MCCA Dashboard Information

Dashboard Project Information

Electronic dashboards are a useful tool for colleges to track the performance of programs, quality of service, and effectiveness of finances as well as other institutional measures. A dashboard allows for an integrated approach for collecting, presenting, and monitoring data to meet the decision-making needs of faculty and staff. Instructional departments can tailor dashboards to measure such quality indicators as enrollment trends, assessment efforts, financial status, program outcomes and customer satisfaction. Dashboards provide timely, user-friendly access to data designed specifically for the end-user.

As in a car, the dashboard uses indicator lights to provide the “driver” information about performance. In a program dashboard, defined variables regarding programs, services, and finances are displayed with colors to portray high (green), medium (yellow) and low (red) performance levels. For example, if enrollment trends decline over a three-year period lower than the pre-set minimum of the accepted range, a red bar will appear on the dashboard. Clicking on the variable name will open the spreadsheet (or database) that contains the specific data for further review and explanation.

After some initial research, the community colleges in Michigan are proposing a model that would use a dashboard system to track and evaluate career programs. This model would be an alternative to the current PROE (Program Review of Occupational Education) system. It is voluntary that colleges use this method of review, PROE is still an option. Several community colleges who are interested in this model have volunteered to help in the design and development of the system.

Working Teams of the Dashboard Developers Will:

Conduct a literature review of existing dashboards and variables used to monitor instructional activities.

Collect and analyze input from faculty and administrators to identify the critical key data elements that will be used for the pilot dashboard.

Pilot the dashboard at three community colleges (Mid-Michigan, Schoolcraft, and Grand Rapids)

Design a process that will help to use the dashboard in a quality system model.

Coordinate communications about and training on the dashboard.

Example of a Report Card Dashboard

Revenues

On the desktop, each indicator will have a point-and-click feature to display the actual data that represents the purple, green, yellow, and red cells. These data targets are defined by the individual colleges except for the Perkins Indicators which already have state benchmarks.