Institutional Assessment and Research

Data User Support Services

IAR provides data user support services to support data users with questions they have regarding student data and the data and tools available to answer those questions. IAR's data user support services include:

• Self-Guided User Support
  • IAR develops and maintains help guides, videos, the CSUMB data glossary, and other documentation.
    
• Data Exploration Open Labs
  • These are pre-scheduled, bi-weekly sessions held for two hours on Fridays.
  • Users can ask questions, receive guidance, and learn how to use available data tools better.
• IAR Curated Data Presentations
  • These by-appointment presentations of data tools available from IAR can be requested by individuals, programs, and groups on campus.
    
  • Presentations highlight resources available to address a specific question or area of interest.
    

Through our data user support services, IAR provides targeted data exploration and resource support relevant to the questions users are asking and the data and tools available to answer those questions.

Problems that are discovered by users in IAR’s reports and dashboards and requests for new reports or visualizations are submitted by users through the IT Tickets system.

Acceptance Testing and Feedback Activities

• Data User Advisory Group (DUAG)
  • DUAG workshops are held once a month during fall and spring terms and as needed during summer and winter.
  • DUAG members help test and provide feedback on dashboards in the CSUMB Data Warehouse, other IAR reports, help guides, videos, and other documentation resources.
  • DUAG members also provide information back to campus departments on new and updated data tools.
  • IAR collates feedback submitted by DUAG members through Data Exploration and Feedback Activities.
  • IAR reviews feedback, evaluates the scope of changes, creates IT Tickets for minor changes, and advises users to submit an IT Ticket for other changes.
• In-Depth Engagement with Selected users
  • On an as needed basis for particular topics, selected users are invited to collaborate on projects with IAR.
  • IAR collects feedback and submits IT Tickets for CSUMB Data Warehouse development as needed.

All IT Tickets submitted through our feedback processes are evaluated by the Data Warehouse Team for feasibility and prioritization. Tickets are deemed either feasible or not feasible in the CSUMB Data Warehouse.

For IT Tickets deemed feasible in the CSUMB Data Warehouse:

• When data is already in the CSUMB Data Warehouse, IAR creates or modifies CSUMB Data Warehouse reports / visualizations.
• When data is not yet available in the CSUMB Data Warehouse model or needs to be corrected, a full CSUMB Data Warehouse development project is initiated.

For IT Tickets deemed NOT feasible in the CSUMB Data Warehouse:

• IAR creates or modifies reports / visualizations outside of CSUMB Data Warehouse (when possible).
• Users are directed to other tools (where available).
  
• Users are informed if the request is not feasible.