HPC Facility Booking System

Project Story

The idea for the HPC Facility Booking System was born inside the High Performance Centre itself. During a training session with my biokineticist, I noticed how the team managed all facility reservations through a handwritten booking book — pages filled with names, times, and notes. I immediately saw the potential to digitize this process and knew I had both the technical background and understanding of their daily workflow to make it happen.

What began as a concept quickly evolved into a fully operational web application. Today, the HPC Booking System is actively used by administrators, physios, and bios to manage bookings, coordinate schedules, and ensure smooth facility utilization — all from one centralized digital platform.

Overview

The system provides a streamlined, role-based environment where different user groups — including Admins, Physios, Bios, and Super Admins — can efficiently manage facility schedules, recurring bookings, and operational oversight.

Its primary purpose is to improve coordination, eliminate double-booking, and build accountability within HPC’s day-to-day operations. Designed for clarity, performance, and maintainability, it runs as a stable production system supporting real-world university use.

Core Features

1 Role-Based User Management

• Dedicated access levels for Admins, Physios, Bios, and Super Admins.
• Super Admins oversee all activity and manage new user creation.
• Admins handle day-to-day facility and booking operations.
• Secure profile and password management for all users.

2 Booking Management

• Once-off bookings for single sessions or events.
• Recurring booking requests for teams or weekly training groups.
• Built-in validation ensures no double bookings or over-capacity issues.
• Admins can approve, reject, or edit bookings directly from the dashboard.

3️ Audit Logging & Transparency

• Every user action (login, booking, update) is logged with timestamps.
• Super Admins can review activity chronologically or by user.
• Ensures accountability and data integrity across all roles.

4️ Admin Dashboard

• Displays current bookings, requests, and facility availability.
• Provides a snapshot of the day’s and week’s activity.
• Accessible on both desktop and tablet for staff convenience.

5️ Super Admin Console

• Dedicated management view for full system control.
• User creation, role assignment, and activity monitoring.
• Built with a darker, minimal theme to distinguish system-level pages.

Architecture

Layer	Description
Frontend	Thymeleaf and Bootstrap 5 for responsive, clean UI.
Backend	Spring Boot 3 (Java 17) with MVC structure.
Database	MySQL 8 with Spring Data JPA and Hibernate ORM.
Security & Auth	Managed by Spring Security with role-based access.
Deployment	Hosted on Render Cloud as a live production service.

Design & User Experience

• UWC-inspired blue and gold palette with glassy dark overlays.
• Dynamic dashboards and responsive layouts across all devices.
• Streamlined forms and visual status tracking for clarity and usability.
• Modern, calm tone — professional yet friendly for day-to-day use.

Future Enhancements

• Integration with Google Calendar for automatic schedule syncing.
• Email/SMS notifications for booking confirmations and reminders.
• Advanced analytics dashboard for usage trends and peak hours.
• Exportable booking reports and audit logs.
• Support for additional HPC facilities and external partners.

System in Action