1. What is the innovation?
WAMS: Workload Allocations Management System allocates workloads for academics at Australian universities. Typically this is handled through a complex spreadsheet, which often contains errors and is difficult to work collaboratively on. Moreover, changes in workload models cause spreadsheets to become even more complex and prone to errors.
Designed by Computers Science academics, WAMS offers a flexible, web-enabled method to manage allocations regardless of the number, type, and scope of academic workload models used in the institution.
2. What benefits does the innovation bring?
WAMS simplifies workload allocation, saving time, money and a lot of frustration. WAMS can streamline processes in Faculties and other academic sections, thereby freeing resources for other processes and ultimately making universities more efficient. In addition, academics’ time can also be utilised more efficiently through transparent and equitable allocation and communication.
3. What commercial success and/or benefit to society has it achieved?
USQ’s licensing partner “Academ” has been able to sell licenses for WAMS to a number of academic sections at several Australian universities, and is also currently handling multiple trials for other institutions.
4. What lessons learnt can you share?
Commercialising a system takes a lot of time and effort. Clients are other universities and each has their own processes. In addition, workload management is a sensitive topic, so sales are not made quickly. Patience is the ultimate virtue, and in the end, it pays.
5. How many new jobs has this innovation created?
1-2