GRADVIEW+: Development Of A Digital Graduate Identification System For Convocation Events

Abstract

Abstract: Convocation ceremonies are important events in higher education institutions. However, they often face operational challenges such as manual graduate verification, inaccurate name announcements, and inefficient ceremony management. These challenges may lead to delays, increased human error, and a less satisfactory experience for graduates and attendees. To address these issues, this study introduces GRADVIEW+, a graduate identification system developed using an Agile development approach that supports iterative design, continuous testing, and ongoing improvement. The system aims to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and coordination of convocation events across higher education institutions. GRADVIEW+ uses barcode technology as a unique identifier for each graduate, enabling faster and more reliable verification while retaining limited manual intervention where required. Compared with RFID-based solutions, the system offers advantages in cost efficiency, ease of deployment, and compatibility with existing infrastructure, making it a practical option for institutions with limited resources. GRADVIEW+ is integrated with a web-based application developed using Python and the Flask framework, enabling centralized management of graduate data. Graduate information is retrieved from a centralized database and displayed in real time on multiple screens to support accurate and timely communication during the ceremony. The system emphasizes reliability, scalability, and flexibility, allowing adaptation to institutions of different sizes and technical capacities. GRADVIEW+ has been successfully implemented in actual convocation ceremonies, demonstrating its practicality and effectiveness. Overall, the findings show that the proposed system provides a reliable and cost-effective solution for improving convocation operations and enhancing the graduate experience