REQUEST FORM

FOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PROJECT ASSISTANCE

ESCH/U of H Bauer College of Business

Mail to: ESCH 2630 Fountainview, Suite 428, Houston, TX 77057 0R Email esch@eschouston.org

Agency Name:

The Children’s Museum of Houston

Date Form Submitted:

January 12, 2006

Executive Director:

Tammie Kahn

Executive Director Phone:

713-522-1138 Ext 211

Agency Contact:

Sharon Smallwood

Agency Contact Phone:

713-522-1138 Ext 236

Agency Address:

1500 Binz Houston, Tx 77004

Agency Web Site Address:

http://www.cmhouston.org/

Agency Contact E-mail:

ssmallwood@cmhouston.org

Agency Contact Fax:

713-524-6471

Problem Description: (use attachments if necessary)

The Children’s Museum of Houston (CMH) is currently developing a database capable of storing and tracking key information that would allow us to more effectively manage our seven traveling exhibits. When completed, this Access database will track each exhibit’s financial, maintenance and contact information including:

· Invoice

· Budget Summary

· Attendance\Bookings Summary

· Maintenance Report

· Exhibit Schedule

In the Fall of 2005, ESCH group representative Greg MacFarlane worked with The Children’s Museum of Houston and a MIS student team to develop a web interfaced ACCESS database for the traveling exhibits department. Because the scope of work was too great for one semester, the project was scaled back to include the highest priority needs of the traveling exhibits department. The final project included: invoicing, maintenance reporting, and both individual and museum contact information.

For the Spring of 2006, CMH is once again hoping to work with Greg MacFarlane and an MIS student team to complete the database. CMH would like a team to complete the existing database, adding the ability to track attendance/bookings, exhibit scheduling, and budget summary including all necessary forms needed to produce reports.

Problem Justification: (Why this problem should be selected over another)

The Children's Museum of Houston serves 600,000 children and their families onsite each year and another 1.8 million through our traveling exhibit program, which serves children's and science museums in North America. Current traveling exhibits focus on the topics of weather, environmental health, problem solving, and Vietnamese culture. The creation, implementation, and low level training for this scheduling and tracking system will complete a vehicle that will streamline the administration of the separate exhibits, resulting in:

· Increased productivity

· Improved customer service

· Improved customer relations

REQUEST FORM

FOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PROJECT ASSISTANCE

ESCH/U of H Bauer College of Business

Mail to: ESCH 2630 Fountainview, Suite 428, Houston, TX 77057 0R Email esch@eschouston.org

Agency Name:

Alliance for Multicultural Community Services

(the Alliance)

Date Form Submitted:

12 January 2006

Executive Director:

Mr. Kassahun Bisrat

Executive Director Phone:

713.776.4700 x 126

Agency Contact:

Mr. Tibebe Menkir

Agency Contact Phone:

713.776.4700 x 148

Agency Address:

6440 Hillcroft, Suite 411

Houston, Texas 77081

Agency Web Site Address:

www.allianceontheweb.org

Agency Contact E-mail:

Menkir@allianceontheweb.org

Agency Contact Fax:

713.776.4730

Problem Description: (use attachments if necessary)

The Alliance requests assistance in the category of ‘Management Information Systems’, sub-category: web development. In 2003, the Alliance hosted an AmeriCorps VISTA (a full-time volunteer committed to serve for a one-year term) dedicated to Marketing. Part of her work-plan included redesign and development of the Alliance’s website. After our VISTA’s departure, and with no one-person dedicated to administering the site, it has proved difficult to update and maintain on-line information from in-house. The Alliance has relied on a series of volunteers to provide site maintenance and updating, but this has proved difficult and time-consuming. At this time, the Alliance does not have funds to pay for professional website redevelopment and/or administration. Accordingly, the site is in a steady state of disrepair.

Problem Justification: (Why this problem should be selected over another)

The Alliance was incorporated as a Texas non-profit corporation in 1986. Representatives of the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian and Ethiopian communities in Houston created the Alliance to serve as a mutual assistance association. Since 1986, the Alliance has grown to serve individuals of all ethnicities and now assists approximately 5,000 individuals annually. In addition, the Alliance was recently recognized as one of the top twenty-five non-profits in Houston by the Houston Business Journal and is a member in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. The mission of the Alliance is to help refugees, immigrants, and low-income residents of Harris County become self-sufficient and improve their quality of life. To this end, the Alliance provides a variety of comprehensive family and social services, including refugee resettlement, job counseling and placement, youth empowerment services, healthcare advocacy and access, interpreter services, driver’s education training, English-as-a-Second Language classes, and a matched savings program (Individual Development Account or IDA program). All services are offered with cultural competency and are designed to empower individuals, families and communities to succeed.

