AccuTrack Implementation Case Study

Note: The following case study was prepared by graduate students at a university who successfully implemented AccuTrack as part of a group project. The case study was completed in January of 2006 with the implementation of AccuTrack version 8.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Scope
• Needs Assessment
• Solution
• AccuTrack
• Ongoing Cost
• Net Results
• Figure 1

Introduction

In the modern world, technology permeates our society. While this presents many drawbacks, such as privacy issues and loss of face-to-face human interaction, technology is overwhelmingly improving our lives. More importantly for business executives, technology makes it easier to bring consumers the products and services they need. Given the chance to invest in a technology that would improve our university, we chose to use this opportunity to improve the tutor program of the Learning Center (LC).

This report will describe the scope of this project, walk through the need assessment process, introduce our innovative solution, and evaluate the implementation and results of our project.

Scope

Initially we approached the LC project with a very broad scope. Our users were defined as all student athletes and all tutors. We wanted our student athlete users to be able to access a database online that would allow them to sign up for tutoring sessions. We also wanted an online site where tutors could interact with their student in setting up appointments and specifying subject matter. Ideally, once users enter their information, the specific user need is matched with another user of complementing availability. An email is then sent out to both tutor and student, and the process is complete.

This approach proved too broad when we initially sat down with the LC administration and learned of their expectations. The major expectation was the ability to allow the LC administration to maintain control over the tutoring system. A representative of Information Technology department went through the implementation timeline and costs of installing a web-based program. This quickly narrowed our scope as we realized that a web-based program available through the Internet would exceed our budget, involve implementation that was beyond the realm of our capabilities, and not meet the LC administration's major expectation. Our client focus switched from the student athletes to the LC administration. We realized that we were trying to suffice the audience that would be affected by this product, not the client. While student athletes and tutors would certainly benefit from the system, our primary users became the LC administration and our focus became a more secure offline system.

Needs Assessment

Once we narrowed our scope and defined our client/users, we sat down with our clients again so we could further progress in our project. We sat down with LC administration and learned of the current problems facing the LC .

One challenge the LC faced dealt with time constraints surrounding the procurement of tutors. When a student athlete needed a tutor, he or she would sign up on a white board located in the LC according to date, time, and subject needed. The LC administration would then set up a tutor meeting for the student athlete by calling or emailing available tutors. The LC had no rules regarding the appropriate time frame a student should observe in obtaining a tutor. Therefore, on many occasions the LC administrators were trying to find tutors for students that needed their help immediately. This short time frame made it hard for students to obtain good tutors that would satisfy their needs. From the perspective of a tutor, such short notice was frustrating and a drawback to employment.

Student athletes must meet a specified number of hours per week in the LC. Freshmen athletes spend ten hours each week in the LC for the first semester. Any athlete who has a grade point average (GPA) below 3.2/4.0 has to spend a set amount of time in the LC, depending on a sliding scale and the individual's GPA. At the discretion of the LC staff, students with low GPAs are required to work with tutors. In order to track the hours, each student athlete signs into a paper tutor log with a pen, and the administration has to tally the student's hours by hand. This has accounted for incidences of students forging their hours. The LC administration wanted to easily retrieve total hours per student or by athletic team without having to search through a notebook and spending time compiling data. Coaches often request total team hours from the administration on a weekly basis, and the administration's time is spent inefficiently in tallying this data. The LC is facing the challenge of efficiently reporting legitimate student athlete tutor hours to the coaches. The LC staff also wants to be able to keep each individual student's hours confidential. The LC staff also expressed a desire to make the payroll process for tutors more efficient, as student workers are in charge of manually tallying tutor payroll hours.

Solution

Despite the evolution of our project scope, we never lost sight of our ultimate goal; to provide the LC with a solution for its tutor needs. The solutions involved a commitment to make tutor information management more efficient through a software solution.

Initially we outlined the specifications we wanted in our product software. We decided to employ a software designer to create the tutor system. Our group began researching professionals in information technology and software design, but had a difficult time finding someone due to our budget. We met with our professor to get direction in where we should look for a designer that would fit our specific need. He steered us away from trying to create new software to fit our need and encouraged us to look towards existing programs that we could purchase or use from another school. We decided that purchasing a prepackaged software solution offered both a viable and effective alternative to developing our own technology product.

We began researching existing programs at universities comparable to ours. We contacted all of the members of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, as well as larger schools. Many of the universities contacted were not currently using a tracking system. In fact, three of our contacts expressed a desire for such a program and asked if we would share our findings. Of those universities who were using a tracking system, only one had developed the system internally. It took this school over a year to develop their system, but because it was designed to be integrated with technology that was unique to their university, they were not able to share their system with us.

