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Combined Revision Proposal November 23, 2004: PHASE ONE: Beaming Calendar
Combined Revision Proposal November 23, 2004: PHASE ONE: Beaming Calendar
1. Background:
AMPS created the beaming calendar for SMA in 2001, to help reduce the confusion occurring around the
schedule for Singapore and MIT videoconference sessions. AMPS helped SMA centralize information by
allowing a single administrator to enter schedule information into a web interface, then publish that
information to students, technicians, and staff at MIT and Singapore.
In 2002, AMPS built a web-based information management system for the SMA program, called
TechCheck. The system was designed to improve the process for collecting and publishing problems that
occurred during SMA videoconferencing sessions. Rather than using email forms, which mailed session
reports to technicians but were not stored, the system allowed all session reports to be saved in a
database. Additional features included TechCheck’s ability to pull class information from the beaming
calendar and prefill forms with correct information, store updatable status information about ongoing
problems, send email alerts for specific problems, and allow troubleshooting searches by specific criteria.
While both system have fulfilled their original goals – centralizing accessible session information and
reducing follow-up communication – they can be improved. Several semesters’ use by different technician
teams, combined with expanded use of the beaming calendar, has highlighted areas for further
development. SMA and AMPS technicians have requested a set of additional features and corrections.
The development of the two phases will occur sequentially, NOT concurrently.
Julita Kussmaul will be AMPS primary client contact for managing approval of all elements of the
project. AMPS will not be directly managing approval or modifications with Singapore contacts.
AMPS will focus exclusively on the feature changes requested by SMA that are listed below under
deliverables. Where AMPS finds additional opportunities for feature improvements to the
AMPS will make slight modification to the visual design of the tools to update and refresh its look
and feel.
AMPS will not focus on improving the Problem Finder feature of TechCheck, which does not
appear to be widely used.
(b) Given the above assumptions, the following deliverables will be developed by AMPS. Where further
investigation shows that any of these deliverables are not feasible, AMPS will explicitly notify SMA and
discuss options:
Presentation Layer
o Allow the differentiation by color-coding between the regular classes and the "other
meetings", such as the special events, recitations or qualifying exams that are not taped,
digitized or archived.
o Add program views, and other filters, such as “special events only” - 6 programs are
planned to commence in the Fall 2005
Administrative features:
o Add option for 3rd connect site for each class.
o Add the pull down menu with the faculty names for each class. The template should
feature the "Primary Lecturer" and the "Distance Facilitator".
o Improve the archiving function by displaying the classes by year or by semester vs. the
current aggregate list of all classes.
Database integration:
o Upgrade database programming to synchronize all relations with Beaming Calendar and
TechCheck and improve overall performance.
o Create a field for adding Lecturers (when not listed in faculty list)
o Create an “Other” box for listing problems not covered by problem list
Interaction improvements:
o Prevent double entries of single session from occurring (i.e. Singapore report and MIT
reports recorded in different entries)
o Reduce likelihood of technicians filling out, but forgetting to submit session reports
o Create a signal to administrators or technicians when no report has been filed for an
event.
Database Integration
o Upgrade database programming to synchronize all relations with Beaming Calendar and
improve overall performance.
The following process overview and cost estimate is based on the above-mentioned deliverables. Further
modification of the deliverables may affect the pricing below – where such modifications occur during
SMA Tools update
Combined project proposal
Page 4 of 6
development discussions, AMPS will explicitly note what changes have diverged from this estimate, and
note that this change may affect the bottom line price.
I’m happy to review this proposal in detail with you to cover any questions you may have.
Please note that the cost range reflects uncertainties about time required on various elements of the
project. If you have any concerns about the final cost, I would be happy to sit down with you and find
the means to adjust the scope of this project to fit it into your budget.
Thanks,
Mark Brown -- Sr. Project Manager
Academic Media Production Services
http://web.mit.edu/amps
mwbrown@mit.edu / 2-3490
SMA Tools update
Combined project proposal
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