COBA – 2010 Doing More With Less: Managing Relationships and Harnessing Technology

David DraperHuman Rights Tribunal of Ontario

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• The world has changed

We work at institutions that expect a certain level of competence in the electronic world

Stakeholders expect to be able to find information and interact with us electronically

Access to justice now requires electronic options• Clients without a permanent address• Electronic options my be more accessible • Electronic options may be cheaper

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Look at the uses of technology:

• Internally – to meet the needs of the tribunal • Externally – to meet the needs of users

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Internal

Tribunal staff and adjudicators are expected to use technology to work efficiently and independently:

Word processing Email WIN IFIS

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Some people may have trouble adjusting

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• Train on the basics!!Expertise in Word, Outlook, Excel

• Provide necessary support Voice recognition softwareErgonomic consultation

• Share ideas and develop consistent practices Collaboration toolsCareful use of shared directories / intranetClear responsibility for record keepingFile naming conventions

y:\draper\annual report 2010 10 30

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Need to be accountable

Increasing emphasis on service standards, performance measures and reporting requirements

Value for money Adjudicative Tribunals Accountability, Governance and

Appointments Act (ATAGA or Tribunals Act) Expectations to respond to inquiries about services

from public and ministry/Minister

→ need to measure

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Budgetary / Staffing considerations

• Internal IT resources / working with IT clusters• Hiring the right IT staff• Desktop support• Maintaining website• Dealing with servers and back-up tapes• Programming / configuration needs for case

management system

• Restrictions on use of consultants

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Budgetary / Staffing considerations

• Pressure on travel budgets – pressure to use teleconference and videoconference

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Creating efficiencies

• Is paperless are reasonable goal?

→ most of us will be living in a mixed paper

and electronic environment• Reducing data entry / photocopying• Requiring parties to file documents / briefs

electronically• Opening up email for communications and filing

documents

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External

• User expectations increasing quickly • Forms -fillable as the bare minimum with e-filing

becoming the norm• Expectation that forms will be available in various

formats• Ability to communicate by email and get quick

response

• Acceptance of website as primary communication tool – most up-to-date, “official” information

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Case management systems

• So many options and approaches • Off the shelf products • Third party vendors who offer configurable products• Custom built systems

• What are you trying to achieve? What do you really need? How much time and resources can you devote to development?

• No one does everything!

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Focus on your core needs: E-filing Scanning and storing documents Generating notices and forms File management - next steps / tracking /

reminders Scheduling Reports / statistics

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Lessons learned

Be wary of developing a sophisticated system until tribunal processes are well established

If the path of your files is unpredictable, be wary of trying to build a system that automatically moves cases to the next step

Be realistic about time frames for developing and implementing a case management system

Manage the discussion between business needs and IT requirements / development

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Lessons learned

IT should not determine the process, but wise to develop processes and forms with an eye on the technology

Do not be shy about borrowing from others – do you really need to be out in the lead?

Ensure access to ongoing resources – internal or external – to maintain and adjust the system

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Looking ahead

• More recognition of adjudicative tribunals as a unique group of organizations

• Clustering • Inevitable pressure toward shared practices and

standardization in some areas