Minutes of the Operations Management Task Group Held on 8th January 2003 at 3pm London School of Economics

Present:

Maureen Wade (Chair), Carole Pickaver, Abigail Edwards, Paul Scarsbrook, Sue Somerset, Sarah Deakin & Caroline Holebrook (administrator)

Apologies had been received from Fiona Middleton & Pete Ryan

2. Minutes of the last meeting - 18th September 2002

The minutes were accepted as an accurate record

3. Welcome to new members

Maureen welcomed Sue Deakin to the group

4. Matters arising

Carole is moving to the University of Kent at Canterbury in February and is pleased to confirm that she will be able to continue with the group.

5. Seminars & Visits:

Final arrangements and progress reports

Project Management:
Maureen reported that this event would take place next Monday, 13th January at King's College, Maughan Library. Caroline confirmed there were 18 delegates booked.

Financial Planning:
Abigail has found two promising leads for speakers, Larraine Cooper and Shelia Coral. The group felt the brief needed to be well defined. Issues that were raised were: forecasting, budget bids, financial models, selling services & costing, how to read budget statements. The group felt that a two-day event could be a possibility. Abigail will email the group a proposed outline of the event when she has contacted the speakers. Paul has agreed to help Abigail with this event.
Action: Abigail to contact speakers and email group with the outcome.

Forest Gate Public Library Visit:
Caroline confirmed that Forest Gate had agreed in principle to the visits and would be contacting them to confirm dates for 2 visits in April.
Action: Caroline to contact Forest Gate and confirm.

Communications Management:
Pete Ryan & Sue Somerset will be taking over the organisation of this event. The group felt that the issues that would be useful to cover could include; internal communications, communications with users and communications with other departments. Other issues raised for possible inclusion where, information flows, knowledge management, investors in people and disaster management.

The group felt it would also be useful to have a speaker to discuss IT based forms of communication such as Web CT. Suggestions for speakers were made. Mary Auckland from the London Institute to talk about her experiences with communication in the context of their moves towards Investors in People. Janet Westcott from the Open University to talk about web based communications, (this is assuming that the OU are using the same system for staff as they use for teaching). Sue David to talk about communicating with part time staff. Sue and Pete will liase with Caroline about speakers and the programme.
Action: Sue & Pete to contact speakers.

Overhauling Efficiency & Effectiveness:
Carole has arranged for her auditor David Haines to give a presentation. He will focus on identifying areas of inefficiency using an audit. The main issue will be the analytical procedure of an audit. How the audit should be conducted to obtain the best results to work from. Carole plans another speaker, possibly from Hatfield. Caroline needs to find a central London location for the event. The manuscript room at Senate House is a possibility.
Action: Carole to confirm second speaker and confirm a programme. Caroline to find a venue.

6. Any other business:

Caroline asked the group for ideas for seminars for next years programme to be presented at the SDO's meeting on 8th April.

1. Space Planning 2: re-arranging what you've got

2. How to make an external funding bid

3. Co-operative schemes: what's out there, how does it work and how do we join?

7. Date of next meeting

The group will meet at the SDO meeting on the 8th April 2003