Unveiling LSA Evaluate: Enhancing Contest Management Across the College
This June, LSA Technology Services will proudly introduce LSA Evaluate, a powerful new self-service platform that transforms how departments manage submissions for contests, essays, and other processes requiring review and selection. This intuitive application streamlines the entire submission process through an elegant workflow that elevates the experience for all stakeholders. Administrators can configure contests with precision, entrants can submit work seamlessly, and judges (whether U-M affiliated or external experts) can evaluate entries efficiently.
LSA Evaluate eliminates traditional pain points in submission management while providing robust tools that adapt to each department's unique requirements. Designed with user experience at its core, the platform brings professional-grade contest administration capabilities to any LSA unit, regardless of technical expertise.
The launch of LSA Evaluate will represent a significant milestone in the college's strategic integration of technology with academic and creative endeavors. This flexible, secure, and comprehensive submission management system promises to elevate the educational experience for students, faculty, and staff throughout the University of Michigan.
Consolidating and Enhancing Submission Processes
Historically, the Hopwood Program and Helen Zell Writers’ Program operated through disparate, outdated web applications for their contests. As part of a pilot program, LSA Evaluate revolutionized their approach by unifying these processes on a modern technological foundation. The platform empowered administrators with intuitive tools to configure and monitor submissions seamlessly. Entrants benefited from a comprehensive ecosystem where they created profiles, submitted creative work, and maintained visibility of their submission history. Judges accessed submissions through a dedicated, secure interface designed to facilitate thorough and impartial evaluation.
Key Features and Benefits
Administration Module
Customizable Workflow Creation: Design contests tailored to specific audiences or class levels.
Comprehensive Entrant Management: Seamlessly oversee participant profiles and submissions from intake through final evaluation.
Flexible Judging System: Assign evaluators and coordinate multiple judging rounds with ease.
Feedback Distribution: Deliver constructive critiques from judges directly to participants when appropriate.
Entrant Module
Personalized Profile System: Create and maintain profiles to access level-appropriate contests.
Electronic Submission Portal: Submit work digitally through a streamlined interface.
Submission History Dashboard: Track creative progress by accessing all past entries in one place.
Real-time Submission Control: Update or modify entries throughout the contest's open period.
Evaluation Module
Intuitive Judge Interface: Review, rank, and provide feedback on submissions through a dedicated portal.
Dual Communication Channels: Share comments internally with administrators or externally with participants.
Development-Focused Feedback: Provide constructive critique to foster entrant growth and improvement.
Looking Ahead
LSA Evaluate exemplifies LSA Technology Services’ commitment to both current and evolving needs across LSA departments. Designed with scalability in mind, the platform welcomes all college departments to streamline their evaluation processes, extending far beyond the Hopwood Program and Helen Zell Writers' Program contests.
Beginning June 2025, departments interested in implementing LSA Evaluate can explore how this platform can streamline their submission processes. To learn more or express interest in using the platform once it is available, email [email protected].
This project is the culmination of several months of development by the LSA Rails Team composed of developers Ananta Saple, Dave Chmura, Jocelyn Anderson, Rita Barvinok, and Rick Smoke. Maria Laitan has ensured the User Interface (UI) design is accessible, while Jessica Kowalewski has provided crucial business systems analysis. Key stakeholders like Rebecca Manery from the Hopwood Program and Ellannee Rajewsky from the Helen Zell Writers’ Program were instrumental in shaping this project.
