DSA QAG Joint Board

1
DSA QAG Joint Board Associate Members Meeting

• 10 March 2009
• Karen Docherty
• Project QA Manager

2
Agenda

• General Update
• Outreach Facilities
• Supplier Website Open Pricing
• KPI Trials
• New Assessment Centre Applications
• JISCmail/DISFORUM
• Questions

3
General Update

• Field Auditor (Jayne Warrender) Staff Sickness
  (January)
• Impact short notice of cancellations to Supplier
  Audits
• Cancelled audits now rescheduled
• May impact commencing Assessment Centre audits
  (originally May)
• New Field Auditor Fraser Thompson (February)
• Recruitment 1 additional Field Auditor, 1 Office
  Administrator (FT) deadline 6 March
• QAF Working Group -1st meeting (Suppliers-Jan/Ass
  ess. Centres Feb)
• Group Discussion on QAF Feed Back from all
  Regions
• Clarification on QAF items discussed areas to
  be address going forward
• Next Workshops scheduled - May

4
Outreach Facilities (QAF)

• Background
• Review of Outreach Models conducted during QAF
  Review (Reducing 4 models-1)
• Centres operating Outreach Facilities are
  required to adhere Outreach Facilities Criteria
  (QAF Appendix 4)
• Current Issues
• Feedback received from Assessment Centres
  requires a further review and criteria to be
  revisited
• Recommendation
• Outreach Group setup to revisit the Outreach
  Criteria

5
Assessment CentreOutreach Facilities

• 56 Assessment Centre on QAG website-
• 53 Assessment Centre
• 3 Assessment Centres with 2 Sites
• 3o Assessment Centres with 100 Outreach
  Facilities
• Current Issues
• Outreach facilities opening around regions
• Complaints from Assessment Centres based
  in/near outreach locations
• Recommendation
• System to be set-up for new Outreach Centres
  opening (Registration/QAG visit)
• Audits of Outreach Facilities (cost
  implications/increase Auditors)

6
Outreach Facilities Table
7
Suppliers Website Pricing

• QAF Section 4 Pricing
• Publish prices on their website. Prices will be
  provided for the most common items of assistive
  technology.
• Price list must be open to all and not restricted
  or password protected.
• All prices will clearly indicate if they include
  or exclude VAT.
• Prices will be updated regularly and the date of
  the most recent update will be indicated on the
  price list.
• Office Fair Trading Guidance
• Any form of price sharing and information
  exchange is viewed as anti competitive and
  considered as price fixing and cartel.
• Recommendation
• QAG do not stipulate that Suppliers publish open
  pricing as Pricing should be monitored by the
  Funding Bodies. Pricing be removed from the QAF.

8
Key Performance Indicators

• After the launch of the new Quality Assurance
  Framework (QAF) in November 2008, DSA-QAG
  initiated a 3 month trial data collection of the
  Key Performance Indicators (KPI) contained within
  the QAF
• A standard data collection template for Suppliers
  and Assessment Centres has been distributed with
  guidance
• Data is being requested on activity undertaken
  each month on various parts of the Assessment
  process
• Mixed reaction has been encountered for a number
  of reasons
• Some data fields unavailable, misunderstanding of
  data requirements, reservations on purpose of
  data collection conflicting communications.

9
Summary by Region (ACs)
10
Summary by Region (Suppliers)
11
Analysis of Data (extract from supplier Jan 09)
12
Summary Recommendations

• Summary
• Collation of KPIs will provide DSA-QAG with
  Management Information
• Assist Auditors in conducting Audits
• Allow the monitoring of the Quality Assurance
  Framework
• Allow DSA-QAG to work with Assessment
  Centres/Suppliers to understand where problems
  are being experienced to look at solutions
• By monitoring requirements to QAF timescales
  should assist in improving the quality of service
  to Students.
• Recommendation
• Due to initial data collection problems, DSA-QAG
  request that the trial period be extended for a
  further 6 months to allow the monitoring of the
  QAF compliance.

13
New Assessment Centre Applications

• New Assessment Centre Applications-
• Birmingham Bristol Applications Received
• Bristol Application request
• JISCmail DISFORUM-
• Current Issues
• Incorrect information on Forums -impact
  misunderstandings by members of Forums creating
  confusion
• Complaints received from individuals mentioned on
  forums
• Inappropriate information being displayed on
  public forums
• Action Required
• DSA-QAG request Forum Moderators and NNAC/NADP
  reps to act on above issues.

14
Online Student Survey (Lorraine Hill)

• High level Outline Plan drafted
• Invites Stakeholders/interested parties /student
  participation (w/c 16.03.09)
• Initial Meetings (w/c 23.03.09)
• Draft Requirements Document-April
• Aim to Present - June Board
• Release post June Board to students

15

• Questions?