Simplifying Complexity
One of the main focuses of the investigative process is finding way to simplify tasks that seem complex. Systems that are difficult to use stop being used, which goes against our objective of ensuring that our clients are fully satisfied.
Example 1:
A school approached Class M Systems about needing to maintain a complex contact information system for transportation purposes.
The system had to maintain:
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Pick Up / Drop Off locations (more than one in case the family moves, with multiple phone contacts for each of the locations)
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Authorized Pick Up / Drop Off Personnel (with multiple contact phone numbers for each authorized person)
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One or more Emergency Contacts (multiple contact phone numbers for each Emergency Contact)
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Seating specifications
In the form above, each location, each authorized person and each emergency contact person has the ability for multiple contact numbers. The user points to an individual or location for the contact numbers they need, and the associated contact numbers appear in the phone numbers box above and to the right.
The client is very satisfied as they are able to go through multiple contacts very quickly when there is an emergency during transportation.
Full Comprehension
At Class M Systems, we do not begin building the actual software until there is a full and clear understanding of what our clients want the new software to do. This can be an intensive process as we’re not satisfied till we can think the way our clients think, even when we encounter new and complex industries.
Example 3:
To the right is a form that was built to track and record Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) billing. The billing requires that the amount of time for each student, broken down by sessions be entered for each month. It also required an attendance code and the amount of time devoted to SEIT Service Coordination.
Again, special attention was given to look, colors formatting and ease of use. Service Coordination pops out in red and at the bottom of the form. Attendance codes show for each date. Going over the session monthly mandate total appears in red to alert the user.
Speed and Efficiency
Systems are also developed to minimize long, consuming, repetitive tasks. Functionality that took hours can at times be reduced to a mouse click or a key stroke. All this is accomplished because of the Systems Analysis process. Unnecessary tasks, bottle necks and double entry routines are identified and eliminated.
Example 2:
A client asked Class M Systems to develop a system where they would be able enter, track and report travel expenses claimed by employees for reimbursement. The current process required administrative personnel to open a spreadsheet, type in a starting address, an ending address, using google maps to figure out the distance, enter the distance into their spreadsheet, calculate the reimbursement amount and submit the expense to supervisors for reimbursement. Each entry took about two minute to complete. Plus, because this functionality was done once every month, there would be approximately twenty round trips, meaning forty entries that had to be made. And if any of the trip entries included expenses for parking and tolls, it took even longer.
On the above form, to enter the return trip, the user clicks on the RVRS button between the two addresses. (All addresses already entered are stored and may have a name associated with them, such as My home listed as the starting address above.)
What took minutes now took seconds. But the functionality that significantly reduced the time and effort originally required was the ability to enter the exact same trip for multiple dates in a click. Take a look at the form below:
After clicking on dates, the user simply clicked the Add Selected Dates button. If parking and tolls were included in these trips, they could enter the amounts in the box in the lower left. Consequently, what took roughly an hour to accomplish was cut down to less than five minutes.
Data Accessibility
What good is having business software that stores valuable information if you can't get to it? How valuable is your information if you don't have the flexibility to choose how you would like to see it? And, is it possible to see it many different ways?
Example 4:
This client records and reviews medical codings made in hospitals. I developed a fully functional and completely flexible reporting system so they could filter the data in the ways that they needed to filter it.
Clean, crisp reports make it easy to see the information clearly and make decisions. A complete set of totals break categories down by group.
There's even options to create entire Excel spreadsheets, completely formatted and with graphics from the reporting system.
