Information System Plan
In a very broad sense, the term information system is frequently used to refer to the interaction between people, processes, data and technology. In this sense, the term is used to refer not only to the information and communication technology (ICT) an organization uses, but also to the way in which people interact with this technology in support of business processes.
Some make a clear distinction between information systems, ICT and business processes. Information systems are distinct from information technology in that an information system is typically seen as having an ICT component. Information systems are also different from business processes. Information systems help to control the performance of business processes.
Alter argues for an information system as a special type of work system. A work system is a system in which humans and/or machines perform work using resources (including ICT) to produce specific products and/or services for customers. An information system is a work system whose activities are devoted to processing (capturing, transmitting, storing, retrieving, manipulating and displaying)information .
Part of the difficulty in defining the term information system is due to vagueness in the definition of related terms such as system and information. Beynon-Davies argues for a clearer terminology based in systemics and semiotics. He defines an information system as an example of a system concerned with the manipulation of signs. An information system is a type of socio-technical system. An information system is a mediating construct between actions and technology .
As such, information systems inter-relate with data systems on the one hand and activity systems on the other. An information system is a form of communication system in which data represent and are processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a semi-formal language which supports human decision making and action.
A business application of the computer. It is made up of the database, application programs and manual and machine procedures. It also encompasses the computer systems that do the processing.
Some make a clear distinction between information systems, ICT and business processes. Information systems are distinct from information technology in that an information system is typically seen as having an ICT component. Information systems are also different from business processes. Information systems help to control the performance of business processes.
Alter argues for an information system as a special type of work system. A work system is a system in which humans and/or machines perform work using resources (including ICT) to produce specific products and/or services for customers. An information system is a work system whose activities are devoted to processing (capturing, transmitting, storing, retrieving, manipulating and displaying)information .
Part of the difficulty in defining the term information system is due to vagueness in the definition of related terms such as system and information. Beynon-Davies argues for a clearer terminology based in systemics and semiotics. He defines an information system as an example of a system concerned with the manipulation of signs. An information system is a type of socio-technical system. An information system is a mediating construct between actions and technology .
As such, information systems inter-relate with data systems on the one hand and activity systems on the other. An information system is a form of communication system in which data represent and are processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a semi-formal language which supports human decision making and action.
A business application of the computer. It is made up of the database, application programs and manual and machine procedures. It also encompasses the computer systems that do the processing.
Processing the Data
The database stores the subjects of the business (master files) and its activities (transaction files). The application programs provide the data entry, updating, query and report processing.
The Procedures
The manual procedures document how data are obtained for input and how the system's output is distributed. Machine procedures instruct the computer how to perform scheduled activities, in which the output of one program is automatically fed into another.
Transaction Processing
The daily work is the online, interactive processing of the business transactions and updating of customer, inventory and vendor files (master files).
Batch Processing
At the end of the day or other period, programs print reports and update files that were not updated on a daily basis. Periodically, files must be updated for routine maintenance such as adding and deleting employees and making changes to product descriptions.
Strategic Information Systems Planning
Strategic information systems planning, or SISP, is based on two core arguments. The first is that, at a minimum, a firm’s information systems investments should be aligned with the overall business strategy, and in some cases may even become an emerging source of competitive advantage. While no one disagrees with this, operations management researchers are just starting to study how this alignment takes place and what the measurable benefits are. An issue under examination is how a manufacturer’s business strategy, characterized as either “market focused” or “operations focused,” affects its ability to garner efficiency versus customer service benefits from its ERP investments.
The second core argument behind SISP is that companies can best achieve IS-based alignment or competitive advantage by following a proactive, formal and comprehensive process that includes the development of broad organizational information requirements. This is in contrast to a “reactive” strategy, in which the IS group sits back and responds to other areas of the business only when a need arises. Such a process is especially relevant to ERP investments, given their costs and long-term impact. Seegars, Grover and Teng (1) have identified six dimensions that define an excellent SISP process (notice that many of these would apply to the strategic planning process in other areas as well):
1. ComprehensivenessThe second core argument behind SISP is that companies can best achieve IS-based alignment or competitive advantage by following a proactive, formal and comprehensive process that includes the development of broad organizational information requirements. This is in contrast to a “reactive” strategy, in which the IS group sits back and responds to other areas of the business only when a need arises. Such a process is especially relevant to ERP investments, given their costs and long-term impact. Seegars, Grover and Teng (1) have identified six dimensions that define an excellent SISP process (notice that many of these would apply to the strategic planning process in other areas as well):
Comprehensiveness is “the extent to which an organization attempts to be exhaustive or inclusive in making and integrating strategic decisions”.
