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 Milestones 2007/08 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 /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

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 Steele School of Economics, Finance and Management

EFM timetabling over the years the olden days: a month in Cornwall 1999 – 2004 paper, pens, post-it notes implemented Syllabus Plus (S+) – rooms and staff only – added students – students’ timetables on web – 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

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

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 Course Planner Enterprise 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)