Project Communication Survey Results

Goal

In 2018 we set out to learn what the campus wanted to know about capital projects being completed on campus, from new construction to major renovations, to transportation updates and more. Being a more transparent organization is one of UFIO’s goals, so one of the first steps to becoming more transparent is identifying what our campus residents (students, staff, faculty and visitors) want to learn about—and the best way to deliver that information.

Method

We distributed a five-question survey via OSU Today to campus the week of Feb 12, and sent it to a few closed groups of campus workers. Thirty-four people responded. We realize that surveys are very self-selecting, but this survey gave us a starting point to implement effective project communications across campus.

Insights

Ninety-seven percent of respondents wanted to learn more about projects on campus. The top three topics campus residents wanted to learn about:

New construction
Major renovations
Projects to beautify the campus

Campus residents are looking to find out how their lives are affected by projects, with 34% indicating interest in closures, detours and ways in which campus operations would change. Features are important to residents; 31% wanted to learn the details of projects. Two respondents noted that project cost (and who was paying) was key.

OSU Today was the clear winner for communication method, with 44% of respondents choosing it. Email newsletters were also popular.

Recommendations

Project communication updates involving new construction, renovations, the effects of them, and projects to beautify campus can be the first focus of a project communication initiative.

Campus residents want to learn more about our projects, and another step in upping our transparency is sending the information directly to them, rather than having them search it out on a passive website. A once-a-month opt-in email newsletter which is also linked to in OSUToday for three days is a good start at providing the clarity wanted by our campus residents.