Resource Optimisation Software + Lower administration costs + Increase user satisfaction + Leverage ICT investment + Enable better management 2645
Syllabus Plus 2007 Smart resource planning and scheduling for the education sector Today s education sector faces new challenges: + Students as consumers + Self-service, web-based access + Planning complex modular programmes + Maintaining data integrity + Single source of data entry + Optimisation of resources + Student recruitment and retention What is Scientia s Enterprise Platform? The Scientia Enterprise Platform is our vision to make Scientia software modular, web-based, intuitive to use, and capable of being enhanced for many years to come. All aspects of the system, other than the core scheduling engine, have been redesigned and redeveloped to make them operate with the necessary levels of control and security required in a web-based world. Most users will access Enterprise applications via a web browser. Complex applications for timetabling and planning will be web-deployed, i.e. automatically downloaded to run on the user s PC when needed. Others such as data maintenance applications will be solely browser-based. Scientia Enterprise is an exciting new generation of software, representing the most significant advance in scheduling, timetabling and resource allocation for decades: a paradigm shift in the way enterprises are managed. Modern software utilises the power of the web to extend the benefits of Syllabus Plus functionality to a much wider audience, enabling efficient, effective fine-grained control over user access. Self-Service Web Integration Liverpool John Moores University has worked in partnership with Scientia to achieve a successful implementation of Syllabus Plus. I am most encouraged that Scientia Enterprise is designed to meet the needs of institutions like us. It provides the tools for us to retain a central overview, whilst devolving the tasks to the people that know the data best. Dr Tracey Price, Director of Development and Information Support, Liverpool John Moores University. ET ECP RDM REP SA WAA WDC WRB Application Layer Scientia Enterprise Platform Enterprise Knowledge Database Open Connectivity...Future S+ Applications System System System System See page 6 for product listing. 2 1
System architecture Server deployed applications Reduces costs of deployment. Software is installed once on a server and then accessed using a browser: convenient and simple administration. Web portal flexibility with control Supports single sign-on, either into Scientia s Enterprise Database or into a central authentication system. Web browsers are used to control user access to all Scientia Enterprise facilities. Scaleable The systems architecture is highly scaleable, enabling everyone in the institution to access information or services in Scientia Enterprise. The system can grow as your requirements grow. Enhanced resource management and reporting Timetable and reference data is available in the Enterprise Reporting Database. A suite of standard management information reports will be provided, or alternatively you can write your own reports using standard third party reporting tools. These reports aid strategic planning, measurement against KPI s and continuous improvement over time. Modern software The.net architecture offers high performance and security, and provides modern user interfaces for browser and desktop applications. Scientia Enterprise Database Scientia Enterprise uses a single data repository capable of storing, analysing and reporting on scheduling data across multiple years. Scientia Enterprise Database holds the information required by Authorisation Manager and other Scientia applications. Authorisation Manager Authorisation Manager enables user level permissions to be set in a similar way to a system administrator granting or removing network user permissions. Each new Scientia Enterprise application installed will add its own set of permissions that can be assigned to users by the administrator. What are the benefits of the Scientia Enterprise Platform? Scientia Enterprise represents a significant advance in professional scheduling, timetabling, and resource management applications. Features Self-service Modern interface Scalable Automatic updates Secure architecture Controlled access Integrates with existing system Accommodates your infrastructure Single sign on Benefits Reduces administration overhead Achieves greater user satisfaction The system can grow as you grow Lowers software maintenance costs Ensures system integrity / reliability Protects valuable data Maximises ICT asset value Fits your working patterns Easy user access to multiple data sources 2 3
