Overview

Background

Blackboard Collaborate is the University’s centrally supported system for providing an online collaborative learning experience. The tool is provided through the centrally supported VLE’s, Learn and Moodle, and also via an integration with MyED. 

The Collaborate MyEd channel was developed in 2016 (TEL032) as a result of the move to Collaborate Ultra.  When Collaborate Ultra was adopted, the product was still very much in its infancy and significant new functionality has since been added, which is reflected in the Learn and Moodle integrations.    

There is now a lack of continuity (in Collaborate) between the above VLEs and MyEd in terms of user experience and cosmetic feel.  The Collaborate channel in MyEd is the only way for students to schedule their own Collaborate sessions, which are used as a secure online space for group work and/or interviews for research and dissertations. The MyEd integration is used extensively by Student Recruitment and Admissions (SRA) and Student Induction and therefore is often the first digital experience students have of the University.   In addition, the Collaborate channel in MyEd is often the only way non-teaching staff have access to Collaborate to use for hosting online training, virtual meetings or large live online events. 

The Collaborate service team have also determined that in order to keep the MyEd channel reasonably aligned with other integrations, a review and upgrade of the channel would be required every 2 years. 

Scope

The scope of this project will encompass the following:

• Analysing the optimum development path for delivering a modified and upgraded Collaborate channel
• Determining the new functionality to be included in the upgraded MyEd channel
• Developing, in the appropriate DEV environment, a new/replacement channel that will offer the desired functionality
• Promoting the developed channel into our TEST environment and making this available for testing
• Conducting user testing of the new channel and reporting any issues
• Preparing support and help documentation for support staff and users
• Deploying the upgraded channel into LIVE so that it is available to staff and student users
• Updating related technical documentation

Out of scope

• Any changes or development work on other offerings of Collaborate
• Any changes or upgrades to the infrastructure currently used

Objectives and Deliverables

Benefits

• An improved experience for users of Collaborate via MyEd 
• A decrease in the number of calls asking about 'missing' features
• An increase in the number of users staying to use the MyEd-provided service

Success Criteria

The achievement of the main objectives and the successful production of the above deliverables will determine the success, or otherwise, of this project.

Project Milestones