Completion Report

Project Summary:

Background

The Continuous Improvements included in this project were:

I1 - Fee status calculation and Questionaire Amendments - Complete

Amendments to the fee status and fee status questionaire for EU Fee status queries and updates to the standard Fee Status Questionaire.  Required for 2016 Cycle changeover

I2 - WP Amendments - complete

WP functionality was delivered in Oct 14 and some issues have arisen once the solution has been used.  This improvement will address these issues and provide a robust solution for going forward. Required for cycle change over (Sept 15).

I3 - QAS Upgrade - complete

A new version of QAS is required.

I4 - STUTALK Deployment - Complete

This will enable the STUTALK functionality in all environments so that it will be available for when a development needs it.

I5 - Issue Report on Projects Website - Withdrawn

Creation of an Issues report on the projects website so issues for a programme can easily be identified.

I6 - Applicant confirming CAS details - Complete

This development will enable the applicant to confirm the details on the CAS before UoE send it to UKVI.  This will reduce the effort of later amendments that have to be made in UKVI SMS system.

I7 - Import Kx Addresses - Complete

The import of university accommodation addresses from Kx is currently a very manual process.  This is to streamline some of the steps.

I8 - Changes for MVM restructuring - Complete

Final changes relating to pre-existing Schools in MVM and their name change for the Org Hierarchy

I9 - KIS Universe Amendments - complete

Implement the capability to be able to compare KIS results across years

I10 - Rollforward Improvements - complete

Improve the rollforward to automate scenarios which currently result in manual changes following a rollforward. 

I11 - Implement 2nd Challenge in EUCLID - complete

A 2nd Challenge is to be implemented for EUCLID and BIS.  This is to implement 2nd Challenge in EUCLID.

I12 - Change of Authentication from SSO to token - complete

Change of authentication method to enable all SITS functionality to work.

I13 - Default email when querying HEAR (complete)

Improve the student experience so that the email query raised by students about entries for the HEAR are directed to the correct area rather than the student having to work this out themselves.

I14 - Email reminders for online registration - complete

Automate reminder emails to students who have still to complete online registration and combine the outstanding requirements so students only receive one reminder.

I15 - Access to EUCLID for External Supervisors and Clinical Tutor Associates (incorporated into SAC050 - PGR Admin)

There is a requirement in some areas for an additional person to have some responsibility for a student.  This improvement will identify the requirements and the changes required to our existing configuration.

I16 - Enable EVASYS feedback to be available for reporting (now included in SAC044 Use of Student Data:Dashboards) 

This will make EVASYS feedback available to be used in MI

I17 - Automating deployments for PATH - complete

Deployments for PATH are being automated using Bamboo which will provide a consistent approach for the deployment of software and reduce risks and resource required for future deployment.

I18 - Improve experience of online registration - complete

The forms of online registration will be made responsive so they give a better student experience when using a mobile device.  In addition, the forms will be redesigned to make it more intuiative and therefore reduce the number of queries raised and make it clear so the the correct data is entered.   

I19 - update terminology for method/mode of study - complete

There has been a policy decision to change wording from Mode of Study to Method of Study and this will make the changes.

I20 - Mobility 

Mobility is currently a standalone system only authenicated by EASE.  Ideally this improvement will set Mobility up so it is authenticated and authorised through EASE and be able to take data from EUCLID, both of which will greatly enhance the Student experience.

I21 - Cold Fusion Upgrades - complete

The following ColdFusion systems need to be upgraded before the end of June 2016: MiniPortfolio (not required), Personal Tutor (student in MyEd & Staff in EUCLID) in progress, SMART-Done, PPMD : to be done under SAC050

I22 - Student MyEd Channels (now included in SAC034 Assessment & Progression in SITS)

The Student MyEd Chanels are currently in ColdFusion and would need to be upgraded.  Upgrade being done under SAC034

I23 - NSS Universe (now included in SAC044 Use of Student Data:Dashboards) 

The NSS data will be made available through a BIS universe so that it is available for reporting.

I24 - Outstanding External Examiner requirements (complete)

This will address the outstanding requirements in relation to the level where an external examiner is associated with a School and some reporting requirements.

