Using the 25Live Meeting Pattern Grid


Meeting Pattern GridImage: The Meeting Pattern Grid gives you the ability to quickly and collaboratively fine-tune Schedule25 Optimizer results.

The 25Live Meeting Pattern Grid helps you fine-tune the results from your Schedule25 Optimizer runs to find room for

  • Not Placed - sections not placed because of competition from other sections
  • Impossible to Place - those sections whose preferences or requirements are such that there is no suitable placement in the run

In addition, the Meeting Pattern grid makes it easy to share and collaborate your changes with other users. After finalizing these finishing touches, you can send them back to the Optimizer for their final assignment.


Tip: Example For Transitioning From Social Distance Capacities

If a scheduler is asked to switch from reduced capacity layouts to standard capacities, the Meeting Pattern Grid feature can help finalize the results from your new run more quickly.

Getting To The Meeting Pattern Grid

Security Reminder: What Do You Need to Access the Meeting Pattern Grid

You need to log in to 25Live as a user with permission to access the Schedule25 Optimizer (or a user who has had a Meeting Pattern Grid board shared with them).

Meeting pattern grid in the more menu

Open the More menu in the top navigation bar and use the Meeting Pattern Grid link.

Managing a Board

Choose a boardImage: The Choose a board menu shows you available boards based on Optimizer runs and shared content. 

Use the Choose a board dropdown menu to select a meeting pattern grid board. The dropdown menu will contain all the Optimizer runs associated with your 25Live user with events, results, and spaces files present. The menu will also show any boards another user has shared with you.

After choosing a board, the Manage Board button allows you to share with or remove 25Live contacts. Type to search for contacts (or use the Reset button to reset a search), then use the Add button. The Remove button is also available to take users off the share list.

From these views, the View Board button will bring you to the grid.

Viewing a Board

At the top of the board view, the Choose Board button will return to the initial dropdown menu view. Use the Manage Board button to share with other contacts.

Viewing boardImage: The grid shows locations along the left side and days and times from the meeting pattern along the top row. 

The left side of the grid is populated with locations from the associated Optimizer run along with the capacity of each (either the default or max capacity, as defined by the Optimizer run) displayed in parentheses next to the location name.

Tip: Viewing Location Information
Location info
Image: Clicking on the location name shows more information about it.
 
 

Tap or click on the name of any location in the left-side list on the grid to view extra information, such as features, partitions, and capacity.

Days and times for the selected meeting pattern are shown on the grid's top for the hours selected.

The grid's top content row will always show unassigned classes/sections that were "Not Placed" or "Impossible to Place" during the Optimizer run as UNASSIGNED.

Course Blocks

Green and gray section blocksImage: Green blocks are movable, and gray blocks are not without changing the pattern. 

Course sections appear on the grid as rectangles that span across the time blocks for that class's duration.

  • Green - class sections that are available to move
  • Gray - sections that don't fully adhere to the selected meeting pattern (such as a Friday class shown in an MWF meeting pattern) or events outside the Optimizer run that cannot be moved without changing the meeting pattern

Getting More Section Information

Course informationImage: The gear icon reveals more information about each course section. 

Within each green block, you can use the gear (Gear icon) icon to see additional information about the section (Organization, Partition Preferences, Enrollment).

Use the Sort Locations by Relevance button within the section information to change the sorting of the left-side list of locations relevant to this section (using capacity, partition preference, and requested features) to move up those that might be a better fit. The Default Sort button on top of the grid will restore the original location sorting.

Animation: Clicking on Clustered Items links within the course section information will sort it to the top of the stack. 

The links under the Clustered Items heading in the section info show all sections that overlap with this section on the grid (using the same time and location). You can click on one of these sections to sort it to the top of the cluster.

Adjusting Grid Hours

Adjusting hoursImage: Use the slider controls to change the hours displayed along the top of the grid. 

