Developing a web-based

information management system

A Foundation for realizing the RUFORUM Theory of Change

Nodumo Dhlamini, Agnes Akwang Obua-Ogwal, Claire Akun-Ntwali,

Sylvia Mkandawire, George Flatters
The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture
(RUFORUM www.ruforum.org)
7th AFREA Conference
5-7 March 2014 Yaounde, Cameroon
Outline / Objectives
1. Overview of the RUFORUM Theory of Change
2. The Approach and Methodology for developing the
RUFORUM Information Management System
3. Achievements
4. Lessons and way forward
Lessons learnt designing M&E data collection systems
Opportunities presented by open source platforms to
non-profit organisations
D e fin itio n o f T e rm s
A web based information management system is
defined as a computerised database
management information system that is
accessible for use via the internet.
It allows both users and technical support staff
to access, populate and use it online improving
online data collection, management and
analysis.
 OVERVIEW OF THE RUFORUM
THEORY OF CHANGE, VISION AND
MISSION
RUFORUM Vision

A vibrant agricultural sector linked to African

universities which can produce high performing
graduates and high-quality research responsive to
the demands of Africas farmers for innovations
and able to generate sustainable livelihoods and
national economic development
RUFORUM Mission

To strengthen the capacities of Universities to

foster innovations responsive to demands of
smallholder farmers through the training of high
quality researchers, the output of impact oriented
research, and the maintenance of collaborative
working relations among researchers, farmers,
national agricultural research institutions and
governments.
 RUFORUM Theory of Change
IMPACT STATEMENT: High performing African universities that produce skilled, proactive graduates, demand driven
research outputs and innovation in response to local, regional and national agricultural development priorities
1. RUFORUM member universities are strong institutions that shape the agricultural sector in positive ways
2. RUFORUM alumni are pro-active and dynamic change-makers in the agricultural sector
3. RUFORUM becomes a regional reference point for Agricultural Research and Higher Agricultural Education
RUFORUM is a dynamic regional platform that fosters collaboration, coordination
and learning amongst member universities
Universities:
1. Focus faculties produce more relevant and user-oriented research
2. Focus faculties produce proactive and skilled graduates
3. Institutionalize enabling policies, principles and practices
4. Benefit from spill-over effects beyond focus faculties
RUFORUM Secretariat facilitates:
1. The institutionalization of appropriate research processes in focus faculties
2. The institutionalization of improved training in focus faculties
3. The development of capacity at university to support secretariat outputs 1 and 2
4. The functioning and governance of RUFORUM
The Justification for a web-based RUFORUM
Information Management System
Why a web-based RUFORUM Information Management
System?
1. Built to fulfil the requirements of the RUFORUM
Theory of Change that recognizes strong
management information systems as focal to the
effectiveness of the RUFORUM Secretariat Core
Programs.
2. The success of our interventions in the universities
depend on strong systems for information
management, information tracking and program
evaluation.
Why a web-based RUFORUM InformationManagement
System?

