Class 4: Class 4: IT application development IT application development processprocess

UTA School of Social Work6383: Technology Supported Practice

Dr. Dick Schoech

Copyright 2011 (permission required before use)

Suggest printing slides for class using: Print | Handouts | 3 slides per page | grayscale options

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Overview: Major Topics this week

1. IT Development Process– IT as change– Goals in the IT development process– Stages in IT Development Process– Tools, Techniques, and Skills– Development Issues

2. Intelligent Human Services– Interoperability (ability of diverse systems and

organizations to interchange information and work together (inter-operate)

– Organizations that learn (organizational learning)

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ITDevelopment

Process

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IT as Change• Treat application development as any other

change

• Social workers are change experts but have problems with IT change

• All change involves loss/resistance, e.g., emotional loss of old way of doing things

• Follow a process to increase chance of success

• Applications should be shaped by nature of condition/problem (analysis paper) rather than the application shaping the condition/problem (solution driving the problem) (a principle of EBP)

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Goals in the IT Development Process

Two very different goals1. To develop a successful system

Effective in achieving its goals & improve services

Easy to use Technically efficient, bug free, easy to maintain

2. To easily transition to the new system User acceptance Top level support Efficient use of time and resources

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IT Development Process

• Follows an 8 step process similar to the planned change process

• At the end of each step, prepare report for decision makers who decide to proceed or terminate effort

• Next slides use wording for an information system. An assistive device would follow a similar process but with different wording.

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1: Explore feasibility/preparedness• A key step often neglected• Communicate about effort to all stakeholders• Establish steering committee• Estimate resources of money, time, expertise• Determine commitment of key individuals• Estimate potential impacts (positive & negative)• Define IT purpose, objectives, timetables,

responsibilities, evaluation• Assess the expectations/reactions of those

impacted• Circulate preparedness/feasibility report

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2: Assess Situation (systems Analysis)

• Identify the major situations/tasks/decisions system will support & what is needed to support them

• Define the characteristics of the information needed, its source, and collection methods

• Analyze current input forms, data processing, storage files, and output reports

• Describe logical routing or flow of information from collection to dissemination

• Review similar efforts in other agencies

• Prepare systems analysis report8

3: Prepare conceptual Design

• Finalize IT scope, goals, and objectives

• Develop alternative conceptual designs, i.e., files, data manipulation, forms and reports

• Apply restrictions to designs (volume, security, confidentiality, turn around time, statistical capabilities, growth potential, ties to other systems)

• Apply resources to designs (money, time, expertise)

• Translate designs into software and hardware

• Detail the advantages, disadvantages, and assumptions of alternate designs

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4: Detailed Design & Development

• Set up controls and technical performance standards for chosen design

• Select the software for the chosen design

• Select the hardware to match the software

• Design and develop input forms, data manipulations & processing operations, file specifications, database structures, indexes, error checks, storage and backup mechanisms and procedures, and output reports

• Prepare programming documentation and instruction manuals

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5: Test System & Prepare Agency

• Prepare system operators, users, and others to receive the system

• Develop agency policy and procedural changes necessary for the new system

• Develop performance criteria and testing plan

• Test programming, forms, operational procedures, instructions, reports, and the use of outputs

• Educate and train system operators, system users, and others affected

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6: Implement

• Develop and approve conversion plan, e.g., stop old system when new system starts or run old and new systems simultaneously for comparison

• Incorporate IT into standard operating procedures, e.g., performance appraisals, new employee orientation

• Reorganize staff and space if necessary

• Convert from old to new equipment, new processing methods, and new proceduresInsure all systems and controls are working

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7: Monitor and evaluate

• Compare system performance with initial system objectives, e.g., if system improved client services

• Relate benefits and costs to initial estimates

• Measure satisfaction with the system

• Determine if system outputs are used in decision making

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8: Operate, maintain & modify

• Prepare backup and emergency plans/procedures

• Complete documentation e.g., instructions for adding to, deleting from, or modifying system

• Assign persons responsible for data integrity, system maintenance, new software appropriateness, virus protection, etc.

• Provide continuous training of users

• Continue to add desired enhancements and to maintain and debug the system

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Issue 1: Which development approach

• Top down – Implement an overall plan

• Bottom up – get some things developed to learn, then begin the overall plan

• Prototyping – continue to develop system after system using a develop-test-refine-develop process

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Issue 2: How to Structure Expertise

• How to structure IT to involve stakeholders: – Agency management– The person/department responsible for IT – The persons or departments impacted by IT– Technicians and specialists – Users

• Three organizing options are:– Power balance– Management control– Computing Committee control

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Structure option 1: Power Balance

Top management

IT Committee

Application Steering Committee

Information Manager/Department

A balance of power exists between the IT committee and the information manager. Disagreements are settled by top management.

