1990 Early days
The database system now marketed as Pool IT started as a bespoke system to Bollington Leisure Centre in 1990. In comparison with the latest version, it was a simple program based in dBase IV and featured relational tables of pupils, courses, and 'activities' ( now called courses ).
The concept of the syllabus was not included. At the end of each term, whilst nothing was discarded, all the new term's courses had to be created laboriously one by one, and the pupils had to be selected one at a time and attached to a register.
Mail merge letters made the offer of places together with all associated details of what, when, and how much, etc. Registers were printed, and the historical data was built up. The concept of build next term while looking at this term was added very soon, and was viewed as a major step forward. Each year new reports and refinements were added.
1995 Version 2
Version 2 was largely as before with additional features such as ability to move pupils from one course to another mid term, and being able to send a repeat letter to pupils. The major step forward in Version 2 was the use of Foxpro for DOS which speeded up the processing by a factor of about 10.
1999 Version 3.0
Version 3 was the first venture into a Windows based data system. The major addition at this time was the introduction of the Syllabus which would be taught at each level. The letters were a big improvement, with the introduction of the 'Visual Impact Letter' which had a profound effect on the speed of take up of the offered places. The registers were extensively reworked now that the Windows based format allowed much more detail to be printed onto an A4 sheet, and now showed the syllabus and skill achievement. The system was made multi-user for the first time.
2001
Preparation for a marketable program which would become Pool IT. The allocation of pupils to places was made automatic with management intervention for the exceptions. Time savings over a manual allocation system were found to be immense.
2002 Version 4
Features were added which helped the Swimming Coordinator. Pools & Zones concept added which allowed Pool IT to detect if two courses were being planned in the same part of a pool at the same time. Instructors working days were introduced. Badge stock and ethnic groups were introduced with reporting from both sections.
The Future
Pool IT is a live program. It is constantly being improved and having features added. Special modules to use with Crash Courses and Schools swimming are planned. We are looking the possibilities of using things like touch screens, hand held computers for data uploading from pool side. These should be available during 2004 but as yet it is early days for them.
