Project : UB Department of Recreation and Intramural Services
One of our most distinguished projects is our database for the University at Buffalo Department of Recreation & Intramural Services.
Our Database
ms351_database.accdb | |
File Size: | 4718 kb |
File Type: | accdb |
Our PowerPoint Presentation
mgs_351_final_project.pptx | |
File Size: | 1240 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Overview
In 2016, David Murray came to us seeking help to improve the UB Intramural Service hiring system. Professor Murray wanted a system that allows for better candidate screening when looking to hire new employees. In addition, the database will be able to distinguish between average, great, and flexible referees. In the Intramural Soccer department, are over 120 applications, therefore it is very competitive and to pick someone with no quality or ability will be detrimental during the progression of the season. Throughout his experience he has noticed some flaws in the system that UB has in place and he thinks that a database would add business value by distinguishing top tier refs, minimizing complaints about refs and improving the service of intramural soccer at UB. The more participation in the intramural and recreation department, the larger their budget gets, and with good referees they can attract a higher caliber of player and increase total participants. He has shared these flaws with us and decided that a database would help solve most of the issues and specifically bring to light the best referees.
They get about 30 potential hires after a 1-on-1 with the Boss. This is a very extensive process. They get a second look at the candidates and then eliminate certain ones straight off the bat based on blatant deficiencies of the applicant. All too often he feels like they get rid of good candidates based on a bad first impression or vise-versa, we consider a bad candidate base on a good first impression. We have no system setup that gives us factual data to help us eliminate certain candidates. Therefore we resort to elimination tactic that can be average at best. One does not know the ability of a person until thrusted into the situation. We ask a couple question which usually include; have you ever played or refereed the sport prior to your interest in this position. However, these two things have a low correlation to being an authoritative force in the middle. This entire process is all in a way that just stores information (name, number, student number, email) on Excel. There is no tool that gives us a full or more in-depth understanding of the candidate. Potential candidates are then grouped for training and people start to eliminate themselves from there. They cannot work certain hours, have no SSN card, unable to work more than 20 hours a week (international students by law cannot), etc.
They get about 30 potential hires after a 1-on-1 with the Boss. This is a very extensive process. They get a second look at the candidates and then eliminate certain ones straight off the bat based on blatant deficiencies of the applicant. All too often he feels like they get rid of good candidates based on a bad first impression or vise-versa, we consider a bad candidate base on a good first impression. We have no system setup that gives us factual data to help us eliminate certain candidates. Therefore we resort to elimination tactic that can be average at best. One does not know the ability of a person until thrusted into the situation. We ask a couple question which usually include; have you ever played or refereed the sport prior to your interest in this position. However, these two things have a low correlation to being an authoritative force in the middle. This entire process is all in a way that just stores information (name, number, student number, email) on Excel. There is no tool that gives us a full or more in-depth understanding of the candidate. Potential candidates are then grouped for training and people start to eliminate themselves from there. They cannot work certain hours, have no SSN card, unable to work more than 20 hours a week (international students by law cannot), etc.
Our Solution
Our proposed database system will introduce a more fitting schedule for the intramural. There won’t be a need for a two week long pre-season. With this new system in place, we can instead have two weeks of solely referee evaluations. We will get the best referees and attract better players that still come to the field during soccer hours but do not play They main goal is to increase our participation. We are currently around 850 people boasting the largest single sport population. High international student interest keeps us at the top. We seek for candidates that will provide cohesion in the work process, working with each other instead of leaving each other out to dry. This addition will end the season a week earlier as well as allow referees and head referees an extra week to study for midterms and finals. It will add value to the department by getting us more money.
In general, our database system is going to eliminate bad candidates and keep good ones in an orderly fashion. There won’t be a need to fire someone after 3 weeks of them not demonstrating exemplar performance. This leaving us short-handed and deteriorates our perception to the players. The system will enable the hiring process to be elegantly streamlined as well as efficiently handled. To get referees with more abilities than being decent at the job (ie. Bilingual, certified CPR, referee certification, etc.)
Along with hiring and firing, we can use our database to figure out which days is a person available and how many hours they are free to work. Also, our database will be able to see if a person is flexible to work 2 sports or do 1 indoor sport and 1 outdoor sport. Finally, we want to know if a person is an international student. Since international students can only work 20 hours a week combined, if they have another job, it would lead to scheduling conflicts and potential lack of staff. One problem our proposed database system will address is that it will prevent the hiring of unqualified employees who puts on a good face during the interview. With the prevention of the hiring of the unqualified employees, it allows the people who already work there to not waste their time and use that time more efficiently so they are able to hire the potentially qualified employees. The database will also allow the workers to be able to quickly find someone who can be placed during the shift as it will show their availability and flexibility. Another problem that the database will address is it will make the hiring of international students more important since they have had problems from hiring too many international students in the past. Possibly a blue or yellow name if they are international because that is a huge liability for UB.
The data that will be stored are as follows however not limited to; name, email, phone number (people from buffalo usually have transportation and can be more flexible to either location),class standing (FR, SO, JR, SR), undergrad or graduate, sport preference (indoor or outdoor as well as any other sport), bilingual -- which language, GPA, prior experience (combo box – player, referee, both, none), nationality if we can ask that but I think it’s only good not bad when it goes to soccer international students are more privy to the game…., major (having a sports science or biologically/anatomically majored person could prove beneficial), free Sundays (we work all day Sunday and sometimes people with no availability but Sunday all day can be a fitting puzzle piece to our schedule), favourite club soccer team. There can be a lot more but those informatics will give a very insightful look at who can fill positions.
