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What is Benchmarking?
Benchmarking is a self-improvement tool for organisations. It allows them to compare themselves with others, to identify their comparative strengths and weaknesses and learn how to improve. Benchmarking is a way of finding and adopting best practices. The ACU approach to benchmarking goes beyond the comparison of data-based scores and conventional performance indicators (SSRs, unit costs, completion rates); it looks at the processes by which results are achieved. By using a consistent approach and identifying processes which are generic and relevant, irrespective of the organisation and how it is structured, it becomes possible to benchmark across sectoral boundaries (geography, size, mono/polytechnic etc.).
'Process' is used here to mean a sequence of activities made up of tasks and steps that cross the boundaries between functions, and which serve a valuable and important purpose. For example, the process of attracting and enrolling students may include activities located in an external relations office, recruitment department, registry, departmental administration, and finance office. However, students often see these organisational boundaries as irrelevant, and are more concerned with the effectiveness of the overall process in meeting their needs. Much of the strength of benchmarking lies in the way it leads organisations to question the impact of such boundaries on the effectiveness of their processes.
Benchmarking is not a one-off procedure. It is most effective when it is ongoing and becomes part of the annual review of a university's performance. An improvement should be in advance of, or at least keep pace with, overall trends (there is little benefit in improving by 5% if others are improving by 10%).