Closure Report

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Project Summary

A short life study spaces working group was formed by the Estates & Digital Infrastructure Adaptation and Renewal Team (ART) to provide recommendations and plans on Study Space provision for the start of Term 2020. The Study Space Provision project (ISG019) was set up to ensure the work to open study spaces at the start of term 2020 could be planned and managed effectively as the work is being completed in an extremely short timescale. There were four main strands of work that were covered by the Study Spaces Provision project:

  1. Complete the planning work to enable centrally managed study spaces to open at the start of Term 2020
  2. Develop and launch a mechanism to manage study space occupancy and bookings in centrally managed study spaces (EID006 Space Study Management Project)
  3. Identify and open additional study space centres to maximise available spaces 
  4. Provide guidance to enable locally managed study spaces to open in line with centrally managed spaces

This Study Space Systems project (DAT301) was a sub project of the Study Space Provision project (ISG019) and it delivered point 2 above: Develop and launch a mechanism to manage study space occupancy and bookings in centrally managed study spaces.

The Project set out to develop technology to manage study space occupancy and bookings and make this available to students in time for the Main Library opening on the 14th Aug 2020..  This was achieved by providing the following:

  • A backend system to process and store study space details and booking information for these spaces.
  • A front end study space finding and booking app to run on Android and Apple devices, which was developed from Finding Study Spaces app already developed by EDINA.
  • A web browser based study space finding and booking app as an alternative mechanism to book study space for students that are not able to use the app, or if the app is not available.
  • A Minimal Viable Product (MVP) version of the solution developed up front to ensure that at least minimal required functionality will be available for the 14h Aug.
  • Support for a manual process to mitigate the risk of systems not being ready in time for the Main Library opening, or if the digital systems had an outage once in live production mode.  

Outcome

  • A pilot for the MVP (v1 of the solution) with walk in booking of desks was in place in the Vet School library for use by a small number of students from 21st August.   The MVP consisted of walk in bookings using the browser based system.
  • V2 of the solution, with the ability to pre-book spaces, was in place in time for the Main Library opening on the 14th Sept 2020.    The Vet Library study spaces could also be pre-booked from this point.
  • The Android and Apple app went live, and was available on the Google and Apple stores, on 28th September.
  • QR codes with unique desk names were created and applied to all desks.
  • On-going development roadmap for the SeatEd booking system, and a schedule for on-going rollout to managed study spaces, was taken on by the Study Space Provision project (ISG019) and the ART team via on-going regular meetings agreed by the Study Spaces Working Group.     The project closure report for ISG09 should also be referenced for a wider of the wider study spaces project.

 

Analysis of Resource Usage:

Project Management estimated            N\A

Other team members estimated           N\A

Project Management actual                   43 days

Other team members actual                  422 days

Due to the short notice to work starting and the fluid scope during the initiation of the project, a formal estimation of required effort was not made.

These figures cover the Data Technology Team and students that worked on the project only.  EDINA effort regarding the provision of the Google and Apple app is captured in the ISG019 project closure reports

 

Benefits

Benefit

Status

Notes

Support the IS019 benefit of making available as much study space as possible for students on campus, whilst keeping both our staff and students safe in these challenging times

Achieved

V2 of the system with pre-booking ready in time for the Main Library opening.  

Support the IS019 benefit of making using current spaces as effectively as we can, maximising the number of spaces in line with Scottish government physical distancing guidelines 

Achieved

V2 of the system with pre-booking ready in time for the Main Library opening.  

The requirement for students to check-in and check-out of study spaces will enable us to manage space allocation fairly

Achieved

QR codes added to all study space desks. Students are advised to check in to desks on arrival and check out at the end of a booking. Future SeatEd development will include notifications and nudges to remind students to check in and check out

For some students, for example those from a widening participation background, prioritised access to study spaces will be accommodated to ensure that they have fair access to the technology and wifi necessary to enable them to undertake their studies

Partially achieved

Priority bookers will be able to book study spaces two weeks in advance (all others can book one week in advance) from mid-November 2020. Priority bookers will be identified via EUCLID (low income, student parents/student carers, care experienced/estranged).

There is an aim to broaden the priority booker definition to include other widening participation students  e.g. commuters or student with challenging home environments, however there is currently no way to identify these students through EUCLID and the SeatEd booking system does not currently allow allocation of priority settings on an individual basis

Provide a system that can be adopted across the university as needed.

Achieved

 

 

Success criteria

MVP (v1) in place in time for the Vet Schools Library opening on 21st Aug 2020.

All desks were labelled with QR in the Vet School Library, and students were able to check in and check out of study spaces on that site from the 21st Aug.

Achieved

Study space system with pre-booking in place in time for the Main Library opening on 14th Sept 2020.

All desks in the Vet School Library and the Main Library had labels with QR codes and other info applied, and student were able to pre-book, and check in and check out of study spaces in these areas.

Achieved

Provide support for a manual fall back process.

Daily updated spreadsheet of bookings set up as a source of booking info for staff on site to use in the case of the booking system being off line.

 

Achieved

 

Key Learning Points

  • Having the Project Sponsor working closely with the Project Team enabled quick, effective decisions
  • The Facilities team knew the buildings well and were able to make best use of the space
  • Teams across the University worked well together in the Working Group. This included staff from ISG, Estates, Health & Safety, EUSA and Colleges.
  • There was some overlap in remit and membership of a number of groups (Study Spaces Working Group, Adaptation and Renewal Team, Estates & Digital Infrastructure group, Buildings co-ordination group, Senior Leadership Team) which resulted in a lack of clarity around governance (Project Sponsor, Project Team, working groups etc)
  • We have an opportunity through the SeatEd booking app to monitor/ learn in the future which types of study space are more popular and this could inform decisions about additional study spaces. This includes desk characteristics such as pc , height adjustable, large desk, small desk, large room, small room, quiet, vibrant etc
  • For a Smart Campus future, up to date CAD drawings will reduce the need for manual data entry
  • App development was completed in an extremely short timescale. It was recognised that this limited the time available for requirements definition and testing
  • A number of decisions were approved and then had to be revisited after technical feasibility work was completed. It may have been better to have a small sub-group from the business more closely involved during the technical feasibility stage. This may have extended the initial development period, but may have reduced the need for some of the changes requested or implemented in the weeks following launch.
  • Additional communication is needed to help students understand how SeatEd works; e.g. instructional videos
  • Communication channels were often slow to get updated. It would have been useful to have a better planned approach to communication so it was less reactive in nature
  • Random desk names may have worked if the geospatial app was available but without this it was confusing as students couldn't find their desk. Keep it simple; use desk numbers
  • We need a separate building desk configuration verification step, once desk labels have been deployed and before it opens
  • We should test the use of the app from within the physical locations used by the students to access the system. COVID-19 has meant this is much more difficult, but students encounter issues we never see given our own home networking environments are clearly different and cannot replicate.

 

 

 

Project Info

Project
Study Space Systems - SeatEd
Code
DAT301
Programme
Z. Data Technology Programme (closed 3/5/2023)
Management Office
ISG PMO
Project Manager
Steve Taylor
Project Sponsor
Gosia Such
Current Stage
Close
Status
Closed
Project Classification
Transform
Start Date
03-Aug-2020
Planning Date
13-Aug-2020
Delivery Date
30-Sep-2020
Close Date
26-Feb-2021
Overall Priority
Highest
Category
Discretionary

Documentation

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