Difference between revisions of "Planning Matrix Template"

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This page describes how to build a planning matrix specifically for '''Program and Unit Planning & Assessment'''. 
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= Planning Matrix Template =
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It builds on the standard matrix creation process and adds additional structure required for planning and assessment.
 
  
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This page describes how to build a Planning Matrix for use with [[RCampus_Program_Review,_Assessment_%26_Planning_Overview|RCampus Program Review, Assessment & Planning]]. It builds on the standard matrix creation process and adds the additional structure required for program and unit planning and assessment.
  
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== Before you begin ==
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----
 +
 
 +
== Before You Begin ==
  
 
If you have not already created a basic matrix, review the general matrix setup process first:
 
If you have not already created a basic matrix, review the general matrix setup process first:
  
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* [https://help.rcampus.com/index.php/Build_Matrix Build Matrix]
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* [[Build_Matrix|Build a Matrix]]
  
 
That page covers how to create a matrix, define rows and columns, and configure basic cell settings.
 
That page covers how to create a matrix, define rows and columns, and configure basic cell settings.
  
 +
----
 +
 +
== The Planning Matrix ==
 +
 +
A Planning Matrix is a flexible, multi-purpose table. While at least one cell must be configured to house assessment plans, the matrix can — and typically does — contain additional rows and cells for other purposes. Common examples include:
 +
 +
* Faculty credentials
 +
* Facilities information
 +
* Sample student work
 +
* Course lists or schedules
 +
* Final reports
 +
* Supporting documents
 +
 +
This flexibility allows institutions to consolidate all program or unit submissions into a single, organized matrix for a given assessment cycle.
 +
 +
----
 +
 +
== Setting the Matrix Use-Case ==
  
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== Program and Unit Planning & Assessment matrices ==
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When building a matrix, set the '''Matrix Use-Case''' dropdown to the appropriate option:
  
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A Program or Unit Planning & Assessment matrix uses the same matrix structure, with one key difference:
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* '''Program Review/Assessment''' — for academic programs
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* '''Administrative Unit Assessment''' — for administrative units
 +
* '''Student Portfolio/Assessment''' — for student-facing matrices
 +
* '''Faculty Credentialing''' — for faculty credential collection
  
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* One or more cells must be set to the '''Plan''' [[Matrix Cell Types|cell type]]
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For program and unit planning, select '''Program Review/Assessment''' or '''Administrative Unit Assessment''' depending on the type of programs or units the matrix will serve.
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* Plan cells contain a hierarchy of '''sub-cells''' used to capture planning and assessment data
 
  
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This hierarchy allows programs and units to document goals, objectives or outcomes, and planned actions in a structured way.
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----
  
 +
== Configuring Plan Cells ==
  
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== Using Plan cells ==
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At least one cell in the matrix must be configured as a '''Plan''' cell — the cell type that houses assessment plans. To configure a Plan cell:
  
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When building your matrix, identify the cell or cells that will contain planning information and set their '''[[Matrix Cell Types|Cell Type]]''' to '''Plan'''.
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# Open the settings for the cell
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# Set the '''[[Matrix_Cell_Types|Cell Type]]''' to '''Plan'''
  
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Plan cells support multiple levels of sub-cells.
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A matrix cell designated as a Plan cell can hold one plan per program or unit. When a program or unit is assigned to the matrix, they access this cell to enter their assessment plan for the cycle.
  
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=== Plan sub-cell hierarchy ===
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=== Plan Sub-Cell Hierarchy ===
  
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Within each Plan cell, sub-cells must be organized in the following hierarchy:
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Within each Plan cell, sub-cells organize the structure of the plan. The supported hierarchy is:
  
 
* '''Plan'''
 
* '''Plan'''
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** '''Goal'''
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** '''Goal''' ''(optional)''
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*** '''Objective''' or '''Outcome'''
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*** '''Outcome''' (academic programs) or '''Objective''' (administrative units)
 
**** '''Action'''
 
**** '''Action'''
  
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This hierarchy allows programs and units to:
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Goals are optional. A plan can be structured as Plan → Outcomes/Objectives directly, without a Goal level, depending on institutional preference.
 +
 
 +
The terms '''Outcome''' and '''Objective''' refer to the same sub-cell type internally. The label used in the UI is determined by the program type:
 +
* Academic programs display '''Outcome'''
 +
* Administrative units display '''Objective'''
 +
 
 +
This is set when the plan is created and is based on whether the plan is designated as an Academic Program plan or an Administrative Unit plan.
 +
 
 +
----
  
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* Define high-level goals
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== Two Sub-Cell Design Modes ==
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* Break goals into specific objectives or outcomes
 
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* Identify actions that support improvement or change
 
  
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Plan cells support two approaches to sub-cell design. Choose the approach that best fits your institution's needs.
  
