Training and Development Agency
The purpose of Training and Development Agency for Schools — TDA (former Teacher Training Agency — TTA) is to raise standards in schools by attracting able and committed people to teaching and by improving the quality of teacher training in England. One of the roles which they undertake is the collection and publication of Provider Profiles.
The publication of Provider Profiles involves:
- The collection and integration of trainee information from approximately 250 teacher training institutions.
- The validation and transformation of received information into a well-defined format.
- The generation of statistical reports to allow the public, government and other relevant organisations to analyse data relationships and trends.
Data collection and validation system
The TDA contracted Texunatech to specify, design and implement a solution to automate the collection, validation and transformation of trainee, employment and inspection information from multiple large data feeds in various formats from various sources, processing about 200,000 records per year for the Profiles dataset alone. Data is transformed into a well-defined format for central storage and analysis. Data is transformed into a well-defined format for central storage and a data collection website highlights erroneous data to institutions, allowing data owners to drill-down, in order to investigate, modify and validate data issues. The data capture mechanisms were:
- Web-based e-GIF compliant forms which complex real-time validation;
- XML integration with the Higher Education Statistics Agencies main system, HEFCE, GTC and several separate TDA systems.
- Workflow and CRM components to automate the processes of assigning tasks, sending reminders (e-mail, written, FAX and telephone) and monitoring progress and the resolution of any issues that arose.
- Extraction of centralised data to XML, Excel and other formats for upload to other external systems via websites or manual integration.
Reporting and publication
Phase two of the Profiles project was to implement a system to allow public, government and other relevant organisations to analyse data relationships and trends from the aggregated data. This involved:
- The design, implementation and hosting of three websites targeted at the different requirements of these three groups.
- The implementation of Texunatech’s OLAP reporting components to allow complex, real-time analysis to be performed.
- The integration of GIS mapping technology to allow the public to locate and analyse institutions based on their proximity to a postcode.
Business operations outsourcing
Texunatech was also contracted to manage the business operations of the data collection process which involved managing all contacts with the 200 institutions, each of which must submit profiles information. Texunatech utilised the workflow components of its Soltex technology to develop a system to automate the process of assigning tasks, sending reminders (e-mail, written, FAX and telephone messages) and tracking the institutions progress.
Knowledge transfer
The highly sensitive nature of the information, its complexity and the short implementation schedule meant that Texunatech had to go through an intense knowledge transfer process with the TDA. By following a demanding adgenda our business analysts and support personnel achieved this knowledge transfer process and successfully documented the phase-one requirements on schedule. This enabled Texunatech to develop, design and implement the automated system and provide a high-level of business crucial, teacher training specific support to the institutions.
Timelines
Timelines on the project were extremely tight as Texunatech had to completely replace and greatly improve systems which had been developed for over four years. Texunatech directed 24 man-months of resources at the first phase of the project. This enabled the data capture system to be specified, designed, implemented, tested and deployed just three months after project initiation.
Key features
- Centralised data warehouse
- Data capture, integration, validation and transformation
- Complex statistical reporting to analyse trends
- Batch and real-time statistical reports
- Outsourcing of the entire business operation to Texunatech