What is Syllabus Plus 2007? Syllabus Plus 2007 is part of Scientia Enterprise, and is a package of applications that replaces and vastly improves the functionality currently provided in Syllabus Plus Timetabler and Course Planner version 3. S+2007 can be used in parallel with version 3, thereby facilitating the transition to the Enterprise product set. It builds on the experience gained from more than 15 years of developing and enhancing Syllabus Plus Timetabler and Course Planner, and contains all the functionality of the 3.5 version along with many new features. Task-centric interfaces designed around user needs also enable easier and more efficient working. Migration to Scientia Enterprise benefits for key stakeholders Modern web interfaces now make most common operations as easy and straightforward to use as web browsers, minimising the need for training. An enhanced authorisation system means that users can be restricted with regard to the scope of the data they manage, reducing the risk of errors. Scientia Enterprise has been designed around the needs of all your users: Department / Faculty + Provides sophisticated features for regular Scientia software users, while also catering for the inexperienced / occasional user with a specific task in mind. + Redesigned interfaces allow for a task-centric approach, providing a simple, intuitive way to interact with the timetable, using familiar browser screens. + Support for activity variants means that team teaching can be accurately modelled, empowering departments to function both efficiently and equitably. Central Timetablers + New features make light work of commonly performed tasks. + Enhanced authorisation control means that some lightweight tasks (swapping staff or moving from one departmentally-owned room to another) can be devolved to less experienced users freeing senior management, ensuring data integrity and saving administration time. + Support for activity variants means that ongoing changes to room allocation can be recorded without losing historical data; achieving ultimate flexibility and providing valuable management information. ICT Department + Server deployment simplifies the process and reduces the cost of installation and upgrades. There is no longer a requirement for multiple installations on remote machines, greatly reducing ICT service commitment. + An industry standard, three-tier architecture employing a standard RMDBS means that those supporting the Enterprise infrastructure are on familiar ground. Institution / Enterprise + Scientia uses the very latest in development environments, meaning applications are reliable and have in-built longevity. + The new applications are designed to make it even easier to access the full power of Scientia software so that institutions can optimise their resources. + Simple, task-centric software, coupled with tight access control, allows those with the required knowledge + permissions to interact directly with the software, without the need for extensive user training. Time wasted by collecting information on paper is also eliminated. 4 5
Suite of applications Scientia Enterprise S+2007 Core Software consists of the following webdeployed, server-based applications: Enterprise Course Planner Enterprise Timetabler Enterprise Reference Data Manager Enterprise Reporting In addition to the Core, there are Enterprise versions of the following applications: Student Allocator Web Room Booking Web Data Collector Web Activity Adjuster ENTERPRISE Course Planner To plan and manage complex delivery patterns. + Web-deployed version of Course Planner. + Fully-compatible with standard product. + New tools provide increased automation. Enterprise Course Planner is a web-deployed version of Course Planner software that fully supports your existing ways of working. ECP allows you to work using predicted student-module combinations while the real data is not yet available, and to convert these to real students once their details are known. Activity Templates describe the teaching delivery method of each module. They allow you to generate the number of activities required to meet demand, and to react to fluctuations in student numbers. Pathways describe the predicted module combinations on each Programme of Study, which can be broken down into smaller Student Sets. New tools have been introduced to increase automation in the planning process. For example, rather than create Activity Templates separately, it will be possible to define standard delivery patterns and apply these to many modules. Enterprise Course Planner also has new rules for automatically allocating Students (or Student Sets) to activities. Exam Scheduler Further details of Scientia Enterprise products will be released on our website www.scientia.com and in our forthcoming Email Newsletters. If you would like to know more with a view to evaluating applications for purchase, please contact us via your Regional Office (see back cover for details). 6 7
ENTERPRISE Timetabler Core scheduling software for today s professional Timetablers. + Saves administration time. + Supports manual or automated scheduling. + Prevents errors / clashes. + Controls who has access to timetable data. + Responds rapidly to change. + Delivers complex teaching delivery patterns. + Improves services to staff and students. Enterprise Timetabler is the world s most advanced timetabling software, delivering real benefits to both institutions and end users. With the arrival of Syllabus Plus software, the resourcing implications of timetabling were automatically dealt with using powerful software. The Enterprise version of Timetabler brings further major advances. Web deployed via a browser, the interface looks and feels modern, but retains the familiar Syllabus Plus symbols and colour coding. Timetable users, including individual departmental timetablers, can now obtain fast and accurate answers to questions via the web. New product features with related benefits of Enterprise Timetabler are shown in the table opposite. Development will be released in phases, starting in 2006 and continuing throughout 2007. Later releases of Enterprise Timetabler will support automatic scheduling, in