It has to happen sometimes. B)
Why do people just whine about the system not working when the following message was placed on the Helpdesk page earlier in the week –
The Bader Team are currently aware of and investigating intermittent issues with users logging into Ultilearn. If you are experiencing issues before raising a service request please ensure you have followed the guidance in the document below: https://info.bader.mod.uk/bader/kb/Knowledge%20Base/20111103-Managing%20Cadets%20Ultilearn%20Accounts-U-BaderStaffs.pdf If after following the document above you are still experiencing issues please ensure you include the CIN or service numbers of the affected users to aid in our investigations. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and will update this post as and when more information becomes available.
Everyone knows what its like, and it wont get any better under the present management, just bombard the Helpdesk…
Seeing pEp’s recent post in the Advanced Radio & Radar thread:
I have just tried a selection of logins from my Sqn’s list and none have worked.
Has there been some major change which noone has told us about that has rendered all previous passwords useless, or have I just picked an unlucky selection of 6 in a row?
Wait one…
[quote=“Announcements on Sharepoint”]Most of you are aware of the current login problems that occurred over the past few days, and how this has affected many sqns. This came about after moving Ultilearn to a new server in preparation for a software update, which we hope will improve the user experience. Ultimedia and the Bader Team are currently working on the problem.
Many sqns are experiencing problems in one form or another and at one point, we seriously looked at shutting Ultilearn down for a period while Ultimedia looked at rectifying our problems. However, we are aware of a larger proportion of the ACO who still have access to and are using the system. Therefore, to shut it down, would severely disadvantage them.
We expect the software update within the next two weeks (18 Feb 13) with its deployment taking place a couple of days later, this should fix the majority of our problems.
Please keep an eye on scrolling news and the BADER helpdesk for the latest information.
In the meantime, take the following actions, if necessary, to alleviate the problems you are experiencing, to prevent last minute panics.
• Ensure that the cadet username and password work before the day of the online assessment.
• Any passwords that are not correct, you now have time to use the ‘forgot password’ function.
• Register your cadets for their online assessment outside of normal parade times.
• When you have more than one cadet sitting at computer terminals, allow each one to log in fully before the next one logs in.
• If you still have problems of any description, then please log the problem on the BADER helpdesk using the Service Request proforma.
Please keep logging any problems you have with the learning platform or training material. Every Helpdesk request is looked at and actioned.[/quote]
Sqn generic account seems to work OK.
This must be something else I’ve missed then. I was unaware that there was a generic login for ultilearn…
So was I until about a week ago!
Ours is our sqn no, and usefully the email address registered is the generic one and not the OC’s, so any member of staff can do a password reminder. Might be worth a go!
A letter came out recently about Ultilearn from the CAC, She said everywhere she visits everyone moans about it.
Basically it was OC Rgn North’s fault we use it! it initial set up was summit like £37K and it costs £7K a year for updates and it’s upkeep!
I’ll try and dig out the letter!
I believe her words were something like “Everywhere I go, it gets a slating.”
Are those the costs for the Groupie or Ultifail?
Are those the costs for the Groupie or Ultifail?[/quote]
…what are they spending the money on!
Server costs, maintainence to the software etc I would guess.
Although I’d imagine there are some discounts being negotiated now!
I would hope so, hopefully their not just throwing more money at it to get it to work.
I guess at least its cheaper than the price of the Corps website (from what I remember reading).
Sometimes wish we could vote on what they spend the money on.
It’s a pity they don’t tap the huge pool of expert knowledge in MANY areas that we already have in the Corps for suggestions, before they rush into contracts with over-priced companies hoping for results that they cannot achieve.
Succinct.
The more I hear about her, the more I like her. 
[quote=“wdimagineer2b” post=4223]It’s a pity they don’t tap the huge pool of expert knowledge in MANY areas that we already have in the Corps for suggestions, before they rush into contracts with over-priced companies hoping for results that they cannot achieve.
Succinct.
The more I hear about her, the more I like her. :)[/quote]
Care to expand on that?
Sure.
I assume you mean my first point?
The major problem with Ultilearn seems to be that what they wanted was a custom online examination system. Something that would allow cadets to sit exams at any suitable time, remove the need for the marking of paper exams, and which would interface with SMS to easily and quickly update individual records.
What they did was buy an off-the-shelf eLearning application which was unsuited to our needs (being that we don’t send cadets away to register for self-learning courses - we teach them in lessons); wasn’t able to interface with our proprietory personnel database system without major modification, and which was over-priced from the start considering that the only way for it meet our needs was to change it drastically.
It wouldn’t have taken long for the many IT experts we have volunteering in the Corps to have foreseen the problems I describe… if only there were some easy way to utilise the expertise that we already have within I’m sure they could have been directed to a far more appropriate, more cost effective, and ultimately more feasible solution.
Would that be the same type of expertise who promised to provide training material and never have done?
People are often quick to volunteer, but then shy away when the size of the task and the ongoing support requirements become obvious.
It’s hard to unpick someone else’s’ system, just ask the Bader team.
That’s sort of what I’m getting at.
It may well have been better to have a custom solution developed than to attempt to rework an existing product to fit our non-standard requirements.
Whilst I’m not suggesting that the ‘experts’ I mention would have necessarily offered to develop it, but with such a pool of knowledge and experience I think it likely that someone could have offered a better suggestion as to how best to approach the project.
Even if that were just to suggest a different company/product that would have better fit our needs.
Certainly there is one name I’ve heard mentioned by a number of people (can’t remember it now…hopefully Blu3zirux will be able to refresh my memory?) that apparently would have likely proven to be a better choice than Ultilearn.
Having invested so much into attempting to make Ultilearn work, as I understand it, a difficult decision being considered now is whether to continue to throw good money after bad, or to cut our losses, realise that Ultilearn was a poor choice, and move to something that can actually do what we need it to?