Can You Make Faculty Staff More Efficient? AIR Forum Paper 1978.

A study of the efficiency of faculty of the six schools of the Open University of the United Kingdom was conducted through informal interviews. To review methods of developing new packages of course materials, 20 topics were focused upon, and the interviewee was encouraged to talk freely and fully. The interviews may have given the opportunity for exploring frustrations with the present ways of working and to feel their ideas for changes were being taken seriously. The interviews and the discussion of suggestions and questions encouraged the faculty to reconsider their current practice and to take responsibility for improving their own productivity. Most schools seemed to be devoting more effort to manpower planning. The studies of the six schools were followed by reviews of the work of other parts of the University, including the graphic design studio and the computing service. The questions studied by the investigators before interviewing are appended. (SW)