Structured Conversations

Service Blueprinting: Mapping and Improving the Student Experience and Student Affairs Practices

If you are unable to attend live, register to receive the recording and any available resources.  

Students interact with institutions thousands of times prior to and during their enrollment. Improving these interactions through process mapping is a key method for institutional improvement. Learn how an approachable technique called service blueprinting can be applied to student affairs and auxiliary services in higher education. Student affairs assessment staff are well-positioned to facilitate these efforts though collaboration and understanding of roadblocks, service quality, and operational efficiency.

Participants in this session will be able to: 

1. Describe how to use a service blueprint in a higher education setting.
2. Articulate best practices for engaging staff and administrators in the exercise of mapping a process.
3. Identify at least one benefit to students and one benefit to the institution of employing service blueprinting.

 
Presenters:

• Presenter: Dr. Will Roberts, Director of Outcomes Assessment, Nebraska Methodist College
  
  Dr. Will Roberts has worked in higher education student affairs, academic affairs, and institutional effectiveness roles since 2001. He spent ten years at Arizona State University, primarily in academic advising roles, including six years as Director of Academic Services at ASU's Barrett Honors College. From 2016-2019, Will served as Dean of Students at Nebraska Methodist College. In his current role as Director of Outcomes Assessment, he works with academic and student affairs leadership to improve student outcomes and leads continuous improvement efforts. Will is currently serving as an Assistant Editor for the Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry, Improvement, and Impact. His department was also the recipient of the 2026 SAAL Innovation in Assessment Award.