At the top-left corner of the grid are controls for changing which hours are shown along the top of the grid. Click on the control (Adjust hours icon) icon to open the Hours Shown display. Move the sliders along the line to adjust the hours shown in the grid.

If a section's end time is before the earliest hour on the grid, it will not display. Similarly, if a section's start time is after the last hour show, it will not display.

Setting Meeting Pattern Days

Setting meeting pattern daysImage: The Meeting Pattern Days button controls which patterns and courses show on the grid. 

Use the ‌Meeting Pattern Days button to open a list of meeting pattern options. Select as many patterns as you'd like course sections to display.

Working with Filters

Filters dropdownImage: Use the  + Add Filters button to reveal the dropdown menu. 

Filters help you find a best-fit room for your unplaced classes in the Meeting Pattern Grid.  Using the + Add Filter dropdown, you can filter what you see in the grid by:

  • Name
    • Type part or all of any location names in the Name field to limit the locations shown
  • Capacity
    • Type numeric values in the Capacity fields

Capacity filterImage: Type numbers in the Capacity fields to show only matching sections. 

  • Features
    • Use the Select Features button to reveal a list of features to check, then tap or click Done to apply

Image: Check the features you wish to apply to the filter. 

  • Partitions
    • Use the Select Partitions button to reveal the list of partitions to check that you want to be included in the filter, then use the Done button to apply your choices

Partitions choicesImage: Check the partitions you want to apply to the filter. 

Tap or click the Run Filters to apply a filter. Multiple filters can be applied. Use the Clear Filter button to restore the complete grid of sections.

Reminder: Getting More Location Information

Click on the name of any location in the left-side list to view more information about it.

Sorting

Sorting locationsImage: Use the Default Sort button to return locations to alphabetical order. 

Use the Default Sort button to restore the locations to alphabetical order if you previously used the Sort Locations by Relevance button (which sorts according to capacity, partition preference, and requested features) within the course section information.

Navigating Around the Board

Navigation controlImage: Drag the smaller rectangle within the navigation control to move around the grid. 

There is a shaded navigation control box with a smaller rectangle within the bottom-right corner of the grid.  The inner rectangle represents the amount of grid that is visible. Drag the smaller rectangle within the shaded control box to scroll around the board.

Animation: Moving around the board using the navigation grid control. 

Moving Course Sections

Animation: You can move course section blocks up or down to another location. 

Click any green course section rectangle to move it up or down to a different location. Sections shaded gray cannot be moved (without changing the meeting pattern displayed). Blocks cannot currently move horizontally.

Tip: Changes Are Saved Automatically

25Live automatically saves the board for viewing by you or shared contacts as you make changes.

Moving section blocks on the grid does not assign them to the new location. You will make assignments in the Optimizer after sending back your changes.

Moving Clustered Sections Stacks

Animation: Drag the top section in a stack to separate it to move to a new location. 

If section blocks are stacked (such as with clustered items, as shown in the section information), you can click on a stack to move the top section, separating the clustered course sections. Separating sections is especially helpful in managing a cluster of "UNASSIGNED" sections.

Tip: Moving and Sorting Unassigned Blocks

Many of the "UNASSIGNED" blocks may be sections that were "Not Placed" or "Impossible to Place" in the Optimizer run. Clicking into each section and using the Sort by Relevance button will help you find the best fit for those sections. You may then wish to move suggested assignments to find suitable locations to accommodate everything in your schedule.

Sending to Optimizer

Reminder: The Meeting Pattern Grid is a Collaborative Tool

Before sending your changes to the Optimizer, you may want to use the Manage Board button to share this board with other staff members for review.

When you are done making changes and reviewing with others, use the Send to Optimizer button to update the Schedule25 Optimizer files. The changes will display in the Optimizer as "Suggested Assignments" that you can review and assign.

See Performing Schedule25 Optimizer Runs in the Schedule25 Optimizer help for more detail on the next steps.