From the schools that used prepackaged software systems, we were able to gather information on which system would best meet our needs. All of our contacts with software systems emphatically recommended the software. As we had suspected, an automated system was extremely helpful in increasing efficiency and freeing up employee time. While simultaneously contacting schools, we were also researching different software packages available. From our contacts, we were able to decide which specific program would meet our needs and had positive recommendations.

Ultimately, we decided that AccuTrack had the most functionality, fit best within the university's computer system, and was the best value. While the base software is offline, an add-on would allow the LC to implement a web-based system, if needed. In addition, the program offered an LDAP add-on to allow the LC to currently update student information in the university records. AccuTrack fit all of the LC's needs; it has a scheduling function, appointment notification for tutors, payroll functionality, and extensive reporting capabilities. Most importantly, the staff and representatives at AccuTrack were very helpful and easy to work with. We are assured that if we have any future problems with the software, the AccuTrack's technical help will quickly solve the problem.

AccuTrack

AccuTrack is database software used to automate data collection and reporting. The system, which runs an intuitive FoxPro database, has an easy-to-use interface. The software provides tutor session scheduling and reporting on student attendance, traffic patterns and peak usage, and staff work hours and pay. It saves both the staff's and the students' time by automating the existing manual processes. The system allows for a quick and easy sign-in and sign-out process for both students and tutors. AccuTrack also allows feedback from both students and tutors to help improve the tutoring system. Students can rate their tutors to help improve the quality of the staff. It also gives staff the ability to generate reports at any time. The software is currently capable of generating 80 different reports. This information can then be used to improve management of the LC.

AccuTrack can be used on any number of computers, from a single sign-in station to the entire campus. This scalability allows for tremendous flexibility and growth potential. With only one sign-in computer, only one license is required. All administrative features of the program are available on an unlimited number of computers. For each additional student sign-in station, another license is required, but at a 50% discount. If the university is to use the software at more than the one location we have installed, an additional license is required. If the LC decides later to add web functionality, AccuTrack offers a separate web-link component.

Hardware requirements were minimal, allowing installation with almost any working IBM compatible computer. System hardware requirements for optimal performance are:

• A Pentium class PC with a 1 GHz or faster processor
• 128 MB RAM
• 100 MB free hard drive space
• CD ROM drive
• VGA Video Card capable of displaying 16 bit colors at a screen area of 800x600
• Microsoft Windows XP

Although the program is capable of running on as little as 32 MB RAM and a 486 processor, ideally the computer needs to meet the requirements above. All of the computers in the Learning Center meet these requirements.

The software itself is housed on the university's server. This will allow for timely information back-ups. In addition, the information housed within the database will be protected with the university's security features.

Ongoing Cost

The system was installed, with the help of the Information Technology department, over winter break of 2005. The program is easy to install and icon-based, so the LC staff can easily navigate the system. To allow for the most seamless transition into AccuTrack, the program will be introduced for general student use at the beginning of the Spring 2006 semester. This allows the LC ample time to get acquainted with the program. In addition, it diminishes confusion over which system students should be using.

As planned, this solution is valuable to the LC both currently and in the future. More importantly, the project was intentionally designed with immaterial ongoing costs. We purchased a one-year support plan for the software. After conversing with schools that already have this software implemented, we are confident that no further expenses will arise after the first year of implementation.

Net Results

For any project to be worthwhile and evaluated, it is essential to be able to measure the results of the project. We developed four quantitative benchmarks with which to measure this project. Prior to implementation of our solution, the students and tutors made an average of three errors a day manually signing in and out of the center. AccuTrack automates this task and automatically calculates the duration of students' visits, so LC staff will no longer need to spend time fixing errors.

The second benchmark is payroll errors per pay period. Manual calculation of hours led to an average of one payroll error per two week period. Again, AccuTrack's automation of this task should eliminate payroll errors.

The third benchmark necessary to evaluate our solution is time spent on the tutoring program per week. Through observation and estimation, we determined that the staff of the LC spends an average of six hours per week maintaining the tutor program. With our solution, the LC staff will be able to reduce the time they spend maintaining the tutor program by 4.5 hours. With this extra time, they can spend half an hour each week marketing the program or using feedback to look for ways to further improve the tutoring program. Therefore, we are setting the net change in hours per week spent maintaining the tutor program at four. At an estimated average hourly rate of $20, this saves the department $4,160 yearly. As a conservative estimate, this software package will be used by the department for five years. At a final project cost of $2,606 and an estimated discount rate of 10%, the project has a payback period of 0.6 years and a net present value of $11,966.98.

Figure 1

This solution will benefit the LC for many years to come. It will save the department money and time, as well as improve the quality of the tutoring program. As a qualitative factor, an improved tutoring program will serve as an effective marketing tool for potential student-athletes.

Download a free evaluation version of AccuTrack to experience it yourself.

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