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TechQual

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What is TechQual+ ?

Higher Education TechQual+ is modeled after the SERVQUAL survey tool used in the private sector to assess the quality of service. The survey asks respondents to rate the minimum level of acceptable service for each question, the desired or ideal level of service, and lastly the perceived or actual level of service they receive at UNM. The minimum and desired scores are used to generate a "window" of acceptability for technology services, called a "zone of tolerance.” The location of the rating of perceived (actual) service within this zone creates gap scores, which enable technology departments at UNM to assess service adequacy on survey items and to determine areas needing the most improvement.

TechQual+ owes part of its inspiration to the LibQUAL+® library service survey developed the Texas A&M University Libraries and the Association of Research Libraries.  Like LibQUAL+®, TechQual+ attempts to evaluate a broad range of services common to most its constituents. This allows for the possibility of benchmarking with peer institutions as the survey tool develops.  More information about TechQual+ can be found at Higher Education TechQual+.

Higher Education TechQual+ has instituted a privacy policy.  All participating institutions must adhere to the TechQual+ privacy policy.

TechQual at UNM

The University of New Mexico’s TechQual+ surveys are coordinated by the Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Health Sciences Library and Informatics and lead by Holly Shipp Buchanan, Deputy Chief Information Officer and Associate Vice President for Knowledge Management and IT at the UNM Health Sciences Center. Proposed administrations of the survey are submitted to the UNM Health Sciences Center’s Human Research and Review Committee for exempt review

Focus Groups

In April 2007, UNM invited Timothy Chester, PhD, Chief Information Officer of Pepperdine University, to conduct focus groups on campus. The purpose was to refine the content of the Higher Education TechQual+ tool.

Focus Group participants were asked questions about what they thought technology services were, how they defined "good" services versus "bad" services, and why they chose one technology service provider over another.

In general, participants in the UNM focus groups indicated they were looking for better collaboration, consistency, and communication from UNM IT service providers. Participants also felt a need to have personal control over their technology choices or, if a technology service had to be chosen for them, the service needs to work well.

HSLIC/ITS Pilot Survey

In June 2007, UNM TechQual+ survey coordinators piloted the survey with the employees at the Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center (HSLIC) and Information Technology Services (ITS).  Of the total number of invitations sent, 21% completed the survey.

Overall, respondents felt that technology services exceeded their minimum expectations in the following areas:

Technology service areas that generated the most concern among respondents included: