DIPLOMA AGGREGATION SERVICE

QCA Diploma Aggregation Service Service Definition Document

Diploma Aggregation Service Service Definition Document Page 1 Version 2.0

DIPLOMA AGGREGATION SERVICE

Service Definition Document

Version 2.0

Authors:

George Walker, Simone Todd

QCA Strategic Systems Group

18th August 2008



DOCUMENT CONTROL

General document information Document title: Service Definition Document Reference: Author: George Walker and Simone Todd Date: 18th August 2008 Version control

Date Version Editor Description/Reason for change Sections 04/02/08 v0.1 ST First draft All 28/02/2008 V1.0 GW Approved by Project Board None 29/02/2008 V1.01 GW Late comments: NAA, R.Fitzpatrick, N.Ford All

18/08/2008 V1.02 ST Updates to align with developments in the Minerva Project leading up to Go Live All

21/08/2008 V2.0 GW Approved by MMG and Project Board Version only

Distribution/Approval list

Formal reviewers Role and review responsibility Signature

Mark Gaulton Minerva Project Manager

Stephen Crunkhorn Minerva Project Executive

Distribution for reference Minerva Management Group Minerva Project Board DAS Stakeholders (via QCA website/DAS webpage)

Related products/Information

Reference Title v3.0.FINAL Commissioning Document for Diplomas Version 1 Operating Rules for Component and Diploma Awarding Bodies v0.2 Minerva SM Capability scoping exercise - detailed report V1.0 Diploma aggregation service - Service Management Plan V1.0 Commissioning Document with Centre Support To follow Service Level and Operational Level Agreements To follow Service Management Process Model To follow Service Management Operating Manual



TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE.................................................................................................... 4 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 4 1.2 PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................... 4 1.3 STRUCTURE OF THIS DOCUMENT........................................................................................................ 4 1.4 INTENDED AUDIENCE......................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 INTERDEPENDENT DOCUMENTS ......................................................................................................... 5 1.6 REFERENCE MATERIAL ...................................................................................................................... 6

2. CUSTOMERS.................................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 CUSTOMERS AND CUSTOMER GROUPS .............................................................................................. 7 2.2 CUSTOMER EXCLUSIONS................................................................................................................... 9

3. SERVICES....................................................................................................................................... 10 3.1 SERVICE GROUPS........................................................................................................................... 10 3.2 SERVICES MODEL............................................................................................................................ 12 3.3 SERVICE DESK MODEL..................................................................................................................... 13

4. SUPPLIERS .................................................................................................................................... 15 4.1 SUPPLIER ROLES ............................................................................................................................ 15 4.2 SUPPLY FLOWS............................................................................................................................... 17

5. SERVICE MODEL OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 19

6. GOVERNANCE ............................................................................................................................... 20

7. APPENDIX A - SERVICE CATALOGUE........................................................................................ 21



1. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

In February 2005, the then DfES published the 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper, resulting in the 14-19 Qualifications and Curriculum Reform Programme. The aim of the Reform Programme is to create an education system capable of offering a new set of curriculum and qualifications opportunities focused on the needs and aspirations of the learner.

The White Paper specifically introduced the concept of the Diploma as a new qualification. Diplomas are component based qualifications, designed to develop learners’ skills through a mixture of general and applied education.

The Minerva project is underway to deliver the ‘Diploma aggregation service’ which will produce: • the Diploma awarding enabling functions of data sharing across Awarding Bodies (ABs) and

Diploma Approved Centres and the aggregation of results

• the enabling of aggregation by collecting individual results throughout the Diploma study period

• the process and procedures for utilising the Unique Learner Number (ULN) which is produced by the Managing Information Across Partners (MIAP) Learner Registration Service (LRS) for the Diploma Approved Centres, Diploma Awarding Bodies (DABs) and Component Awarding Bodies (CABs) delivering Diplomas from September 2008

• training materials in the use of the service for CABs and DABs, and for 1st-line support groups to provide Diploma Approved Centres with education in the use of the system

• a structure for the continuous management of the Service, safeguarding its continued usage, the delivery of benefits and protection of the public interest

• a body to manage the service on an ongoing basis

• a phased roll-out of the service.

