University Automated Timetable Software Implementation
The task of moving from a static room booking system to a fully automated timetable system can seem like a daunting task to any university administration. First of all it means marshalling a new set of resources for something that had been previously done “for nothing”. The costs of running a room booking system tend to be invisible. But investigation will reveal that the university is paying significantly for a system that is not dynamic and flexible.
Usually, when the first timetable was made in a room booking system, it reflected the genuine needs of that system, but with time the academic needs of the university change: some courses grow, while others become moribund. Things work fine as long as there is a simple balance between growth and collapse, but this is almost never the case. After the timetable has been in place for a number of years it becomes impossible to move any of the major course events. Certain lecture times become engraved in stone, so to speak.
These matters have become more complicated at universities as course structures have been created that try to step beyond the offerings of a single school, department or faculty. These complications are often poorly addressed by a system that wasn’t built to cope with them.
The result is a timetable that has no flexibility (often described as a house of cards, since the attempt to move a single event is often fraught with danger) and tends to use the resources of the university with diminishing effectiveness. Students end up with poorly distributed timetables. Teaching staff have to cope with twisted schedules. Faculties tend to see each other as competitors for space. This stifles educational innovation, increases student frustration and puts the university at risk in a competitive environment.
An automated timetable implementation will entail a significant cost. The worst thing a university can do is to under-resource the implementation process. This can result in a failed implementation which will mean lots of frustration, ill-will and mistrust, thereby making any second attempt even more difficult. Quite apart from the technical side, which means organising and integrating data from a number of different sources, there is the task of change management, which is just as important. None of this is possible without the committed support of senior management, for there will be many for whom change is anathema. And be in no doubt - moving to a dynamic system means major change in the business process of the university.
The impact of change can be mollified somewhat by not jumping into a full implementation. It is possible to first imbed the new system into the place of the old one, by simply replacing the room booking system with an updated system that can then move to automated timetabling.
The other option is to create a pilot program within a single portion of the university - perhaps a small campus or precinct within the university structure. This will give the university a chance to gain an awareness of some of the problems the wider community will encounter without putting the entire university through the learning curve.
In either case, it is advisable for the university to seek help from outside experts. Those who have been through the process can offer invaluable advice about the risks and pitfalls that a university is likely to face. This is particularly important when trying to implement a system that is locked into the timeframe of the university calendar. Delays and postponements are simply not an option, so the work must be done correctly and on time at the first attempt.
Mosaic Space Consulting are experts at university timetable software implementation, having implemented education scheduling packages at more than 50 universities and colleges worldwide. For more information, visit http:www.mosaic-space.co.uk or http://www.mosaic-space.com.au
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/university-automated-timetable-software-implementation-1517405.html
