bobsmith Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Still loving SISRA, the new EAP system was a learning curve but we've got our heads around the new interface. The fact it's web based is still keeping it in the lead over 4matrix for me.
carwardinet Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 I've never used 4Matrix but have used SISRA for a few years and it is really good. The new EAP system allows you to create your own flightpaths to meet your life after levels assessment structure. This does mean it takes a little work to set up but it's not too difficult and there is a help team on live chat who are great. It's great for finding quick answers and for teachers to delve into their own data (with the right training).
Danp Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Thank guys, all interesting feedback. No clear 'winner' then.
bobsmith Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Thank guys, all interesting feedback. No clear 'winner' then. Out of SISRA and 4Matrix I've always seen comments that are six of one and half a dozen of the other, so no clear winner. That said there are other products on the market but they don't seem to get rated as highly as either of these two. I've never had a demo that was better than either 4matrix or SISRA. If I had the budget I'd run both.
djrscally Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 We use both, started with Sisra and then bought 4Matrix because staff like the graphs and fancy bells and whistles. I think of the two 4Matrix is the one out SMt/SLT would choose given the choice. Quoting for truth.
ChrisH Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 The one factor about Sisra vs 4 Matrix for me is results day and when we used to use Sisra the delay for waiting for the reports to process which normally takes minutes but ended up taking up to an hour, now they may have sorted that now as it has been a few years since we used it but that was extremely painful, especially if you missed something the first time around. 4 Matrix is all local however so it's pretty much instant but to be fair to Sisra they seem to do more on the developing of the product than 4 Matrix.
bigdannyb79 Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) No winner as these are really different products - they both support the same areas of work within schools but I'd suggest the audience and level of of the analysis are different. So to decide a winner you need to decide what you hope to achieve with them. SISRA is a winner for quick headlines and giving whole staff access to analysis and providing easy access to the detail - i.e. the learners that might need support/recognition etc. THe interface is intuitive so able to be launched to all staff with minimal training. 4 Matrix, while it can provide the info above, I think it is better at slicing and dicing whole cohorts for middle and senior leaders to explore performance above student level. Some of the reporting is great for creating warboards etc and its certainly has a lot more comprehensive view of Progress 8 performance. Its more complex as its more powerful but thats no slight on SISRA as they are are approaching the same data from slightly different viewpoints. If you are wanting to replace paper based outputs to staff summarising performance and providing the means to pinpoint learners and improve staff autonomy and understanding then its a quick accessible win. If your looking to empower middle and senior leaders with greater understanding and access to a cohorts performance the 4 matrix comes to the fore. It really isnt a matter or one or the other its finding a best fit for your needs, finance being one, and as people have already said many justify having both which kind of makes my point that they are different tools. Edited March 10, 2017 by bigdannyb79
Danp Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Out of SISRA and 4Matrix I've always seen comments that are six of one and half a dozen of the other, so no clear winner. That said there are other products on the market but they don't seem to get rated as highly as either of these two. I've never had a demo that was better than either 4matrix or SISRA. If I had the budget I'd run both. We are about to go with the 30 day trial of 4Matrix and I expect that will be enough to get us to buy it so we might not even give SISRA a look in this side of summer.
lisaj Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Sorry to butt in on this thread but it depends what you want, for just student performance tool 4matrix does a grand job, if you want to look at more data sets such as finance, HR or T&L then Questa covers all
lisaj Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 Sorry to butt in on this thread but it depends what you want, for just student performance tool 4matrix does a grand job, if you want to look at more data sets such as finance, HR or T&L then Questa covers all
DSapseid Posted March 16, 2017 Posted March 16, 2017 I have 4Matrix installed onto my staff shared area, they can launch the app from the shortcut in the root of the mapped drive. When i get the emails to say that their is an update for 4matrix i logon to the server, launch the app that runs the update part and then its done for everyone. At BETT i saw 4Matrix were releasing a new online version called Infinity. We have had 4Matrix here for years and its great, SLT & the data manager love it. 1
DanTheLacky Posted March 17, 2017 Posted March 17, 2017 We have another 8-9 months left on our 4matrix contract and we have just ordered SISRA, I have a feeling we will end up running both if they are that different. I must admit from what I have read I think our staff will miss 4matrix if we cancel end of the year.
NotSoFast Posted March 17, 2017 Posted March 17, 2017 I love 4Matrix. I resisted it for years as I wanted to do it all within the MIS, but i have never regretted it. It saves me hours, the support is great and I'm excited for the new web version with seating plan maker included. And no, I don't work for them.