2. FormalizationFormalization is “the existence of structures, techniques, written procedures, and policies that guide the planning process”.
3. FocusFocus is “the balance between creativity and control orientations inherent within the strategic planning system”. An innovative orientation emphasizes innovative solutions to deal with opportunities and threats. An integrative orientation emphasizes control, as implemented through budgets, resource allocation, and asset management.
4. Top-down flowSISP should be initiated by top managers, with the aid of support staff.
5. Broad participation
Even though the planning flow is top-down, participation must involve multiple functional areas and, as necessary, key stakeholders at lower levels of the organization.
6. High consistency
6. High consistency
SISP should be characterized by frequent meetings and reassessments of the overall strategy.
The recommendations found in the SISP literature have been echoed in the operations management literature. It has been suggested that firms should institutionalize a formal top-down planning process for linking information systems strategy to business needs as they move toward evolution in their management orientation, planning, organization, and control aspects of the IT function.
The recommendations found in the SISP literature have been echoed in the operations management literature. It has been suggested that firms should institutionalize a formal top-down planning process for linking information systems strategy to business needs as they move toward evolution in their management orientation, planning, organization, and control aspects of the IT function.
The Steps in Order to Expedite the Implementation of the IS Plan
Step 1.Getting Started
The first step in a consumer information project is to lay the foundation for the project—financially, politically, and organizationally. While this may sound obvious, many projects fail because sponsors do not take the time to prepare. They dive right into the process of collecting and reporting data, only to be taken by surprise when someone objects to the project or the money runs out.
On the other hand, some projects never even get off the ground because the sponsors can't move beyond the planning process. The key to moving beyond the organizational stage is to develop and stick to a schedule that will force decisions and push the participants forward in the process.
On the other hand, some projects never even get off the ground because the sponsors can't move beyond the planning process. The key to moving beyond the organizational stage is to develop and stick to a schedule that will force decisions and push the participants forward in the process.
Step 2.Collecting and Analyzing Data
During the planning stage (Step 1), sponsors choose what types of quality measures to share with the audience.
For guidance, go to Choose Quality Measures.
For many sponsors, the next step in a consumer information project is to gather that data and conduct the appropriate analyses so that these measures have meaning for consumers.
For more information on this step, choose one of the following topics:
• Where You Can Get Information on Quality.
• How to Know When You'll Need Help.
• How to Skip This Step.
• Making Sure Information Is Credible.
Where You Can Get Information on QualityFor guidance, go to Choose Quality Measures.
For many sponsors, the next step in a consumer information project is to gather that data and conduct the appropriate analyses so that these measures have meaning for consumers.
For more information on this step, choose one of the following topics:
• Where You Can Get Information on Quality.
• How to Know When You'll Need Help.
• How to Skip This Step.
• Making Sure Information Is Credible.
The source of quality information depends on the kind of data you need, which depends on the nature of the project you undertake. For some projects, particularly those involving health plans, standardized information is readily available, with little need for additional analysis. For projects involving provider groups, on the other hand, it may be necessary to collect and process raw data that can be turned into useful information.
How to Know When You'll Need HelpYou are not likely to need help if the information you want is available from a reliable, trustworthy source that has already processed the data. In that case, you need only request or purchase the data and prepare it to meet the needs of your audience. For instance, several State agencies use the HEDIS® results (including averages and benchmarks)
provided by the NCQA's Quality Compass database to create a quality report on all the plans in the State.
provided by the NCQA's Quality Compass database to create a quality report on all the plans in the State.
Analysis Needed? Consider Some Assistance
If the data exist but require additional analysis to be useful to your audience, you may need assistance from a vendor qualified to conduct the type of analysis you need. For example, a purchasing coalition that offers five health plans to its members' employees could use HEDIS® results to calculate benchmarks or averages for those plans only. While some sponsors can handle an analysis of quality data on their own, others would benefit from expert advice and technical know-how.
