Common Timetabling Platform
Rebecca Warren – Project Manager
Kate Steele – School Administrator, Economics, Finance & Management
Sophy Sidnell – Timetabling Implementation Officer
Agenda
• Project Overview
• Timetabler’s Overview
• System Tour
• Plans For 08/09
• Questions and Answers
What are we doing?
• A three year project to create LOCALLY controlled electronic timetabling and room booking
• Enabling current staff with the expertise in a Department/School/Faculty to more effectively meet LOCAL needs using electronic timetabling
• Using Syllabus Plus Enterprise Suite• Project signed off by UPARC and committed to
by your Dean
Key Milestones2007/08• All teaching space bookings recorded on the system – web views
available
2008/09• Pilot departments using full student timetabling on Enterprise• Others timetabling with staff and student sets• Staff online and Calendar timetables by end 2009
2009/10• All departments using full student timetabling• Online personalised timetables available to students by end 2010• Integration with other systems (e.g. Portal)
What are we NOT doing?
• The project will NOT centralise timetabling!
• Nor will it change control of space
• Or change things for the sake of it
Who are we?
• Project Manager (Rebecca Warren)• Project Assistant (Mo Morris)• Timetabling Implementation Officer (Sophy Sidnell)• Business Analyst (Caroline Griffin)• Standards Group Leads – Kate Steele, Chris Willmore
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/timetabling
Project Management Group
Chair: Derek Telling
Members: Prof E Dagless, Derek Telling, Rebecca Warren, Paula Coonerty, Sandy Kemlo, Lynn Robinson, Tim Phillips, Chris Willmore
Members: Luke Taylor, Rebecca Warren, Caroline Griffin, Chris Willmore, Kate Steele, Sophy Sidnell + faculty representation
IS Working Group Standards Working Group
Change Management Working Group
Customisation System Integration System Support
Lead: Luke Taylor Rebecca Warren Steve Pass Simon Speight Jenny Cleeve Andrew Dixon Tony Musotsi Sophy Sidnell Paul Robinson
Software Standards Process Re-design Training
Lead: Derek Telling Rebecca Warren Kate Steele Alison Leach Sophy Sidnell Others tbc
Academic Focus/Quality Assurance Group Chair: Mark Allinson
EDUCATION STRATEGY FINANCE STRATEGY RESEARCH STRATEGY I.S. STRATEGY ESTATES STRATEGY
Mora McCallum Gina Stuart Sylvia Elliott Jean Parr-Burman Tim Obey Brian Stollery Judith Anstee Paul Robinson Gail Parker Lesley Barry
Christine James Sue Kriefman Trish Parker Andrew Dixon Simon Speight Kim Bown Sophy Sidnell Mike White Helen Craven Frankie Macmillan Janet Woolway Allen Sally Burrell
Members: Mark Gilbertson Giles Brown Others tbc
Project Support
Stakeholder Analysis Communication Strategy
User Support Testing Data Collection/Entry Data Verification Lead: Rebecca Warren Sophy Sidnell Mo Morris
Lead: Chris Willmore Caroline Griffin Jenny Cleeve Jane Coles Kate Steele Nicola Kerry David Brown Mo Morris Rebecca Staatz Rebecca Warren Jessica Inglis Sarah Greenaway
Project Board Chair: Prof. Waterman-Pearson
Why are we doing it?
• To provide online staff and student timetables and integration with other systems
• To improve staff satisfaction with the timetabling process, making it easier for timetablers to accommodate teaching staff and students’ individual requirements
• To gain a better understanding of space usage and inform future capital and recurrent spend on teaching space
• To provide better disaster recovery for teaching space
A timetabler’s perspective
how to throw away the paper and pens and still stay sane
Kate SteeleSchool of Economics, Finance and Management
EFM timetabling over the years
• the olden days: a month in Cornwall
• 1999 – 2004 paper, pens, post-it notes
• 2005-06 implemented Syllabus Plus (S+) – rooms and staff only
• 2006-07 – added students
• 2007-08 – students’ timetables on web
• 2008-09 – staff timetables on web
Committed resources
• 1 x senior administrator
• 1 x IT officer
• 2 days’ Scientia training course
• support & knowledge from other Depts
• 1 x day’s dedicated consultancy from Scientia
• Scientia help-desk support
Planning, planning, planning
Modules
Programme of study
Activity templates
LEC x 1
EXL x 2
CLN x 1
TUT x 1
COMP x 1
x 23 groups
x 12 groups
Teaching plans
• WHO teaches what? – teaching loads
• WHEN are they available – constraints
• WHAT do they like? - preferences
• HOW do they teach? - patterns
• WHEN do they teach? - timings
Univ Week
Week begins Lectures
Exercise Lectures Tutorials
Timetabled Clinics
Course work hand
in NotesS+
week no
2 hours 1 hour 1 hour
0 29.9.08 9
1 6.10.08 LEC1 10
2 13.10.08 LEC2 EXL1 T1 x 6 Exercise lecture and tutorials to 11
3 20.10.08 LEC3 T2 x 6 be after the lecture 12
4 27.10.08 LEC4 EXL2 T3 x 6 13
5 3.11.08 LEC5 T4 x 6 14
6 10.11.08 EXL3 T5 x 6 Essay 15
7 17.11.08 LEC6 T6 x 6 16
8 24.11.08 LEC7 EXL4 T7 x 6 17
9 1.12.08 LEC8 T8 x 6 18
10 8.12.08 LEC9 EXL5 T9 x 6 19
20-23
11 12.1.09 LEC10 24
12 19.1.09 T10 x 6 Essay 25
Unit title:
Unit code:
Unit Director:
Christmas vacation
Massimo Molinani, Raul Crespo, Hector ValleTutor(s):
Intermediate Microeconomics
ECON21133
Dr Francesco Giovannoni
Dr Francesco GiovannoniLecturer(s):
Aut
umn
Ter
m
Tea
chin
g B
lock
1
Benefits:Academics, Administrators, Students
• single, comprehensive information system
• detailed, accurate information
• desktop availability to all admin staff
• online timetables for staff, students
• easy to see possible alternative slots
• easy to change student options
• dispenses with indispensibility
• feeds Blackboard and new Student Feedback System
• guaranteed 2 research days for academics
• easy to accommodate special constraints
• academics can get live class lists
• easy to export information e.g. for Faculty room requests; analysis; etc
• better use of rooms (alternative slots)
• roll-over year on year
• direct imports from SiTS, datahub
So if it’s that brilliant why hasn’t everyone done it?
• requires cultural shift
• initial set-up is resource-intensive and painful
• complex and demanding system
• all consuming activity
• requires last minute leap of faith
Scientia Enterprise Suite
Sophy Sidnell
Timetabling Implementation Officer
Enterprise Foundation Suite
Scientia Database
Enterprise Reference Data
Manager
Enterprise Reference Data
Manager
Enterprise Course Planner
Enterprise Course Planner
Enterprise TimetablerEnterprise Timetabler
Syllabus Plus
Enterprise Course Planner
Enterprise Timetabler
Reference Data Manager
What will you need to do?• Now – ensure that your unit and programme
information has been returned, check the timetablers’ list and start thinking about your individual circumstances
• January – follow up on staff availability information• March/April – 2-day training course for all timetablers• May – Central room requests via the system• June onwards – timetabling using the system
Any questions?
(and answers)