1.2 PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT

The Service Definition Document (SDD) is the framework within which the services and supporting processes can be developed and delivered. It will aid quick reference and decision-making by providing a management summary of all the services delivered to Customers, cross-referenced with their supporting processes and service parameters. In conjunction with the Service Catalogue and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), the SDD will allow each Customer to view all of the services they receive or may wish to receive in future from the Diploma aggregation service, together with the associated standards of service.

1.3 STRUCTURE OF THIS DOCUMENT

This documents sets out:

• Section 1 - Introduction and Purpose: providing the background to the project, the purpose of this document and its relationship with other key deliverables from the Service Management Workstream.

• Section 2 – Customers: providing detailed definition about who are the Customers of the Diploma aggregation service.



• Section 3 – Services: describing the groups of services provided by the Diploma aggregation and which Customers are intended to take these services.

• Section 4 – Suppliers: providing a list of the internal and external suppliers of services and data to the Diploma aggregation service.

• Section 5 – Service Model Overview: providing a diagrammatic view of the Customers, the service groups and the suppliers of essential data.

• Section 6 – Governance: This provides the scope, responsibilities and processes for Governance of the services of the Diploma aggregation service. It details how the interface will operate with the wider Diploma delivery Governance.

• Appendix A – Service Catalogue extract: providing a breakdown of the service groups into individual Services, cross-referenced by Customer groups; this will subsequently be cross-referenced with the business processes that enable the Services and the IT support processes which underpin the operations

1.4 INTENDED AUDIENCE

This document has two intended audiences:

Firstly, it is intended as a guide for Customers of the Diploma aggregation service to the individual services available to them. It should enable them to decide which services they need and how to access them. The Customers are listed in Section 2, and include DABs, CABs, Home Centres and the National Assessment Agency (NAA).

Secondly it provides the Service Management Function with the basis for ensuring delivery of service by developing Service Level Agreements between all supplier and Customer groups. By cross-referencing services with the processes which underpin them, it also forms the framework on which existing services can be monitored and maintained, and on which future services will be built and offered.



1.5 INTERDEPENDENT DOCUMENTS

The following closely-related documents are being developed in line with this Service Definition Document. The four groups will form a service design baseline and must be maintained in line with each other.

Product Name Brief Description of Product Relationship

Service Level and Operational Level Agreements

Provide Customers with the contracted Service Levels that the Diploma aggregation service is expected to deliver, and suppliers with the contracted Service Levels and/or Operational Levels that they are required to achieve when delivering the services or supporting processes.

Adds finer detail to this document by breaking down the service groups identified into individual services, cross-referencing these with the Customer groups also identified in this document

Service Management Process Model

Lists and summarises the processes of service management which support the Diploma aggregation service, together with their inter-relationships. The model is based on the ITIL Service Management model, but includes additional specialist processes and variations from ITIL where appropriate.

Analyses the services identified in this document to identify the processes and their inter-relationships which will be needed to support service provision

Service Management Operating Manual

Service processes listed in the Service Management Model are defined in the Service Operating Manual with detailed operating instructions where appropriate, together with the Service Governance arrangements.

Adds finer detail to the Service Model to allow full verification of the Service Model i.e. that the services can be sustained by the processes

1.6 REFERENCE MATERIAL

The following source documents were reviewed for definitions and formed an essential foundation from which to derive information. In addition discussions were held with related Minerva project members.

• Operational Design End report v2.0.ppt

• AMS (entity) design summary v1.0

• Test Strategy v1.0

• Commissioning Document for Diplomas v3.0.FINALpdf.pdf

• Diploma Commissioning Annex 2_Diploma Volumetrics_ for issue to CEOs.xls



• Diploma Commissioning Annex 3_Diploma Policy Issues_for issue to CEOs.pdf

• Centre Support Commissioning v1.0.doc

• Minerva SM Capability scoping exercise - detailed report v0.2.doc

• Minerva_PID_v2.0.doc

• Minerva Contract with the IT Provider

• Service Management Workstream Product Descriptions v0.13.doc

• Minerva Functional Specification v1.0

• Diploma aggregation service – Service Management Plan v1.0.doc

• Qualifications Data Management -Service Provision Agreement with QCA Qualifications Catalogue v3