Doing Your Own Data Collection and Analysis? Hire HelpIf you want to collect and analyze quality data yourself, you would be well-advised to contract with a knowledgeable, experienced vendor. Few sponsors have the technical know-how, the manpower, or the clinical knowledge to generate their own data and do their own analyses. If, for instance, you want to use the CAHPS® survey kit to gather data on your employees' experiences with care, you have to rely on an outside contractor.
The CAHPS® protocol recommends that the survey be conducted by an independent vendor that will take responsibility for collecting the data, analyzing it, and presenting the results in a manner consistent with the CAHPS® methodology.
Sponsors may also need outside help when they combine measures into categories, calculate summary scores, or show relative performance; consultants with statistical expertise can ensure that the sponsors don't misrepresent the performance of competing plans.
How to Skip this Step
The CAHPS® protocol recommends that the survey be conducted by an independent vendor that will take responsibility for collecting the data, analyzing it, and presenting the results in a manner consistent with the CAHPS® methodology.
Sponsors may also need outside help when they combine measures into categories, calculate summary scores, or show relative performance; consultants with statistical expertise can ensure that the sponsors don't misrepresent the performance of competing plans.
How to Skip this Step
Of course, not all sponsors want to or can gather quality information on their own. While you may start out with the intention of doing everything yourself, it is not always practical or affordable to obtain the data you need when you need it. It may also be redundant and thus wasteful to ask health care organizations for information they have already given to someone else.
Rather than follow this path, you may prefer to use information that another party has already prepared, or direct consumers to data provided by others. In many markets, organizations such as regulatory agencies, purchasers, accrediting organizations, and provider associations are collecting health care quality data on a regular basis. Examples of useful sources of quality information include Medicare, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and possibly agencies in your own State government.
This approach is efficient and offers sponsors the ability to present more data than they could have ever gathered on their own. The potential downside, however, is that you will probably need to make some compromises. That is, the information made available by someone else may not be exactly what you want, ready when you want it, or applicable to the precise information needs of your audience.
Making Sure Information Is CredibleRather than follow this path, you may prefer to use information that another party has already prepared, or direct consumers to data provided by others. In many markets, organizations such as regulatory agencies, purchasers, accrediting organizations, and provider associations are collecting health care quality data on a regular basis. Examples of useful sources of quality information include Medicare, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and possibly agencies in your own State government.
This approach is efficient and offers sponsors the ability to present more data than they could have ever gathered on their own. The potential downside, however, is that you will probably need to make some compromises. That is, the information made available by someone else may not be exactly what you want, ready when you want it, or applicable to the precise information needs of your audience.
From your perspective as a sponsor hoping to educate and inform the public, the validity and accuracy of data are critical. If consumers do not trust that the data truly reflect the quality of care they can expect, all your efforts are wasted.
To ensure the credibility of your data, make sure you understand the methodology that was used to collect and analyze it. Some tools, such as the CAHPS® Survey and Reporting Kit, include specific instructions for sponsors regarding what they need to understand to maintain the validity of data. You do not need to understand all of the technical and statistical details, but you should feel confident about the following:
• The information has been collected and reported in compliance with an established, tested methodology. If the task is being handled by an outside vendor, confirm that the vendor is following an accepted protocol (e.g., using an appropriate sample size).
• The analysis and interpretation of the data has been handled independently of the health care organizations. That is, while these organizations may offer helpful and necessary advice, they should not be making the final decisions.
To confirm that health care organizations have followed the standard procedures for calculating measures, consider having the measures audited or requiring audited measures. To improve the consistency of auditing criteria and processes, NCQA certifies organizations to audit HEDIS® results from health plans. Since 1999, all health plans accredited by NCQA have had to submit HEDIS® results that have been audited by an NCQA-certified vendor.
For measures other than HEDIS®, sponsors may want to consider vendors that can apply the auditing principles recommended by NCQA. To minimize inconsistencies, hire the same vendor to handle all audits and confirm that all auditors use the same criteria in their work.
Step 3. Presenting the InformationTo ensure the credibility of your data, make sure you understand the methodology that was used to collect and analyze it. Some tools, such as the CAHPS® Survey and Reporting Kit, include specific instructions for sponsors regarding what they need to understand to maintain the validity of data. You do not need to understand all of the technical and statistical details, but you should feel confident about the following:
• The information has been collected and reported in compliance with an established, tested methodology. If the task is being handled by an outside vendor, confirm that the vendor is following an accepted protocol (e.g., using an appropriate sample size).
