User Group

CiCS User Group today - a chance for us to tell people what we're up to, and get some feedback. I
kicked off with the results of our survey of staff, and what we're doing about what people told us. we've picked eight themes to concentrate on, and you can see them and our action plans here.

We also showed our users what our new mobile apps for accessing our HR and finance system (SAP) will look like.  The interface into the desktop versions of some parts of these systems are complex, but these apps which are especially designed for mobile devices will be much simpler to use. You'll be able to book and approve leave, view your payslip, approve expenses, and eventually many more things, from your smart phone or tablet. We've been piloting them for some time, and we're just waiting for some bugs to be fixed before releasing them.

A rather exciting pilot we're just about to start is the use of iBeacons, (little bluetooth devices) in conjunction with our iSheffield mobile app to do student attendance monitoring in teaching space. The way it works is that as a student enters a teaching space, the iBeacon triggers the app on the student's phone to check if the student has a class running in there. If they do, their attendance is registered.
Ombiel have released an information paper which you can read here.

Another new development is the linking of our lecture capture system to the timetabling system, so we'll be able to record many more lectures. Lots of information about our lecture capture system here.

Finally,  we introduced our user group to the concept of Agile project management which we're now using for all projects where it's appropriate. More information on our projects page.

Shares in post-it notes anyone?

A fairly major event took place all of last week for those staff involved in registering students - we had our first LEAN Rapid Improvement Event.  Facilitated by the excellent LEAN Unit at St Andrews, we were particularly looking at how students get registered for a computer account and issued with a UCard. Staff from many different areas of the University took part over the 5 days - from CiCS, Student Services, Student Union, Institute for Lifelong Learning, Medicine - and I'm sure there were more I've missed.  I wasnt there, but have reports back that it was an excellent event - hard work for everyone involved who had to completely and in detail map out current processes, uncovering many things along the way, including how many different "statuses" we have for our students:

Also how the process which was originally degined for undergraduate students arriving in September, didn't fit other students - part time, postgraduate etc. Then come up with actions to radically change and improve the process.

Lots of hard work involved, and I'd like to thank everyone who took part - especially under the pressure of the stop clock! Of course, the really hard part starts now, as we have to make the changes that the group came up with.

We've got a second event coming up in December, and hopefully we can then persuade the University to get LEAN established to radically improve and streamline processes across the University.

One of the other things I missed was our departmental meeting yesterday. Normally I am there, but due in part to the lack of public transport from a small North Yorkshire town on a Sunday which meant I couldn't get back from a weekend away until yesterday, I couldn't be there. So, instead I decided to use some of the technology we use in Teaching to give my report - we use Echo 360 for lecture capture across the University, and I have a version for personal capture installed on my mac on my desk. So, I used that. Apart from forgetting to look at the camera rather than the screen, I don't think it was too bad, and I'm going to use it now for recording other short messages which will probably go on here. For anyone who missed it, or wants to look at the technology, it's here.

What to record?

Early start today with a meeting of the University Executive Board and all Heads of Department, mainly talking about the White Paper and its implications. Of course, it's been massively delayed, and subject to much debate I imagine in the coalition.  Key outcomes are the opening up of HE to FE Colleges and alternative suppliers and a more risk based approach to quality assurance. Freeing up 85,000 student numbers from current controls in 2012/13 is a interesting one - what will it do for widening participation?  AAB results are strongly correlated with social class. From 2013/14 there'll be sponsorship by employers and charities of off quota places, and its expected that the core student numbers of institutions will reduce year on year. Lots of stuff about improved information for students through the Key Information Set including time spent on different teaching activities, assessment methods used and data on graduate salaries.

What is interesting is what's not in it. No vision for the wider purpose of Universities - it's very operational. Nothing on research, plans for PG support or internationalisation. The Times Higher has a good leader article on it this week making many of these points.  We're in a consultation period at the moment - will be interesting to see if anything changes at the end of it.

Later today I had a catch up with the Internal Auditors on a review of Business Continuity they've just completed - lots of recommenadtions but nothing too controversial, and most of them are already in hand.

Then a bit of excitement as I had Echo360 installed on my mac, so I can now record myself in glorious technicolour (do you get technicolour on a mac?). It's very easy - you hit a red button to start, and the same button to stop. Even I can do it. And it can record anything you're showing on your screen as well - web pages powerpoint etc. So, expect a video blog entry very soon, when I've thought of something to say!