When most people say the words, “We are going to change some things around here”, panic starts to run throughout the crowd for no reason. Why is it that everyone is afraid of the concept of change? Without change, how do we learn, grow and become better at serving others who need our help? Regardless if you are in IT, Social Work, Education or Health Care change is going to happen. Instead of causing problems by resisting it, why don’t we figure how to make the process better?
When starting an implementation, most customers show us the forms they want to implement in their system. “These are our current forms that we MUST include in this system. The forms you develop MUST work this way.”
Being intimately involved in many implementations over the years... I cannot tell you how many times I have been sent forms where the last revision note was over 10 years old (one was from 1995). Clients hand me old forms all the time. Sometimes they're still relevant. But many times they're not and it takes a little Q&A to find that out. What we don't want is to find that out AFTER we've already programmed the form in your system.
A Better Way to Prepare for an Implementation
If you are looking for GVT to program your custom forms into your FAMCare software – there are a few steps you should take BEFORE you ever schedule the work:
- Instead of sending us your current forms, look at your forms, see what you want to change and then send them. (I'm sure over the years you have thought about making changes to these paper forms. Now is the time to change them – but change the forms BEFORE we start the programming work or WHILE we're mapping out the new work, not AFTER we've already programmed and added the form to your system. Knowing the changes beforehand can save you money).
- Is it time to add in workflow? Remember – with a software system – you can add certain elements to your workflow that help caseworkers do their jobs more efficiently. Why not find out what changes can be made to the workflow and process to make your staff’s jobs easier and more productive? Sure they have to learn a new process, but wouldn’t it make more sense to implement a new tool and process that makes sense.
Here is a very simple analogy to explain the frustration above. Let’s say you have been driving the same car for the last 10 years. You do not put any money or effort into making it look good or run better because it is not worth the effort. You do the bare minimum at the dealership to make sure that the car keeps running and you get the same results each time. The car can get you from Point A to Point B and that is all that matters (sound familiar?). Then you get a raise (a grant or a rich person dies and leave you a lot of money) and you decided to invest in a new car. Before you buy - you make a list of the things you know you've been missing, have wanted and now want in your new car. CHANGE is possible and you can direct it. Plus – you want to include some of the latest "driver safety technology" that alerts you when you cross over the highway lines without a blinker. That's called workflow!
So, when it's time for an upgrade – what do you do? Before you call us, call your staff to a quick meeting and ask them what should change. Is how you collect data – the best way possible? Can workflow improve? If so, how? What reporting elements are important to your funders? Then go to town designing what you need. Listen to you people, they know what needs to be changed. After all they will be driving your car that provides the services to your clients.
If you’d like to know good questions to ask your staff – you should probably grab a copy of our guide – The Unofficial Guide to Electronic Case Management.. The guide has worksheets to use to uncover some of the answers you seek!
