Engineering Projects In Community Service (EPICS) Spring 2009

Client Description Rosalina Aranda – EPICS Program Coordinator – Has been serving as Program Coordinator since the program began in 2006.

Problem Identification Process Review past progress of previous teams Meet with client on January 29 th, 2009 Identify Available Resources

Team Definition As required by the class plan, the team was split into three sub-teams: – Communications – Registration – IT (Information Technologist)

Suggested Modification of Course Plan The class plan is usually such that the teams are or should be defined on the first day, but in order to define our team(s), we had to hold our client meeting and then branch off in order to tackle each of the problems we discovered during our client meeting.

Problems After our client meeting, we had listed four problems that we would be working on for the duration of the semester. They are as follows: – Update of the Team Descriptions – Improvement of Inter-Client/Team Communications – Development of team websites – Development of a Prototype for the Registration System

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Updated Team Description Problem Description –When students register for an EPICS team, they are often misled by the description on the registration website.

Solution: –We wanted to find a way to give students a better idea of what they were signing up for. – ed teams to write a short description about their project. – A few teams responded with a decent description, but many never sent one at all. Mentors were even notified, but no submissions were received. Future – We would like to add these descriptions to the registration website so that students have a better idea of what they are signing up for.

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm. Inter Client Team Comm.

Problem Description: – Lack of effective communication Solution: –Decided to use team website. Set up a folder system on the team website with the assistance of the I.T. team. Inter Team Client Communication

Project 1 Project 2 Project 3 Project 4 EPICS Sub Teams Rosalina Aranda (Client) The System put into use. Sub Teams upload weekly reports. Client can view weekly reports. Posted on website.

Made sure all team members had access to uploading weekly reports as well as how to navigate the new system. Set a weekly deadline of 7:00 pm Sunday nights.

Outcomes Became a whole team project. Helped communication within team, not just communication with client. Future Work May be a helpful asset for other UC Merced EPICS teams. Isn’t currently being used to its maximum efficiency, hopefully teams in the future will continue and improve this system.

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Website Development Problem Description

Solution Assist EPICS teams in developing their websites We had to become familiar with using CMS. Ranked each of the teams based on the need of improvement of content and design We would provide the technological assistance for the website, but content and planning was to be done by the other teams. Only decided to assist two teams this semester: – Ropes Course Team – California State Mining Mineral Museum

1st Kiva 2nd California State Mining Mineral Museum 3rd Ropes Course 4th Bobcat Radio 5th Boys and Girls Club 6th Wetlands 7th Mountain Crisis Center 8th Animal Shelter 9th Castle Science and Technology Center 10th Merced County Office of Education Ranking

CSMMM Original Website

Ropes Course Original Website

Future Work Based on progress of each teams website we will rearrange the ranking accordingly Leave any information/knowledge we have gained to next semesters team

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Updated Team Descriptions Website Development Registration System Inter Client Team Comm.

Problem Identification Using the Engineering Process – Client Meeting – School of Engineering Meeting – Registrar Meeting

Registration Problem Students are not registering into the EPICS courses they are interested in. Why? Time Conflicts Students Only Register for Schedule Compatible Classes Space Faculty EPICS classes Student's schedule

Solution A -Time Oriented Designate 2-3 EPICS classes for each grade level to guarantee each grade level several choices. Freshmen courses EPICS classe s Grade Level s

Solution A – Time Oriented PROS: The time conflicts would be resolved. The EPICS lab would be used as much as possible. CONS: Students may have trouble returning to the same EPICS class the following years. EPICS classes will have a majority from certain grade levels.

Solution B: Upper Division Apply the “No Conflict” policy to the applicable Engineering Core Classes. Examples of such classes include but are not restricted to: ENGR 165, 130, 120, 155. EPICS classe s Grade Level s Upper Division Lower Division

Solution B – Upper Division PROS: Resolves the overuse of “No Conflict.” Allows upper classmen more flexibility when choosing their EPICS section. Increases chance of enrollment and continuation. CONS: Focuses more on upper classmen. A lot of the upper classmen students are probably finished with their EPICS requirements.

Conclusion In general, in order to continue our work, it is best that we would have our current team members continue to stay on the team. – In contrast to previous semesters, we have had more newer members that we would have to retrain, thus our progress would not be continuing in a positive direction every semester. – It would instead be looping back to the beginning because we do not have enough time in order to complete certain projects.

Acknowledgements Foster Family Center for Engineering PG&E Dr. Germán Gavilán Rosalina Aranda