I think we are potentially looking at two separate areas of need:
1) A localised system to run the event (for which there are probably as many different possibilities as there are organisers
2) A central (probably web based) system that essentially provides the service that Nick's ranking provides - calculating points and identifying promotees, but with input from ranking officers to check cards and from organisers to speed the whole thing up. I also think we should aim reduce the work load and dependency on Nick. (No offence Nick - I know you are ultra reliable, but what happens if you get swine flu!)
I think that most of us here are focussing more on the second need. So a way of looking at it for div 3 and above - very high level:
CORE DATA
Ranked Paddler
A ranked paddler is a paddler who has had a bib number allocated for the current season (even if the bib has not been issued). So, primary key for ranked paddlers is year + div + class + bib number
Attributes are name, club (as submitted on bib application) and age group (as in the current year) (+ possibly a few flags eg to identify paddlers whose points do not count because they haven't provided all information to bib officer)
This information is currently held by bib and ranking officers (note it is not the same as on the bib page of Nick's web site as that has name club and age of last year).
Competitor Results
Natural primary key could be event id +div + class + bib number used at event
However, since we know that bib number might be wrong and need correcting I would just use a generated pk
Attributes: first and second run times & penalties
INPUT & UPDATE PROCESSES
Maintain Ranked Paddlers:
Carried out at start of season by bib/ranking officers and added to during the season when paddlers reranked or promoted (or to correct spelling errors notified by the paddler concerned)
Upload Results:
Post-event organisers upload results in a suitable format.
Check & Correct Results:
The "system" flags up where competior's name/age does not match that of the corresponding ranked paddler with the same bib number. Organiser corrects name/bib number/age as appropriate whereever they can. Note that they wouldn't have to check every bib number just those where there is a discrepancy highlighted. During this process provisional points can be system calculated
Validation:
Ranking officers check cards against system results (when they are received!) and also resolves any remaining discrepancies (eg identifying bib numbers for newly promoted paddlers). Points recalculated if necessary and the data is marked as checked.
OUTPUT - or "What everyone else sees"
Event Results pages - without issues flagged, but with an indicator as to whether the results have been confirmed as validated
Current Confirmed Ranking for Ranked Paddlers - Based on results from validated events only. Easy to calculate once validation complete
Current Unconfirmed Ranking for Ranked Paddlers - Based on bib numbers on results from all uploaded events.
The ranking pages could also idicate how many points you need to get in the next 1, or 2 events in order to achieve promotion.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
What I'm suggesting here assumes ability to give specific people access to edit data online so that the data can be shared on line - I therefore don't think it really lends itself to spreadsheets.
What it has that an ss system doesn't have is:
- a quicker heads up for those nearing promotion without being reliant on one person
- An on-line set of validated & confirmed data - remember Nick's rankings may not always be 100%, though I know we all rely on them.
- names and age groups for the current year so that organisers can, if they wish, use this info to check the entries when they receive them.
- year on year data that could be used for analysis purposes, especially if we use a "proper" database.
Div 4 is less of an issue in as much as rankings don't exist and promotions are decided within a single event.
OK - anyone want to get the gun out and start shooting down in flames
Am I right about what we are trying to Achieve?
Does the process make any sense?