Procedures

This project will make short-term improvements to procedures that RIO colleagues felt would deliver the widest benefit across the service. The areas chosen are data / file storage, internal and external newsletters, a review of RIO webpages, and development of a RIO infographic.

Project aim

To improve day-to-day internal operational processes - not including those related to research grant management - to reduce unnecessary workload, increase efficiency and develop understanding of what RIO teams do both within and outside the service.

Scope and workstreams

In July 2023, colleagues across RIO were asked for ideas about how unnecessary workload could be reduced and how improvements across the service could be made in the short term.

Three key themes emerged:

  • Better communications - both within RIO and with our University colleagues
  • Improved file storage practices
  • Updated RIO webpages for our internal LU audience

Timeline

We aim to complete this project by the end of 2024.

Progress

In January 2024, we launched a RIO internal newsletter to ensure RIO colleagues are kept up to date with activity and news across the service.

Work has begun to review file storage practices across RIO with a view to simplifying and modernising them, and ensuring everyone has access to what they need.

Our next steps are to:

  • Develop an infographic to convey the role of different teams across RIO and how they interact
  • Scope a RIO newsletter for University colleagues outside of the service
  • Review current internal facing webpages and make recommendations for updated content that centres the needs of our academic community

Meet the team

The team responsible for delivering this element of the Reimagining RIO programme is:

Project Lead - Lizi Wheater (Senior Research and Innovation Contracts Manager)

She is supported by the following Volunteers:

  • Ravinder Assi (Research and Innovation Finance Assistant)
  • Anna Bullen (Research and Innovation Reporting Manager)
  • Tiffany Fontenla (Impact Funding Adviser)
  • Bhavna Patel (Incubator Operations Officer)
  • Emily Salmon
  • Denise Smith (Research Support Manager (UK Aid)
  • Paul Timms (Data and Systems Projects Officer)