I25 - GPA - Withdrawn

This will provide a single GPA value based on weighted average marks for completed students. It will be delivered via an electronic self service document.  In 2015/16 it will be made available to SIP staff only, from 2016/17 it will be made available through EUCLID student view.

I26 - Survey Channel in MyEd

Investigate Survey Channel to understand what is required for support and approach to move forward.

I27 - Emergency taxi capability (withdrawn)

Working with EUSA to facilitate an emergency taxi capability for stranded students.

I28 - Biometric data into EUCLID (Withdrawn)

To record Biometric data in EUCLID and then be able to use within online reg.

I29 - Changes to accommodate ZJU students (complete)

Changes to accommodate the differences of ZJU students, particularly within UKVI in online reg and admissions letters.

Were the project goals met?   Yes

Were the project deliverables fully or partially accomplished?   6 of the enhancements have not been completed within 15/16, 4 planned withdrawals and 2 unplanned completions.  The detail for the unplanned is in the Outstanding Issues.  They will be discsussed with the sponsor of whether they are taken forward in the equivalent project in 16/17.  All the other enhancements were completed or taken forward within other projects.

The goal of the projects was:

1. To deliver continuous improvements for the business areas by supporting process change or changes to the enterprise student systems .

Did the project deliver a solution to the problems being addressed?  Yes

Does the Project Sponsor agree that this project can be closed at this time?  Yes

Resources

The allocation of resources to this project is the amount agreed to be used on various continuous improvements, not estimated against specific requirements.  The initial resources for 15/16 were 350 IS development days and 350 Analysis/testing days.  An additional 52 IS days were PICCL'ed

Analysis of Resource Usage:

Staff Usage Estimate: 0 days

Staff Usage Actual: 0 days

Staff Usage Variance: 0%

Other Resource Estimate: 4417 days

Other Resource Actual: 4167.79 days

Other Resource Variance: -6%

Explanation for variance:

IS resource 4% variance.

Significant IS resource was required for I11 - EUCLID 2nd Challenge, I21 - Cold Fusion Upgrades & I24 - External Examiners compared with BA resources, so balance becomes skewed.

Key Learning Points:

When there is a requirement to implement something like 2nd Challenge in EUCLID & BOXI that requires resources from across IS and therefore needs a central point of co-ordination, a project should be created from the start.  SSP recorded the resources within a continuous improvement to ensure no days were 'lost', but this wasn't true across IS.  A project was only created once a number of issues had arisen and the project was only to include the work from that point forward not what had already been spent, so the true cost for this implementation is not available.  This should be addressed for future developments so the true cost of these decisions is clear.

There were important requirements outstanding from the 14/15 External Examiners project that the External Examiners Board agreed should be completed within 15/16 but it had no more resource, so this was accommodated within the 15/16 Continuous Improvement allocation.  Going forward, it is expected that less resource will be available for Continous Improvements, so if possible, the important requirements should be prioritised and completed within a project whilst it is running, so continuous improvements can focus on improvements that do not fall within projects.

It is unclear why the Coldfusion upgrade required projects in Student Systems and many other areas, rather than being covered within the standard running of the service.  It would be helpful for this to be clarified.

When resource unfamiliar with the EUCLID set up of DEV, TEST, DUST, TRN & LIVE is used, the PM for that piece of work must explicitly specify the work for each environments,  so the resource does not assume there is just DEV, TEST & LIVE.

When using Bamboo automated deployment, it is important to ensure that production plans are trialled in non-live environments.

Having a project for Continuous Improvement that is able to progress unexpected pieces of work is a valuable resource and it is recommended for it to continue.

Outstanding issues:

The following Continuous Improvements were not completed:

I20 - Mobility.  Resources had to be assigned to support the EUCLID performance investigations, so not as much progress could be made as had been planned. Work with external partners has been completed, it is the UoE steps that are outstanding.

I26 - Survey Channel in MyEd.  This is only to proivde a more robust service for the channel.  It was not delivering any enhancement.  The Resources could not be secured within 15/16 but the 2.5 days have been provisionally booked in mid-Aug.

These will be discussed with the sponsor on whether/how these should be taken forward within 16/17.