addition to the full range of manual timetabling. ET version 1.1 will also incorporate a Problem Manager, for authorised uses to both solve and waive problem scenarios. Features S+ 3.5.1 ET Description of functionality and benefits Seamless interaction / integration of new and current S+ products. Compatibility releases will be introduced so that S+2007 and Scientia Enterprise Platform products can be progressively introduced to the Institution. Multi-user operation Multi-user operation will continue to be provided by the SDB. Interactive grid timetable (window) Manual timetable manipulation via a grid-style timetable. Adds new display modes. Interactive master timetable Manual timetable manipulation from the Master view (imagine a print preview of a master timetable that is interactive, allowing click and drag of activities). User selectable information The information displayed about each activity in the timetable grid can be user-defined. Tabular display Activities can be displayed in a spreadsheet-style list that can be searched and sorted. Zoom in / zoom out To zoom in on an area of the timetable grid (e.g. exclude weekends), so you can see more information about the activities. Flip viewing axes The Time of Day / Day of Week axes can be swapped. Multiple weeks view Support for an interactive timetable for a selected object covering multiple weeks, instead of a single week as at present. Activity variants Support for varied resourcing or timing by week, allowing several child activities to represent resource variants. Joint Taught Activities Allows the creation of joint teaching events involving multiple Modules. Enhanced Time / Resource editor Provides powerful new facilities to control the resources allocated and the time of activities. Problems Indicator Enhanced to group, sort and filter scheduling problems. Problems that have waivers are displayed separately. Click Once deployment Enterprise Timetabler can be downloaded from a single mouse click, and then installed in the normal way. Easy deployment. Fast, interactive operation. Request level authorisation Support for a request level of authorisation (allowing a user to allocate the resources they own, but request others they do not). Personalised Interface Multiple timetable views can be tiled or tabbed within the screen, and the colour scheme can be modified to suit individual preferences. 8 9
ENTERPRISE Reference Data Manager Reference Data Manager controls your timetable reference data. + Facilitates effective maintenance of reference data. + Web-based, for use by people who know the data. + Enables Department Heads to update user profiles. + Allows flexible editing of attributes for Staff / Rooms. Scientia Enterprise Platform supports a redesigned web interface that allows you to easily enter data related to staff, rooms and equipment. The Reference Data Manager (RDM) application is designed to facilitate the maintenance of timetable reference data; for example: + Global settings such as Named Availabilities, Usage Preferences and Constraint Profiles. + Resources, such as Staff, Locations, Equipment, and Zones. Enhanced functionality in RDM includes flexible editing of attributes such as additional Tags and Suitabilities to a multiple selection of Staff or Rooms, and filtering or searching by attributes (e.g., Description, Capacity) as well as by other objects (e.g., Department) RDM is web-based so that you can devolve the application across the institution to the people who know the data best. For example, Heads of Department can update the Usage Preferences, or the Constraint Profiles of their own staff. Authorisation Manager sets who has access to this application, and the scope of their permissions. ENTERPRISE Reporting Produce web-based, pdf format and printed timetables, schedules and management reports quickly and easily. Report Designer Design grid-style timetable reports in pdf and printed format. + Publish and reuse a variety of grid-style reports. + Preview your reports on screen in pdf output. + Change and clarify header and footer information. + Customise your reports with photos and logos. + Create both individual grid and master report styles. Scientia Enterprise allows users to design grid-style timetable reports that can be re-used and published for the benefit of other users. Reports can be previewed on screen in pdf output before printing. Users can modify both the headers and footers at Report, Object and Continuation page level, clarifying the content. There is also a facility to designate the number of lines in each header / footer and individual timetable cell, for maximum flexibility. Graphics, such as logos and photographs, can be embedded within a report, to customise the printer output for an institution, department, etc. Management Information Reporting The Enterprise Reporting Database will hold data about your timetable in an easy-to-access format. Scientia will provide a set of standard reports to give Timetablers and senior management the statistics they need to make strategic decisions. If your institution already uses standard reporting technologies such as Microsoft Reporting Services or Oracle Discoverer, reports can be built using these technologies, referencing data held in the ERB. 10 11
