Common Timetabling Platform

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Common Timetabling Platform

• Rebecca Warren Project Manager
• Kate Steele School Administrator, Economics,
  Finance Management
• Sophy Sidnell Timetabling Implementation
  Officer

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Agenda

• Project Overview
• Timetablers Overview
• System Tour
• Plans For 08/09
• Questions and Answers

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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

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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 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)

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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

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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

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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

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A timetablers perspective

• how to throw away the paper and pens and still
  stay sane
• Kate Steele
• School of Economics, Finance and Management

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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

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Committed resources

• 1 x senior administrator
• 1 x IT officer
• 2 days Scientia training course
• support knowledge from other Depts
• 1 x days dedicated consultancy from Scientia
• Scientia help-desk support

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Planning, planning, planning
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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

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BenefitsAcademics, 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

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• 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

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So if its that brilliant why hasnt 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

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Scientia Enterprise Suite

• Sophy Sidnell
• Timetabling Implementation Officer

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Enterprise Foundation Suite
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Enterprise Course Planner
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Enterprise Timetabler
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Reference Data Manager
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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

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Any questions?

• (and answers)