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== Adding sub-cells ==
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=== Mode 1: Repeating Sub-Cells ===
  
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To add sub-cells to a Plan cell:
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In this mode, sub-cells are created as repeatable, allowing end users to add as many entries as needed during data entry.
 +
 
 +
To configure repeating sub-cells:
  
 
# Open the settings for the Plan cell
 
# Open the settings for the Plan cell
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# Click the '''+''' button at the top of the cell settings screen
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# Click the '''+''' button to add a sub-cell
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# Select the sub-cell [[Matrix Cell Types|type]] to add (Goal, Objective, Outcome, or Action)
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# Select the sub-cell type (Goal, Outcome, Objective, or Action)
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# Continue adding sub-cells to build the required hierarchy
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# In the sub-cell settings, check the box '''Sub-cell is repeatable'''
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# Save the sub-cell settings
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# Repeat for each level of the hierarchy needed
  
 +
When a user opens their plan, they will see an '''Add''' button at each repeatable level, allowing them to create as many goals, outcomes, objectives, or actions as required.
  
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== Making sub-cells repeatable ==
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'''Recommended repeatable sub-cells:'''
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* Goal
 +
* Outcome and/or Objective
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* Action
  
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For Program and Unit Planning & Assessment, sub-cells must be configured as '''repeatable''' so programs and units can enter multiple goals, objectives, and actions.
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=== Mode 2: Pre-Set Sub-Cells ===
  
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When adding a sub-cell:
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In this mode, sub-cells are created manually by the coordinator and are not made repeatable. This approach is useful when a specific standard or institutional requirement defines a fixed set of goals, outcomes, or objectives with specific names.
  
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# In the sub-cell settings, locate the checkbox '''Sub-cell is repeatable'''
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To configure pre-set sub-cells:
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# Check this box
 
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# Save the sub-cell settings
 
  
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Repeatable sub-cells allow users to add as many entries as needed during data entry.
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# Open the settings for the Plan cell
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# Click the '''+''' button to add a sub-cell
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# Select the sub-cell type and assign it the required name
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# Leave the '''Sub-cell is repeatable''' checkbox '''unchecked'''
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# Repeat for each required sub-cell
  
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=== Recommended repeatable sub-cells ===
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When a user opens their plan, the pre-set sub-cells are automatically created with the correct names and structure. Users fill in the content without needing to create the structure themselves.
  
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The following sub-cells should be set as repeatable:
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This mode is well suited for:
 +
* Accreditation standards that specify a fixed number of goals or outcomes
 +
* Institutional templates that require consistent naming across all programs
 +
* Simplified workflows where coordinators want to reduce variability in submissions
  
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* '''Goal'''
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----
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* '''Objective''' and/or '''Outcome'''
 
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* '''Action'''
 
  
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If sub-cells are not repeatable, programs and units will be limited to a single entry at that level.
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== Design Tips ==
  
 +
* A matrix can have more than one Plan cell if different program types require different plan structures
 +
* Not every Plan cell needs to include all hierarchy levels — configure only what your institution needs to collect
 +
* Keep the plan structure consistent across programs and units of the same type to support reporting and comparison
 +
* Additional matrix rows can be used to collect supporting materials such as faculty credentials, course lists, sample student work, or final reports — all within the same matrix deployment
  
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== Design tips ==
+
----
  
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* Not every Plan cell needs to include goals, objectives, or actions
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== Next Steps ==
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* Program assessments use '''Outcomes''', while Unit assessments use '''Objectives''' automatically.
 
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* Keep the matrix structure consistent across programs and units to support reporting and review
 
  
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Once the matrix structure is complete, it can be used to create Matrix assessments for a specific planning and assessment cycle.
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Once the Planning Matrix template is complete, the next step is to create a [[Matrix_assessment|Matrix assessment]] to deploy it for a specific planning cycle.
  
 +
See [[Program_and_Unit_Planning_%26_Assessment:_Getting_Started|Program and Unit Planning & Assessment: Getting Started]] for the full setup sequence.
  
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==See Also==
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----
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{{Matrix see also}}
 
  
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== See Also ==
  
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[[Category:Matrix]]
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{{Program Review see also}}
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[[Category:ePortfolios]]
 
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[[Category:Competency Management]]
 

Latest revision as of 14:24, 22 April 2026

Planning Matrix Template

This page describes how to build a Planning Matrix for use with RCampus Program Review, Assessment & Planning. It builds on the standard matrix creation process and adds the additional structure required for program and unit planning and assessment.

