BYU Decision Support System Semester Data Validation Process

One of the many maintenance processes that are necessary to keep the Decision Support System (DSS) up to date is the addition of data for each new semester. Given the dynamic organization structure supported by the DSS that allows users to move data items to the proper places, this addition of data requires the attention and involvement of the users.

Function of the DSS Organization Structure

During the course of design and development of the DSS, the current registration system's organization structure was found to be limited in its ability to align data for the purpose of analysis and reporting. Also, departments and programs are moved and combined on a regular basis and historical data needs to be accounted for in the way that makes the most sense for the colleges and departments involved.

The DSS organization structure was designed to allow data items to be moved to the appropriate location within the university organization on a semester-by-semester basis. Currently, the data items tracked by the organization structure are Emphasis Code (major), Course Subject Area, and Faculty Member. The DSS organization structure allows the department or college to move these data items to appropriate organization regardless of where they are located in the registration system. For example, a faculty member may be a member of one department for a number of semesters then move to another department either temporarily or permanently. This activity is currently performed by the DSS development team, but will eventually be turned over to the College or Department administrators.

Process (for data validation, please refer to the '4 Steps Data Validation document')

(A) Data is extracted from the registration system twice during a semester: (B) After the third week of the semester, and at the end of each semester after grades have been posted. The end of semester extract happens within a few days of the third week extract for the following semester, and so both processes will happen at the same time.

(C) Once the data has been extracted and loaded into the DSS, new entries will automatically be made in the DSS organization tree to allow the DSS to utilize the new data for each new semester. Emphasis codes, course subject areas, and faculty that already exist in the system will be added to the organization structure in the same location as the data for the most recent semester. End of term data and third week data for the same semester will always reside in the same location.

(D) Any data items that have changed location within the organization structure will need to be moved to their new location by the College or Department. Data items that have not existed in the system in prior semesters will be added under the College in an organization labeled "New Data". These data items will need to be moved into the proper location before the data for the new semester will be accurate. An online tool will be provided to the Deans to allow movement of data within the College. Data to be moved into another College, or changes to the organization structure of a College will need to be coordinated with the Academic Vice President's Office.

(E) A report of the data items added to the organization structure for each College will be produced when new semester data is added to the system. This report can be used by the College administration to check for any data items incorrectly located within the organization structure.

Period

Colleges will have a period of time to work with the DSS team to relocate any new or changed data items and validate the new data to their satisfaction before the new semester's data is designated as official. For the first few semesters this period of time would be six weeks long. As the registration system is updated to more closely reflect the data organization of the DSS and the colleges become more familiar with the validation process this period will be reduced to three weeks.

Because of the timing of the third week and end of semester extracts, the period for the end of term of the prior semester and third week for the current semester will be the same. For example, end of term Fall 2001 would coincide with the third week of Winter 2002.