MSISS Projects

Introduction

As part of their final year, MSISS students must undertake a real project for a real client. As MSISS students are taught to be flexible, the range of project types is quite wide, varying from development of small computer systems to evaluating procedures, developing models or undertaking statistical analysis of client data. Students are expected to work on practical problems arising in a wide range of Irish firms and public sector bodies. The variety of projects is best seen by looking at some of the projects undertaken in recent years. These include:

• Risk assessment and pricing for an equipment pooling system;
• Design and installation of an accounting system in a leading GAA club
• Investigating Lapse Rates in Defined Contribution Pension Schemes
• Optimisation of landing time slots to provide the maximum opportunities for onward connections at Dublin Airport
• Design of an activity based costing system for a pharmaceutical firm
• A review of the costs and benefits of jobs sharing in a leading Semi-state company
• Evaluation of the Potential for Distributing Financial Services through Interactive Digital TV
• An Intranet for an MIS Repository for a leading banking organisation
• Evaluation of Financial Modelling Tools for Credit Unions
• A Database of UK Competitor Locations and Demographics for a major builders supplier

Over the years clients have included AIB, Procter and Gamble, Smurfit, Guinness, Interbio, the ESB, Irish Life, Leo Laboratories, Aer Lingus, Aer Rianta, An Post, Cement Roadstone, Irish Shell, Organon, Eircom, the GAA, Blackrock Clinic, Bank of Ireland, Colgate Palmolove Support Services and Warner Lambert as well as many smaller organisations.

The projects are real and students are expected to provide real solutions which are usable by the clients. The extent to which students achieve this is an important factor in determining their project grades and their final degree class.

Project winner for this year is:

2011 A Survey Tool for the Aon Centre for Innovation and Analytics

Benefits for Clients

As well as providing good experience for the student, an MSISS project should deliver something useful to the client, be it in the form of a new or improved system, useful information or a better process. Over the years, clients have found MSISS projects stimulating, beneficial and on some occasions remarkably rewarding (one company saved over £20,000 per annum in production costs after changing its processes as a result of an MSISS project).

At the same time we do not want to oversell. These are student projects. We do not suggest that undergraduates, even very good ones, are a substitute for professional consultants. However we do expect clients to benefit from the work done.

In providing a project, you will also be making an important contribution to the development of the young person concerned. In some instances, students have subsequently returned to work for the company that provided their final year project.

The Steps Involved

Projects start in late October and finish in late March or early April of the following year. Work is divided into three phases:

• Stage 1: Defining the terms of reference: Students must present an interim report in early December, which defines the scope and objectives of the project as agreed with the client.
• Stage 2: Undertaking the necessary work: This extends from early December until around the end of March/mid April of the following year.
• Stage 3: Reporting: The student must present a report to the client, reporting findings and recommendations or, in the case of a software development project, they must provide appropriate systems documentation and user manuals.

All students are supervised by an assigned member of staff and may call upon the technical skills of other staff members in the Department of Statistics if they need to do so.

Clients FAQ

How much time do students put in?

The project is intended to account for 25% of the student's final year work. Students are expected to work on the project about 1-2 days per week during term and considerably more during vacation, amounting to a total of about 40 working days, including familiarisation and report writing.

How much of the client's time is involved?

The level of involvement of client personnel varies widely with the nature of the project, but students are expected to maintain reasonable contact with their clients and ensure that the client knows what is happening at all times. Supervisors are also expected to contact the clients periodically to ensure that everything is satisfactory.

Is there a cost?

All projects are undertaken free and there are no charges. Clients are asked to pay any additional unusual expenses a student may incur (such as travel outside the Dublin area).

What about confidentiality?

Students (and supervisors) will sign confidentiality or non disclosure agreements if requested. Normally six copies of each report are prepared, one each for the Client, Student, Supervisor, Director of Studies, Departmental Library and External Examiner. In the case of sensitive projects, arrangements can be made to restrict the number and/or circulation of reports.

Where can I find out more?

More information can be obtained from any staff member or from
Prof. Eileen Drew,
MSISS Projects Coordinator,
Tel: (01) 6081322
Fax: (01) 6770711
E-mail: Eileen.Drew@tcd.ie

Previous Projects

• 2010
• 2009
• 2008
• 2007
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004
• 2003
• 2002
• 2001
• 2000
• 1999

MSISS Projects - Best Project Winners 1999-2010

Every year an award for best project is presented. Winners for the past ten years are contained below:

• 2011 A Survey Tool for the Aon Centre for Innovation and Analytics
• 2010 Attitudes towards Family Related Leave in Ireland by Anna Watters
• 2009 Probabilistic Sensitivity Analysis in Excel by Michael Wilson
• 2008 'Morgan Stanley' by Morgan McElligott
• 2007 'A research project aimed at establishing the similarities and differences between gambling on the stock exchange and gambling on sports' by Kevin Humphreys.
• 2006 'Developing a Method for Sales Forecasting for McDonald's Restaurants of Ireland' by Johannes Mueller-Trede
• 2005 'Master Data Communication System for Superquinn' by Robert Smyth
• 2004 'Planning for the use of ICT in Second Level Education for Abbey Vocational School' by Chris Mulhearn
• 2003 'The Route to Foreign Markets: An Irish Entrepreneurship Study' by Paul Murphy
• 2002 'Competitive Analysis of ACI' by Kate Murray
• 2001 'Development of an Internet Based Audit Reporting System for Excellence Ireland' by Colm Linehan
• 2000 'Web-Database Application for The Careers Advisory Service, TCD' by Brian McSweeney, and
  'A Web-enabled Dynamic Data Acquisition Server for Hewlett-Packard Ireland Ltd' by Derek Davis
• 1999 'Intranet for Professional and Vocational Courses for The Careers Office, Trinity College Dublin' by Peter Morrow