A planning phase is essential for defining the system requirements before installation of iHRIS begins. These requirements should build on the work done during the Assess stage.
Planning (as well as all subsequent stages) should be done in consultation with stakeholders. Understanding the various perspectives of the stakeholders and finding areas of consensus are important to ensure the success of the implementation. Representatives from the stakeholder organizations make up the Stakeholder Leadership Group (SLG). (An alternative established mechanism of stakeholder leadership might be an existing national Health Workforce Observatory or an HRH taskforce.) Forming the SLG requires high-level buy-in from HRIS champions (see Stage 0: Governance).
Together with the SLG, you will write the implementation plan, a detailed action plan for how iHRIS will be deployed. You will also collaboratively determine the requirements for customizing iHRIS so that it will produce the necessary data for informed decision making. The SLG should have final approval of these important deliverables.
Objectives and Deliverables
Governance
Working with identified leaders, determine which representatives from stakeholder groups to invite to join the SLG. In the initial meeting, agree on Principles of Operation and Terms of Reference for the group.
Template: SLG Principles of Operation and Terms of Reference
Project Management
Develop roles and responsibilities for the members of the implementation team.
Template: Terms of Reference for iHRIS Project Team
Establish tools for managing the project and working with the implementation team.
Project management tools, such as HingX
Open source project management software, such as GanttProject
Software & Systems
With the SLG and the implementation team, collaboratively develop the system requirements and document them using a standard methodology.
Template: User Requirements Specifications
Collaborative Requirements Development Methodology (CRDM) Walk-through
Documentation: Use Case Development Tool and iHRIS Use Cases
Data Sharing & Interoperability
Identify standards to use when sharing data with other systems in the HIS.
Tipsheet: Standardized Data Lists
Data Quality & Standards
Identify the sources of standard HRH data to be used in iHRIS. Determine whether the data are consistently formatted and coded across these sources. If not, decide with the SLG what the standards should be and document them with the system requirements.
Establishing and Using Data Standards in Health Workforce Information Systems (CapacityPlus, 2014)
Review with the SLG data collection processes and forms. Revise forms to provide the minimum necessary dataset to answer policy and management questions.
Training & Support
Train data collectors to use revised data collection forms. Data collection can begin at any point after the data collectors are trained.
Data Use & Reporting
Document requirements for reports produced by iHRIS.
Deliverable
Write the project implementation plan and attach the system and reporting requirements, as well as any data collection forms and supporting documentation. Share the plan with the SLG for their approval before proceeding with deployment.
Example and Template: Implementation Workplan
Key questions to answer before continuing:
- Have all stakeholders agreed on the implementation plan and system requirements?
- Are stakeholders engaged to provide input on policy and management questions?
- Are infrastructure, personnel, and financial resources available to support the deployment?