Closure Report
Project Summary
CAHSS wish to introduce a Workload Allocation Modelling (WAM) tool to facilitate the existing workload allocation process within the schools. Currently schools perform this work with various spreadsheet based mechanisms. This leads to inconsistencies and the inability to report across the College. The current processes do not allow for accurate modelling.
The use of a workload allocation modelling tool will enable CAHSS to operate more efficiently, provide a robust common process, yet support local models, and allow for accurate modelling and forecast of future years within the schools or across the College.
This project follows two previous projects:
- HSS016 Academic Workload Modelling Pilot which successfully procured and deployed a software as a service (SaaS), cloud based application for academic workload allocation modelling from Simitive.
- HSS020 CAHSS WAM Extended Pilot which support an extended pilot and evaluation of Simitive WAM by four schools.
This project focussed on the roll-out of Simitive WAM to all remaining schools in CAHSS on an opt-in basis. The project worked closely with the WAMT coordinators, the supplier - Simitive, the Sponsor and the Board to support the roll-out in schools and to ensure that users were able to do workload allocation and to use modelling and scenario planning within Simitive WAM.
Objectives & Deliverables
# | Description | Priority | Outcome | |
---|---|---|---|---|
O1 | To confirm business requirements for WAM within remaining CAHSS Schools | |||
D1.1 | Business requirements for WAM for each school | Must | Achieved | |
O2 | To acquire sources of core data | |||
D2.1 | Secure access and data from HR, Student Systems and Timetabling | Must | Partially Achieved (1) | |
O3 | To Procure and extend the use of Simitive WAMS across CAHSS Schools | |||
D3.1 | Documents supporting the appropriate procurement process | Must | Achieved | |
O4 | To implement WAMS | |||
D4.1 | Deployment of WAMT for CAHSS | Must | Partially Achieved (2) | |
O5 |
To confirm the on-going product support arrangements |
|||
D5.1 | To implement a fully managed service supporting Simitive WAMS functions | Must | Achieved | |
D5.2 | Implement School training plans including co-ordinator, allocator reporting and modelling. | Must | Partially Achieved (3) |
Some objectives were partially achieved due to the following reason:
-
Some data is not stored centrally and access to central data was limited. For example:
- Central timetabling does not hold individual timetable and manual input is required in schools.
- Fields in EUCLID are not in a format that can be readily use with Simitive WAM, i.e. free text fields which require manipulation to map to expected formats by WAM.
Further work on investigating data flow, and possible APIs, will be done in follow on project HSS031 WAMS Business Embedding.
- WAM was successful and fully deployed to most schools. However, only a partial deployment was achieved in some schools.
Engagement will continue with these schools as part of the follow on project.
- During this project, it became clear that the work to embed Simitive WAM would require more than training to support the business process change.
This became the aim of the follow on project HSS031 WAMS Business Embedding.
Analysis of Resource Usage:
Staff Usage Estimate: 55 days
Staff Usage Actual: 75 days
Staff Usage Variance: 36%
Explanation for variance
The increase in budget and time was caused by extra work needed to gather existing data and additional scope to support the inclusion of all subject areas in ECA and SPS while only some of them had been considered at planning. The changes were approved and recorded as follow:
- PICCL 1 - September 2018: + 8 days to support additional work needed to extra WAM data from existing schools setups.
- PICCL 2 - November 2018: + 4 days following a change of scope and inclusion of all subject areas in ECA while only one had been in scope at the planning stage. Closure moved to February 2019 (from December 18).
- PICCL 3 - March 2019: + 9 days following a change of scope and inclusion of all subject areas in SPS while only two had been in scope at the planning stage. Closure moved to April 2019.
- PICCL 4 - April 2019: Lack of business resource at ECA and review of WAM model across SPS delay closure to July 2019.
- PICCL 6 - September 2019: Closure delayed as the Programme Manager took over following the departure of the PM, and is conflicting with higher priority work.
Outcome
This project constitutes another step forward for CAHSS in the introduction of WAM to the College. The application has been implemented in all schools. Some configuration work remains to be completed in a couple of schools. The College has now a tool that will support accurate modelling and forecast of future years within the schools and across the College.
The outcomes of this projects alongside recommendations for the next steps were presented at the CAHSS Staffing management Committee in the summer 2019. These recommendations were accepted by the Committee and a new project looking at supporting a change of business processes and embedding the new processes (HSS031 WAMS Business Embedding) started in September 2019.
The recommendation paper is an internal document stored in the CAHSS project SharePoint site and available on request to the Project Sponsor, Fraser Muir.
Key Learning Points
- Key assumptions made at the start of the project were proved to be incorrect.
- A wider process change and embedding exercise is needed to effectively roll out the use of Simitive WAM across the College.
More details on the key learning point are captured in the recommendations paper.
Outstanding Issues
Any outstanding/partially achieved deliverable has been taken forward in HSS031 WAMS Business Embedding.