The Standards and Configuration Management



Standard Configuration Control:

There is a major change in office communication environments. The future requires digital data storage, reporting and research. The human service area has not taken full advantage of this environment with the right tools and standards. The new environment calls for communicating reporting activities on client and service rendering by "e-filing" of reporting and payment claims. UjimaSuites addresses these needs with a unique offering of software applications for the human service environment.

The UjimaSuites applications are under Standard Configuration Management (CM) Control, which is managed by Ujima Consultants. The CM Control of these applications allow for uniform Change Management, code development, beta testing and release date. These efforts are in conjunction with the FORUM and seek to reduce costs and increased effectiveness to each member's operations.


The applications CM Control of UjimaSuites focus on the following standards:

  • Applications Deployment
  • Applications Support
  • Applications Orientation Workshop
  • Customer Support Plan
  • Profile Attributes

The UjimaSuites applications are all developed using Microsoft Access as the engine with a Visual Basic front end that is user friendly. The applications also use Microsoft Developer's setup to complete the installation on a computer workstation or server. All UjimaSuites applications have "built-in intelligence"; with HTML intelligent tutors that use the web browser. There are also help files based on Microsoft Developer Toolkit. The final package is released on a CD-ROM for customer purchase.

All UjimaSuites applications require that some version of Microsoft® Windows (95, 98 ME, NT or 2000) be on the User workstation and organization's sever. There must also be a licensed copy of Microsoft® Access (run-time version available with each license but will not allow for the security protocols to be invoked).

Applications Deployment

The deployment of the UjimaSuites applications to the evaluating agencies -- potential FORUM members -- would be based on the following high-level strategy:

  • Presentation of UjimaSuites and FORUM concepts to all potential agency evaluators. This may be via the web visits, demo CD, onsite presentation or attending of a UjimaSuites Workshop,
  • An Official purchase of UjimaSuites applications by an organization or agency user. In addition, expressing interest in participating in the UjimaSuites evaluation orientation and software distribution.


Application Support

Ujima will be fully responsible for handling the necessary deployment and evaluation of tasks that precede the membership in the FORUM. The Ujima team will ensure the administrative apparatus for communicating a platform infrastructure to make the FORUM a continued successful change apparatus for the UjimaSuites.


Applications Orientation Workshop

The 4-hour orientation workshop package is hands-on training session. The orientation is planned for no more than 15 attendees at a time. Orientations will be scheduled depending upon agency response after application purchase.

There are two types of orientation workshops. One is targeted at developing user's navigational skills and report utilization. The other session is targeted at the system administrator for the setup, installation, security, network replication and updates. During the orientation workshops, the UjimaSuites applications will be reviewed in a lab setting.

Customer Support Plan

All purchases of UjimaSuites Application receive a 12-month warrantee that includes multiple features and guarantees under the Customer SuiteSupport. User organizations and agencies are also encouraged to join and adhere to the Ujima FORUM plan for User support community, which includes:

  • Identify an in-house support system consistent with or similar to the UjimaSuites Agency Change Management Board (see Design Layout).
  • Identify agency system administrator and/or LAN focal to install the application properly.
  • Use of existing test data or load of unique agency data. Unique data table preparation is the responsibility of agencies and has additional requirements. These requirements are included as an attachment to this package.
  • Maintain active membership in the FORUM.

Profile Attributes

All UjimaSuites Applications have a architecture design plan with the following Profile Attributes standards: Application Menu Standards, Tutorial, Help Files, Security Standards, NewCommon.MDB, BasicSuite Integration, Client Billing Data Links, Edit List, Data Purge Functionality, Standard Print Functions, Application Logo Standards, Quick Query Processing, SuiteSupport, and the FORUM