• Operating Rules for Component and Diploma Awarding Bodies Version 1.0

• Diploma E2E OPM v1.35

• Final Operating Agreement 19th June 2008

• 160708-Updated Service Mgt Operating Manual -V1.0

• Stakeholder Management Strategy v0.1



2. CUSTOMERS

2.1 CUSTOMERS AND CUSTOMER GROUPS

The Diploma aggregation service provides individual services to several groups of organisations. These may deal directly with the service or receive transactions as part of a managed service which provides direct support. Within each organisation there may be many users of the services, some of whom may be `super-users' or `authorised service desk users' entitled to access a wider range of the services offered.

For the purposes of service definition, it is the organisations, not the users, who are referred to as Customers.

The following is a list of Customers who will use the services, the Customer categories to which they are functionally apportioned and a brief description of their role in the Diploma aggregation service.

Customer Definition Customer Group List of Customers

DABs recognised for 1st 5 Lines of Learning

• AQA-City & Guilds • Edexcel • EDI • OCR • Rockschool

DABs recognised for 2nd 5 Lines of Learning

• AQA-City & Guilds • Edexcel • OCR • EDI • VTCT

DABs recognised for 3rd 4 Lines of Learning

• To be recognised in September 2008

DAB A Diploma Awarding Body which meets the requirements for, and is recognised by, the regulators to award the full Diploma qualification

DABs recognised for 4th 3 Lines of Learning

• To be recognised in September 2009

Principal Learning and Project

• AQA-City & Guilds • Edexcel • OCR • EDI • VTCT • WJEC

CAB A Component Awarding Body, which meets the requirements for, and is recognised by, the regulators to award constituent qualifications and units of the Diploma.

Project CABs • AQA-City & Guilds • Edexcel • EDI • OCR



Further CABs will be recognised.

All DABs will also be CABs.

Functional Skills and ASL CABs

• ABC Awards • AQA • The Associated Board of the

Royal Schools • AMSPAR • ASDAN • CACDP • Chartered Institute of

Housing • City & Guild • EAL • Edexcel • EDI • IFS School of Finance • Imperial Society of Teachers

of Dancing • ILM • The Institute of the Motor

Industry • ITEC • The Learning Machine • The London Academy of

Music and Dramatic Art • National Open College

Network • NCFE • NPTC • OCR • Open College of the North

West • Rockschool • Royal Academy of Dance • Trinity College London • Thames Valley University • VTCT • WJEC • Association of Accounting

Technicians • Active IQ • Equestrian Qualifications

Limited • BIIAB • Chartered Institute of

Environmental Health • Chartered Insurance Institute • Glass Qualifications Authority • International Association of

Book-Keepers • Institute of Sales and

Marketing Management • Royal Institute of Public



Health • Securities and Investment

Institute

Home Centre

For the purpose of the Diploma aggregation service, a 'Home Centre' is defined as the Centre which undertakes transactions on the Diploma aggregation service for a particular Learner, including that Learner's enrolment.

The Home Centre is also responsible for ensuring the use of the same ULN and personal details for a Learner across the consortium and for monitoring the Learner Account to ensure results are correctly captured in the Diploma aggregation service.

The 3rd Party Local Administrators (3PLAs) are Customers and will be provided services in the same way as Home Centres.

NAA The NAA is the chief agent of change management for the Diploma in schools and colleges, providing a team of field representatives, the School and Centre Support Service and a Help Desk. While fulfilling a vital role as a supplier to the Diploma aggregation service, the NAA is also a Customer of some of its services. Calls from Centres and potentially elsewhere which have a technical aggregation content may be handed-off to the Diploma aggregation service Service Desk. In addition, training and training materials will be provided to enable them to train trainers and Centre staff. Discussions are under way to agree whether NAA should additionally receive some readily-available Management Information.