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Structure option 2: Committee Control

Top management

IT Committee

Application Steering Committee

Information Manager/Department

The application steering committee and information manager reports directly to the IT committee (typically the recommended structure).

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Structure option 3: Management control

Top management

IT Committee

Application Steering Committee

Information Manager/Department

All computing committees are under the information management department. This structure is not usually recommended because it gives too much control to the information manager and makes access to top management by user representatives more difficult.

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Conclusion to IT Development Process

• IT development involves many changes

• Follow development process steps to increase chances of success

• Issue 1: Consider development approaches

• Issue 2: Structure IT expertise20

Intelligent IT Infrastructure

Reading:  Schoech, D., Interoperability and the future of Human Services (document provided)

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Linking is Key

• The key to the impact of a new technology is not its use by one, but its linking, e.g., railroad, highway, telephone & electric infrastructures

• Linking allows development of a pervasive and intelligent human services infrastructure

• We are entering the linking phase in Human service IT

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Overview of Intelligent Infrastructure• Current human services infrastructure

• What’s happening in business and other sectors• Definitions of intelligent infrastructure• Definition of electronic data interchange (EDI)• Future human services delivery system (HSDS) • Scenarios of how the future HSDS might work• Implications for policy, management,

researchers, workers, clients• Issues• Conclusion

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Current Human Services Infrastructure

• Inexperience and turnover in workers• Extensive data entry, little use of data for decision

support• Knowledge resides in people (no institutional memory)• Mostly F2F/phone interaction between humans• Relationships not information=way to get things done• Networked PC on every desk • IT depts struggling just to keep MIS & network

operating• Beginning to web-enable practice and management• Top management trying to “manage” worker level• Policy makers & workers frustrated with “the

bureaucracy” • Mom & pop agencies unconnected §

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What’s Happening in Business

• Mom & pop storefronts interconnected globally– Local bank connected to global banking infrastructure

– Travel agents, airlines, hotels, rent cars, services, linked

• Work done via locally customized global standardized processes

• IT automatically guides work whenever cost efficient, e.g., processes, feedback, triggers, alerts

• ‘Always on’ wireless connectivity via smart phones, notebooks, tablets, other devices, etc.

• Proprietary information automatically shared globally (B2B & EDI, next slides)§

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Business-to-business (B2B), back office digital EDI infrastructure

• Linking proprietary information instantly between organizations

• Strong authentication, privacy, security, and identity management

• Knowledge accumulation of past/current employees (org intelligence, knowledge mana, systems that learn)

• Discover new knowledge (research, data mining, decision modeling, etc)

• Automated actions: agents, bots, triggers, alerts, etc.• Data visualization, drill down into data, slice & dice

thru data, dashboards views of data, social network filtered data§

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Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

• EDI=automatic, seamless, & instantaneous exchanging of information between agencies based on predetermined data definitions, standards, and protocols.

• XML (extensible markup language) and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards

• Business example= Vacation travel system, International banking infrastructure

• Child Welfare example: CPS XML project– http://www.nrccwdt.org/xml/intro.html– http://www.nrccwdt.org/xml/xml_powerpoint.ht

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Implications for Human Services

• Agencies become smarter as each client is served, i.e., accumulate & store expertise

• Agencies automatically share data/knowledge to form virtual, global support infrastructure

• Knowledge automatically available to all when, where, & in format needed

• Much is done automatically, e.g., electronic data interchange (EDI—next slide), alerts, etc.

• Strong agreements on privacy, security, authentication, data sharing, etc. §

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Future HSDS components

B. Coordinating bodies for networking/managing member agencies

C. Global research/policy think-tank

A. Local services interconnected

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3 Components: Banking vs. Hum Serv.Global Banking Infrastructure (last 20 years)

1. local bank offices2. affiliations of local banks (Citi Banks)3. a global consortium for exchange and

cooperation (International Monitory Fund or IMF) Human services infrastructure (next 20

years)• local agencies (interconnected)• affiliations of local agencies (Mental Health

Connection, Ft. Worth)• a global consortium for accumulating knowledge

and developing protocols (needed)

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Component 1: Local Agencies Interconnected

• Personalized client services via a wide variety of agency storefronts (like banking has a variety of outlets: banks, savings & loans, online investment services, credit unions, etc.)

