Timelines

To ensure the rate of change is manageable for staff across the University the program has opted for a gradual implementation staged over three horizons from 2008-2010, with each horizon focusing on a particular aspect of research management capability.

Horizon 1 will establish the foundation of the new research management capability, concentrating on initial setup of the Research Information Management System (RIMS), deployment of two RIMS grants management modules and improvement of grants management processes, both pre-award and post-award. Activities in Horizon 1 include:

• setup of technical infrastructure (hardware)
• software installation
• RIMS integration with HRIS (T2)
• configuration of two grants management modules in RIMS
• streamlining of grants management processes
• rigorous grants data cleansing and migration to RIMS
• delivery of basic grants management reporting
• high-level analysis of organisational design
• identification of cultural/behavioural limitations

Horizon 2 will extend functionality within RIMS to cover the capture, validation and tracking of research outputs for the HERDC publications return and other research quality assessments, such as ERA. Activities in Horizon 2 include:

• further grants management system/process improvement
• configuration of two research outputs modules in RIMS
• streamlining of research outputs processes
• rigorous research outputs data cleansing and migration to RIMS
• system integration with the library system (DSpace)
• implementation of HERDC publications reporting
• system integration with Hyperion for reporting
• development of organisational design options
• introduction of desired cultural/behavioural changes

Horizon 3 will focus on improving research clearance processes, with the rollout of six RIMS modules for animal and human ethics and environmental safety. Activities in Horizon 3 include:

• further grants management system/process improvement
• further research outputs system/process improvement
• configuration of two human ethics modules
• configuration of two animal ethics modules
• configuration of two environmental safety modules
• streamlining of ethics/biosafety clearance processes
• rigorous data cleansing and migration to RIMS
• delivery of research clearances reporting
• implementation of more sophisticated research management reporting, including Hyperion
• optimisation of organisational efficiency and effectiveness
• ongoing review and reinforcement of cultural/behavioural changes

There will also be continuous improvement beyond each horizon. After the initial deployment of the two grants management modules in Horizon 1 there will be ongoing grants management system/process improvement throughout the life of the program. Similarly, improvement of research outputs modules/processes will continue beyond Horizon 2.

While significant investment will go into establishing the foundation in Horizon 1, each subsequent capability horizon will build on that base, with most value being realised University-wide in Horizons 2 and 3.