Independent Travel Training App

Essex County Council's Travel Training team are seeking a new front-ended Travel Training app, for our Travel Trainers, Students and Parents/Carers, with an accompanying back-ended management platform. This is to replace the current desktop system that the team currently operates and to reduce the administrative pressure of it via a simple app. This new and modern system, which incorporates the functional requirements (outlined below) of ECC's travel training systems will help improve users (outlined below) experience and improve ECC's efficiency across ECCs teams, from reduced administrative pressure from a simplified app.

Users:

1. Travel Trainers - the Travel Trainer / Staff portal will be the detailed area and will be the one stop shop for all the resources and tools our Travel Trainers require.
2. Students - the Student Portal will be the simplest version of the app, since most of our students are SEN, it is vital that we make the app seamless and not overcomplicate their experience.
3. Parents / Carers - the Parent and Carer portal will be a place where they can view the progress of the student conducting travel training.

Objectives and Success Criteria:

Success looks like a clear and user-friendly app interface, incorporating the functional requirements outlined in this document.

1. Improved operational efficiency - The aim of this app is to help improve efficiency across the Travel Training service, thus freeing up time for the Travel Trainers to conduct more sessions, rather than taking up their time on administrative duties. The functional requirements listed below will help us achieve this.
2. Enhanced user experience - provide a clear, intuitive and accessible interface for Travel Trainers, Students and Parents/Carers, creating a simple and engaging experience. Additionally, improving communication between the Travel Trainers, Students and Parents/Carers.
3. Improved data, reporting and performance management - capture all service activity within a single platform, providing automated KPI and management reporting. This will help enable evidence-based service improvement and ensure we are enhancing efficiency and user experience.
4. Improved safeguarding and compliance - ensure GDPR and data protection compliance, maintain secure access controls and audit trails. Support safeguarding requirements for children and vulnerable learners. Also providing easy access to policies, guidance and terms of use.

Functional Requirements:

Procurement or development of a Travel Training app, incorporating the below requirements and also an indicative system diagram.

1. Reporting, KPIs and Evaluation - the ability to be able to pull out reporting from the data within the app. For example, number of travel training sessions per student or the number of completed students for each month.
2. Calendar / Diary management - ability to book in Travel Training sessions and email/text the booking to the student/parent/carer. This means that once a referral has been completed by a student, parent or carer, this will be allocated directly to a Travel Trainer and placed into their calendar, rather than an administration officer having to allocate. Equally, Travel Trainers will be able to manage their calendar/diary directly from the app, whilst also being uploaded to the Outlook calendar.
3. Evidence - ability for the Travel Trainer to upload and manage the evidence of Travel Training sessions. This could be done in a variety of forms, such as text, pictures, voice notes or diagrams. There would also be a requirement for there to be a checklist, to ensure that all the required evidence has been uploaded, checked off and standardised for ease of reporting. This would be only viewed by the Travel Training team.
4. Alerts - automatic alerts to be sent to the student and parents to remind them that they have a Travel Training session for the next day. Equally, Travel Trainers would also get notifications on new referrals or sessions that come through via the app or text message.
5. Offline functionality - requirement to be able to view the information whilst being offline, due to the nature of travel training sometimes being in more rural areas. Also be able to upload evidence whilst offline but then it uploads once there is a internet connection.
6. Desktop and Phone - the app to be viewable on both a mobile phone and a desktop.
7. Virtual Training - a portal for Trainers to access, which will include the latest e-learning training for the Travel Trainers.
8. Mail out - ability to do a multi-contact email out to parents and students, to update them or send useful resources.
9. Student and Parent interface - an ability for the student and parents to have a different level of access, meeting their requirements specified below. Whereby they can view their appointments, access learning materials and contact the Travel Trainers direct.
10. National Alerts - integration with weather and national strike alerts, to help keep students, parents and travel trainers informed.
11. Ability for the app to work on both iOS and Android devices.
12. Section of the app dedicated to terms of use and our policies related to Essex County Council's travel training for the Travel Trainers, Students and Parent/Carers, such as our safeguarding statement, policies and guidance of conduct.
13. Automatic feedback form to be sent to parents/carer after a successful completion of the student's travel training. A follow up feedback form to then be sent to the parent/carer one month after completion to check in on the student. This data will then be fed back into the KPI reporting system.

Travel Trainer interface:

Reporting, KPI and Evaluation section

Calendar / diary management section

Evidence upload section, with option to toggle internal/external visibility

Travel Trainers to receive automatic text alerts on new referrals

Offline functionality

App to be viewable on both a mobile phone and desktop

Portal for Travel Trainer's e-learning

Multi-contact mail out to parents/carers and students

Section of the app dedicated to terms of use and our policies related to Essex County Council's travel training

Option to add feedback which can be seen by the Parent/Carer on Students progress

Student and Parent/Carer interface:

Both student and parent/carer to receive an automatic text alert about their next Travel Training session

Offline functionality

App to be viewable on both a mobile phone and desktop

View upcoming travel training sessions via a calendar

National alerts integration with weather and national strikes

Ability to receive feedback from Travel Trainers

Non-Functional Requirements

Performance:

• App needs to be scalable, meaning that we could in the future add more to the app. Equally the app needs to be able to work efficiently and effectively, so it is a tool rather than a burden to staff.

Security:

• General IT security needs to be considered, especially as this is including sensitive information of members of the public. Therefore, we would need to incorporate GDPR, data protection and access control.
• Safeguarding is especially important for this app, as this will be used by students and under 18s. Therefore, this will need to be implemented into the app software.