larry stillman, monash university richard vines, childrens’ protection society dean lombard, vcoss...
TRANSCRIPT
Larry Stillman, Monash UniversityRichard Vines, Childrens’ Protection Society
Dean Lombard, VCOSS
IT Sustainabilityfor the community
sectorProgress and outcomes of
the Doing IT Better project
http://www.doingitbetter.net.au
Structure of the session
1. Overview of the project2. Its methodology 3. Case study example4. Interoperability project5. Getting the knowledge
and linkages out6. Conclusions and the future
Action Research Approach
The sectorGovernment,
funders, industry
academia
Aim: Build ICT capacity in the Victorian community services
sector • Generously funded by
a foundation. • Funded Project team:
Dr Larry Stillman (CCNR)
Dean Lombard (VCOSS) Rebecca French (CCNR) Dr Stefanie Kethers
(CCNR)
• Three-year project of: The Centre for
Community Networking Research (Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University); and
The Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS)
“Doing IT Better” Case Studies
A detailed exampleSpringvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau (SCAAB)
• Started by the community in 1971.
• Vision: A socially just community in which all people have access to resources, are empowered & have their human rights respected & protected.
• Mission: To provide information, connection & support services as a gateway into the broader community service system for people in the City of Greater Dandenong & surrounds.
• Two sites & staff outposted at other sites
• 31 EFT paid staff
• Approximately 40 volunteers at any one time. 6,000 hours per year.
• Nearly 15,000 clients, high number of disadvantaged, new arrivals etc.
• $2.2 million budget with income from all levels of government, over 10 funding sources.
SCAAB Services
Income & Personal Support
YouthServices
Settlement Services
Volunteering
Overview of the Case Study Process
Seven Steps to HeavenThere are no prescriptive answers in Information Systems. All organisations are different and special
1.Initial contact2.Short introduction at a SCAAB staff meeting3.13 in-depth interviews, using a formal process modelling method to understand how people work and what their issues are4.Analysis using interview data, additional documents, staff IT usage survey, and client IT usage survey conducted by SCAAB in June 20085.Staff workshop 6.Internal reporting to different constituencies — staff, committee of management7.Final report8.Post-report/unanticipated outcomes; for example, seeking further funding
Step 3. Interviews
Information Flow
Information Medium
Actor
Information Content
Information Quality
Step 4. AnalysisExample: “External Communications”—
Mailing Lists
Incorrect information(e.g. mailing lists out of date)
Conflict(between differentmailing lists)
Lots of things going wrong(database does not exist, incorrect information, etc.)
Step 4. AnalysisGrouping
Individual issues
Who said this?
Grouping /categorizing
Step 4. AnalysisFreemind
Initial, spaghetti complexities
Policies & Procedures
Whole-of-Organisation Picture
Reporting, Data Analysis,Mining & Presentation
Stakeholder Management and External
Communication
Client Outcomes
Efficiency
ITsupport
Staffskills
Volunteers
Data Storage(Electronic & Paper)
MultipleLocations
Community Outcomes
Staff Outcomes
Privacy
Meaning to disorder
Lessons Learned
By SCAAB• Importance of a Quality
Process• Hear from as many people as
possible• Regular communication to key
stakeholders• Champions within the
organisation• Access to people with ICT
expertise who understand the sector & can assist NFPs
• Action & outcomes take longer than you expect
By project team• Key contact to organise
interviews• Delineate perceptions from fact• Report sign-off by organisation• Importance of interaction across
NFP sector for sharing & learning
• Amount & richness of data: how to analyse with limited resources
• Methods change• Keep it all time-bound
• Action & outcomes take longer than you expect
Example: SCAAB Case Study Key Outcomes for SCAAB
• Increased understanding of the difference between technology & information management.
• Experience of a positive change management process.
• Report with recommendations that will form the basis of an ICT strategic plan.
• Opened SCAAB’s eyes & imagination to possibilities of how ICT can be used internally, with clients & with the community.
• Learning issues SCAAB are experiencing are common in the community services sector.
Thanks to Jinny McGrath for this slide
Example: SCAAB Case StudyLessons Learned for SCAAB
Quality Process•Regular communication to key stakeholders•Hear from as many people as possible•Champions within the organisation•Access to people with ICT expertise who understand the sector & can assist NFP.•Develop ICT strategic plan before rushing to change things
Thanks to Jinny McGrath for this slide
The Interoperability Working Group
Discussion paper downloadable here
Three background articles to give extra context.
VCOSS Congress paper 2007: http://tinyurl.com/yuby5m Part 1: Introduction to the Interoperability Working Group
Part 2 Cooperative Federalism, Social Inclusion and Interoperability
These papers reflect the knowledge of sector practitioners and the sorts of thinking that have gone into scoping the nature of the problems in relation in ICT infrastructure
Richard Vines
Quality / Knowledge ManagerChildren’s Protection Society
B. A good news story Listening to the voice of the child – why does ICT matter?
Acknowledgement
CPS Community Arts Program
A. Two challenging storiesICT and data management (p. 3) ICT and quality management (p. 4)
Department of Human Services (2007)Registration Standards for
Community Services Organisations.Training and Review Guide.