Lastly, we can come up with several significant reports that will give us quick glances at people with idealistic. This allows for compiling of attributes into groups where we can select one or two from the group to assemble a great team. Firstly, we would make a report called “Freshman with Experience” (experience = player, ref or both) because we need underclassmen with a great understanding of all aspects of refereeing and the longer they do the job the more likely they can succeed the current Head official. We will be able to see the grade and experience to pick from the large group of freshmen we have. Next we would make a report called “Local Students.” This report will give us all people from Buffalo based on phone number and then we can see if they have transportation making them eligible for south campus refereeing or north depending on where they live. Regardless, people with cars are valued a lot by us but is not a massive deciding factor, however when combined with the fact they are from Buffalo, the whole category become more important than the sum of the parts. Thirdly we would compile a report called “International Students with Experience.” This will be a massive category and having a database for it will allow hiring managers to reap the benefits of it. There will be a bilingual aspect of this report sorted or grouped that way we know this for sure. A couple more reports that can be created is “Bilingual and Local” or “Bilingual Undergraduate” or “Bilingual upperclassmen.” Often times upperclassmen taking a language need to practice their language. At soccer there are multiple single-nationality teams (ie. Korean, Chinese, Turkish, Middle Eastern combination, American, Hispanic, African nations, etc.) Therefore having a ref that can speak in the native tongue of any of those groups can prove to be massive in the internationalization of the job and where society is moving in general. The goal is to bring more kids into the intramural service department. We will bring more players if our staff is pristine. Nobody likes the beautiful game destroyed by hellacious calls. Referees are overlooked often when they do well but when they do not-so-well is when everyone turns on them. We are going to make it impossible to not do well because we have hired the absolute best and more effective referees that applied.
In general, our database system is going to eliminate bad candidates and keep good ones in an orderly fashion. There won’t be a need to fire someone after 3 weeks of them not demonstrating exemplar performance. This leaving us short-handed and deteriorates our perception to the players. The system will enable the hiring process to be elegantly streamlined as well as efficiently handled. To get referees with more abilities than being decent at the job (ie. Bilingual, certified CPR, referee certification, etc.)
Along with hiring and firing, we can use our database to figure out which days is a person available and how many hours they are free to work. Also, our database will be able to see if a person is flexible to work 2 sports or do 1 indoor sport and 1 outdoor sport. Finally, we want to know if a person is an international student. Since international students can only work 20 hours a week combined, if they have another job, it would lead to scheduling conflicts and potential lack of staff. One problem our proposed database system will address is that it will prevent the hiring of unqualified employees who puts on a good face during the interview. With the prevention of the hiring of the unqualified employees, it allows the people who already work there to not waste their time and use that time more efficiently so they are able to hire the potentially qualified employees. The database will also allow the workers to be able to quickly find someone who can be placed during the shift as it will show their availability and flexibility. Another problem that the database will address is it will make the hiring of international students more important since they have had problems from hiring too many international students in the past. Possibly a blue or yellow name if they are international because that is a huge liability for UB.
The data that will be stored are as follows however not limited to; name, email, phone number (people from buffalo usually have transportation and can be more flexible to either location),class standing (FR, SO, JR, SR), undergrad or graduate, sport preference (indoor or outdoor as well as any other sport), bilingual -- which language, GPA, prior experience (combo box – player, referee, both, none), nationality if we can ask that but I think it’s only good not bad when it goes to soccer international students are more privy to the game…., major (having a sports science or biologically/anatomically majored person could prove beneficial), free Sundays (we work all day Sunday and sometimes people with no availability but Sunday all day can be a fitting puzzle piece to our schedule), favourite club soccer team. There can be a lot more but those informatics will give a very insightful look at who can fill positions.
Lastly, we can come up with several significant reports that will give us quick glances at people with idealistic. This allows for compiling of attributes into groups where we can select one or two from the group to assemble a great team. Firstly, we would make a report called “Freshman with Experience” (experience = player, ref or both) because we need underclassmen with a great understanding of all aspects of refereeing and the longer they do the job the more likely they can succeed the current Head official. We will be able to see the grade and experience to pick from the large group of freshmen we have. Next we would make a report called “Local Students.” This report will give us all people from Buffalo based on phone number and then we can see if they have transportation making them eligible for south campus refereeing or north depending on where they live. Regardless, people with cars are valued a lot by us but is not a massive deciding factor, however when combined with the fact they are from Buffalo, the whole category become more important than the sum of the parts. Thirdly we would compile a report called “International Students with Experience.” This will be a massive category and having a database for it will allow hiring managers to reap the benefits of it. There will be a bilingual aspect of this report sorted or grouped that way we know this for sure. A couple more reports that can be created is “Bilingual and Local” or “Bilingual Undergraduate” or “Bilingual upperclassmen.” Often times upperclassmen taking a language need to practice their language. At soccer there are multiple single-nationality teams (ie. Korean, Chinese, Turkish, Middle Eastern combination, American, Hispanic, African nations, etc.) Therefore having a ref that can speak in the native tongue of any of those groups can prove to be massive in the internationalization of the job and where society is moving in general. The goal is to bring more kids into the intramural service department. We will bring more players if our staff is pristine. Nobody likes the beautiful game destroyed by hellacious calls. Referees are overlooked often when they do well but when they do not-so-well is when everyone turns on them. We are going to make it impossible to not do well because we have hired the absolute best and more effective referees that applied.