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Presenter summarizes HMIS support survey: PowerDMS and peers top resource rankings; next steps planned
Summary
A presenter reviewed a provider survey on HMIS support channels and found written guidance (PowerDMS) and team members/peers ranked highest; presenters said they will pursue short-term reorganizing of PowerDMS, ad-hoc outreach to frontline staff, and a redesigned survey ahead of HMIS implementation.
A presenter thanked meeting participants and summarized results from a provider survey intended to identify where HMIS users turn for help. The presenter said mean rankings show PowerDMS and team members or peers as the most relied-on resources, noting a PowerDMS mean rank of about 1.95 and team members roughly 2.02 in early results.
The presenter cautioned that workflow patterns and modesty bias may depress the apparent use of formal support channels such as HMIS bookings, office hours and support tickets, saying that those "are used more selectively and often later in the troubleshooting process." The presenter added that survey respondents who completed the questionnaire may underreport formal QAP support use, which could underrepresent those resources' perceived effectiveness.
Cameron asked how the team would gather feedback from frontline workers and non-housing providers who often do the data entry but are less likely to complete surveys. The presenter said outreach through existing monthly meetings (for example, shelter monthly meetings and liaison gatherings) is planned as an ad-hoc step and that the survey itself may be redesigned next fiscal year to capture groups missed in the initial effort.
Martin asked whether the team found any surprises. The presenter said the distribution of preferred learning styles was more even than expected and that many users prefer video tutorials to in-person walkthroughs. "Personally, I would have expected the in-person walkthroughs to kind of lead the charge, but surprisingly enough, a lot of people prefer video tutorials," the presenter said. The presenter noted that some videos are outdated and that updating materials will be a priority.
As near-term steps, presenters said they will reorganize PowerDMS to make written guidance easier to find and consider creating more flexible, quickly updatable guides. They also described a forthcoming readiness-assessment survey scheduled for May 11 intended to inform outreach and tailoring of communications during upcoming HMIS implementation.
The discussion emphasized that immediate, easily accessible supports—coworkers and well-organized written guides—remain the first line of help, while higher-touch channels play secondary roles. Participants encouraged further outreach to shelters and outreach teams to broaden response representation and suggested combining presentation of results with live feedback opportunities at partner meetings.
The meeting closed the item after questions and thanked the presenter for compiling and sharing the findings; no formal action or vote was taken on the survey results.
