Data management over multiple dicision

We have designed a process for course allocation [2] that has proved effective for a decision where students make all their choices at one time. However, our current need is to enable students to make choices at different moments (actually they are 3 different moments, one in each of their three years of study at the Computer Science department). From a scientific point of view, the current process uses "regret points" which are not satisfactory. The scientific challenge is to design a better way to handle regret points (or any other mechanism) that enables students who have not had their first choice at one time to get a better chance for their next choices. The project will start by the definition of a better process. From a practical point of view, the approach requires that information about previous votes, allocations and regret points are kept in a database. Moreover, the vote information has to be managed and verified. A preliminary prototype exists in Java with a database in SQLite. The project will extend this prototype in order to improve the management of the "regret points". Scientific challenge: find a way to manage "regret points". Practical aim: develop a data management and verification process to guaranty fairness over time.

Lecture files: