Differences between units must be acknowledged The diversity of CU-Boulder units is sometimes a problem in an enterprise like this one, but it is more often a benefit. Units are too different, and too independent, to attempt to impose common methods. Letting units experiment with methods and discover what provides useful information for them takes time and requires unit-specific discussions, feedback, and consultation. The individual unit summaries show great variation in how units gather and use outcomes information. Units make the best use of approaches that fit their own, and their discipline's, style of gathering and using information.
Units learn from each other.
One unit's experiences with a method can help another unit decide to try it, or to avoid it. The process would not have grown as well as it has without a certain amount of monitoring, prodding, cajoling, and constructive feedback. However, the benefits of acknowledging units' differences and giving them control of their own outcomes assessment processes would be lost if there were too much central control. Keeping a balance requires constant attention. It is helpful if the coordinators have, or have access to people with, skills in data gathering and interpretation.