Tip of the Week: The annual clock helps us do things in a systematic way

The annual clock of the university’s strategic management is a concrete tool for the systematic planning, implementation and evaluation of the university’s operation. As an operating method, the annual clock helps strengthen the university’s quality management and development culture and also supports the implementation of the university’s strategy.

What is it?

The annual clock of the university’s strategic management contains all tasks required to be completed during the year and schedules the most important tasks and events regarding the management of the university. The annual clock coordinates the university’s key management processes, school and university management reviews, and the Strategy and Resource Dialogues.

How?

The most important processes and tasks regarding the management of the university are recorded in the annual clock: the clock will show when they are due and when preparations for them should be started. The tasks and the relationships between them are easier to grasp when everything is presented in a single circle, and the image of the annual clock is easy to communicate to the whole community.

What is it suitable for?

The annual clock is suitable for planning many types of activities and processes over a specific period of time. It is particularly useful for activities that involve a large number of events repeated every year and involving several actors.

Benefits?

The annual clock gives an overall picture of the events during the operational year and their schedule as well as makes it easier to understand the processes and how they are linked. In addition to time management, the clock also helps in anticipating matters and doing things systematically: it is easier to reserve the time required for preparation and decision-making.

What is required?

It is important to update and maintain the annual clock regularly. Every now and then, it should also be considered whether it would be a good idea to include new operating methods or events, or to give up any of the current practices. However, all changes should be considered carefully because changing one thing may have an impact on the whole operation.

The annual clock is a functioning tool when people commit to it; everything gets done in the logical order presented in the annual clock. It is also important to coordinate the different clocks used. For example, the annual clocks of the university’s and the schools’ management should be synchronised.

Further information

Leadership Support Services, Johanna Palmroos, Johanna.palmroos@aalto.fi

The Tip of the Week series introduces different good practices that have been used to revise and develop our operation.  Good practices may be operating practices, operating models or working methods. What they have in common is that they make our work more meaningful, improve its quality and make it run more smoothly. Take advantage of the tips in your work!

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