MIS Providers

MIS (Management Information Systems) Providers provide systems and services to schools, colleges and Local Authorities for the management of learner and related data. They access the Diploma aggregation service through the API using the Developers Toolkit and the Service Desk and require timely notice of updates to these to enable them to change the software provided to Home Centres. Those MIS Providers which are also Centres may only use these services in their role as MIS Provider, so it is their technical staff rather than Local Administrators who will be able to access the Service Desk.

Governance Authority

The governance authority for the service is to be established during the Service Management Organisation Definition during April 2008. During the development of the Service Organisation, governance is provided by the Minerva Project Board and Diploma Remit Board.

The authority will require information regarding the operation of the service and will include the Change Advisory function. It will additionally be required to provide the DCSF with management information and to respond to ministerial and parliamentary questions, based on reports provided either as standard application functionality or through bespoke solutions which may be provided as a response to service requests.



2.2 CUSTOMER EXCLUSIONS

• Delivery Centres have a direct relationship with the Home Centres but are not a Customer of the Diploma aggregation service

• The DCSF will receive Management Information and standard reports from the QCA and certain reports may be produced by the Service Management Function by agreement. The DCSF may also receive reports as part of the Governance structure. However the DCSF is not a direct Customer of the Diploma aggregation service. When requested the Diploma aggregation service provides the DCSF with information particularly in response to Ministerial and Parliamentary Questions.

• The Regulator, OFQUAL, will be provided with information directly from the DABs and therefore is not a Customer of the Diploma aggregation service. Reports may be produced as part of the Governance arrangements by the Diploma aggregation service therefore indirectly for Ofqual



3. SERVICES

3.1 SERVICE GROUPS

This document describes the managed service provided by the Diploma aggregation service. It does not describe the following services which are outside the scope of Diploma aggregation:

• Services between CABs and Home Centres, and between DABs and Home Centres

• Services provided exclusively by MIS Providers to Home Centres, since the Diploma aggregation service does not maintain MIS Provider applications

• Other Diploma services, not directly related to aggregation, such as monitoring of the operations of the DABs and CABs in alignment with the Diploma Operating Rules for DABs and CABs.

A detailed list of services provided to Customers of the Diploma aggregation service can be found in the Service Catalogue. These are categorised in the following groups, a selection from which will be offered to each of the groups of Customers identified in Section 2 of this document:

S01 Access to Application

• This service provides Customers with access through the Web Browser and/or via the API (Automated Programming Interface) interface to the Diploma aggregation database application. It will be measured in terms of its availability, performance and security and against Quality of Service Customer Satisfaction surveys.

S02 Diploma Award Data

• This is the end product of the aggregation process which provides DABs with the aggregated results for individual Learners associated with them. It includes both Trial Grade and Transcript Data, and is measured in terms of accuracy and completeness, timeliness in accordance with the awarding timeline and the security and privacy of the data. Billing for these services is included in this service group.

S03 API and Developers Toolkit

• Users of the API including ABs (Awarding Bodies) and MIS Providers, will be provided with the design details and data schema in order to adapt their own interfacing systems. Proposals to change the design or schema must be communicated well in advance of effecting the change, and it is the timeliness of this communication which will be measured and monitored.

S04 Service Desk

• A Service Desk is maintained by Steria to provide technical support to Awarding Bodies and MIS Providers. A limited number of operatives for each Customer will be able to contact the Service Desk which will also provide 2nd-line support for Home Centres, via the other Customers' 1st-line support functions, for aggregation-related queries only

• The NAA School and Centre Support (SCS) is supported by the QCA’s helpdesk ‘Diploma



aggregation service Help Desk’. This Help Desk receives 2nd line support from Steria for more technical queries. A more detailed description of the Service Desk and its relationship with other support functions is included in the Service Desk Model. This service will be measured by its Hours of Operation, responsiveness, incident resolution times and Customer Satisfaction surveys.

S05 Training and Training Materials

• Training will be available for super-users in each wave of newly participating Awarding Bodies, both to Awarding Bodies and to other first-line support agencies, and may be made available at other times on a cost recovery basis. Training material maintained for train-the-trainer sessions will be made available on request and after major revisions. These services will be measured by their timeliness in relation to application revisions, and by Quality of Service surveys.

