Table of Contents

Talk Description

The value of accurate and meaningful data is critical for evidence-based strategic planning by research administrators. This session will describe how Cornell University developed a Sponsored Research Metrics Dashboard to inform decision makers such as Provosts, Deans, and Department Chairs. We will demonstrate how interactive visualization of the data makes it easier to explore business questions and describe our approach to developing the visualizations. We will describe how our data management and reporting strategy afforded us the opportunity to examine and improve data entry processes, coding practices, standard operating procedures and training for data entry staff. It has also allowed us to determine metrics that have informed implementation decisions for our new electronic research administration system. Finally, we will describe the resources needed and how the team worked together, illustrating the importance of a partnership between functional research administration expertise and dedicated technical expertise, coupled with sponsorship from Executive Leadership.

Learning Objectives

1. Demonstrate the value of using interactive visualization tools to allow decision makers to answer critical business questions and to support institutional strategic planning.
2. Evaluate the impact of a data analysis and reporting strategy on the development of standard operating processes, training, consistent data entry practices and data definitions.

Speaker Biographies

Mary-Margaret Klempa

• Get content for MMK Paul Davis

Brett Haranin

• Get content for Brett Haranin Paul Davis

Paul Davis 

Paul has 25 years experience in software development and data delivery & reporting. He is currently working as lead IT business analyst for the research division at Cornell University where he worked on the metrics project described in this presentation. He was also the lead analyst for a financial and research dashboard for department research administrators and more recently he has begun work on a similar dashboard for faculty and a project financial projection system also targeted at faculty and research administrators. Other appointments included working for the College of Engineering at Cornell, where he helped develop a KPI dashboard for his college and the campus and a college financial management system. In his early career, Paul helped develop educational software including Oregon Trail and worked on the research that ultimately lead to the design of the TI Graphing Calculator. resume 8-19-13.pdf