Technical and Social Implementation of ICT-Based Performance Recording at a University of Arts

How can the artistic and research performance of about 550 university staff members be measured? And how can the staff be made to participate in an online tool designed to measure their performance? At the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Austria), we developed a comprehensive system to represent the wide-spread range of activities of our artists and researchers in particular and other staff members too. We implemented this tool as part of our existing campus management system. The roll-out in 2008 was accomplished by various challenges to be reported. The presentation deals with the situation before and immediately after the roll-out of this ICT-tool. We examine (a) the design process, (b) the technical implementation especially considering user-friendliness, and (c) the accompanying measures of the roll-out. In these respects, we have learned that (a) high effort for involving a wide range of persons pays off twice afterwards, (b) sometimes research and management interests in data collection have to be pared down, and (c) extensive instructions, personal assistance, and highlighting beneficial features can make even skeptics or unskilled computer users participate in an ICT-based performance recording. The new system rapidly was accepted by the majority of the staff members: the participation rate is two thirds of the staff members in the first year of use. They observe additional personal advantages from the new ICT-tool. We now have a fine-working tool to measure artistic and research performance. Both quality and quantity of the collected data were strongly increased as compared to former approaches to measure artistic and research performance of our staff members. The tool provides fundamental data for performance statistics of single persons, departments, and our university, in our Intellectual Capital Report for instance. Enhancements are ongoing, based on user feedback as well as additional management requirements. A process will be developed to assure the quality of individual entries without restricting the individuality of artistic and research activities. Aside, we cooperate with another Austrian university to adjust our system to their specific needs and to transfer it.