S06 Project and Governance Services

• Customers will be able to suggest changes to the Diploma aggregation service through the Continuous Improvement Process and/or their Contract Change Management Procedures. Suggestions involving major changes in functionality or Customer population will require impact assessment, design assurance, project management and procurement activity. The Service Management Function will review all suggestions through the Change Management Process. The Change Board operates as part of Governance and will take decisions on changes and/or make recommendations to other Governance groups. Changes that are approved and warrant implementing as a project will be measured in terms of requirement satisfaction/fulfilment, time and cost.

S07 Management Information

• Most Management Information (MI) requirements can be met using the data available to the system's users. An agreed set of reports will be available to DCSF via the Governance structure. Special requirements for instance to satisfy Ministerial or Parliamentary Questions or FOI (Freedom Of Information) requests can be provided through Service Requests, normally only available to Governance groups and to the Service Manager. Those requests will be measured in terms of timeliness and accuracy.

S08 Connectivity and Compatibility Testing

• These services are offered to new Diploma aggregation service participants, and to existing participants who wish to or are required to retest after a major change either to their systems or to the Diploma aggregation service application. For ABs associated with future waves of implementation, these services will be provided in conjunction with S06 Project and Governance Services.

S09 Service Management Support Services

• Several services connected with the management and governance of the overall aggregation service will impact and may be invoked by other Customers. These include financial services to the governing authority, business continuity planning and testing, release management of changes and communications. Various measures will be applied to these, as laid out in the Service Catalogue. The processes by which the Service Management Function operates S09 is documented in the Service Management Operating Manual.



3.2 SERVICES MODEL

The flows of services between the Diploma aggregation service and its Customers are summarised below. Some related service flows from other suppliers to our Customers are included in the diagram to make it clear that these are provided directly by those suppliers and do not form part of the Diploma aggregation service.


Diploma Aggregation Services

SERVICES:S01 Access to ApplicationS02 Diploma Award DataS03 API and Developers ToolkitS04 Service DeskS05 Training and Training MaterialsS06 Project and Governance ServicesS07 Management InformationS08 Connectivity and Compatibility TestingS09 Service Management Support Services

Customers

Suppliers

Customer & Supplier

Das Services

Other Services

Home Centres

Service Governance

Awarding Bodies

DABs CABs

Learners

MIAP (LRS)

Aggregation Service Desk

Aggregation Application

ManagementA.I.I

Xans

a

S01S02S03S04S05S08

S01S03S04S05S08

S06S07S09

S04S05

S01

Centre Training Centre Applications

S03S04

DAS Help Desk

MIS Providers

OFQUALDCSFMI

Reports

ULN Verification

ULNs



3.3 SERVICE DESK MODEL

The following diagram identifies the flows of queries, incident reports and service requests between Customers and suppliers. This model is based on the following assumptions:

• Problems and queries will be dealt with as closely as possible to their source, with the minimum levels of hand-off

• Home Centres will generate queries about the Diploma, some originating from Learners, and direct these to the NAA School and Centre Support Officers, the Diploma aggregation service Help Desk and Awarding Bodies, depending on the nature of the query. Some Centres may have problems with their local MIS support applications which they will direct to their MIS Providers. For example, if a Learner appears to have missing or incorrectly recorded results, the Learner Administrator should take this up with the appropriate CAB, but if this cannot be resolved the CAB may have to ask the Diploma aggregation service Desk to check the audit trail of updates to that account

• Awarding Bodies will generate queries about the Diploma which should be handled by their super-users unless these are technical in nature, whereby they should contact their local IT support in the first instance to check their local systems. Their second line point of contact is then Steria’s ‘DAS Technical Support’ desk. This desk is for queries about batch submissions, problems with the application and Local Administrator DAS user account management

• Technical queries are ultimately the responsibility of the DAS Technical Support desk but all technical incidents should first be passed through a Centre or Awarding Body’s local IT support to ensure no local failures are causing issues Where possible technical queries should be answered locally through the use of scripts, Frequently Asked Questions’ and built up local expertise

