How do we account for the power of automated
This article is about how difficult it is to work with government organizations, how to make older people use various IT solutions for their own benefit. Dear readers, I want to share with you my experience in a completely new power accounting system for me.
It was in 2013. After I left my previous employer, my acquaintances immediately offered a tempting project. The organization itself is engaged in construction and had nothing to do with it. Until one beautiful moment. Somehow they started talking about the fact that in 2013, educational institutions had a need for an automated power accounting system. All schools, gardens and nurseries, lyceums were supposed to acquire this software.
My friends knew that I was developing websites and some desktop applications. And they offered my candidacy. This was my first experience with this product. I, who absolutely did not know this sphere, rushed into the pool with my head. We had to find a developer. The main requirement was to implement a license system. It was decided to write a native windows application with reference to the hardware (thus, it became possible to make a system of keys and licenses). 1 computer - 1 license. Work has begun. Our main contact person was 2 people in the Ministry of Education, who were at the top. They provided us with maps, a calculation system for different groups of food. All these data are confirmed and certified by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus. But, as it turned out, not all institutions work on them.
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After 2 months, we released the first version. At this moment 2 organizations that developed the same product appeared on the market. One system was fully implemented based on Excel (which in theory should have been clearer and simpler for people who have already worked with it). Another product has been implemented completely online. This approach was very convenient, it was possible to constantly update the system, access control of each institution, a convenient billing system for both product owners and customers. And it had more interesting features than us. Except for one thing: not all gardens and manger was the Internet. Yes, this was especially true of regional cities. Only managers had the Internet, and the main users were to be nurses, storekeepers and cooks whose computers were located away from the network.
Our system won in this regard. The installation was carried out either independently or with the help of a specialist. Later, we refused to leave the specialist, as this entailed very large time and financial costs. Installation sought to make completely remotely, advising by phone or through a computer manager.
Gradually, we established our program at more than 50 institutions. People reluctantly sought to study our system. As I said before, the main users were nurses, storekeepers and cooks. And this, especially in the regions, is far from young people. It was very difficult for them to reorganize with the usual "manual entry in the journal." Problems were also caused by the computers on which the software was installed. Not all institutions were willing to buy their PCs more or less normal PCs.
Every 3 weeks we organized various training seminars. Fortunately, it was possible to gather the regions in one place. Special instructions were printed. But people still very hard to learn. In this regard, there were many problems and misunderstandings. The main difficulty was that we made the product according to the requirements of the higher persons. And these people are theorists. They themselves have long been not engaged in the calculation and filling data on nutrition. As it turned out, the users themselves make calculations in completely different ways. At the exit, they expected to receive completely different reports. Most of the fields that we developed were not needed. As a result, for almost a year we were engaged in the refinement of our product based on the requirements of the users themselves, and not the customers.
In order to recoup all these improvements, we have introduced a payment for technical support. Payment was made once in half a year, just during the transition from the summer to the winter menu. The amount was symbolic and that turned out to be a very big problem for educational institutions. Since everyone is sorely lacking money. All budgets, including budgets to pay for such programs, are distributed at the beginning of the year.
This software works to this day. The circle of clients has expanded and now the organization serves about 100 gardens, nurseries and schools. As a result, the construction company was partially transformed into a software provider. They all also conduct workshops, make remote installation. Sometimes there are new requirements for modifications, but they have become fewer. I still continue to cooperate with this organization. As a result, we had to reduce the cost of the program itself (the price was indicated not in dollars, but in Belarusian rubles), taking into account the crisis and the growth rate, the profit decreased.
Most government agencies are very slowly seeking to move to new automated solutions. This is connected with the age of people working in this system (people in 60s are very reluctant to accept new things, and especially everything that concerns it decisions), and with a lack of money in the budget. Despite the official instructions of the government, people themselves reluctantly seek to fulfill it. All these features inhibit the development of it directions in many state structures in the Republic of Belarus.
From construction to IT
It was in 2013. After I left my previous employer, my acquaintances immediately offered a tempting project. The organization itself is engaged in construction and had nothing to do with it. Until one beautiful moment. Somehow they started talking about the fact that in 2013, educational institutions had a need for an automated power accounting system. All schools, gardens and nurseries, lyceums were supposed to acquire this software.
My friends knew that I was developing websites and some desktop applications. And they offered my candidacy. This was my first experience with this product. I, who absolutely did not know this sphere, rushed into the pool with my head. We had to find a developer. The main requirement was to implement a license system. It was decided to write a native windows application with reference to the hardware (thus, it became possible to make a system of keys and licenses). 1 computer - 1 license. Work has begun. Our main contact person was 2 people in the Ministry of Education, who were at the top. They provided us with maps, a calculation system for different groups of food. All these data are confirmed and certified by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus. But, as it turned out, not all institutions work on them.
')
First start
After 2 months, we released the first version. At this moment 2 organizations that developed the same product appeared on the market. One system was fully implemented based on Excel (which in theory should have been clearer and simpler for people who have already worked with it). Another product has been implemented completely online. This approach was very convenient, it was possible to constantly update the system, access control of each institution, a convenient billing system for both product owners and customers. And it had more interesting features than us. Except for one thing: not all gardens and manger was the Internet. Yes, this was especially true of regional cities. Only managers had the Internet, and the main users were to be nurses, storekeepers and cooks whose computers were located away from the network.
Our system won in this regard. The installation was carried out either independently or with the help of a specialist. Later, we refused to leave the specialist, as this entailed very large time and financial costs. Installation sought to make completely remotely, advising by phone or through a computer manager.
Gradually, we established our program at more than 50 institutions. People reluctantly sought to study our system. As I said before, the main users were nurses, storekeepers and cooks. And this, especially in the regions, is far from young people. It was very difficult for them to reorganize with the usual "manual entry in the journal." Problems were also caused by the computers on which the software was installed. Not all institutions were willing to buy their PCs more or less normal PCs.
Distribution and reviews
Every 3 weeks we organized various training seminars. Fortunately, it was possible to gather the regions in one place. Special instructions were printed. But people still very hard to learn. In this regard, there were many problems and misunderstandings. The main difficulty was that we made the product according to the requirements of the higher persons. And these people are theorists. They themselves have long been not engaged in the calculation and filling data on nutrition. As it turned out, the users themselves make calculations in completely different ways. At the exit, they expected to receive completely different reports. Most of the fields that we developed were not needed. As a result, for almost a year we were engaged in the refinement of our product based on the requirements of the users themselves, and not the customers.
In order to recoup all these improvements, we have introduced a payment for technical support. Payment was made once in half a year, just during the transition from the summer to the winter menu. The amount was symbolic and that turned out to be a very big problem for educational institutions. Since everyone is sorely lacking money. All budgets, including budgets to pay for such programs, are distributed at the beginning of the year.
The results of our work
This software works to this day. The circle of clients has expanded and now the organization serves about 100 gardens, nurseries and schools. As a result, the construction company was partially transformed into a software provider. They all also conduct workshops, make remote installation. Sometimes there are new requirements for modifications, but they have become fewer. I still continue to cooperate with this organization. As a result, we had to reduce the cost of the program itself (the price was indicated not in dollars, but in Belarusian rubles), taking into account the crisis and the growth rate, the profit decreased.
Most government agencies are very slowly seeking to move to new automated solutions. This is connected with the age of people working in this system (people in 60s are very reluctant to accept new things, and especially everything that concerns it decisions), and with a lack of money in the budget. Despite the official instructions of the government, people themselves reluctantly seek to fulfill it. All these features inhibit the development of it directions in many state structures in the Republic of Belarus.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/297600/
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