ENTERPRISE Student Allocator Extend student choice, maintain control and reduce your time + cost! + Increases timetable flexibility for students. + Models award and delivery rules. + Ensures control over tutorial or module choices. + Avoids timetable clashes and travel problems. + Self-service reduces costly administration workload. + Exchanges data with student record systems. + Increases student and staff satisfaction. Student Allocator helps you to provide an improved service to students, including those who have external commitments, and leads to improved student retention. It can be used at different stages of your business process, including tutorial allocation and module selection. It has a number of components: The SAM (Subject Area Manager) component: + Builds academic programme structures. With its focus on flexibility, it can reflect the institution s award and delivery rules. + Includes a graphical user interface to provide visual feedback on the structures being built. + Rule tokens can be based on credit values, module options, or on the total time a student needs to spend on certain activities. The Student component: + Students can make valid individual choices via a browser, e.g. modules, tutorials or practicals. + Can be used to swap onto other modules or activities as long as they stay within the rules and there is available capacity. + The browser interface can be styled to fit institution requirements. The Student Advisor component: + Staff users, e.g. tutors or student advisors, can make choices on behalf of individual students using a simple browser interface. + Ability to waive some of the rules to cater for individual circumstances. The Staff component: + Allows academic or administrative staff, to allocate or move groups of students between lectures, tutorials, etc. + Filtering features allow (for example) groups of students on similar programmes to be kept together. + A full audit trail is kept of all allocations. The Administration component: + Controls permissions and access to data. + Manages data interaction between Allocator and other systems; including integration with Scientia s timetabling products. + Enables creation of the basic object types used in the SAM to model the institution s programme structures. The Reporting component: + Examples include up-to-date class lists, student status reports and management information. Student Allocator is more cost-effective than any manual mechanism, offering both students and staff fine-grained control over the choices they make, while avoiding timetable clashes. The students who have used it seem to be finding their way around without assistance. And the queues to the faculty office have been greatly reduced on account of all the students not needing to sign-up manually. Carolyn Heath, Faculty Administrator, SOAS 12 13
ENTERPRISE Web Room Booking Put room booking safely on the web for all staff and students. + Saves your time drastically reducing the need to advise room availability details by email or over the telephone. + Reduces stress factors as more requesters use this process without the need for direct contact/clarification. + Never forgets confirmations are made and sent instantly; there is no danger of being distracted at critical times. + Equitable solution channelling requests via the web ensures that all requests are processed as they arrive. + Improves satisfaction users feel in control, because the web booking process is fast, responsive and transparent. Web Room Booking puts Users at the centre of your procedure. It is designed to be used with the minimum of training. The web interface makes it easy for anyone to find and book (or request) a suitable, free room. Search for available rooms by selecting a variety of parameters, such as dates, times, capacity, zone and room features. Visual screen elements, including room plans, photographs and timetables make it much easier for users to select a resource. ENTERPRISE Web Data Collector Replace manual data collection with an easy-to-use web interface. + Electronic input no need to re-key data. + Enforces data accuracy / quality. + Easy to use with the minimum of training. + Customisable to suit your terminology. + Creates an audit trail (what / when / whom). Collecting timetable data electronically leads to a more efficient use of staff time, both within academic departments and in administration. Less time and effort is spent on data validation, leading to a shorter timespan between provision of data and the production of a timetable. Increased data quality also means that the traditional tidy up process between the circulation of the timetable and the start of teaching can be considerably reduced, avoiding last minute clashes and changes. Web Data Collection in the Scientia Enterprise configuration enables subject specialists who are knowledgeable about their department s timetables to submit and revise their requirements directly. ENTERPRISE Web Activity Adjuster Enables a large number of curriculum managers to safely access teaching events and make controlled changes. + Minimises data entry ends duplicates in multiple systems. + Quickly identifies alternative resources or timeslots at short notice. + Dramatically increases the number of people able to make changes to a planned timetable, avoiding bottle-necks at busy times of year and ensuring accuracy. + Records actual changes to timetabled events accurately e.g. to drive a Registers system or for staff workload analysis. + Activity List shows only the activities the user has the authority to view. Web Activity Adjuster helps timetable managers to safely spread the workload across the institution. Timetabling Managers can create authorised users who have designated access to their own data, while retaining a high level of central control. 14 15
