Streamlining The Workflow Of An Enrollment Management Department Through Industrial Engineering Concepts

The number of applicants to undergraduate programs has increased significantly over the past few years. In addition to demographics, advances in internet technology that allow applicants to apply to numerous universities and colleges through a single window have further complicated the timely processing of applications to academic programs. Moreover, the number of applications is not evenly distributed throughout the year. Consequently, given the arrival patterns and an increase in the absolute number of applications, the timely processing of applications was a concern. These factors impacted the workflow of the enrollment management department discussed in this paper prompting management to review and strategically adjust their procedures and processes, and subsequently streamline the current workflow without adding resources. The objective of this research was to identify and implement modifications to the current workflow at the enrollment management department at Binghamton University (BU), in order to maximize the throughput of applications with ‘optimal’ resource utilization and reduced turnaround times. In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, a thorough study of the current system vis-à-vis the workflow was done. This research endeavor focused on the utilization of Industrial Engineering approaches, such as process mapping and time studies, facilities planning, Decision Support Systems (DSS), human factors engineering, and simulation to achieve a streamlined workflow. P ge 11153.2 The first phase of the research was to identify the sequence of events in the application processing workflow, using process mapping. Subsequently, the bottlenecks were identified and potential solutions were recognized. They included the (i) development of decision support systems, (ii) modifications to the layout, and (iii) ergonomic considerations. The decision support package was developed to assist in making error-free decisions within a shorter time span for the effective processing of applications. The implementation of the DSS was expected to decrease the amount of time that the data entry personnel spent to retrieve the applicant’s information. Modifications to the layout of the department’s facilities, such as mail room, filing cabinets, and resource locations were identified. This would help streamline the workflow by reducing the non-value added activities. There were three key recommendations which would aid in achieving this objective, namely the (i) relocation of resources, (ii) a new filing protocol, and (iii) relocation of workstations. Finally, an assessment on the ergonomic aspects of the working environment was conducted. The ergonomics study was aimed at identifying the interactions of the workforce with their working environment. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards were used as a benchmark for the study. Subsequently, designed experiments and simulation studies were conducted to quantify the benefits that could be realized by implementing these suggestions. It was observed from the studies that a 20% decrease in the application turnaround time could be obtained along with a concurrent 15% increase in the number of applications processed. P ge 11153.3