Cornell University Library Instruction Statistics

Reporting System

Members:

• Patrick Chen (pyc7)• Soo-Yung Cho (sc444)• Gregg Herlacher (gah24)• Wilson Muyenzi (wm59)• Colin Reuter (chr8)• Nurwati Widodo (ncw4)

May 9th, 2005

Project Overview

Client:

Cornell University Libraries

Objective:

Build a system for the Cornell library staff to input their instructional and consultation session data to a centrally managed system database.

Project Goal

• To help library staff manage data:– Input/edit session data– Centralized repository– Search for data– Download data

• Provide convenient web based system for these tasks

System Summary• Input & Edit forms

– Instruction form– Consultation form

• Search Records & View Results• Administrative Tasks

– Add / Edit users– Manage Fields– Edit System Data

Input & Edit Form• Allows Users to

Input Data• Text Fields & Drop

Down Menus• Two Types:

– Instruction– Consultation

Search Page• Search for Records

entered in to the Database

• Results are shown on the Results Page

• Two Types:– Basic– Advanced

Result Page• Shows the records

– Table format• Views

– Summarized– Extended

• Links for each row– View– Edit– Delete

Administrative Tasks• Manage System Users

– Add or Delete Users– Change User Status

• Manage Input Fields (e.g Library Unit)• Edit System Data

– Search for data– Edit and delete data

New Functionality Overview• Since Milestone 2:

– Search Results improved– Excel downloads– Automated Scripts– Departments

Search Results• Extended view

– Shows all fields in a wide format• Records per page

– Results broken into multiple pages– User configurable on search page

• View / Edit / Delete – Based on user privileges

Excel Downloads• Results downloadable in Excel

format– Provides data in commonly used

format– Powerful tools available for

analysis– Any search query can be

downloaded

Automated Data Entry• Automatic selection of day based

on date– Helps user enter correct dates– Records searchable by day of

week• Instructor name auto-filled

– Assumes that user is entering records for self

– No name selected if user is not an instructor

Departments• New drop-down list for data

integrity– Used for “Class” on Instruction

form– Used for “Patron Dept.” on

Consultation form• Data loaded into database from

script – Too many for manual entry!– Can be re-run as dept

abbreviations change

Other Improvements• End-user testing feedback

– Many user interface changes!– New record fields– Search enhancements

• Show user what was searched for• Auto-check search fields as they

are filled in• Better descriptions

Demo

Delivery• By May 12th, the team will:

– Finish all revisions and refinements

– Hand over all files in a zip file, including:

• All source code• Database creation script• Documentation

• Client responsible for system after handover

Documentation

• Team responsible for installation and technical documentation

• Installation Documentation– How to install system– How to start up system for first

time• Technical Documentation

– System overview– How to modify web pages– How to modify database

Usability Documentation• For Users and Administrators• Includes:

– How to input data– How to search– How to perform administrative

tasks– FAQ

• Client has agreed to write this

Evaluation of ProgressCurrent Status

Milestone #3 Evaluation• End-User Documentation• Web-based report for the extracted data

from the database• Excel-format downloads for reported

data• Refinement of deliverables from

milestone #2• Meetings with Client• Testing

AchievementsTask Status

Insert / Edit / View Records √

Add / Edit / Remove Users √

Edit Form Data Choices √

Levels of Authentication √

Database √

User Interface √

CU Web Login √

Excel Downloads √

Documentation In Progress

Testing In Progress

What’s left to do?

• Complete Documentation– Based on client’s needs– Rough draft complete

• Test installation instructions• Keep testing everything else!

What we have learned?• Lots of dependencies

– Implement / Review cycle takes time• New requirements arise constantly

– Final system much more complex than original design

• System flexibility is important– Non-technical users can change

system• Communication is important

– New problems each week– Different visions of the system

Questions and Comments?