Got my fingers into...

By peterm, 14 June, 2010

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Here's a few of the latest pieces of work I've gotten my fingers into. Most of this is stuff that gets worked on over the weekends and furlough days and helps keep some technical work in my hands.

Administrative IT Reorganization

Sounds pretty fancy, huh? Our objective here is to bring the IT staff supporting specialized systems, services and client relations into a single organization. Basically, we will be combining the IT staff of Business and Administrative Services, Student Affairs/Colleges and University Housing and the Chancellor's Office/Executive Vice Chancellor/University Relations. We're also adding the Physical Security Systems group into this organization.

Physical Security Systems

There's a ton of work happening here. I've done a briefing paper that documents the current and planned state of physical security systems. We've spun up another four projects to help improve operations and maintenance and figure out a rational funding and staffing model. We're in the process of spec'ing new hardware for a CCURE 9000 upgrade.

Procard Quiz

After a long period of inactivity, this heated up a week ago. The existing hand coded quiz had been at end of life for over a year. Recent reorganizations in Purchasing and FAST have raised the issue of how to manage compliance testing on procard usage. So, I updated the Drupal Quiz module, refreshed my memory of where the project last stood, and updated my procard quiz notes.

Events Manager

After another long period of inactivity, I refreshed my project notes and updated the Drupal signup modules. I was able to fix a known problem on waiting lists last weekend. I'm planning on putting the dev version through some user testing and rolling into production. As part of the roll out, I'd like to reassign one of my staff the job of keeping this one going. Looking for volunteers.

Campus Maps

The campus map is in need of a make over. Interactive maps are more common. The campus recently approved adding names to roads and getting them added to the NetComm dispatch center (county of Santa Cruz) as well as into the Google stream. 

I've mocked up what might be possible for the campus map based on a gMap + Drupal recipe. Here are my project notes.

 Career Compass

I mocked up a hierarchical (Drupal book module) file distribution system for Staff HR to help them evaluate how they'd like to distribute the Career Compass MS Word files. This mock up only handles the first part of the problem; file distribution. The incoming, finished job descriptions haven't been figured out yet. I've met with them several times to review what their process and workflow might look like.

Geographic Information Systems

As mentioned above, GIS needs come from many units on campus. We have a small group looking at what data (base map) we currently have and how to meet the diverse needs that range from life safety to traffic control to way finding. We're currently looking at how we might take better advantage of the Facilities Link system and using web services to provide data to other users.

iPhone App

We've got a developer working on the first version of UCSC iPhone app that integrates a number of public data sources including maps, events, news. For later versions we may be able to include additional information including transportation.