• The analysis and interpretation of the data has been handled independently of the health care organizations. That is, while these organizations may offer helpful and necessary advice, they should not be making the final decisions.
To confirm that health care organizations have followed the standard procedures for calculating measures, consider having the measures audited or requiring audited measures. To improve the consistency of auditing criteria and processes, NCQA certifies organizations to audit HEDIS® results from health plans. Since 1999, all health plans accredited by NCQA have had to submit HEDIS® results that have been audited by an NCQA-certified vendor.
For measures other than HEDIS®, sponsors may want to consider vendors that can apply the auditing principles recommended by NCQA. To minimize inconsistencies, hire the same vendor to handle all audits and confirm that all auditors use the same criteria in their work.
Presentation—or how you say what you have to say—plays a critical part in ensuring that your efforts to convey quality information are successful. One of the most challenging aspects of a performance measurement project is figuring out how to present the data in a way that helps consumers interpret the information and apply it to their health care-related decisions. Many sponsors have struggled with this question, only to find themselves making the same mistakes as others before them. One of the key objectives of this site is to support project sponsors in learning from the experiences of their peers as well as from the findings of researchers regarding the best ways to discuss, format, and display information on quality.
Five Key Points About Presentation
Here are the five most important things to remember about presenting information on health care quality:
1. There is no one way to do this—but there are better ways and worse ways.
At this time, there is no universally accepted approach to providing information on quality to consumers. The marketplace is full of experiments, most of which have not been evaluated. But we do know that some approaches to presenting quality information work better than others in the sense that consumers find it easier to understand the data and evaluate their options.
2. The answer that's best for you depends on who your audience is and how they'll use the information.
The way you present information—and even the information itself—should be driven by the needs of whoever is supposed to be reading it. Consumers are the focus of this Web site, but they are not the only audience for health care quality information. Sponsors can develop information for:
• Public or private purchasers.
• Non-purchasing intermediary organizations, such as consumer advocacy groups.
• Policymakers.
• Provider organizations.
• Individual providers.
• Health plans.
Each of these audiences has different needs for quality information. As a result, an approach that is appropriate for individual consumers may not be at all useful for a different audience.
For example:
• Plans and providers may want more detail in order to identify specific opportunities to improve quality.
• Policymakers, on the other hand, may want a higher level of aggregation that would reveal larger trends in the marketplace.
• Intermediary organizations and purchasers may want enough data to draw their own conclusions rather than having the information interpreted for them.
3. Data cannot be presented in a vacuum.
The context you provide (or fail to provide) for the information affects what your audience pays attention to and how they interpret it. In particular, consumers are more likely to care about the information if you can connect it to their concerns about health care and the health care system. For instance, data on ease of referrals has greater relevance to an audience that understands how a health plan may limit their access to specialists. This implies that it is not enough to provide data; a quality report must include some explanation of how the health care system works and what the data reveal about a health care organization.
4. For the typical consumer, a quality measure has no meaning on its own.
It is the sponsor's job to turn quality measures into information that consumers can easily comprehend, evaluate, and use. You can do this by doing one or more of the following:
• Grouping measures into consumer-friendly categories.
• Offering a basis for comparison, such as an average or benchmark for the market.
• Interpreting the information for your audience by making it clear which results are truly better than others.
5. The medium shapes the message.
Whether you rely on printed reports, Web sites, or live presentations, the medium you choose to deliver the information can determine how much you present and how you display it. For instance, you can offer many more layers of detail on the Web than you can in print without overwhelming your audience. A printed report, on the other hand, offers the ability to create large displays of information across multiple pages. This suggests that you will need to have some sense of what the final product will be before you can decide on a design and format for quality information.
Making Sure Your Materials Work for Your Audience
No matter how limited your resources may be, do what you can to test the materials as you develop them to make sure they are suitable for your audience. This approach allows you to identify and remedy trouble spots along the way rather than waiting until the information has been disseminated to discover any problems. Specifically, sponsors can conduct ongoing testing to assess:
• Whether consumers can read the information easily.
• Whether they can understand it.
• Whether the content is appropriate for your audience.
• Whether people are interested in your content (i.e., its salience).
