Development and Application of an Automated Audio Announcement Management Program for Examination Administration : A Case Study of the Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University

Abstract

This research aimed to develop and apply an automated audio announcement management program called "MusicSchedule" for examination administration in the Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, to replace manual public address announcements. Under the previous system, at least one staff member was required per examination session, with an average time deviation of 3–5 minutes per announcement slot. The program was developed using C# on the Windows operating system, connecting a computer to the existing building sound system and utilizing 8 pre-recorded standard audio files in MP3/WAV format, covering all announcement slots for both morning and afternoon examination sessions. The program operates by continuously monitoring the system clock and automatically triggering audio playback according to a predefined schedule. Pilot implementation was conducted during the midterm examination period of Semester 1, Academic Year 2026, with 2 examination slots per day over 5 examination days. Results demonstrated that the program achieved 100% announcement accuracy (0 errors out of 30 announcement slots), compared to the previous manual system which averaged 1–2 errors or delays per examination day. Additionally, the system reduced staff workload associated with announcements by approximately 30 minutes per examination day, and significantly lowered operational costs by eliminating the need for dedicated announcement personnel, with zero additional expenditure as the solution utilized existing hardware and sound infrastructure. This innovation elevated examination management efficiency, transparency, and systematic operation, while providing a scalable foundation for broader faculty communications in the future.