In 2007, I moved from a tenured faculty position into higher ed administration; namely, I became a Director of Institutional Research (IR). The move was sudden, and I had no prior knowledge of IR as a field and no prior management experience. In all honesty, the first couple of years were painful in many ways. However, I survived my induction into IR and management and lived to tell the tale. Now, in 2024, I’m just a few months from retirement and have accrued over seventeen years of experience as an IR director. In those years, I’ve worked at three institutions and interacted with colleagues from all sectors and walks of life. In reflecting on my experiences, I realized that passing along these “lessons learned” might be beneficial both to those new to the field and to those who would like to climb the IR career ladder.

Cognitions

• Whether you are new to IR or have taken a new position within IR, recognize that it takes time to build a knowledge base. In fact, I’ve found it takes three to five years to have a firm understanding of an institution or one’s place in it.
• It is also helpful to recognize that you will never have answers to all questions asked of you as an IR professional and you don’t have to; just be willing to find them (if they exist).
• A lesson that IR folk learn very early in their careers is that there are multiple definitions for just about anything, and the numbers associated with those definitions may be correct even if they don’t match. Along the same lines, the answer to almost every question asked of IR professionals is “it depends.” A response may depend on what definition is being used, what population is being considered, what time frame is being measured, and a whole host of other possibilities.
• You will sometimes serve as the voice of reason and the “conscience” of your campus. I have found there are times when others want to put a spin on data in a way that may not be warranted. As a profession, we have ethical standards; don’t be afraid to add those standards to conversations on your campus.
• At the end of the day, it is just a job—a great job, a rewarding job, but a job, nonetheless. Even though you may be called upon occasionally to work nights or weekends, don’t make it a habit; maintain a healthy life/work balance.

Competencies

• What they say is true: Hire good people and get out of their way. The staff member who must have constant supervision is a drain on the entire team.
• You can't teach motivation or critical thinking. Make sure, to the extent you can, that new hires in your office have these qualities in spades.
• Never send a product out from your office without at least two pairs of eyes reviewing. That is, institute a peer review process and enforce it firmly. At the same time, however, be willing to forgive yourself for not always being perfect; perfection can be the enemy of the good.
• The devil may not be in the details, but your sanity is. Keeping track of what we do, when and how we did it, and where we’ve saved the outcome products is aided by having some degree of OCD-like traits. And I can guarantee that this attention to detail will save you time and effort in the future.
• You will be a project manager, whether you want to be or not. IR is often called (and relied) upon to manage projects and, perhaps, for good reason. We have expertise in a variety of projects and the attention to detail/organization it takes to manage them; we have a “bird’s eye” view of our institutions and so see the big picture; and, perhaps most importantly, we are good at overcoming procrastination, a frequent detriment to project success.

Continuity

• Turn-over is a fact of life. The first time I had a staff member resign, I took it personally (and perhaps the second and third time, too), but people leave for a multitude of reasons that have nothing to do with you. Be prepared for unexpected departures (see the next bullet point); they will happen.
• Never underestimate the importance of cross-training…and document, document, document! Never have a task or project in your office that only one person knows how to do. And make sure there is documentation for all necessary tasks that is easy to follow and includes sufficient detail (e.g., terms and definitions, tools, training, contacts, context, etc.) to allow for continuity when there is turnover.

Collaboration/Coordination

• Breaking down siloes will make your life easier. I can’t overstate the many benefits (to you and others) that come with reaching out, collaborating, sharing, and brainstorming with people from across your institution.
• Team-building and public speaking can be challenging for Institutional Researchers. I say this because most of the IR professionals I’ve met are introverts who do not like social activities. You may have to encourage (i.e., push) IR staff to do the activities related to teamwork or conference presentations. They will soon realize that whether or not practice makes perfect, it does decrease anxiety. And honing their “people skills” alongside their technical ones will make them even more valuable to the IR profession where this combination is often in short supply.
• Every IR team is greater than the sum of its parts. Bringing together everyone’s strengths within an IR office is not only a valuable learning experience but can also produce outcomes that would never be possible in isolation.
• No two IR offices are alike in function or structure. Because of the variety of tasks/projects IR can be called into and because of how every IR office has evolved differently over time, they all have different responsibilities. There are also differences in reporting lines, number of staff, and degree of autonomy. That being said, we are a community of like-minded professionals whose work is foundational to the success of our institutions.

Communication

• All voices matter. It is easy to disregard survey responses because of a low response rate but those students (or staff) who participated deserve to have their voices heard. That faculty member expressing dissatisfaction with a data request may have a point worth making.
• Express your opinion softly and humbly. No one likes a “know it all” and being too forceful in offering advice or instruction can stall communication and lead others to avoid you.
• Sometimes agreeing to disagree is the best option. When you disagree with a decision or an initiative, register your concerns but be willing to move on, and do so without resentment.
• Don’t let your office be a “black hole.” Responsiveness is a virtue much to be desired.
• Don’t be hesitant to toot your own horn (or those of your staff). We often underestimate what we do and how much we contribute to our institutions and our profession. Telling our story can create opportunities to add value elsewhere at our institutions.
• You will never be able to explain to your family what you do for a living.

So, there you have it—my IR pearls of wisdom condensed to an easy read. Feel free to take or leave as your own circumstances dictate. I have every confidence that I am leaving the IR profession in many competent hands.