SmithJ Posted March 20, 2017 Posted March 20, 2017 I love 4Matrix. I resisted it for years as I wanted to do it all within the MIS, but i have never regretted it. It saves me hours, the support is great and I'm excited for the new web version with seating plan maker included. And no, I don't work for them. Hi all, newbie alert!!! My son/daughter's school (no names) use SIMS and both SISRA and 4Matrix. SIMS is both a data input tool and is called an 'MIS'. I don't understand why the data needs to be also processed elsewhere. Can anyone explain? It seems like schools are buying more than one product - in some cases more than two - to do a single job. Sorry if this is a dumb question!!!
elsiegee40 Posted March 20, 2017 Posted March 20, 2017 Hi all, newbie alert!!! My son/daughter's school (no names) use SIMS and both SISRA and 4Matrix. SIMS is both a data input tool and is called an 'MIS'. I don't understand why the data needs to be also processed elsewhere. Can anyone explain? It seems like schools are buying more than one product - in some cases more than two - to do a single job. Sorry if this is a dumb question!!! The two products are tools used to manipulate data held in SIMS. SIMS doesn't do everything
theeggmaster Posted March 20, 2017 Posted March 20, 2017 We have used 4Matrix for the past three years, but our new Head used SISRA in his previous school, so we're moving to that instead. I think it's down to which one gives your school the most meaningful data in the format they want to look at it.
Danp Posted March 20, 2017 Posted March 20, 2017 I have played around with 4MATRIX and spoken with them on the phone a bit and it's not 'doing it' for me. Friday's demo of Sisra has got me convinced so far
bobsmith Posted March 21, 2017 Posted March 21, 2017 I can't knock either having used both for extended periods. 4matrix being a local install loses points for me, using SISRA from home or any pc at work is worth it's weight in gold. 4matrix does nice student reports and every calculation you could want, SISRA has ease of use as it's huge bonus.
GeneralDreedle Posted March 27, 2017 Posted March 27, 2017 Ditched SISRA a couple of years ago as it was more of an overhead to load data into it and staff were confused. Found it hard work - a sledgehammer to crack a nut. We've been happy 4Matrix users for last 2 years. It's simpler to get the stuff from SIMS into it, and it shows the headlines very clearly for management.
TraylerD Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 The one factor about Sisra vs 4 Matrix for me is results day and when we used to use Sisra the delay for waiting for the reports to process which normally takes minutes but ended up taking up to an hour, now they may have sorted that now as it has been a few years since we used it but that was extremely painful, especially if you missed something the first time around. 4 Matrix is all local however so it's pretty much instant but to be fair to Sisra they seem to do more on the developing of the product than 4 Matrix. Experienced similar with SISRA when we first started using. Last summer however saw a vast improvement, GCSE results were published in minutes and managed to get back on with rebuilds and software installs while the powers that be started working on the data. 1
ticktock Posted February 13, 2018 Posted February 13, 2018 Apologies I know this is an old thread but just in case anyone is interested. I've had experience of both systems and the big plus for me is the fact that SISRA is web based. Just seems to be personal preference as to which one is best among staff. But from an ICT viewpoint it has to be SISRA.
DSapseid Posted February 19, 2018 Posted February 19, 2018 4Matrix is moving to a web based version its called Infinity, i think they are starting with part of it web and then phasing it over. I had a chat with them at BETT and it looks really good. It also gives a seating plan tool with photos that it drags out of SIMS.
ticktock Posted February 20, 2018 Posted February 20, 2018 I believe 4Matrix isn't going cloud based until 2019 at the earliest hence my leaning towards SISRA. Seating plans are already in Class Charts and Mint Class if you use these in school.
jonnykewell1 Posted February 12, 2019 Posted February 12, 2019 Hi everyone, it looks like we are moving from 4matrix to Sisra which from my side of things is great as it all runs online. From the data side of things,have any of you already made the move from 4matix? How did you find backing up your data? We have lots of different series for various year groups and assessment points that are mostly only stored in 4matrix. We don’t have long to export the data either. Is it possible to get any sort of read only access to the data? I got told that we can just give them a call and they’ll sort us out with access but it didn’t seem very convincing.
NotSoFast Posted February 12, 2019 Posted February 12, 2019 Isn't all the data in your MIS anyway? If not you can easily export the grades from each series to a spreadsheet.
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