IHRIS Lessons Learned

This page is for collecting lessons learned from the HRIS Strengthening and iHRIS Software Project, to be used in reporting results, building a knowledge base and other Y5 dissemination efforts. Please add to this page to build the collection. You can add your own thoughts under each subhead or add additional items as subheads.

National ownership and capacity building must be priorities from the early stages

Capacity-building is often needed in the following areas: developing strong data collection systems, using data for planning and managing human resources and providing technical support for the system and its infrastructure.

Comprehensive stakeholder identification and involvement from the beginning

Stakeholders don't know about each other and available data sources. For example, the Chief Nursing Officer in Tanzania expressed dismay at ever knowing how many nurses worked in the public sector or how well qualified they were. One floor down, in the same building, in the TZ Nursing Council, we found extensive work on an Access database with all licensed and registered nurses in the country. Brought them together in the SLG. (HRIS Strengthening presentation)

Data frequently exist in small datasets or paper files that are not necessarily known by all stakeholders. Bringing together HRIS stakeholders, often for the first time in the same room, ensures that information is shared and helps the group quickly reach consensus for making good use of the data that do exist.

Key issues for stakeholders to address are data ownership, policies for data sharing and policy questions that the HRIS will answer

[Need examples.]

Advantages of FOSS

FOSS offers the best supported, most cost effective model. (Need examples.) (HRIS Strengthening presentation)

Flexibility and adaptation of software is key

HRIS solutions should be designed around country needs as identified by system stakeholders. The HRIS must be flexible and adaptable in meeting emerging needs after it is developed. Use cases have proven to be an effective method of prioritizing stakeholder requirements and communicating those requirements to system developers.

An effective system is one that is used

In order for a system to be effective, it must be used. A key step in strengthening HRIS is the creation of a culture of routinely using data as a basis for decision making.

Documentation of our HRIS strengthening process

We have some of this now but it was difficult to learn at first until these docs were put together (Angie)

Collaboration and sharing of ideas and experiences across countries

Keeping the team informed of progress in one country and how to use that experience/information to make lives easier with similar projects in other countries. For example, one HRIS Advisor may plan a DDDM workshop but that knowledge wasn't necessarily transferred to the team such that another Advisor could learn from the experience and mistakes in order to host a DDDM in another country (Angie)

Inter-country sharing prevents mistakes from being repeated, leverages successes and ensures continuity. (HRIS Strengthening presentation)

HRIS leadership

I found it challenging to assert leadership in some places perhaps due to being new. For example, in Namibia Dykki was introduced as the HRIS expert in the assessment interviews. In later implementation work people often asked for Dykki and thought they needed to work with him directly. I'd like to find a better way to keep Dykki involved in the country field support activities without taking any leadership away from the technical lead. (Angie)

Along the same lines, the line of command isn't/wasn't always clear. I still find it somewhat confusing to know when I go to Dykki for approval vs. when I need the approval of the country point person vs. when I need the Chief of Party to approve. In some cases Dykki would approve and then the country point person would find out and give me a different answer. This didn't happen often but I think it was often enough to illustrate that not all of us understand the chain of command and responsibility. (Angie)