection methodology

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 01-24-2022 06:16
    Thanks, Andrea! Would you be able to give me a couple of examples of "what are you hearing?" for a bit more context? Are they questions that your staff are getting from PIs or other areas?

    Thanks!
    Lyndal

    ------------------------------
    Lyndal Arceneaux, MRA, CRA
    Sr. Proposal Administrator II, Team Lead
    Texas A&M University
    College Station, TX
    979-862-2465
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Feedback collection methodology

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 01-24-2022 06:28
    Well, sometimes it's complaints - maybe about us, or maybe about some other university entity.  Travel, IT, and Procurement are typical culprits - sometimes fairly, sometimes not.  Where we have some ability to smooth the road, or just to share information about why the process is the way it is, it can help.  Sometimes it's an observation about where faculty are tripping up.  We may think some form is perfectly self-explanatory -  and yet.... it apparently isn't.  So, no one's complained exactly -  but the GCOs are noticing a snag.  If it's our form, we can fix it.  Sometimes it's a bigger, more large-scale, process-type question.  Is it ESSENTIAL that we do things in such-and-such a way?  Maybe faculty need information disseminated in a different way, earlier, or maybe not at all ;)   Lately we've been tussling about a potential response to dangerously late proposals - as in a radical re-think.  So, not just the ones that are inside the 5-day window but we know will be fine in the end.... the ones where we really might not be able to get it out the door.  We've done all the things that everyone's tried.  Can we throw all that out the window and re-think the process with everything on the table - absolutely everything?  This started with us just musing and has morphed into a university-wide conversation.

    A

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    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
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  • 5.  RE: Feedback collection methodology

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 01-24-2022 06:55
    This is great, thank you, Andrea! While we can often see inefficiencies for ourselves in our own processes, there are certainly others that without feedback or input, we would have no idea.

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    Lyndal Arceneaux, MRA, CRA
    Sr. Proposal Administrator II, Team Lead
    Texas A&M University
    College Station, TX
    979-862-2465
    ------------------------------