Funding programme: Institutional Responses to Emergent Technologies
Project website:
http://egret-project.blogspot.com/
JISC theme(s): e-Administration
Committees: JISC Organisational Support committee
This project is based at the Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies (CARET) at the University of Cambridge
Cambridge has a range of admin systems including:
- CamSis – student information and records system CamTools – virtual learning environment
- CamRis – Research Administration System
- CHRIS - Human Resources Information System
- Talk.cam - event information system
- Pfact – Project costing system
- CUFS – University Finance System
- Lookup – email directory
- RAM – Resource Allocation Model
Although many of these now have web front-ends, most have been built as monolithic stand- alone, functionallyoriented, applications using well established software design and development principles that pre-date web technology.
The EGRET project will take a fresh view across a range of the universities administrative systems drawing on advanced concepts in user centred design and social networking.
The approach is:
- Person-centric - It would work from the perspective of the individual requiring a diverse set of administrative support needs rather than from the perspective of supporting a particular functional area (e.g. HR).
- Social Networking – It would address the design of an integrated person-centric system in the context of the individual being part of a network of individuals.
- Advanced social networking – it would address some of the limitations of current social networking platforms by designing support for social networks that can manage multiple relationship types and intersecting, overlapping networks that change over time (e.g. networks that form to accomplish a particular task and then disband).
The project will develop a pilot application, focused around the needs of the role of departmental administrators who currently need to interact with a range of administrative systems for effective performance of their day to day tasks such as event and meeting organisation, diary management, project planning / staffing, departmental HR and scheduling.
In system terms there this will put the focus on platforms which incorporate some form of individual or group management such as CamTools, talks.cam, Lookup, and Pfact platforms, but also drawing in aspects from other administrative systems.
The project utilises web2.0 technology for its implementation and demonstrate integration with social networking platforms such as Facebook, Myspace, Linkedin and where appropriate.
A project blog will document the lessons learned in scale up, social network software integration and legacy software integration.