HMIS Project Management Topics and Tools - OneCPD

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HMIS Project Management Topics and Tools• Help desk. A help desk system provides users with a central resource to call or email toresolve questions and software issues. There are ‘Help Desk’ database tools that can bevery helpful for logging help desk requests and their resolution in a way that builds anongoing knowledge base about the software. The help desk information, however it isdocumented, can be used to ensure consistency when giving responses, to reduceduplication of effort in troubleshooting recurring problems, to facilitate learning by newtechnical support staff, to inform the project manager of software bugs and desiredsoftware enhancements, to indicate areas that require more training, and to inform theproject manager of frequent problems and solutions that can be addressed through userFAQs or other communication strategies. Help desks are typically administered byHMIS staff or the solution provider.• Phone technical assistance. If technical assistants have the ability (and permission) toremotely view and/or control (also known as shadowing) a user’s system while she or heis having difficulty, this will help immensely with resolving complicated issues. Remoteaccess can be part of the HMIS solution or it can be implemented separately throughshadowing a user’s entire operating system. If the technical assistant does not have use ofshadow mode or if the project’s Policies and Procedures prohibit this, she or he may stillbe able to answer quick questions or resolve some problems that the user may be having.More complicated issues may require a site visit.• On-site technical assistance. Many users prefer this type of technical assistance, but itis not always the most efficient delivery method. In large geographical areas, this methodmight be impossible. As stated above, if a project offers this type of technical assistance,the project manager will need to produce a very clear document indicating when andunder what circumstances it is appropriate to conduct site visits. For example, the projectmanager along with the funder may decide that agencies get no more than three site visitsper year. However, hands-on technical assistance may be warranted if the projectmanager discovers that an agency has significant data quality issues.TrainerThe trainer is responsible for training end users. This requires a thorough familiarity with thesoftware tool, any additional features such as generating reports, an understanding of minimaldata collection and entry requirements, as well as requirements and deadlines for reporting toHUD or to the local city or state. Some trainers also educate about ethics, privacy,confidentiality, and security protocols. The trainer must be able to follow a standard trainingformat so that all users in the HMIS project have a common understanding and education in howthe software works and the importance of the data collection—how the data will be used. Armedwith that understanding, an effective trainer clearly communicates procedures for entering dataand utilizing the software’s features. This usually requires patience in working with users ofdifferent levels of computer literacy.Trainers with human service backgrounds will be able to add another dimension by drawing ontheir own experience. For example, they may be equipped to discuss techniques for gathering12
HMIS Project Management Topics and Toolsdata from clients who are reluctant or unable to provide information, or they may be able toprovide realistic examples of how to use a case management module to track goals and outcomemeasures.Project managers need to work with the trainers to ensure that software users are prepared tocollect all required data and get the most out of the system’s reporting and other features. Inorder to do that, project managers will need to assess their resources, explore cost effective andefficient models and types of training, and implement the most appropriate training plan. Theplan should include targets, i.e., how many trainings will be held during the year and how manypeople will be trained. Training demands are ongoing, particularly in implementations thatexperience high agency staff turnover. Users may also need to be periodically retrained due tosoftware upgrades, data quality issues, and advanced usage of the HMIS. Advanced trainings forstaff that wish to take advantage of special features of the software can make the HMIS moreuseful to the end user.Training ModelsHMIS Communities around the country use various training models including those listed below:• One-on-one training. Using this model, trainers visit agencies and sit with each staffperson to train them on the software and answer any questions that they might have. Thismodel works well if resources are plentiful and if there are a limited number of softwareusers.• Regularly scheduled group trainings. This model requires a secure computer lab spacewhere each user has hands-on access to a workstation. If the project is using a web-basedapplication, there will need to be Internet connectivity. (Several communities havecreated mobile training labs with laptops and a wireless router to facilitate on-site trainingfor users in large geographic locations.) In addition, if there are more than a handful ofpeople who attend the trainings, it is advisable to have both a primary trainer and a backupperson (or people) who can work one-on-one with users in the classroom who needmore help. This will prevent the trainer from needing to stop to attend to peopleindividually.• Train the Trainer Model. Trainers can visit agencies individually and train agency staffwho will then be able to train all of their agency’s users. Trainers can also train a groupof trainers from various agencies at one time in a computer lab. This model is widelyemployed, and much more efficient than the models mentioned above. However, thismodel makes it difficult to ensure that end users receive a consistent message on eithersoftware or policy; thus it may require more frequent monitoring on data quality andpolicy issues. It is also important to keep in mind that if a trainer leaves an agency, theprocess needs to begin anew. Communities often employ this model upon initialimplementation or a major software upgrade when a solution provider training comes onsite to provide expert training.13
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HMIS Project Management Topics and Tools - OneCPD

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