Room Scheduling

Challenges

• Web based system to allow for anytime, anywhere access.
• Portable system that works across platforms, browsers, and technical environments.
• Interfaces that allow for users with absolutely no technical knowledge to schedule rooms.
• Security with multiple access levels for administrators, room schedulers, and end users.
• Scheduling validation to prevent overbooking.
• Advanced searches to quickly and easily track room availability.
• A database driven system that allows for the storage and utilization of content for multiple locations, regions, buildings, rooms, and graphical layouts.
• Time frame for full implementation that is less than three weeks from the start of the project.

Response

AllofE's project manager met with multiple levels of the district's employees to determine their exact requirement needs. Once those needs were laid out, AllofE's complete scheduling and resource management system, RMtraK was customized to combine the school's specific room tracking, scheduling and reserving needs into one robust application. AllofE's programmers began writing programs that search for room availability by room attributes such as audio/visual, equipment availability, location and date range as well as the display features that allow the user to visualize reservations by mapping of floor layout or time blocks.

AllofE further provided Blue Springs with support for individual and recurring meeting reservation, scheduling of multiple room events and specific equipment requests and reservation. RMtraK also categorizes events  and provides  complete calendar functionality for personal or organizational use.

Finally AllofE developed a security system that shows only events and reservations that pertain to the user logged in, and sets permissions per user based on ability to view, update, and delete, and validate scheduling to prevent overbooking between users. In no time they had their building, floor, and room information stored and tracked within the application. They were then able to schedule meetings, conferences, and classes for the school year.

Effects

With the rapid implementation of RMtraK, the Blue Springs School District was able to immediately reap the rewards of the online room scheduling and reservation system.

The multi-level security allowed them to create user logins for employees of all levels. Some were given administration features for adding users, buildings, and room information, while others were given only reservation and scheduling functionality. Overbooking became a thing of the past and quick and easy scheduling the future.

	Content Management

Challenges

• Content Management System that is web based with no client computer software installation requirements.
• Portable system that works across platforms, browsers, and technical environments.
• Conversion of existing HTML web site.
• Security with multiple access levels for administrators, room schedulers, and end users.
• Scheduling validation to prevent overbooking.
• Interfaces that allow for users with absolutely no technical knowledge to manage site content.
• Separation of site content by the over 20 schools in the district.
• Security with multiple access levels for site managers, school managers, teachers, and staff.
• Teacher Home Page functionality to manage and track class homework assignments and other key information.
• Separate easy to use calendar for each school.
• Database driven system that allows for the storage and utilization of content.
• Time frame for full implementation that is less than six weeks from the start of the project.
• Weekly backup of site content.
• Ability to host their own site.

Response

AllofE's programmers analyzed the district's existing web site in order to design menu and page layout templates that accommodated the existing content. Designers reviewed the system requirements and created designs for customized modules to manage: Multiple Calendars, Teacher home pages, Lunch menus, and Class home pages. This allows the user to create new pages as needed by using a template driven interface, and use the Rich Text editor functionality for easy editing and formatting of page content with no programming or HTML knowledge.

ContentM was already equipped with functionality that automatically generates page content, search pages, and menus, so this task was easily achieved through slight modifications and customization. In addition Security structures were set in place to accommodate for multiple levels of security access including administration, faculty, and staff.

AllofE then developed a custom function that provides a News and Events section to update users on the latest site information and an Images feature that can be managed within the system to resample for size and clarity for quick loading, storage minimization and overall appearance. AllofE finished the system by creating the ability to have an unlimited number of login accounts for teachers, principals, and staff to maintain their own pages without compromising security of another page. In addition to automatic updates of menu structure and site map as content changes.

Effects

With the completely user-friendly functionality of ContentM, very little training was required. Within a day the district's administration was able to begin using the site and entering users and new site content.

They are now able to disperse site content responsibility across departments and user levels allowing teachers to manage their own home pages and their class pages. The site gives students access not only to their school calendars and lunch menus but also to their class homework assignments. Each school is given the ability to manage their own content for their individual calendars, PTAs, and lunch menus. And all content can be previewed prior to ever appearing on the site helping to ensure accuracy.

The district is able to host and manage their own web-site with the most user friendly functionality for site wide spell checking, link validation, and search and replace tools to make the process quick and simple. Web-site management has never been easier and more reliable.