Quality as a records and information management challenge
A model of a system
Evidence collation as a records and information management challenge
Family services standard
Quality as building an evidence base within a social system (the archival
perspective)
Show
cas
e
What happens to the IM challenge when there are more than 2
standards?
Jen McKinleyOffice for the
Community Sector
Introduction
Better Integrated Standards and Quality Assurance Systems
(BISQAS) project
An overview of the whole quality system
ICT (informatics) infrastructure
There are big and important
sustainability questions that arise
from the cost / revenue models
moving forward to a new quality system
New models of governance
Sector publishing system for
standards and regulations
Provides a map of the complexity
across the different standards
Cross linking of evidence between different standard
elements
The interoperability challenge
• Family Services / Out of Home Care• Homelessness Standard (HASS)• Home and Community Care (HACC)• Family Relationships Services Program (FRSP)• Disability services
A sector publishing system — quality standards
Show ca
se
Visualisation of the different standards
Cross linking of the “see also” relationships
This represents only about 40%
of the complexity
Cross mapping of possibilities
to re-use evidenceAcknowledge the efforts of other members of the
BISQAS project team:
•Gavan McCarthy•Michael Jones•Mark Graham•Joanne Evans
•Ailie Smith•Helen Morgan•Simon Porter
From the University of Melbourne
eScholarship Research Centre
Also thank you to Chris Kirk (Exact
Data) for his intellectual
contribution to this thinking
Conclusion• Now is the time to reflect on the long term ICT (and
informatics) infrastructure needs of the community sector
• Currently, there is more convergence in the practice standards specifications than the organisational management standards
• The degree of outsourcing to auditors, and the split of on-going resource allocations to the sector will have a big impact on the knowledge capacity across the community sector as a whole
• In principle, quality systems and regulation interventions can be used to build a substantial evidence base for practice
• New governance and data gathering practices are required if we are to realise opportunities to build a sector orientated knowledge/evidence base. HSPIC may provide such a vehicle.Thank you - Richard Vines
Interoperability — where to now?
Information management reform• Service data reform including standardising data definitions and formats to
enable full interoperability.
• Quality assurance reform to allow harmonisation between different frameworks and streamlined reporting processes.
Leadership and coordination• A governance group comprising government and community sector
representatives to plan and oversee the implementation of the reforms.
• A research and technical forum to keep abreast of innovative work in the academic and ICT sectors that is relevant to information management and system integration.
Capacity building• An affordable information and training program targeted to community
sector needs in information management and ICT.
• A community sector ICT leadership group focused on facilitating technical sustainability and change management within the sector.
Conferences…2007...• Facilitated by Randy Stoecker,
University of Wisconsin – Madison
• A participatory process mapping issues to be pursued by the project
2008...• Keynote by John Davies
(iT4Communities) about a skilled volunteers program
• Reports from agencies involved in case studies
• Workshops on establishing an ICT Pro Bono service and a sector-based ICT support service
2009...•Panel discussion about ICT education and training issues in the sector
•Workshops on strategies for addressing the issues
•Demonstrations of free and cheap productivity tools
Seminar series• Educational and capacity-building
• FREE! with afternoon tea in a central city location every six weeks or so
• Presentations and notes posted on the website (www.doingitbetter.net.au)
• Sponsored by Multimedia Victoria
Topics covered...
• Integrating records, information, knowledge and quality management
• Assessing your ICT needs
• Developing an ICT strategic plan
• Innovative ICT use in the sector now (20 Aug) and in the near future (15 Sep)
• Knowledge and information management for community organisations (27 Oct)
• Choosing a client/contact records management system (3 Dec)
Project Outcomes Overall• Individual organisational
change
• Identified or confirmed issues common to the sector
• Established a shared language and understanding of problems and opportunities
• Increased awareness in government about the ICT issues facing the sector
• Advocacy on some significant systemic issues
• Established a ‘community of practice’ with an interest in IT issues in the sector
• Shared learnings and information across the sector
• Encouraged interaction across the sector
• Confirmed need for some capacity building programs aimed at the sector• A sector-based ICT support service
• An ICT Pro Bono service
• Developed a robust model for ICT-related knowledge and information sharing
• New academic and practical research partnerships($, brains and long-term relationships)
Final Report
• Look for Government endorsement and direct support
• Recommendations for Community & Sector Government — Policy, Implementation,
FundingOther funders, philanthropistsICT Industry & providers Educators and Trainers
• New projects & programs 2010 +
That’s all for now
Questions?
For more information:Visit the website: www.doingitbetter.net.au
Email Dean: [email protected]
Email Larry:[email protected]