Data Structure & Academic Model (DACM)
The Data Structure and Academic Model (DACM) workstream has now closed. All programme data has now been loaded into SITS:Vision. The process for assigning new programme codes has been outlined and detailed procedures will be developed by the ADMG Workstream, who will also undertake ongoing maintenance of the Academic model in SITS:Vision until August 2013.
The Data Structure and Academic Model (DACM) workstream
The DACM workstream will agree and implement the data structures and academic model of SITS:Vision - its 'building blocks' which are necessary in order to implement all other parts of the student system. The DACM workstream is required to support all the other workstreams by the definition and set-up of data in key tables, relationships between data tables, and system parameters defining the set-up of such data. The workstream provides the starting point for all of the other workstreams to populate other key data tables and build supporting processes.
The DACM workstream will operate between August 2011 and August 2012. It may reconvene in subsequent years of the Student Systems Programme if high-level decisions are required on suggested amendments to the defined Academic Model.
The workstream is phased into five distinct areas of work: Activity Overview; Data Definition; Data Representation in SITS:Vision; Data Build; Testing.
Read more about this Workstream: Data Structure and Academic Model Workstream (DACM) Charter 
(431kb) (oxonly)
Progress update
For a progress update on this workstream, please see the Student Systems Programme news on Sharepoint.
Objectives
The DACM workstream is responsible for the definition and set-up of data in key tables, the relationships between data tables and the system parameters defining the set-up of such data.
The workstream will provide the starting point for all of the other workstreams to populate key data tables and build supporting processes.
The objectives are:
- To define what makes a ‘good’ academic model, for example:
- Presenting data to academics, students and administrators in a way that reflects and facilitates their work
- Making optimum use of SITS:Vision functionality in areas such as enrolment, exam entry, HESA reporting, fee generation
- Not closing off or introducing avoidable difficulty in implementing future plans, such as recording information that supports teaching and learning activities
- To ensure that data coding and data management strategies are appropriate for the variety of processes to be supported across Oxford
- To set data quality standards for the academic model data stored in SITS:Vision
Membership
The full membership of the Data Structure & Academic Model workstream is as follows (Nov 2011):
Jim Davies (Chair), Professor of Software Engineering, Department of Computer Science
Jane Smewing (Implementation Lead), Senior Reporting Analyst, Student Administration
- Lynne Hirsch/Karen Brill, Senior Assistant Registrar/ Assistant Registrar (Academic Affairs), Humanities Division
- Shelley Mann, Administrative Officer (Teaching), Medical Sciences Division
- Lou Sumner, Assistant Registrar (Education), Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division
- Bridget Taylor, Assistant Registrar (Planning and Resources), Social Sciences Divison
- Katherine Brown, Registry Officer, Department for Continuing Education
- Maxine Hewitt/Iain Lockey, Head of Programmes Administration/Programme Planning Manager, Saïd Business School
- Dan Isaacson, University Lecturer in the Philosophy of Mathematics, Faculty of Philosophy
- Jonathan Reynolds/Paul Martin, University Lecturer and Fellow in Management Studies/University Lecturer and Fellow in Politics, Saïd Business School/Politics and International Relations
- Robert Taylor, Associate Head of Division, Physics Department, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences
- Gillian Hargreaves, Academic Registrar, Oriel College
- Nicola Trott, Senior Tutor, Balliol College
- Richard Dunnaway, Information Services Officer, Undergraduate Admissions Office
- Richard Little, Head of Admissions Operations, Undergraduate Admissions Office
- Mike Eeley, Data Analyst, Graduate Admissions and Funding
- Nadia Pollini, Head of Graduate Admissions, Graduate Admissions and Funding
- Sally Vine/Catherine Whalley, Senior Planning Officer/ Senior Assistant Registrar, Planning, Resource and Allocation Section
- Ewan Kilgour, Business Intelligence/Data Warehouse Analyst, Business Services and Projects
- Mike Thorn, Development Team Lead, Business Services and Projects
- Sheryl Chambers, Senior Data Analyst, Student Administration
