Skip to main content
 
Tying a Sensible Knot: A Practical Guide to State-Local Information Systems

Abstract

Acknowledgments

Executive Summary

Chapter 1. Understanding the State-Local Environment

Chapter 2. Principles for Working in the State-Local Environment

Chapter 3. Best Practices

Appendices
print html versionPrint Chapter (html)
print pdf versionPrint Chapter (pdf)
Chapter 3. Best Practices

Match the technology to the job

Understanding that the solution to one problem is not always the solution to another even highly-related problem, helps a project team avoid mismatching technology solutions to problems. Further, understanding that not all problems have or require a technology solution helps ensure that an appropriate match between technology and the task at hand is made. Over-doing as well as underutilizing technology are both risks to state-local system initiatives.

Project teams often look to the technology lessons from their last project and try to apply them in the current project. Or they become interested in a new technology that seems to be barreling through the marketplace with powerful new features. They sometimes fail to give full consideration to the work processes and overall business context in which the system must operate. Consideration must also be given to user capabilities and the organizational and staffing limitations of the agencies that will be implementing, using, and maintaining the system to deliver services. Technical awareness activities that introduce a variety of technical tools to the project team are often helpful. These can consist of literature reviews, searches on the World Wide Web, vendor presentations, or attendance at technology exhibitions and conferences. Prototyping is an excellent, relatively low- cost way to test the "fit" between a technology and the environment it which it must work.

In most cases, incremental system building using appropriate standards, prototyping, piloting, and evaluation techniques, is a good idea. This approach allows for additions to system functionality as well as for the integration of new technologies over time.


Hunting and Fishing Licenses: Making hard choices

When looking at the information requirements of its automated hunting and fishing licensing system, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recognized that the technology options that could be used to build the system were somewhat limited, due to the rather unique way that the Department sells and processes licenses as "accountables." One of the solutions proposed to DEC involved the use of specialized point-of- sale hardware that was impressive, but also proprietary, expensive, and difficult to integrate with local systems. The appeal of investing in this solution was tempting - DEC would be able to use dedicated, state-of-the-art technology to automate the licensing process and build a system with high integrity. The downside of the solution however outweighed this appeal. Local issuing agents did not want another piece of hardware or a stand-alone system for licenses. They believed they would be much better served by a solution that integrated with technology already in use in their offices. DEC decided that those considerations were more important and began to investigate other tools to get the job done. DEC’s ability to weigh long- term goals against the immediate appeal of the specialized hardware will eventually result in a system that will better support the needs of the local governments by satisfying their requirements for simplicity and integration with existing business activities.


Social Services Imaging Project: Tools of the trade

The tools that are used by tradesmen to perform carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and masonry are all different because the tasks they perform are different. In the world of system development, the same principle holds true, if you want to do the job right you need to use the right tools.

The New York State Department of Social Services (DSS) understood and subscribed to this philosophy when it was considering design options for its local district imaging system. On the surface, the system appeared to be a simple imaging application that would be used to collect and archive forms and information relevant to social services cases. However, the team knew that the system would need to do much more than that. It would also need to be a decision support tool that would be used by local DSS caseworkers to make client decisions based on historical information. As a result, the team knew it would need to consider technologies that would accommodate the integration of images, workflow, and case information stored as "objects."

By understanding how case workers work and selecting the right tools, the team achieved successful results. The imaging technologies they selected met the initial requirements of the system design by supporting the collection and sharing of case-relevant information among local DSS staff. Information that previously had to be sent to different offices through the mail, could now be shared electronically over computer networks to support rapid and effective case decision making.

"Before choosing technology, consider work processes, user capabilities, organizational factors, and existing systems."