• Issues and queries relating to the Learner’s ULN should be directed to the Learner’s Home Centre and then the MIAP Help Desk if about the ULN data or problems with the LRS

• Issues and queries relating to Diploma and Component awards should be directed to the relevant Awarding Body in the first instance

• It is intended that up to 3 individuals at each Awarding Body and MIS Provider will be authorised to contact DAS Technical Support for these purposes. Where the Awarding Body is both a CAB and a DAB they will be permitted to have up to 3 authorised Service Desk callers for the CAB part of the organisation and up to 3 authorised Service Desk callers for the DAB part of the organisation

• Training is available as part of the Minerva Project for Awarding Bodies’ support/administration and for the Diploma aggregation service Help Desk through a train the trainer scheme. During live operations further training is available upon request.




Home Centres

Service Governance

Awarding Bodies

DABs CABs

Learners

MIAP (LRS)



ManagementA.I.I

Xans

a

DAS Help Desk

Customers

Suppliers

Customer & Supplier

Queries & Service Requests

Diploma Aggregation Queries & Service Requests

MIS Providers

OFQUAL

Redirect

Alerts

Aggregation Problems & Queries only

DCSF



4. SUPPLIERS

4.1 SUPPLIER ROLES

The following describes the roles of each of the organisations who will supply the services and data necessary to deliver the Diploma aggregation service.

Note that NAA are both supplier and Customer of the service.

Supplier Description of Role

NAA The NAA supply a regularly refreshed list of accredited Learning providers from their CRM system for the use of the Diploma aggregation service in validating Home Centres when they open a Learner Account.

They also provide training, support, communications and a first line helpdesk to Home Centres and an interface with second line support, where these services are not being provided by a DAB or MIS Provider as Third-Party Learner Administrators. Note that as well as being a key supplier, NAA are also a Customer of Diploma aggregation service Training services.

IT Provider (Steria) Steria provide application management of the Diploma aggregation service IT system including its ongoing maintenance, operation and enhancement. They also provide an IT Service Desk, DAS Technical Support, for technical queries and service requests from Diploma aggregation service Customers and suppliers. This is with the exception of Home Centres, whose queries may be passed to DAS Technical Support from the Diploma aggregation service Help Desk.

MIAP Managing Information Across Partners is a government sponsored organisation whose purpose is to consolidate data across the education sector, and who provide two data sources of interest to the Diploma aggregation service:

1. The MIAP Learner Registration Service (LRS) is a central register of learners. The Diploma aggregation service will use this to verify that ULNs (Unique Learner Number) exist and match the learner's attributes (e.g. name, DOB). This is an essential service to the Diploma aggregation service.

2. The MIAP UK Record of Learning Providers (UKRLP) is not currently required by the Diploma aggregation service, but may at some future time be used to verify Home Centres' data.



Supplier Description of Role

A.I.I Architecture, Information and Innovation provides the Diploma Catalogue identifying all accredited constituent qualifications, together with the Rules of Combination (RoC) which provides their valid combinations as applicable to Diploma award

OFQUAL The QCA Regulator for the Diploma aggregation service provides the grade boundaries and grading algorithm.



4.2 SUPPLY FLOWS

The data inputs on which the Diploma aggregation service depends are as follows:


Customers

Suppliers

Customer & Supplier

Data inputs to Das

Home Centres

Service Governance

Awarding Bodies

DABs CABs

Learners

MIAP (LRS)



ManagementA.I.I

Xans

a

D01

D02

D03

D04

D05

DAS Help Desk

DATA INPUTSD01 Learner DataD02 Results DataD03 Learner Validation ServiceD04 CRM DataD05 Diploma Catalogue and RoCD06 PLTS & Work ExperienceD07 Diploma Grade BoundariesD08 Diploma Final Grade notification

Diploma Aggregation Data Inputs

MIS Providers

OFQUAL

D06

D08

D07

DCSF



Data Input Explanation

D01 Learner Data Centres input basic identification data about each learner at the time of opening a Learner Account

D02 Results Data CABs are required to input individual results at least 10 days prior to Results Day or within 10 days of releasing a new result to a Centre, whichever is the earliest

