APC Payments Functional Costs Matrix

Data collection method:

Functional cost analyses were carried out for each of the four universities in the GW4 alliance: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter. The project FCA was limited to a subset of the ten steps suggested by Yoshikawa, Innes and Mitchell. The area for analysis, team members and objective of the FCA having already been agreed and Lean 6 Sigma chosen as the methodology for identifying process improvements, the project FCA focussed on the gathering of data, definition of functions and the cost analysis. Throughout the process we have regularly communicated with related projects including Jisc Monitor and other OA Pathfinder projects. Initially, information on the activities performed for the payment process were collected through interviews with Research Support or Repository Librarians at each of the collaborating partners.

Data processing and preparation activities:

A flowchart of the process at each institution was then constructed, identifying the process flow and activities at each stage. Re-iterative scrutiny and editing refined the flowcharts until they were agreed to be accurate and complete. The functions within the process were then identified and a functional family tree for the APC payments process developed (Diagram 1). The tree shows the primary function (F0) and four levels of sub-functions; the activities of the APC payment process relate to these functions.