1. Service Development at Aalto University Key Enabler for Aalto's Academic Mission
Mari Svahn

2. SERVICE TRANSFORMATION
Extract from the Strategy for Aalto Services at 2011
SERVICE TRANSFORMATION
Admin. function  Professional service
Rule-driven  Solution-driven
Reactive approach  Proactive support

3. Situation at 2013 – a lot of good things, combined with a lot of development potential!
Professional service functions,
but held back in places by a silo-based organization
12/4/2018

4. Where we want to go…
A more agile
and skilled
service team
We are aiming for a cross-functional team that provides effective support for research, teaching, and studying – with everyone committed to learning from each other!
12/4/2018

5. World-class services
A more agile
and skilled
service team
Overall understanding of the needs of service users!
Active support for users in their day-to-day work!
A service team that prioritizes effective communication and getting things done!
12/4/2018

6. Aalto Service Development Program 2013-2015
Program for developing Aalto services initialized in the Aalto Foundation Board meeting in June 2013 to run until the end of 2015.
Focus area: Services and structure, Spend, IT
The main goals:
increase customer value
improve the cost effectiveness
Financial target:
12M€ decrease in the annual costs of the services by the end of 2015 compared to the 2012 level.
Results:
The program progressed well according to the plan
Clear indications for increased customer value and cost effectiveness
Financial target was met and exceeded (estimated -14M€ savings)

7. Aiming at cost effective and customer oriented services
First term (2013)
Identify and capture quick savings that affect from end of 2013
Program ready for detailed design phase
Second term (2015)
Operative costs on target level
First stage service transformation successfully completed
Focus on developing clearly defined and effective portfolio of services, processes, and channels
Medium term (2016)
Aalto University’s quality system was audited
Service organization support Quality processes
Service culture development is on the way towards the long term target.
Long term (2020)
Service transformation successfully completed
World class customer oriented services
Continuous improvement culture
The main goals for the service development program are to improve the cost effectiveness of support services without reducing customer critical service levels, and to increase customer value.
Continuous improvement along with normal activities
Service Development Program 7

8. Design drivers
Services that promote a smooth flow of teaching and research
Increasing cooperation at all levels – a non-hierarchical organization
An appropriate, clearly defined range of services
Smooth, clearly defined service processes
Effective local services that meet users’ needs
Reduce costs and improve the overall effectiveness of services
Focus on
the user

9. Overview of where we want to go
Outer rings: service and development culture
Inner triangle: clearly defined and effective portfolio of services, processes, and channels
Effective local services that people feel meet their needs
< Focus on service users and their core responsibilities >
< Cross-functional way of thinking and working >
< Cross-functional way of thinking and working >
< Focus on service users and their core responsibilities >
Service user
Clearly defined, smooth service processes
An appropriate, clearly defined range of services
< Cross-functional way of thinking and working >
< Focus on service users and their core responsibilities >
Strategic target for service development is to ensure value-add of services for service users and their core activities. Services contribute to excellence in advancing and supporting Aalto’s core goals.

10. Services that support academic core activities
11/01/11
Services that support academic core activities
To What How By
Services for Research and Artistic Activities
Services for Teaching
Services for Faculty
Services for Students
Cross-functional cooperation
Core activity focus
Service user focus
Effective local services that people feel meet their needs
An appropriate, clearly defined range of services
Clearly defined, smooth service processes
Service entities
-Research and Innovation Services -Technical Support Services -Campus Services -Learning Services -IT Services -Communications Services -Financial Services -HR Services -Secretarial Services and other School Services -Leadership Support Services
Academic Personnel and Students

11. Evaluation of the success of the program
Target 1. Improve the cost effectiveness:
Services reorganized in 10 services entities with larger teams and less supervisor roles. Each service entity has a director responsible for the overall efficiency and quality.
Reduction of IT spend. Service entity IT Services have decreased 6,5 M € expenses (excl. personnel expenses). Major reductions in depreciations, material, service purchases and travel expenses.
Reduction of other 3rd party spend in the university level. Reduction 3,7 M € (without IT Services).
Reduction of Service personnel expenses. Service personnel expenses have decreased 12 M €. Service share of the total Aalto personnel expenses has decreased 2,7 %-units to 29,6 %.
Target 2. Increase customer value:
Professors’ satisfaction with departmental services has increased during 2015 (source: Professors’ Council survey 2014 vs. Aalto employee survey 2015, see background material)
There are indications that the service delivery is more effective: Service personnel expenses have decreased and at the same time the satisfaction with services has stayed on the same level (source: service satisfaction survey 2013 vs. Aalto employee survey 2015, see background)
Services are more professional and the division of duties is more clear (source: open responses in Aalto employee survey 2012 vs. Aalto employee survey 2015)
The foundation for continuous improvement culture in now in place: Service user focus and core activity focus emphasized more (source: open responses in Aalto employee survey 2015)

12. Personnel survey for professors 2014, Personnel survey 2015
Increased customer value based on survey results
Personnel survey for professors 2014, Personnel survey 2015
2014: The service organization functions well at the department level
2015: Overall, I am satisfied with the performance of the services in my department / unit.
General satisfaction with services
Service satisfaction survey 2013, Personnel survey 2015

13. Service roadmap 2020 – The big picture
Service culture
Strategic cababilities
Continuous improvement
Financial framework
Personnel structure
Strategic Competences
Service portfolio
Processes and quality
IT tools
Way of working
Resources
Tools
Aalto University Strategy 2016–2020
Shaping the future
Excellence in advancing and supporting our core goals
Enabling the core academic mission of the Aalto community is our first priority. To compete globally for the best faculty, students, staff, partners and other stakeholders, we need to develop world-class conditions and an environment for research, art, education and collaboration. We will invest in sustainable, long-term resourcing of our strategic priorities, build practices to recognize achievement and develop streamlined support service solutions facilitating academic excellence.

14. Next steps: Continous improvement of Aalto Service Portfolio Integrating the User View to Annual Cycle
1) Strengthen structures to support the continuous improvement of service portfolio
Implement service user point-of-view to annual processes for services (annual review, strategy dialogues, resourcing).
AALTO SERVICES
FIS, ITS
LSS, CAS
HRS, SES
RIS, TTS
LES, COS
From each service making their own plans from their point-of-view and getting resourced separately
All services making plans together from service user point-of-view and being resourced as a whole
2) Start implementing the new development plans
Joint prioritized development plans are executed in collaboration between service functions
Emphasis on and support to service user point-of-view approach
3) Collect feedback and secure continuous improvement of service portfolio

15. Thank you Looking into the future – towards world-class services in 2020