Standing in the Way of Control

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy



Anyone who has worked with or knows me, will know my knowledge of Socialhousing sector solutions, goes way beyond just the key HMS or Financial Accounting solutions.

There are many peripheral applications and solutions that fill in the gaps from the ‘usual suspect’ providers, particularly in areas that they have not got into, or not managed to crack just yet. They might never crack them either. Who knows?

This can include dynamic scheduling, predictive analytics, some outsourced services and other areas. No doubt there are some great solutions out there and on occasion I have worked to try to calculate ROI (Return On Investment) for most of the projects I work on. That calculation is essential and without it, governance is weakened in my opinion. Most of the projects I have come to late and are drifting or over-running in cash and time terms, were never properly proceeded by a robust business case, or reasonable ROI calculation.

The same can be said of when we tinker with services. Often I see many bright ideas being introduced in a melee of change. Rarely have defined outcomes been agreed prior, often the means of measurement not considered either. Typically, that might be a faster turnaround of void properties to fill them with new residents, reduce arrears levels, increase income collection, or enhance resident satisfaction.

I am often asked, “We have product X, do you think its worth keeping”?

My reply is often, “Well can the such and such team, prove it makes a difference”?

The answer to that is often, “Well that teams a little bigger now, than before they brought in solution X”! Now, is that an experience you may have had in your organisation?

One excellent way that statisticians will tell you to measure effectiveness, if it’s a drugs trial or an exercise to improve arrears, is the use of a ‘control’ group. These are left alone with the existing process or systems, so an accurate comparison can be made. Both groups will be subject to the same ambient influences, such as free weeks, continued shift to Universal Credit, royal weddings, Christmas or winter cold snaps or summer holiday season. All of these could affect our results if not using a control and falsely lead to incorrect conclusions.

Practical use of a control group, could mean perhaps a new initiative or software application was only applied to half the housing stock/residents, or maybe split between a specific demographic, such as leaseholders or particular repair trades, such as heating or plumbing.

To understand what we are comparing, it can pay dividends, to only introduce a single change or set of changes at once, if practical. This might take marginally longer, but you will have a better understanding of the outcomes of the changes being made, what works or not and to what degree.

Particularly in the case of software or solutions that can be started as a small trial, as they are often to avoid a lengthy procurement process, effectiveness can be more accurately measured and more informed decisions made.

Related Post: If you are a supplier, do your USP's fit on a page or less? Should they? 

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://soundcloud.com/housingitguy/

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.

Gossip - standing In The way of Control.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
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Automatic Lover

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @hotpixUK
or LinkedIn here http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy

I was reading an article on LinkedIn a few weeks ago, about why in cars where we can drive ones with an automatic gearbox, most of us in the UK and wider Europe choose a manual 'stick shift'.

It was quite interesting as I have always driven a manual, probably thinking too that a 'special' licence for 'Automatics' devalues it somewhat. Stereotypically I imagine the whole of the USA driving automatic automobiles and it being very difficult there to even buy or hire a 'stick-shift'.

I won't be so rude here to share my 'American Tourist Stick-Shift' joke, but ask me when you see me next out and about, and I might! I don't want to offend any of my many North American readers.

So, with the convenience and better fuel economy these days of automatics, why on earth do we not all switch over to them? Well, its probably the same answer to the question, "If we have proper dynamic scheduling for repairs, why do we lock so many jobs down manually?". Well, probably because people like their control don't they?

It's a bit hard-wired into us. I know some people who have their CD's, LP's, books (fiction and non-fiction separated naturally...) and tinned food, sorted into alphabetical order on shelves and cupboards. We like our control and carry on our habits, when in the car or out of it. We find it hard to let go.

I am not doing an ad for any particular dynamic scheduling solution, but I know many RSL DLOS and independent contractors with them. This problem of not letting the algorithm do its stuff is extremely common. Locking down jobs by timeslot AND resource is often the main issue with users of Dynamic Scheduling. It inherently disables the whole dynamic, automated element of these applications. Much like automatic gearboxes could perhaps give us slightly better fuel economy, albeit at a more boring and sedate speed.

Maybe we should be trusting some of our systems more, as under the bonnet they will have been programmed to do the best job, won't they? Dynamic scheduling is often cited to me as one application where directors ask me, "Why have we got more planners now than we started with"? Well, perhaps because we are still working a bit like it's got a 'stick-shift'. Let operatives finish their jobs, don't lock to resources and let the application do its magic. Planners should then just deal with the exceptions. You know what, we will perhaps need less planners then.

Management have a role to play here too. If managers don't check how many appointments are locked each month and why, it is hard to change the service and how it is delivered. While follow-on jobs with the same operative means they take responsibility for the whole job, hopefully technology should enable any operative to do that second part. It's a change of culture, but one that can be only enforced by managers, as well as technology.

