Although we now have no access to the campus, we did manage to have a team of 18 students helping us with room surveys, application testing and service shape through focus groups through the month before lockdown. This work will provide the team with sufficient data to make progress through this phase.
Progress within the last month:
Hiring a team of 18 students to support our work. Students were hired on an ad-hoc basis and we can conform that they will be paid as normal in the April payroll run.
The team completed the recruitment of a Supervisor for the service on a 2-year fixed term contract. Delia joins us from the School of Education.
Teaching Space Survey Application development, testing and use by our team of students. This application will form the development/workflow basis for our Teaching Spaces Checklist Application which will be used when the service begins in earnest.
The students managed to complete surveys for one third of the centrally managed rooms before restrictions came into place. Early analysis of the data from our student led room surveys within the project team and the Steering Group has provided a clear path forward within current lockdown restrictions. This will help us to identify pockets of work to be managed by estates which can be done as a single work package and numerous ‘quick wins’ where common issues within teaching spaces have arisen. For example, around whiteboards, clocks in rooms and feeding into the signage work being done by Estates.
Upcoming activities for the forthcoming month:
Further analysis of the data we have and dissemination of the data into work packages that can be actioned when we have access to the campus.
Begin to build the ‘checklist’ that will be developed into the teaching space application to be used by our student helpers.
TSG005
Remote Support for Teaching Spaces
Discretionary
RAG Status
Green
Overall RAG Commentary and Path to Green:
Remote Support version 1 is already in use and a development plan for version 2 is being assembled by Learning Spaces Technology with support from EDINA.
Progress within the last month:
System requirements for version 2 of remote support have been completed.
This has now been sent to EDINA for a development estimation.
Upcoming activities for the forthcoming month:
Consultation with EDINA to agree and schedule development of version 2.
TSG004
Specialist Teaching Spaces
Discretionary
RAG Status
Red
Overall RAG Commentary and Path to Green:
We would expect to resolve our issues within the next two months as the lockdown situation becomes clearer. Any resolution must take into account inevitable delays in getting access to the campus, risks around equipment storage and the prospect of budgeting over multiple academic years with our funding currently limited to the end of July 2020. Room designs and equipment purchase orders are in place so that when we do understand the delay better, we will have completed the preparatory work. We will continue to consult closely with our funding partners (Student Experience Action Plan) to resolve our issues in as timely and transparent a manner as possible.
Progress within the last month:
Installation list approved with the three colleges.
Room designs are underway.
Purchase orders have been readied for equipment and will be actioned when we have agreed on how the installations will be financed.
Upcoming activities for the forthcoming month:
Continue to consult on our timeline and budget taking into account the high probability that equipment can be purchased this financial year, but installation will have to be financed within next year’s budget. It is worth noting that installation costs are estimated at 15-20% of our year 1 budget.
TSG006
AV Loan Services
Discretionary
RAG Status
Green
Report Date
March 2020
Work completed
The Project Brief has been agreed by the Project Team and circulated to the Steering Group for approval
A risk register has been agreed by the Project Team
Interview questions have been agreed by the Project Team
The Project team is meeting weekly
Issues
All staff are now working from home. Interviews and focus groups will be completed remotely.
Next steps
Project Brief to be approved by the Steering Group
