Given the fact that most of the time this information system feeds legal procedures (either
locally or internationally), at some point, the data structure should reflect the legal
complaint path, to track a specific case effectively. Having said that, it's worth remembering
that human rights complaints management does not always have a later development in
the judicial arena, and it instead reflects internal managerial tasks (or it gets mixed with
other data purposes as well). This guide will attend both documentation scenarios.
This study is based on a real project, but does not include any information regarding a
particular institution or country to protect our partners’ privacy. Furthermore, it will
consider alternative scenarios or experiences for didactic purposes. This way, you will gain
a more comprehensive view on complaint management as it relates to human rights
institutions.
This case study describes how an organization carried out the following steps in building an
information system:
●
Identify information system needs.
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Describe the complaint management workflow.
●
Convert the information management needs into technical requirements for the
information system.
●
Determine how the data structure and the properties we use to describe entities
(the objects described in the database) are connected with the information needs.
●
Ensure that data is linked to specific outcomes that the system is expected to
provide.
This document is organized by first describing the project objectives and information
needs. Then, it presents the discovery phase and explains in depth how the database was
designed to address the project requirements, to end with learnings and recommendations
for future projects in which potential junction points are identified.
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