Impact
Impact and Dependencies
This project provides oversight of all activities for start of semester so the impact on successful and efficient delivery of support for those activities. This project does have two dependencies.
Firstly, on all the relevant projects reporting into this project in a correct and timely manner. Secondly on how ISG dovetails with activity in other University areas including the EdHelp service.
Lessons learned from previous projects [copied from the Closure Report 2023/4]
This project was a huge success in 2023. However, despite this success, the project team, in their strive for continuous improvement, have identified some areas that can be improved on in future years. A part of the project post-mortem, the team reviewed three areas, what went well, what didn't go well, and crucially, what to do better next year.
The main lessons learned to be considered next year are:
Library Tours/Scavenger Hunt: The prize for completing the scavenger hunt was a Rory coo. This was a high-value prize and we identified that some students were simply skipping through the questions to get the complete message to pick up a prize. Next year we propose to have a minimum pass mark before receiving a prize.
Comms during welcome week: It would be beneficial if the welcome team gave a short update, possibly through MS Teams, to HelpDesk staff relating to the activities in the forum e.g. have we run out of plush cows and what do we say to any late winners? This will allow the Helpdesk to advise students who turn up after the day's events are finished at 17:00 hours.
Giveaways: We should offer giveaways of tote bags and lanyards to students arriving for the card collection event over International Arrivals Weekend.
Queue Management: We found this year that due to the additional giveaways longer queues formed at the experiential desk. We need to find a solution to these queues forming while at the same time not missing the opportunity to question new students about their experience. We will consider options to use the Mezzanine/Gallery as an overflow in the event of inclement weather, however as this area will be used as an alternative to room 1.07, we will need to make sure this remains a secure area for storage.
Bank Letters: This year we did not print and distribute bank letters. There was not a large number of calls related to this so we will continue with this next year. It was agreed that we would only have one clear message and instructions regarding bank accounts, on one website (new students website) and that all other websites would direct students to the new students website. In the main this largely worked however, it was very late in the day by the time this was completed and needs to be taken care of by the start of August at the latest.
Student Helpers: This year we plan to employ Student Assistants as supervisors of other student helpers. This has worked will with Library Tours.
Welcome eMails: The wording on the ISG Welcome eMail is out of date and needs to be refreshed. This must be addressed early in next year's project as changes require an element of coding.
Project Risks