Project Brief

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Overview 

There are multiple AV equipment loan services across the Institution, offering a variety of equipment and pick up locations, each managed by a different team with a different booking method. In June 2019 Learning Spaces Technology (LST) within Information Services (IS) launched SISO, an online portal for managing their AV equipment loans and the service is working well despite minimal publicity. This could potentially be rolled out to include other IS AV equipment loan services to consolidate into a single online booking system. This project sets out to explore the feasibility of expanding the SISO portal to manage all IS AV equipment loans and identify improvements that could be made to the current AV equipment loan services. 

Scope

The overarching objective is to improve AV equipment loans provision across the University.

In order to achieve this, the Project sets out to:

• Understand student and staff experiences of current IS AV equipment loan services
• Identify ways to improve AV equipment loan services
• Document current IS AV equipment loan provision, staffing and usage
• Complete a feasibility study with the intention of producing an options paper for the senior leadership team.  This will cover the following subject areas:
  • Expanding the SISO Smarthub booking platform to include all IS AV equipment loan
  • Service management and location.
  • Launching a rebranded service.
  • Raising awareness of the new service.

Out of Scope

• AV equipment loans services managed by Schools
• Implementation of any recommendations
• Procurement of additional systems or equipment
• The team considered seeking feedback from current and past service users (students and staff). Due to the impact of COVID-19 and the move to online teaching it was thought this would be difficult at this time and would be unlikely to provide additional insights into potential service improvements.

Objectives and Deliverables

• 	Description	Priority (MoSCoW)
  O1	Understand Service Provider insights into current IS AV equipment loan services and identify areas for improvement
  D1.1	Gather feedback on AV loan provision from Service Managers (LST, DLAM & Library/uCreate)	M
  D1.2	Gather feedback on AV loan provision from staff service providers (LST, DLAM & Library/uCreate)	M
  O2	Document current IS AV equipment loan provision, staffing and usage
  D2.1	Document equipment, staffing & usage for Learning & Teaching Spaces AV loans	S
  D2.2	Document equipment, staffing & usage for DLAM AV loans including Media Studio and DIY Film School	S
  D2.3	Document equipment, staffing & usage for Library AV loans including uCreate studio	S
  O3	Complete a feasibility study of expanding the SISO online booking platform to include all IS AV equipment loan services
  D3.1	Gather feedback from service providers (LST, DLAM & Library/uCreate) relating to expanding the SISO online booking platform to include all AV equipment loans services	M
  D3.2	Identify areas for improvement based on data and feedback gathered	M
  D3.3	Resourcing; agree resource implications of expansion of the service	M
  D3.4	Ensure recommendations are in line with service roadmaps	M
  O4	Produce an options paper for IS Senior Leadership Team
  D3.4	Written paper including recommendations agreed by current AV loans Service Managers	M

Benefits

• Provide a consistent experience for students & staff who need to borrow AV equipment​ from ISG
• Improve awareness of IS AV equipment loans services across the University community
• Increase choice for users (pickup location, equipment range, training)
• Understand the cost and resourcing implications of any improvements identified
• Improved asset management and business information

Success Criteria

• Agreement reached between the main IS AV equipment loan service providers (Learning Spaces Technology, Digital Applications & Media, Library and University Collections including uCreate) about how to improve service provision
• Produce recommendations about future service provision based on data gathered during the project (triangulated feedback from users, feedback from service providers, analytics and other usage data)
• A list of current equipment and staffing across IS AV equipment loans services is availableP

Priority and Funding

• Priority - normal
• The project is funded by LTW

Impact and Dependencies

• As a number of teams currently provide AV equipment loans, the project must take into account longer term plans by these teams relating to expanding or improving their loans provision and ensure any recommendations are appropriately aligned

Work/Task Breakdown

Resources, Skills and Costs

Project Governance

Terms of Reference will be approved by the Steering Group at the first meeting outlining the responsibilities of the Steering Group and Project Team.

Project Stakeholders

Information Services

• Learning Spaces Technology

Alastair Taylor, Lesley Greer, Susanne Knowles, Euan Murray

• Library and University Collections

Kirsty Lingstadt - Head of Digital Library and Deputy Director

Mike Boyd - Makerspace manager

uCreate team

• User Services Directorate

Barry Croucher - Head of Help Services

Alastair Mayze – Section Manager

• DLAM

Karen Howie - Head of Digital Learning Applications and Media

Stephen Donnelly - Media Team Manager

• LTW

Lorraine Spalding - Communications Manager

Kate Yee, DIY FIlm School Manager