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
Definition of Terms
• 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 Africa’s 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.
2.
3.
RUFORUM member universities are strong institutions that shape the agricultural sector in positive ways
RUFORUM alumni are pro-active and dynamic change-makers in the agricultural sector
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 Information
Management 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
The Situation Before the web-based RUFORUM
Information Management System (RIMS)
• 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.
The RUFORUM Information Management System (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 RUFORUM Information
Management System
Methodology used to develop the web
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
Methodology used to develop the web
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 Management 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
The SCRUM Concept
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
Day to Day Management of the RIMS
project
• 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
Lesson 1: software development
methodologies
• 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.
Lesson 2: online project management
and managing virtual teams
• 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.
Lesson 4:Budget
Versus Needs
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
Lesson 5: Sustaining
RIMS
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 –
don’t rely on consultants
3. Ensure buy in from the
CEO and user
departments
Gaps and Way
Forward
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
Conclusions
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