2013 Texas Ad Astra SummitMonday, July 22nd

Optimizing Academic Scheduling

Presented by:Kelly Hollowell, Manager of Education, Ad Astra

Initial sandbox ideas• Use result reports to improve space utilization and

enrollment growth capabilities – (Of course!)• Progressively optimize to improve seat-fill scores and/or

support scheduling processes• Use region settings to improve energy savings during low

enrollment terms• Use sandboxes to prepare for remodeling or facility changes• Use sandboxes to handle room assignment changes due to

unforeseen events (flooding, electrical issues, building damage, etc.)

Where to Start?

• During implementation and configuration, most clients start by creating preferences (business rules) based on the current scheduling practices.

– Although we do have a few schools now actually configuring the system and adapting processes to support strategic findings right out of the gate!

• Once comfortable with the system, institutions will want to review the reports and data available to determine which issues to attack and in what order. (Often processes and politics must evolve as well as system changes.)

Step 1• Review and refine preference set(s) - Regardless of current goal, preferences

should be built based on course need to accommodate change and avoid future reworking

Preference TypesRoom Types (Required List)Features (Required List / Desired List)Location (Desired)

Preference LevelsMeeting Type (Required Default Needs)Subject (Desired Location)Course (Required Needs)Instructor (Desired Needs)

Example: Current Practice vs. Course Need

This goes there! Why do we put it there?

Step 2

Create multiple preference set(s) – Remember they can be cloned and edited as necessary

• Progressive Optimization Sets• HVAC Considerations Sets• Preparation for campus remodeling / Unforeseen space resource

restrictions

Example: Progressive OptimizationAdditional sets are less restrictive to accommodate difficult to place and newly added offerings

Restricted based on departmental considerations

Location restrictions lifted for final scheduling runs

Example: HVAC - Differences may include excluding one or more regions on campus and less restrictions on desired space (region filters will be used during optimization)

Fall Subject Settings Summer Subject Settings

Step 3: Running the Sandbox

BTW – Is there anyway to drop rooms on multiple sections?1. Create a preference set

that will cause all sections to be infeasible.

2. Run the optimizer on the term in question using this new preference set.• Term• Campus• Meeting Types• Subjects

3. Publish back the “unassigned” sections.

Optimize, Optimize, Optimize!

• Sandboxes allow you to answer “what if” questions before they are actual problems

• Sandboxes provide you with data-driven results to support change

• Sandboxes allow you to prepare for events (both known and unknown) and set you up to be a campus hero!

Results: Summary• Scheduled: Sections that received room assignments

from the optimizer run (this does not include sections that maintained room assignments)

• Bottleneck: Sections that found valid rooms but were blocked (other activities, usage controls, holidays, and seat fill settings)

• Infeasible: Sections with no valid suitable rooms considered in optimization

Results: Summary (cont.)• Total Meetings: sections considered by the optimizer (based on user

rights and optimization source settings)

• Total Optimized: number of meetings the optimizer attempted to place in room assignments based on selected filters (Scheduled+Bottlenecks+Infeasibles)

• Total with Room: number of section meetings with room assignments (Total Meetings - Total Unscheduled)

• Total Unscheduled: number of section meetings without room assignments (Total Meetings - Total with Room)

Results: Summary (cont.)• Do Not Optimize: Sections marked Do Not Optimize• Online: Sections with a course distinction of online (currently

used by sectioning customers only)• Arranged: Sections marked Arranged• Invalid Mtg. Pattern: Sections missing key meeting pattern

components (start date, end date, days, start time, end time, meeting type)

Sandbox Result Tabs• Columns may be ordered and hidden as desired• Sort by selected column• Filter and group on column headers• Hide page filters• Export results to Excel or Raw Data Format

Result Tab - Sections• The Sections tab provides a view of all sections

considered during optimization except those that did not get a room assignment due to bottlenecks or infeasible settings. This may include “Do Not Schedule”, “Do Not Optimize”, “Arranged” and sections with maintained room assignments. (Notice the Show Mtgs: filter option)

Result Tab – Meeting Pattern• The Meeting Pattern tab provides a view of all

meeting patterns considered during optimization with a count of associated sections.

Result Tab – Bottleneck Sections• The Bottleneck Sections tab provides a view of

sections that did not receive room assignments due to space shortages

Result Tab – Bottleneck Rooms• Any room that appeared as a possible assignment on

the Bottleneck Sections tab, will also appear on the Bottleneck Rooms tab. This allows schedulers to isolate high demand rooms and investigate actual usage vs. prime time preferences.

Result Tab – Infeasible• Infeasible sections are those that did not get a room

assignment because a “suitable” room was not in the considered inventory. This may be caused by enrollment vs. room capacity issues or conflicting preferences.

Sandbox Reports:• Room Optimization - Summary

Allows the user to select multiple sandboxes and compare settings as well as summary results.

Sandbox Reports:• Room Optimization – Scheduled Sections by Subject

Sandbox Reports:• Room Optimization – Bottleneck Sections by Subject

Sandbox Reports:• Room Optimization – Infeasible Sections by Subject

More Information:• Application Help File • Customer Portal -

Knowledge Base– Articles– Case Studies– Training Manuals

Contact Information

• Kelly Hollowell, Manager of Education, Ad Astra Information Systems– Phone number: 913-652-4125– Email address: khollowell@aais.com