D03 Learner Validation Service MIAP provide online access to the Learner Registration System to allow validation of ULN at various points in the Diploma aggregation service processes

D04 CRM Data NAA will provide a regularly refreshed copy of relevant datasets from their CRM system, allowing the aggregation service to validate the accreditation status of Centres

D05 RoC and Catalogue A.I.I will provide regularly refreshed copies of both the Diploma Component Catalogue and the Rules of Combination to enable the aggregation activity to calculate a Diploma Grade

D06 PLTS & Work Experience Input by the Home Centres indicating completion by the Learner of PLTS and Work Experience components

D07 Diploma Grade Boundaries A document supplied by OFQUAL which - in combination with the RoC – is required to assess when an award can be issued

D08 Diploma Final Grade notification

Notification by the DAB of the Diploma Grade



5. SERVICE MODEL OVERVIEW

The following diagram combines services, supplies and service call flows in a single view of the Service Model.


Diploma Aggregation Service Model

SERVICES:S01 Access to ApplicationS02 Diploma Award DataS03 API and Developers ToolkitS04 Service DeskS05 Training and Training MaterialsS06 Project and Governance ServicesS07 Management InformationS08 Connectivity and Compatibility TestingS09 Service Management Support Services

Customers

Suppliers

Customer & Supplier

Das Services

Other Services

Queries & Service Requests

Data inputs to Das

Home Centres

Service Governance

Awarding Bodies

DABs CABs

Learners

MIAP (LRS)



ManagementA.I.I

Xans

aS01S02S03S04S05S08

S01S03S04S05S08

S06S07S09

S04S05

S01

Centre Training Centre Applications

D01

D02

D03

D04

D05

S03S04

DAS Help Desk

MIS Providers

OFQUAL

D06

D08

D07

DATA INPUTSD01 Learner DataD02 Results DataD03 Learner Validation ServiceD04 CRM DataD05 Diploma Catalogue and RoCD06 PLTS & Work ExperienceD07 Diploma Grade BoundariesD08 Diploma Final Grade notification

Redirect

Alerts

DCSFMI

Reports

ULN Verification

ULNs



6. GOVERNANCE

The Service Management Function will manage the Diploma aggregation service post-Live on a day-to-day operational basis. The Governance structure provides key roles for the Service Management Function in governance aspects of managing the service, monitoring and managing risks to the Service, ensuring management controls are exercised, monitoring service quality and facilitating resolution to disputes.

The Stakeholder Management Strategy (due to be signed off by 1st September 2008) and Schedule 8 (Governance) of the Final Operating Agreement 19th June 2008 with Awarding Bodies defines the Governance groups and responsibilities of those groups.

Decision making authority at the Diploma aggregation service level resides with the Diploma aggregation service Management Board. Consultation and advice is provided by other governance groups within the governance structure such as the Diploma aggregation service Operations Group and Stakeholder Group respectively.

Awarding Bodies are represented in the Diploma aggregation service Operations Group to ensure that Awarding Bodies are consulted on issues relating to the management of the service. This is an advisory group which discusses key issues, obtains feedback, is consulted on future developments and makes recommendations to the Diploma aggregation service Management Board about Requests For Change. In addition 1:1 Review Meetings will be held with Awarding Bodies to review service performance, potential changes, risks and the adequacy of Service Levels with Suppliers.

Centres are represented by the NAA School and Centre Support Director at the Diploma aggregation service Management Board. This board has decision making authority and ensures that Service Levels are met and an effective service is provided to Diploma aggregation service Customers.

The Governance structure allows Change Management, Release Management and Continuous Improvement Processes to be performed with ownership and levels of responsibilities established to facilitate and direct these processes. This supports Stakeholder Management and Customer Relationship Management.



