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Session 2443

Information System Application for Monitoring the Quality of Service in an Educational Environment

Denise F. Jackson, Ph.D., PE. and Jose Solarte Department of Industrial Engineering, The University of Tennessee

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to propose an information system application to manage the quality of service in an educational environment. Information systems support management by providing storage of captured data relevant in describing the process and in measuring the effectiveness of its results; manipulation of such data and reporting of variances between actual and expected performance; and often, particularly with decision-support or knowledge-based systems, recommendations for improvements to alleviate or minimize those variances.

Service quality is generally identified as the measure of success of an organization’s endeavors to provide the service requested by its clients. The client receiving the service defines this success. The problem with this perspective is that metrics are rarely directly measurable, relevant for the processes involved in the operation, clearly understood by the clients, or applicable for all clients. Additionally, in education, the client does not see the full results until several years after graduation. To address these problems, we have adopted and applied a systematic approach to the analysis of the undergraduate industrial engineering process and the design of an information system to manage the process to ensure service quality. The purpose of this study is to provide academic units with an objective assessment of their capabilities, processes and service delivery, and a clear measurement of their service performance within the confines of the expectations and needs of its stakeholders.

Introduction Information Systems (IS) applications are becoming an essential part of daily life. Every day, all kinds of businesses rely on the power of information technologies to facilitate and improve the management of information - saving time and money, and improving productivity. Management Information Systems (MIS) support management by providing information for decision making. They facilitate the capture and storage of data relevant in describing processes and in measuring the effectiveness of their results; the manipulation of that data; and the reporting of information such as actual and expected performance. Information technologies (IT) are used in all of these IS activities. IT help to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational processes and departmental functions by integrating their operations, redesigning processes, improving networks and overall cost-effectiveness, and increasing total systems effectiveness through business scope redefinition1.

Service Quality is generally identified as the measure of success an organization’s endeavors to provide the services requested by its clients. The traditional approach for quality improvements

Proceedings of the 2002 American society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Solarte, J., & Jackson, D. (2002, June), Application Of Information Systems To Monitor The Quality Of Service In An Educational Environment Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10894