• Whether consumers can use your materials for the purpose for which they are intended.
• Whether they can navigate through the materials to find the information they want.
Techniques for this kind of iterative testing include one-on-one interviews as well as focus groups.
Step 4. Disseminating InformationHere are the five most important things to remember about presenting information on health care quality:
1. There is no one way to do this—but there are better ways and worse ways.
At this time, there is no universally accepted approach to providing information on quality to consumers. The marketplace is full of experiments, most of which have not been evaluated. But we do know that some approaches to presenting quality information work better than others in the sense that consumers find it easier to understand the data and evaluate their options.
2. The answer that's best for you depends on who your audience is and how they'll use the information.
The way you present information—and even the information itself—should be driven by the needs of whoever is supposed to be reading it. Consumers are the focus of this Web site, but they are not the only audience for health care quality information. Sponsors can develop information for:
• Public or private purchasers.
• Non-purchasing intermediary organizations, such as consumer advocacy groups.
• Policymakers.
• Provider organizations.
• Individual providers.
• Health plans.
Each of these audiences has different needs for quality information. As a result, an approach that is appropriate for individual consumers may not be at all useful for a different audience.
For example:
• Plans and providers may want more detail in order to identify specific opportunities to improve quality.
• Policymakers, on the other hand, may want a higher level of aggregation that would reveal larger trends in the marketplace.
• Intermediary organizations and purchasers may want enough data to draw their own conclusions rather than having the information interpreted for them.
3. Data cannot be presented in a vacuum.
The context you provide (or fail to provide) for the information affects what your audience pays attention to and how they interpret it. In particular, consumers are more likely to care about the information if you can connect it to their concerns about health care and the health care system. For instance, data on ease of referrals has greater relevance to an audience that understands how a health plan may limit their access to specialists. This implies that it is not enough to provide data; a quality report must include some explanation of how the health care system works and what the data reveal about a health care organization.
4. For the typical consumer, a quality measure has no meaning on its own.
It is the sponsor's job to turn quality measures into information that consumers can easily comprehend, evaluate, and use. You can do this by doing one or more of the following:
• Grouping measures into consumer-friendly categories.
• Offering a basis for comparison, such as an average or benchmark for the market.
• Interpreting the information for your audience by making it clear which results are truly better than others.
5. The medium shapes the message.
Whether you rely on printed reports, Web sites, or live presentations, the medium you choose to deliver the information can determine how much you present and how you display it. For instance, you can offer many more layers of detail on the Web than you can in print without overwhelming your audience. A printed report, on the other hand, offers the ability to create large displays of information across multiple pages. This suggests that you will need to have some sense of what the final product will be before you can decide on a design and format for quality information.
Making Sure Your Materials Work for Your Audience
No matter how limited your resources may be, do what you can to test the materials as you develop them to make sure they are suitable for your audience. This approach allows you to identify and remedy trouble spots along the way rather than waiting until the information has been disseminated to discover any problems. Specifically, sponsors can conduct ongoing testing to assess:
• Whether consumers can read the information easily.
• Whether they can understand it.
• Whether the content is appropriate for your audience.
• Whether people are interested in your content (i.e., its salience).
• Whether consumers can use your materials for the purpose for which they are intended.
• Whether they can navigate through the materials to find the information they want.
Techniques for this kind of iterative testing include one-on-one interviews as well as focus groups.
Long before you have the information to distribute, you need to be thinking about how and when to get it into the hands of consumers. Sponsors should ask themselves:
• What can we do to ensure that our audience is aware of our information and motivated to use it?
• When is the best time to make the information available? Is this timing realistic?
• What channels can we use to distribute the information to our audience? How can we make sure they see it?
• How should we package the information? Should it stand alone or be incorporated into other information?
The answers to these questions will affect how much time you have to produce the report as well as the kinds of measures and depth of content that you can include. For example:
• If the goal is to release a performance report in early fall so that consumers have it in time for the open enrollment season, you may not have enough time to conduct your own survey of enrollees but you could ask your plans to share the HEDIS® scores—which include results of the CAHPS® survey—that they have to report to NCQA by early summer.
• If the most sensible way to package the performance information is to integrate it into open enrollment materials, you will have to deal with space constraints that would not be necessary in a stand-alone document. This may affect the way you present the data or how much data you can include.