• Hire & secure training for personnel• Involvement based on interagency

agreements and nature of the case• Locals are eyes and ears of “the

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Component 2: Network of Member Agencies

• Negotiate/maintain agreements between agencies

• Standards for client processes and outcomes

• Interpret global knowledge to local situations

• Customize ‘alerts’ and ‘triggers’ to local situation

• Maintain quality control systems & mechanisms

• Exception monitoring

• Insure security & privacy compliance, HIPAA

• Technical support & development to members

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Component 3: Global Research/Think Tank

• Easy-to-navigate repositions of research, best practices, stories/practice wisdom, etc.

• Decision modeling from specialized research, mining large datasets, meta analyses, etc.

• ‘Pushed’ diagnosis, prognosis, proven protocols, best practices, etc. that are customized locally, including triggers and alerts

• Customizable interfaces depending on user, e.g., user expertise, client problems, etc.

• Maintain taxonomies (XML), open standards, etc.

• Convene pools of experts on special topics

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Client Scenario

• Client in ER, Dr. Suspect SBS (Shaken Baby Syndrome)

• Dr. guided through interview with client or client self-guided interview customized from Think Tank

• Client can easily find what is happening, i.e., has explanations and access to progression of case, e.g., contacts, decision points, etc.

• Assess to lots of self-help, online training, and virtual reality type applications to help intervention plan

• Constant digital monitoring of progress and outcomes, e.g., body monitors, cell phone monitoring, video conferences §

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Scenarios

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Worker Scenario

• CPS intake received on agency desktop, automatically routed to worker cell phone– ‘Alert’ from ER that suspected SBS case– Report of relevant databases searches for client’s history– Assessment and prognosis from Global Think Tank based on

the accumulated case information with suggested protocols to follow

– List of ‘alerts’ sent to agencies based on “need to know” agreements, e.g., law enforcement, pediatrician SBS specialist

– Automatic calendar checking and case conference scheduling

• More Wkr F2F time due to IT support & guidance• Continuous monitoring of processes and timeframes

via smart phone, email, and system alerts §36

Management Scenario

• Information on incoming case– Performance checks automatically made– Activity performed by ‘automated agents’ – Suggested activities by ‘agents’ after requesting

approval– Electronic record automatically constructed within

privacy guidelines

• Interactive dashboard display of:– Current cases– Case risk analysis based on workload, type of case,

case/expertise match (http://www.yft.org/)– Exceptions & justifications, rates, and warning signs §

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Policy Scenario

• Dashboard display of system performance on selected criteria such as:

– Workload analysis compared to national standards

– Federal performance standards (DEMOS)

• Accumulation of suggested improvements for current policies, protocols, and processes

• Future research activities, costs, priorities §

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Conclusions

• Change policies and laws to keep up with infrastructure changes, e.g., licensing, ethical standards, telehealth, local/national jurisdiction

• Explore new forms of knowledge, e.g., pictures, audio, video, etc. (searchable bruises database)

• Create culture of knowledge based practice– View processed information as a key resource worth improving– See adding local expertise to global knowledge base = part of job– Skeptically challenge IT guidance using facts rather than attitudes

• Understand what IT not good at: non-verbal cues, observation, cognitive jumps, human politics

• More involvement of client and stakeholder

• More self-work guided & monitored by “the system” §

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Client Implications

• More involvement of client and stakeholder strengths/resources in intervention processes

• More self-work guided & monitored by “the system” e.g., interactive treatment plans

• See agency as a local organization with the global backing of experts, resources, and support necessary to address their problems and concerns §

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Summary• The way forward will take vision more than action• Connection to IT by all will be continuous via networked

computer, notebook, cell phone, etc. So who is in control? • Relevant information will be instantaneously pushed and pulled

around the infrastructure according to agreed upon protocols• IT is now a “hot” medium of pictures, video, etc. that goes way

beyond “cold” data and text• Changes in attitudes, work patterns, views of knowledge will be

required• Sharing and linking will be required while retaining agency

identities• Building the back office, knowledge-based infrastructure will

take time and failures will tend to be big and embarrassing• IT supported and assisted services will be superior to practice

without IT support and assistance• Local and regional human service agencies should be “settlers”

Academics should be “pioneers”

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Final Words

• The vision is relatively clear

• It is difficult to say precisely how to move forward without experiencing problems and failures i.e., it is easier to point out things that do not move you forward toward the vision

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Class review questions

1. How does planning for the changes associated with IT differ from planning for other agency changes, such as moving to a new office location?

2. Is the statement "the process is product" true of all stages of IT development?

3. Discuss when you would use the various approaches to IT development

4. Which staff in an agency is typically involved with application development and what tasks do each perform?

5. How does an agency gain the experience of business use of IT without incorporating business assumptions and values?

6. How would you involve consultants and stakeholders in the process

7. Is the intelligent local agency a misnomer, e.g., with a virtual knowledge infrastructure, individual agencies become meaningless

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