(re)Design Lab - Center for Higher Education Innovation

CHEI provides strategic guidance to campus units to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and delivery of programs and services that affect student success. Our goal is to center the student at the core of every design process. We bring process mapping and design thinking strategies to our colleagues across campus and help catalyze structure and policy changes that improve student outcomes.

Advising

Beginning in spring 2017, CHEI engaged campus stakeholders in an inventory and mapping process to assess the current advising structure and experience for students. In fall 2018, we helped launch the Reimagining University Advising and Coaching Task Force – an initiative convening faculty, advisors, and leadership across campus to analyze five work areas and provide strategic recommendations for improvement to the function and structure of our advising delivery.

Financial Aid

CHEI partnered with the Office of Student Financial Assistance to facilitate a collaborative process mapping project in 2017. Together, we mapped the processes for disbursing federal loans, awarding private scholarships, awarding Parent PLUS and Grad PLUS loans, and the financial aid communication process to incoming students. Process mapping allowed us to identify and leverage opportunities for automation and streamlined communication.

Curriculum/catalog

In preparation for a transition to digital curricula and catalog management tools, CHEI worked with stakeholders from Undergraduate Studies, Graduate Studies, the Provost’s Office, Registrar’s Office, and IT to map the existing process for proposing, amending, or eliminating courses and programs and for updating the academic catalog. These maps were delivered to the Provost and technology vendor to facilitate adoption of new tools – and a simpler, automated set of processes.

UCF Global

CHEI facilitated a process mapping project focused on assessing and redesigning onboarding for international students, from planning for attendance to orientation and their first classes. Global launched an improved onboarding experience in summer 2017 and has plans for additional improvements based on student feedback.