Step 5. Supporting Consumers • What can we do to ensure that our audience is aware of our information and motivated to use it?
• When is the best time to make the information available? Is this timing realistic?
• What channels can we use to distribute the information to our audience? How can we make sure they see it?
• How should we package the information? Should it stand alone or be incorporated into other information?
The answers to these questions will affect how much time you have to produce the report as well as the kinds of measures and depth of content that you can include. For example:
• If the goal is to release a performance report in early fall so that consumers have it in time for the open enrollment season, you may not have enough time to conduct your own survey of enrollees but you could ask your plans to share the HEDIS® scores—which include results of the CAHPS® survey—that they have to report to NCQA by early summer.
• If the most sensible way to package the performance information is to integrate it into open enrollment materials, you will have to deal with space constraints that would not be necessary in a stand-alone document. This may affect the way you present the data or how much data you can include.
For many sponsors of consumer information projects, the job ends once the reports have been distributed. But both experienced sponsors and researchers testing consumer behavior have demonstrated that it is not enough to give consumers data. They need help in interpreting the information on quality, integrating it with other relevant data (such as costs), and using it to make decisions. Without this help, many simply ignore the information they have, or worse, use it inappropriately.
Strategies for providing "decision support" include the following:
• Refer consumers to consumer advocates and other "information intermediaries" who can help your audience understand and use the information you provide. You may need to provide those intermediaries with training, scripts, and documents they can share with consumers. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly the Health Care Financing Administration, funds a Nationwide program called SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Programs) to help seniors work through insurance issues and answer their questions.
• Offer consumers a worksheet that guides them through the process of evaluating their options. Worksheets help the reader keep track of the information needed to make decisions. While they can be too complicated for some consumers, they are a valuable tool for the information intermediaries who may assist consumers in reaching decisions.
• Design computer-based systems that facilitate decisionmaking by allowing the user to weight different factors or by ranking the available choices based on the user's response to a set of questions.
To determine which strategy will work best for your audience, you may want to consult with representative consumers and/or appropriate intermediaries. Also, be sure to evaluate your support strategy once it is implemented to find out how well it is serving the needs of your audience and how you can improve it.
Step 6. Evaluating the ProjectStrategies for providing "decision support" include the following:
• Refer consumers to consumer advocates and other "information intermediaries" who can help your audience understand and use the information you provide. You may need to provide those intermediaries with training, scripts, and documents they can share with consumers. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), formerly the Health Care Financing Administration, funds a Nationwide program called SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Programs) to help seniors work through insurance issues and answer their questions.
• Offer consumers a worksheet that guides them through the process of evaluating their options. Worksheets help the reader keep track of the information needed to make decisions. While they can be too complicated for some consumers, they are a valuable tool for the information intermediaries who may assist consumers in reaching decisions.
• Design computer-based systems that facilitate decisionmaking by allowing the user to weight different factors or by ranking the available choices based on the user's response to a set of questions.
To determine which strategy will work best for your audience, you may want to consult with representative consumers and/or appropriate intermediaries. Also, be sure to evaluate your support strategy once it is implemented to find out how well it is serving the needs of your audience and how you can improve it.
Finally, the last step for sponsors is to evaluate the extent to which the project achieved its objectives. This could be as simple as asking whether consumers are aware of the information you produced or as complicated as finding out whether and how consumers used the information to help make decisions.
Evaluations are important for internal purposes because they enable you to determine how effective your project is and how it can be improved. But they are equally critical for external reasons. First, being able to demonstrate that the project has had a positive impact will help you secure political support and continued funding. In addition, an evaluation allows other sponsors to learn from your experience.
The following methods are commonly used to evaluate projects:
• Focus groups.
• Surveys.
• Usability testing.
• Analysis of changes in enrollment patterns.
Sources:Evaluations are important for internal purposes because they enable you to determine how effective your project is and how it can be improved. But they are equally critical for external reasons. First, being able to demonstrate that the project has had a positive impact will help you secure political support and continued funding. In addition, an evaluation allows other sponsors to learn from your experience.
The following methods are commonly used to evaluate projects:
• Focus groups.
• Surveys.
• Usability testing.
• Analysis of changes in enrollment patterns.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_system
http://scm.ncsu.edu/public/facts/facs060329.html
http://www.talkingquality.gov/docs/section1/1_2.htm