- Jackie Hoyle, Head of Academic Data Management, Student Administration
- Ben Jones, Senior Data Officer, Student Administration
- Emma Potts, Head of Student Administration
- Adrian Simons, Student Systems Programme Analyst, Student Administration
- Victoria Brown, Head of Process and Change Management, Student Administration
- Tribal representatives
Milestones
The initial high level plan (milestone points) is outlined below:
| Activity | Output/Milestone | Delivery date |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Tribal deliver training course to core team | August 2011 |
| Kick off consultancy sessions | Consultancy meeting reports | Starts August 2011 |
| Check scope and budget | Implementation Workstream meetings, identify any gaps in membership of group. Project Charter (approved by SSPB). Requirements definition document (approved by workstream) | September – October 2011 |
| Review Point 1 | Report to all levels of Governance | October 2011 |
| Data Definition | Data definition document (approved by workstream). Strategy (documentation templates) for build phase (approved by workstream). Inform the TOOL workstream, covering data migration work. Produce the Activity Overview Diagram. | January 2012 |
| Review Point 2 | Report to all levels of Governance | January 2012 |
| Data representation in SITS: Vision | Data model and design document (approved by workstream). Will also include an initial maintenance process for academic model data, will feed into the ADMG workstream. | March 2012 |
| Review Point 3 | Report to all levels of Governance | March 2012 |
| Data Build | Templates containing data for eventual import into SITS: Vision. Iterative process of review and approval by workstream and other identified relevant persons across Oxford. | June 2012 |
| Review Point 4 | Report to all levels of Governance. Draft of Project Charter 2 (for any Year 2 activity) | June 2012 |
| Testing | System Testing Scripts and UAT Scripts (approval by workstream) | July 2012 |
| Documentation | Approval of Business Process Documentation (approval by workstream) | July 2012 |
| Review Point 5 | Report to all levels of Governance | July 2012 |
| Release Management | Release Notes | July 2013 |
| Release | Installation Test Scripts | July 2013 |
| Support | Support Documentation | July 2013 |
Timings
Timings for workstream activity between September 2011 to July 2012 are as follows:
| Workstream Phase | Description | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Activity Overview | Creation of activity overview diagram, capturing the key activities which happen across Oxford that are dependant upon the academic model. This diagram would provide a high-level view of all the activities (whether IT-related or not) in this area. It will give all involved a broad understanding of the area, including those with expertise in a sub-set of activities, or with limited familiarity with the area (such as Tribal consultants). | September 2011 – November 2011 |
| Data Definition | Definition of data items needed in the new academic model, including identifying the current location of required data items (either in OSS or other student systems across Oxford). This definition will inform data migration work as part of the System Tools (TOOL) workstream. In the first instance, build the academic model outside of SITS: Vision, through use of spreadsheets etc. This will be an iterative process of data collection, review and checking. | August 2011 – January 2012 |
| Data Representation in SITS: Vision | Identifying and defining how to make best use of the SITS:Vision system to represent the data items required for the new academic model. Defining a coding strategy for data in SITS:Vision. | January 2012 – March 2012 |
| Data Build | Upload of data into SITS:Vision. Initial processes for academic model maintenance will be defined; this feeds directly into the Academic Data Management (ADMG) workstream in order to define further processes (long-term management of academic data). | April 2012 – June 2012 |
| Testing | Testing the integrity of data (the academic model data) in SITS: Vision. System testing will be performed in SITS:Vision client, User Acceptance Testing will be performed in SITS eVision (built by TOOL) by workstream members and any other identified appropriate persons. Basic reporting will be available to facilitate testing. This requirement will feed into the Reporting and Data Analysis workstream (RDAN). Guidance notes will be circulated to testers, but it is not envisaged that training will be required. | July 2012 |