Department Coordination and Data Visualisation at Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute’s Design Management graduate program cultivates creative enterprise leadership that develops thriving cultures. The goal of Pratt Institute is expressed in its mission to “educate creative leaders to be responsible leaders contributors to society.” The Institute believes that responsible leadership must encourage sustainable practice. The goal of the DM program is to develop strategic design leaders for the business of design. Graduates are able to leverage the power of design to create sustainable advantage and shape our world. Consistent with the mission of Pratt Institute, the DM program emphasizes the importance of contribution to society and our courses encourage responsible and sustainable practice.

The final office timeline chart is a combination of the two charts directly above. On the left is the timeline for academic year and processes within the department and the larger Institute. At right, the Curriculum calendar (and coursework building on itself). 

Training model for DM Office

My experience at Pratt (aside from being a graduate student in the program) was enriched with the opportunity to work closely with my mentor, Dr. Mary McBride, deepening my understanding of operations management while making a contribution toward planning and coordination within a large academic institution. The infographics above map the department’s processes against the curriculum timeline, and were designed to help us keep track of everything at a glance. Training for incoming team members involved getting them acquainted with the model at left, designed to give an overview of key responsibilities. 

academic Program Review and alumni mapping

Sample of alumni from around the world practicing at leading organisations (as of 2011)

From time to time, the wider institute and each program undergoes a systematic review as part of an ongoing effort to promote critical reflection, self-assessment and strategic planning toward longer-term goals. In 2011 we prepared documentation for academic program review, for the Design Management and Arts & Cultural Management graduate programs. All information was gathered into a self-study report, that included curricula, faculty and alumni profiles, exemplary projects by program participant teams, and features on our publication Catalyst Strategic Design Review. This report engaged the input of distinguished faculty and experts at the institute, along with key external subject area experts, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the programs. 

Map of total alumni representation (1995-2011)