1. To facilitate efficient and flexible data capturing

and data / information access
2. To improve monitoring of the implementation of
research grants through web-based reporting
3. To strengthen learning in the RUFORUM Network
4. To provide data, information and knowledge for
decision-making and justifying investments
T he S ituation Before the web-based RUFORUM
Inform ation M anagem ent S ystem (RIM S )
Used Microsoft Word and Excel templates with researchers
submitting these templates and related attachments by email.
The emails tended to be bulky
The templates asked the researchers the same questions at each
reporting period because static information was not accommodated.
The method of storage and retrieval of information was inefficient if
information was required it took time for it to be extracted and
formatted for use
The information could not be viewed online and the information was
not easily accessible to other key stakeholders.
T h e RUFORUM Inform ation Manag em ent S ystem (RIMS )
1. An open source platform built on a Django application, written in Python,
running on a MySQL relational database management system and runs on a
Linux server. Components of RIMS include
a) Contacts database that tracks students, alumni, principal investigators,
university faculty and other stakeholders that network with RUFORUM
b) Online Reporting for grant awardees to report at 6,12,18,24 and 30
months
c) Events module
d) Module for capturing grant details and grant calls
e) Online Scholarship Applications for MSc and PhD Students
f) Managing Templates
g) Back end system for managing user rights and access.
The Approach and Methodology for
developing the RUFORUMInformation
Management System
Meth od olog y used to d evelop th e w eb based
RIMS
Agile Methods used to get an agreed understanding of what
needed to be done, for whom, and what resources would be
required:
A persona session where participants create fictional
personas to represent users' perspectives on the MIS product
A user journey session where we examined the key tasks that
each user (represented by the personas) wants to accomplish
A user story session where we captured detailed information
about selected steps in the user journeys
Meth od olog y used to d evelop th e w eb based
RIMS
Agile Methods
embedded users to provide requirements
divided project into discrete runs that are developed individually
Used the scrum concept
Daily status meetings.
Minimized paperwork and accelerated development speeds are
top goals of agile.
 Online Project M anagemen t Tools Used
1. Django administration (https://www.djangoproject.com/), a high-level
Python Web framework that encourages rapid development and clean,
pragmatic design
2. Kanban Tool (http://kanbantool.com/), a visual project management tool.
3. Lopad (http://lopad.org/), a public pad for recording meeting discussions
4. Redmine (http://www.redmine.org/) web-based Project Management
Tool written using Ruby on Rails framework. Redmine is open source and
released under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL).
5. Online communication tools Skype; Group email; Virtual Network
Computing VNC over skype for virtual demonstrations / progress
reviews
 T h e S C RUM C oncep t
1. A product owner creates a prioritized wish list called a product backlog.
2. During sprint planning, the team pulls a small portion from the top of that
wish list, a sprint backlog, and decides how to implement those pieces.
3. The team has a certain amount of time a sprint (usually two to four
weeks) to complete its work, but it meets each day to assess its progress
(daily Scrum).
4. Along the way, the ScrumMaster keeps the team focused on its goal.
5. At the end of the sprint, the work should be potentially shippable: ready to
hand to a customer.
6. The sprint ends with a sprint evaluation and retrospective.
7. As the next sprint begins, the team chooses another portion of the product
backlog and begins working again.
THE TOOLS: Django, Kanban, Lopad, Redmine and Skype
D ay to D ay Manag em ent of th e RIMS
p roject
Clear deadlines and deliverables
Online check-in daily calls
Email Based Reminders for meetings
Regular review and feedback
Face to face discussions at the user site when possible
User Requirements signing off to reduce lack of fit to expectations
Clear product owner from the client
ACHIEVEMENTS
Key Milestones
1. Over 3800 RUFORUM Network
contacts information
2. 100 research grants information
3. Online reporting templates
developed
4. Over 40 researchers submitted
their progress reports online
5. MEL and Grants Team able to read
and provide feedback to grantees
online
6. Better understanding of the
research being implemented by
researchers
Lessons, Gaps and Conclusion
L esson 1: softw are d evelop m ent
m eth od olog ies
Choose a robust software development methodology such as
AGILE to manage project risks e.g.
Scope Creep : Agile projects should add the missed
requirements to the backlog, push off lesser value
requirements, and drop unnecessary requirements
Requirement Error : Agile fleshes out the requirement
when it is being implemented providing much more
visibility and a shorter time frame to reduce costs.
L esson 2: online p roject m anag em ent and
m anag ing virtual team s
Daily online check-ins and feedback are very useful
Online projects can be implemented with African partners /
clients. Virtual Team was based in Kampala, United Kingdom,
Slovenia, Canada and other African countries where the
RUFORUM team members frequently travel to
Kampala speed tests:
Wireless: upload = 1.53 MB/s download = 2.09 MB/s (Orange
Uganda)
Dongle: upload = 0.447 MB/s download = 1.29 MB/s (Orange
Uganda)
Lesson 3: Work flow understanding and
change management
Encourage users to think more about the way that they work
use a retreat for reflection. During system testing encourage
users to capture records to ensure the workflow is better
understood
Involving some types of users (e.g. researchers at universities) at
discovery phase was perhaps premature - would have been
helpful to demo other systems in order to get useful input
Online project management tools were foreign to RUFORUM
team members - accustomed to face to face interactions help
users deal with their fears.
 L esson 4:Bud g et
Versus Need s
1. Aim for basic functionality
and improve the system
as you become clearer on
additional needs
2. Reduce nice to have
functionalities
3. Use open source software
development tools
4. Build internal capacity for
support
L e sso n 5: S u stain in g
R IM S
1. Need for a function in the
organization to sustain the
computerized MIS - to
handle future changes
requested by users and to
administer the databases
2. Ensure that there is a clear
champion for the MIS
dont rely on consultants
3. Ensure buy in from the
CEO and user
departments
 Gap s and W ay
Forw ard
1. Data Quality
management
2. Data completeness
3. Continuous Training for
increased ownership
and full migration
towards full use of the
system
4. Resources for adding
more functionality
C onclusions
1. A well-articulated and accepted monitoring and evaluation framework is
critical in the development of fitting computerised and web-based
management information systems.
2. Online tools for supporting project management could cut down budget
costs for developing management information systems.
3. Capacities and experiences of product owners need to be understood
and training provided
4. Managing the scope of computerized Management Information Systems
Projects is critical link to the available budget
5. The procurement of software development consultants needs to be
handled carefully. Ensure there is a team member in your organization
who has experience managing software development projects