ENTERPRISE Exam Scheduler An easy-to-use graphical scheduling tool that manages all aspects of exam planning. + Earlier and accurate timetables to students and staff. + Fewer resources (staff and locations) required to deliver examinations. + Improved student performance through better spreading of exams. + Clash-free modular exam timetables. + Special needs students can be easily catered for. + Publishing of timetables for individual students on paper or on the web. Exam Scheduler develops a timetable that best meets the resource management priorities for the Institution. The system can produce significant cost savings by reducing the number of exam sessions, using fewer staff and rooms, with no detriment to the student experience. Automatic scheduling means that it is possible to meet varying preferences. The system will not allow clashes to be created (unless required) and it can also be set to avoid student back-to-back exams and student overloading. In addition, modifications to the completed timetable can be made quickly and easily, with graphical advice on what is and is not possible. Detailed information on students and exams that cause conflicts or that break back-to-back settings is immediately available to the timetabler. Exam Scheduler also has tools to assist in manual and automatic seat allocation and invigilator allocation. Finally a comprehensive reporting system allows the creation of customised timetables, reports and the export of data to third-party reporting tools. Evolution not revolution (Information for existing customers) As you can see from the S+2007 features, a lot of new functionality has been added into this release. Existing facilities in Syllabus Plus are being replaced or enhanced rather than lost in the Enterprise version. There will be a long period of time when you can interwork S+2007 products with Syllabus Plus Version 3, to fill in functionality gaps until the replacement functionality becomes available to you. This is a deliberate migration strategy to enable Scientia to release new products immediately and allow you to benefit from the new functionality without having to (a) wait for the complete solution to become available, and (b) undergo the training hurdle involved in a Big Bang switch to a radical new solution. FAQs Q How can I be sure that Scientia Enterprise is for me? A The benefits should speak for themselves, but to help you to make up your mind, you could request to evaluate the new products. Q Do I have to pay for Scientia Enterprise? A Yes, if you are an existing Syllabus Plus customer there will be increased payments for migration to Scientia Enterprise. Please contact your Account Manager to discuss the options available to you. There are incentives for early adopters. Q How long will Scientia continue to support the current version of Syllabus Plus? A Scientia will continue to provide maintenance releases, and will not cease supporting the current version of Syllabus Plus without giving at least two years notice. Q Will there be Scientia Enterprise training courses available? A Yes, a series of training courses will be held in Cambridge throughout 2007. There is a one-day Enterprise Upgrade training course, a oneday Coordinator course and a two-day Beginners course. These can also be held at your institution. Q Can Scientia help me to put together a business case? A Yes, a Scientia consultant could undertake a review of your timetabling processes and help you to put together the business case, outlining the benefits you would achieve through Scientia Enterprise. 16 17
Scientia the company Scientia Ltd was formed in 1989 and has built an enviable reputation as the global market leader in timetabling, scheduling and planning software, with 450+ Education institutions, Government bodies and Corporate clients in 24 countries covering 4 Continents worldwide. The company is committed to developing and delivering advanced Enterprise resource optimisation solutions that meet the needs of our users. To find out more about our range of web-deployed applications and custom solutions, including the Scientia Enterprise suite, then click on www.scientia.com to register your details and receive updates / news. Further Information Scientia Ltd St John s Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge CB4 0WS, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1223 421221 Fax: +44 (0)1223 421218 Email: sales@scientia.com Email: support@scientia.com Web: www.scientia.com/uk Scientia GmbH Hansaring 61, 50670, Köln, Germany Tel: +49 (0)221 1612 177 Fax: +49 (0)221 1612 100 Email: info@scientia.de Web: www.scientia.de Scientia (the Netherlands) Postbox 1201, 9701 BE Groningen, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)50 5797443 Fax: +31 (0)50 5797441 Email: salesnl@scientia.com Web: www.scientia.com/nl Cyon Knowledge Computing Pty. Ltd Suite 3.12, 247 Coward Street, Mascot, NSW 2020, Australia Tel: +61 (0)2 9929 9292 Fax: +61 (0)2 9929 9294 Email: sales@cyon.com.au Web: www.cyon.com.au Cyon Canada Inc 1243 Islington Avenue, Suite 704, Toronto, Ontario M8X 1Y9, Canada Tel: +1 416 234 8357 Tel: +1 888 900 6084 (toll free) Fax: +1 416 234 5384 Email: sales@cyoncanada.com Web: www.cyoncanada.com Scientia is a registered trademark of Scientia Ltd.