Our Services
Depending on our client’s needs, our engagement may involve one or more of our stages of service which are all briefly described below:
Strategic Planning
We review the original intent and current application of the organization’s mission and goals, work closely with our clients to understand the nature and symptoms of the current information system needs, and recommend customized solutions. This planning may involve focus groups, surveys, targeted interviews, technology audits and/or process mapping of current conditions and the future state. "The project plan identifies the core elements of what is to be created and how it will benefit the organization"This process identifies the desired features, reports and ways that the information will be used by the agency staff and clients. The project plan identifies the core elements of what is to be created and how it will benefit the organization. It includes an estimated budget, with additional information on an estimated development schedule, and anticipated processes for maintenance.
Determining the key factors that measure the success of the project is central to this planning effort. These factors are integral to promoting appropriate project expectations, developing measurement indicators, creating realistic progress milestones and enabling accurate evaluation and going forward analysis.
Design
Once the needs and business case are defined during the planning stage, the design process details the specific approach to solving the information system problem: the result of our design process is an architectural rendering and project plan of what is to be created.
"By engaging the end-users in the design process, we’re empowering them to be part of the solution"We follow a user-driven design methodology that engages the end users in the design process to ensure that the resulting information system is one that they will easily and readily adopt. By engaging the end-users in the design process, we’re empowering them to be part of the solution, which overcomes much of the resistance that can come during implementation. The design team becomes the front-line champions that illustrate how an improved information system will improve their work experience and enable them to provide quality services.
Development
We follow an iterative design process to quickly build the information system according to the design. Our first step is to “mock-up” the entire system to confirm the design and finalize the priorities of the development process. The mock-up is an HTML version of the system without the dynamic (database driven) features to demonstrate the navigation, information flow and the “look and feel.” This allows testers to confirm the validity of the design and confirm that the development process is moving in the correct direction.
"Throughout the development and into the life of the completed system, we rely heavily on user testing"The second step is assembling the system by either integrating a series of existing tools or developing a new application. When developing applications, we select the tools (connectivity devices, software, programming languages, and hardware) to create robust and scalable solutions that are customized to meet our client’s needs.
Throughout the development and into the life of the completed system, we rely heavily on user testing. We establish an online quality assurance (QA) space so that a new release of the system can be thoroughly tested by the key stakeholders before it is available to the end-users.
Evaluation
We help agencies evaluate their current systems, new systems under consideration, or systems in development. We select appropriate measurement criteria, data collection methods: literature reviews, surveys, focus groups, structured interviews, and provide real-time information for decision making.
Going Forward Analysis
In developing a customized solution for our clients, IANet designs and develops the product in a modular and scalable fashion for the specific client. Often the product can be replicated to a wider audience. IANet analyzes the implications (on the market, promotion, staffing, maintenance, enhancements, support, etc.) of products that they have created as well as others to develop a sustainable strategy for a product’s expanded us.