Related Post: The DLO Internal Workforce is on its way back. Are you rolling with the changes?

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


The Vibrators - Automatic Lover.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here
Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 , ," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos,Asprey e-state pro,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT, Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact Manager,Context,CIH,Chartered Institute Of Housing,Cadcorp,Cerrus Saturn,convergeOne,CACI,CPL, CRS Director, Deeplake,Development Systems,Accuserve,Document Management,Documotive,datasystems , Microsoft dynamics GP 2013, DynamicAI, Dynamic AI, ECMK,EDRMS,England, English,EnterpriseBI,ERP Systems,ERP,Elmhurst,Estatecraft,EDM,ESRI,Exponential-e, Finance, Financial Systems, Financials, Factorwise,Facebook ,Fusion, Getting best from,gotonysmith, Grasp,Grip,GeoSolveIT,GIS,GGP, HouSys,Housing software,HG,Housemark survey,Housing Blueprint,Housemark, HRA, Housing Options, Housing Group,hotpixuk, HousingIT,hotpix,Hardware,Hitex,Housing Contact Company, Impact Response,implementations,In House,In4,InMotion, InMotion2014, InMotion2015, InMotion2016 , Exhibition, conference, Infoflow,Information Technology,Informix,inHouse,in-house workforce, Innovation,Inside Housing,Internet Portal,Internetalia, Invu,Ireland,Irish,Inphase , IT Budget,IT Training,iWorld, Innovation Group Apex,ITIL, In4Systems Promaster,IT,Insight, Keylogic,Keystone,Kirona,Kypera,Keyfax, Ledgers,Linkedin,Locality,Liquid Voice, MD ,Mr Void , MrVoid, Measuring Change,Mebus,Miracle,MISCS, mobile functionality,Monopoly board images and pictures, Montal,MS Dynamics,MS Dynamics CRM2011,Miracle Software,Management Reporting,MI,M3,MIS,MIS-AMS,Mobysoft, Northgate Codeman,Neighbourhoods and Communities, Northgate,Notice,NROSH,NINTEX , NINTEX workflow,Nintexworkflow, OA,OGC Buying Solutions,Ohms,OJEU Limits,OmFax,Omniledger,Open source software,open tender,OpenHousing,Opti-Time,Oracle,Orchard,Outsource and outsourcing,OpenContractor,ORS,OneServe, PIMMS Data Systems, Paloma,performance management systems,PfH, Pick,PIMMS,pimms4communities, Planned maintenance,People Value,Plus, Peoplevalue, PM,Progress,Promaster,Proval,Pyramid,PRINCE2,prince,Pamwin,PlanForm, Propoints, Pro-Points QL,QLX,Quiss,Qlikview, Registered Providers,Registered Social Landlord,Rent Increase Freezes,Repairfinder,Reporting,Reports,ROCC , Rocket,RPs,RSL,Reality,ReAct,reidmark,RM865, Saffron,SAP,Scots, Scottish,Scenario, Scotland,SDM,sector,TonySmithHou,Server Virtualisation,servicing, Servitor,Sharepoint,Simdel,Simdell,Slash and Burn,Social Media,Software,SQL Open Housing,SQL Reporting Services,SQL reporting services,SQL Server,Star rating,Stores and Stock,Strategic Asset Management,Sunguard ,Surveys,Sx3,System alignment, TonySmithHousing, Systemwise,SM,Sequoa,Serros,SP,Scout,score,Swordfish,Serengeti,SOTI,southview,Sunguard,Service Charges,Spotlight Service, Spotlightservice, SunAccounts Template,Task,Terminal Services, tonys , tonysm , tonysmi , tonysmith, tonysmitht, gotonysmith, tableau Business Dashboards, tonysmithth, tonysmiththa, tonysmiththat, tonysmiththath, tonysmiththatho, tonysmiththathou, tonysmiththathous, tonysmiththathousi, tonysmiththathousin, tonysmiththathousing, tonysmiththathousingg, tonysmiththathousinguy, sharepoint, share point Three Star,Today,Total repairs,Tribal,Twitter,U2, tonysmith , tonysmiththat , thathousing , thathousingIT , thathousingITguy ,TED,Tagish Casework,TP Tracker,Telecetera,Tagra,Trace, Totalmobile, Total Mobile, UniClass Enterprise,Unidata,Universal Housing,Universalcredit, universal credit, universal credits,UC,Universe,Unrest, UK, United Kingdom ,Ukhousing,UK Housing, Van Stock,Voice and data,Vantage Sentinel,Dynamic Resource Optimiser,Version One,Visualmetrics,Voluntas, Wales,Welsh,Windows Server,Workflow and tasking,Wheatley, Xmbrace,XML ,XenApp,Xen App .