Before You Begin

If you have not already created a basic matrix, review the general matrix setup process first:

That page covers how to create a matrix, define rows and columns, and configure basic cell settings.

The Planning Matrix

A Planning Matrix is a flexible, multi-purpose table. While at least one cell must be configured to house assessment plans, the matrix can — and typically does — contain additional rows and cells for other purposes. Common examples include:

  • Faculty credentials
  • Facilities information
  • Sample student work
  • Course lists or schedules
  • Final reports
  • Supporting documents

This flexibility allows institutions to consolidate all program or unit submissions into a single, organized matrix for a given assessment cycle.

Setting the Matrix Use-Case

When building a matrix, set the Matrix Use-Case dropdown to the appropriate option:

  • Program Review/Assessment — for academic programs
  • Administrative Unit Assessment — for administrative units
  • Student Portfolio/Assessment — for student-facing matrices
  • Faculty Credentialing — for faculty credential collection

For program and unit planning, select Program Review/Assessment or Administrative Unit Assessment depending on the type of programs or units the matrix will serve.

Configuring Plan Cells

At least one cell in the matrix must be configured as a Plan cell — the cell type that houses assessment plans. To configure a Plan cell:

  1. Open the settings for the cell
  2. Set the Cell Type to Plan

A matrix cell designated as a Plan cell can hold one plan per program or unit. When a program or unit is assigned to the matrix, they access this cell to enter their assessment plan for the cycle.

Plan Sub-Cell Hierarchy

Within each Plan cell, sub-cells organize the structure of the plan. The supported hierarchy is:

  • Plan
    • Goal (optional)
      • Outcome (academic programs) or Objective (administrative units)
        • Action

Goals are optional. A plan can be structured as Plan → Outcomes/Objectives directly, without a Goal level, depending on institutional preference.

The terms Outcome and Objective refer to the same sub-cell type internally. The label used in the UI is determined by the program type:

  • Academic programs display Outcome
  • Administrative units display Objective

This is set when the plan is created and is based on whether the plan is designated as an Academic Program plan or an Administrative Unit plan.

Two Sub-Cell Design Modes

Plan cells support two approaches to sub-cell design. Choose the approach that best fits your institution's needs.

Mode 1: Repeating Sub-Cells

In this mode, sub-cells are created as repeatable, allowing end users to add as many entries as needed during data entry.

To configure repeating sub-cells:

  1. Open the settings for the Plan cell
  2. Click the + button to add a sub-cell
  3. Select the sub-cell type (Goal, Outcome, Objective, or Action)
  4. In the sub-cell settings, check the box Sub-cell is repeatable
  5. Save the sub-cell settings
  6. Repeat for each level of the hierarchy needed

When a user opens their plan, they will see an Add button at each repeatable level, allowing them to create as many goals, outcomes, objectives, or actions as required.

Recommended repeatable sub-cells:

  • Goal
  • Outcome and/or Objective
  • Action

Mode 2: Pre-Set Sub-Cells

In this mode, sub-cells are created manually by the coordinator and are not made repeatable. This approach is useful when a specific standard or institutional requirement defines a fixed set of goals, outcomes, or objectives with specific names.

To configure pre-set sub-cells:

  1. Open the settings for the Plan cell
  2. Click the + button to add a sub-cell
  3. Select the sub-cell type and assign it the required name
  4. Leave the Sub-cell is repeatable checkbox unchecked
  5. Repeat for each required sub-cell

When a user opens their plan, the pre-set sub-cells are automatically created with the correct names and structure. Users fill in the content without needing to create the structure themselves.

This mode is well suited for:

  • Accreditation standards that specify a fixed number of goals or outcomes
  • Institutional templates that require consistent naming across all programs
  • Simplified workflows where coordinators want to reduce variability in submissions

Design Tips

  • A matrix can have more than one Plan cell if different program types require different plan structures
  • Not every Plan cell needs to include all hierarchy levels — configure only what your institution needs to collect
  • Keep the plan structure consistent across programs and units of the same type to support reporting and comparison
  • Additional matrix rows can be used to collect supporting materials such as faculty credentials, course lists, sample student work, or final reports — all within the same matrix deployment

Next Steps

Once the Planning Matrix template is complete, the next step is to create a Matrix assessment to deploy it for a specific planning cycle.

See Program and Unit Planning & Assessment: Getting Started for the full setup sequence.

See Also

Related Modules

Key Components

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