From Manual Chaos to Modern Headaches
For over two decades, I worked as an academic scheduling practitioner, dealing with all the familiar challenges: conflicts, constraints, pressure, last-minute changes, and, of course, the classic “can you just squeeze this in?” email that lands five minutes after the timetable has gone live.
We’ve come a long way over the last 30 years. Timetabling has evolved from whiteboards and spreadsheets to installed software, web platforms, and SaaS solutions.
The Problem with Progress
However, here’s the truth: while the interfaces have changed, the underlying systems have remained largely unchanged. The logic powering many of them still mirrors what we used decades ago. And the workload hasn’t gone away; it’s moved to different screens.
A New Approach
Now at Celcat, I’ve had the opportunity to be part of something completely different. We aren’t modernising the old; we’ve left it behind. We’ve built a new platform from the ground up, designed for the complexity, scale, and urgency of today’s academic planning world. It does more than just process data or generate outputs; it supports decisions. It responds to change in real time. It shows you why a suggestion was made, so you can move faster and stay in control.
Your New Digital Assistants
At the heart of this new platform are intelligent agents, digital assistants that help identify patterns, surface better options, and reduce the manual burden without removing you from the process. They aren’t here to take over; they’re here to help your expertise go further.
Join Us for the Future of Scheduling
On November 11th, we will unveil what we believe is the next generation of timetabling at the Celcat Conference in Manchester. If you’re involved in timetabling, scheduling, exams, student experience, or any part of academic planning, we would love for you to join us.
Whether you’re a Celcat customer or not, I truly believe this is the most significant shift in timetabling in 30 years. I can’t wait to show you what’s next.
To learn more about the Celcat Conference and register your interest, please click here.