The New SSIS Tool
Overview
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is exploring modernization options to make their SSIS system more user-friendly and valuable. They want to reduce data entry duplication, and minimize workarounds. starting with improvements to the OHPP(Out-of-Home Placement Plan ) task flows in SSIS(Social Services Info System) due to current challenges and negative feedback from the caseworkers.
Tool
Figma, Keynote, QuickTime, Zoom
Role
UX Designer
UX Researcher
Method
Cognitive Walkthrough , Primary User Research Protocol , Prototype Plan, Video walkthrough, Interviews,
The old SSIS Tool
Project Primary Focus
The main focus of this project is to assess the task flow within the SSIS Tool for OHPP service plan creation. We conducted Zoom interviews with two Caseworkers who use the SSIS tool in their daily work. A Zoom session was held to observe their system usage. During these sessions, Caseworkers were assigned specific tasks to evaluate the usability, consistency, and visibility of information in the system. These tasks revealed their workarounds, system management methods, and the challenges they currently face with the SSIS Tool.
Primary User Groups
Child Welfare Case Workers
aim to safeguard the safety, well-being, and permanency of children in placement, often from local agencies, with responsibilities encompassing all aspects of case practice and documentation, including OHPP creation through SSIS.
Case Aids
share these goals and mainly focus on entering plans in SSIS to support agencies' work with families.
Findings
Cognitive Walkthrough
My team and I individually conducted a cognitive walkthrough to assess the usability of the SSIS program. We achieved this by viewing a recorded demo of the system presented by a longtime user. By watching and following the demo, I gained insights into the system's workflows from the perspective of a first-time user.
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The "Save" button and the "Complete" button were placed in different locations. "Save" was located at the top of the screen, while the "Complete" button was situated at the bottom of the page. Both buttons needed to be clicked to achieve a comprehensive save and produce a printed page.
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The text box featured a prominent "E" button for text editing, but it occasionally caused crashes or program freezes. Caseworkers expressed a strong desire for a more user-friendly text editing feature that would allow them to apply formatting, such as underlining or bolding some words.
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The form's arrangement was not effective. Important information for caseworkers and families was positioned at the bottom of the list, while less important details were presented at the beginning of the page. Caseworkers noted that parents often find it challenging to read through a lengthy plan, so having the most vital information at the start of the plan would be most beneficial to all parties
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I found inconsistent or missing indicators in the SSIS tool. For example, when a question isn't applicable to a child, the tool lacks a clear signal for caseworkers to leave it blank. As a result, caseworkers often write "N/A," which gets printed along with the entire question in the plan. This unnecessary inclusion of "N/A" in the paperwork may not be relevant to parents and causes extra documentation.
Why Is It Important
We took on the project to gain valuable insights into how DHS child welfare case workers utilize the SSIS application to create the OHPP case document for submission. This research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current caseworkers' potential paths within their workflow. Moreover, the project seeks to uncover pain points and areas of opportunity within the "Documents" section of the OHPP module in SSIS. By shedding light on the degree to which workarounds are utilized in creating OHPP documents and how these pain points affect client service and outcomes, this project will contribute to MN DHS's mission of enhancing the child welfare system's effectiveness and efficiency.
Interactive Prototype Tour
What I Learned
This project was heavily reliant on Figma, affording me the opportunity to further enhance my proficiency with the platform. Whether it entailed the creation of components or the development of prototypes from the ground up I learned when to retain existing elements and when to perform a complete redesign of a section within the program Moreover, I honed my expertise in employing advanced research methodologies, such as cognitive walkthroughs. These techniques enabled me to conduct in-depth analysis, yielding innovative solutions and ensuring the successful realization of project objectives.