CTSC:Catalyst informatics.032709
Back to Collaboration:Harvard_CTSC
Consulting Programs Tracking System Meeting Minutes March 27, 2009
Attendees
- Maria Cervone
- Britt Fitch
- Doug MacFadden
- Elizabeth Jones
- Genoa Wall
- Holly Simasek
- Jim Ware
- Joe Thakuria
- Kathryn Pollenz
- Laura Weisel
- Nicole Santangelo
- Paul Mitchell
- Randy Gollub
- Seanne Hanke
- Steve Joffe
- Valerie Humblet
CBMI presented a proposal to use the JIRA Issue Tracking System as the underlying architecture for consulting program workflow tracking and management reporting. We reviewed a consulting program workflow diagram (see attached), and the team agreed that this depicts at a high-level the general consulting workflow. CBMI then presented a demo of the JIRA system and its features, first by walking through the workflow of an issue created via the existing webform model, and how that would integrate into the JIRA system, covering the roles of the triage person and the individual consultants. We then covered additional features of the system that would be used for program management and evaluation.
System features include the ability to:
- Add issues automatically via webform
- Assign issues to a consultant
- Comment on issues
- Log work
- Track custom data elements specific to consulting
- View, print, export information about a specific issue
- View, print, export aggregate information in table format (issue navigator)
- Set filters (searches) on a project or cross-project basis, and share filters across individuals and programs
- Configure a dashboard specific to the user with graphs and tables that provide custom views of the data (ex: issue status--# open/closed, issues assigned to me, issue priority, favorite filters, project types —grant, IRB etc, issues by institution, etc.)
The plan would be to create a JIRA project per consulting program, and group them as a category “consulting programs,” so that users could perform actions on a project-by-project or cross-project basis. It is anticipated that the triage staff, consultants, and program management would have access to the JIRA system, and that investigators would continue to initiate a request by a webform that is external to the JIRA system. We anticipate using SSL-based security and requiring eCommons login.
The meeting participants expressed enthusiasm about the proposed solution and committed to moving forward with implementation. A working group is being formed (see details below) to carry out the implementation.
The group had a number of requests and suggestions:
- Data fields, like Harvard ID, are required fields
We know we need custom fields and there may be additional fields beyond what is currently on the webforms. Ex. Behind-the-scenes fields for consultants to fill out after investigator has submitted request for consultation; Ability to collect information on grants/publications related to the consulting; Check box for pediatricians, pediatric health work – voluntary self-identification (may not be necessary if we capture HUID)
- Reminders for consultants of issues still outstanding for x period of time
Potential for multiple assignees for a single issue (from different consulting programs) when we go to the one-webform process in the next go-round. Need to determine whether there will be an algorithm behind the webform (in which case the issue could be generated in each program’s project as it enters JIRA) or a person will need to triage the request (in which case we may need to take a single issue already in JIRA and split it or link it across consulting programs). The group was in general agreement though that the individual programs will want to track the issue, and that they will also need to be aware that other consulting programs are also involved in addressing the investigator’s needs.
- Report filter to track response time (ex. from creation to first action to completion)
- Report filters across projects by any field (ex. to track whether we are successfully marketing Catalyst to all of the institutions)
- JIRA compatibility with all of the institutions?
- Secure SSL configuration/authentication – using eCommons ID
- Consultants’ ability to reply to a JIRA email and have the comment automatically inserted into JIRA’s comments section
- Ability to attach documents (already included)
- Griffin Weber to be able to complete program evaluation reports combining JIRA content with other HMS systems by unique ID (eCommons?) (separate issue)
- Include RNavs as a consulting program
- Time frame?
As soon as possible. Programs committed resources to join a working group to harmonize data elements across programs so that we will have the ability to do rollup reporting. Will also need to configure each program’s project area. Maria and Britt to develop a project plan.
- What filters are needed for each/all programs(s)?
- What dashboard configuration do we need to have in place?
Each program needs to configure in the same way so that we can report across all programs
- From CTSC Central – what data do we need to collect for reporting?
We’ll have a timeline in 2-4 weeks
Implementation Team (using webinars): Valerie Humblet – Imaging Kathryn Pollenz – Health Disparities Paul Mitchell – Biostats Holly Simasek – Genetics Steve Joffe – Ethics Michele Sinunu – Evaluation and Tracking Seanne Hanke – Reporting One of the Research Navigators John Quackenbush? – Bioinformatics