7. APPENDIX A - SERVICE CATALOGUE

A.1 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE

The Service Catalogue lists all the services available to each group of Customers. Customer-specific views of the catalogue will be provided where the context demands. As the interdependent documents referenced at 1.5 develop, the catalogue will be enhanced to provide:

o A cross-reference to one or more supporting processes for each service

o Groups involved in the resolution or completion of the service and its processes

o Service and process parameters to be expanded in Service Level and Operating Level Agreements, including:

Service hours of cover

Process hours of cover – (known contractually with Steria) as Operational Hours

Key performance metrics - Service Levels, Operational Levels (for internal service providers or departments), Underpinning Contracts (for external service providers or suppliers), performance targets



A.2 SERVICE CATALOGUE TABLE

DA

BC

AB

Hom

e C

entr

eM

IS P

rovi

ders

NA

AG

over

nanc

e

Service No. Service Groups Services Key Performance Measure

S03 API and Developers Toolkit

y y y S03.1 API Guide Timeliness

y y y S03.2 WSDL (detailed XML specification) Timeliness

y y y S03.3 Software Developers Toolkit Timeliness

S04 Service Desk

y y y y S04.1 Helpdesk Services for technical aggregation enquiries and incidents

response timeresolution time

y y y y S04.2 Service Desk Availability Hours of Operation

y y y y y S04.3 Service Requests Response time

y S04.4 Helpdesk Services for 2nd line enquiries (Home Centres)

Time taken

S05 Training and Training Materials

y y y y S05.1 Provision of Training MaterialsTime takenQoS 3 Provision of 3-monthly updates

y y y y S05.4 Provision of System TrainingTime takenQoS 3 Provision of 3-monthly updates

y y y y S05.7 Provision of Service Desk Training (incl scripts) for all users (Abs, NAA, MIS Providers)

Time takenQoS 3 Provision of 3-monthly updates

S06Project and Governance Services

y S06.1 Impact Assessment Speed of return of assessment

y S06.2 Delivering Change Efficiency and effectiveness of the Change Control process

A

Satisfaction/fulfilment of the Requirement

Time taken

Cost

Align with wider business transformation initiativesMaintain risk registers

y S06.3 Design Assurance Assure services against standards

y S06.4 Business Assurance Assist with feasibility studiesA

Monitor and report benefits against plan

y S06.5 Operational readiness testing

Customer Group Diploma aggregation serviceService Catalogue



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S07 Management Information

Standard Reports

y S07.1 Diploma Start up report Time takenAccuracy

A

y S07.2 Diploma Participation report Time takenAccuracy

y S07.3 Diploma Completion report Time takenAccuracy

y S07.4 Diploma Constituent qualifications used report Time takenAccuracy

y S07.5 Diploma Changes report Time takenAccuracy

y S07.6 Deactivated Learner accounts report Time takenAccuracy

y S07.7 Ad Hoc Reporting (Parliamentary Questions) Time takenAccuracy

A

y y S07.8 Completion Status Report Time takenAccuracy

y S07.9 Service Data Time takenAccuracy

S08 Connectivity & Compatibility Testing

y y y S08.1 Support for Connectivity Testing QoS

y y y S08.2 Support for Compatibility Testing QoS

S09 Support Services

y S09.1 Business Continuity (DR) Availability

y S09.2 Contract Management Pay service provider

Negotiate contract changes

y y S09.3 Relat ionship Management QoS

y y S09.4 Performance Management Monitor performance against SLAs

Operate incentive mechanism

y y y y y S09.5 Communications Communications follow a standard plan and stakeholder engagement process

y S09.6 GovernanceGovernance follows the process aligned with overall Diploma End-to-End Governance

Customer GroupDiploma aggregation serviceService Catalogue



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y y y S09.7 Billing Services for Optional Services Time takenAccuracy

y y y y y S09.8 Managing Interfaces Assure service provider reports

Identify new user/business needs

Operate dispute resolution processes

y S09.9 Security Assure security standards

Handle security breaches

y S09.10 Conduct Risk Assessment Regular assessment of system vulnerabilities

y S09.11 Manage penetration testing Regular assessment of security breaches

y y y y S09.12 Improvement and innovationQoS;Operate Continuous Improvement process

Customer GroupDiploma aggregation serviceService Catalogue

*QoS is Quality of Service and is measured through the collation of customer feedback in 'Customer Satisfaction surveys', as per description of S01 in the Service Definition Document. How this takes place and the frequency is to be developed.

Documents

DIPLOMA AGGREGATION SERVICE