As an organization, the Alliance is increasingly aware of the importance of maintaining an on-line presence, but we have, as-of-yet, been unable to benefit from ‘being on-line’. This puts us at a disadvantage in a number of ways—we are unable to take advantage of on-line donations, unable to outreach to an increasingly ‘tech-savvy’ population, and unable to streamline certain aspects of service delivery by being unable to provide on-line access to particular program materials, forms, or applications.

The administration of the Alliance has already spent a certain amount of time discussing design/development concepts relevant to a new website. For example, until such a time that, as an agency, we can afford to have a dedicated webmaster, we would like to have a site that can be easily updated and maintained by each department as appropriate. This will allow us to lessen our reliance on volunteers while maintaining the currency and integrity of the website.

We understand the importance of a user friendly website that is as easy to navigate as it is to maintain; yet we lack both the know-how and the capital to develop and implement such a site. Assistance provided through the MIS project to resolve this shortcoming would have a positive impact on the Alliance and, in turn, the communities we serve.

REQUEST FORM

FOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PROJECT ASSISTANCE

ESCH/Bauer College of Business

Mail to: ESCH 2630 Fountainview, Suite 428, Houston, TX 77057 0R Email esch@eschhouston.org

Agency Name:

Innovative Alternatives, Inc.

Date Form Submitted:

01-06-06

Executive Director:

Sharon K. Bayus

Executive Director Phone:

832.864.6000

Agency Contact:

Natalie Poole

Agency Contact Phone:

832.864.6007

Agency Address:

18333 Egret Bay Boulevard Ste.540 Houston, TX 77058

Agency Web Site Address:

http://www.innovativealternatives.org

Agency Contact E-mail:

npoole@innovativealternatives.org

Agency Contact Fax:

832.864.6001

Problem Description: (use attachments if necessary)

1. Currently, visitors to our website can not register on-line for services we offer.

2. A better system to allow visitors to our website to join our mailing list

Problem Justification: (Why this problem should be selected over another)

Innovative Alternatives, Inc (IAI) offers professional development workshops and corporate trainings, as well as small group and one-on-one sessions; Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for these events. The current system of registration for one or more of the training opportunities requires website visitors to download the registration form and fax/mail to IAI. If visitors were allowed to complete an on-line registration form it would allow time savings for both the registrant and IAI. There has been an increase of community recognition, client referrals and website visitors who would like to be included on IAI’s mailing list when we announce training opportunities and/or employment/internship announcements. To increase IAI’s efficiency in delivering requested information to those who visit our website, a more functional electronic delivery system is needed.

REQUEST FORM

FOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PROJECT ASSISTANCE

ESCH/U of H Bauer College of Business

Mail to: ESCH 2630 Fountainview, Suite 428, Houston, TX 77057 0R Email esch@eschouston.org

Agency Name:

Interfaith Caring Ministries

Date Form Submitted:

1/6/06

Executive Director:

Sherri Cabler

Executive Director Phone:

281-332-3881 ext 223

Agency Contact:

Theresa Graham

Agency Contact Phone:

281-332-3881 ext 237

Agency Address:

631 FM 270

League City, TX 77573

Agency Web Site Address:

www.icmtx.org

Agency Contact E-mail:

tgraham@icmtx.org

Agency Contact Fax:

281-332-3049

Problem Description: (use attachments if necessary)

While our website is adequate, we are in the process of updating all marketing material including brochures, information boards and most importantly our website. Our current web site is out of date and cannot be managed by ICM staff. Currently, we must rely on volunteers to update the website on their time schedule.

Our objectives with a new website would include:

Ø Easy navigation by users – the web page needs to be organized in a more user friendly manner

Ø Be formatted in such a way that ICM staff could access the site and update as needed

Ø Be extremely informative as to ICM needs including

1. volunteers

2. food pantry needs

3. program financial needs

4. special projects such as school supplies and Christmas Store

5. promote fundraising efforts (Festival of Trees and Golf Tournament)

Ø Include a tab for a description of each program ICM provides

Ø Provide an area to list our current services provided

Ø Would have the ability to post the ICM newsletter (both the current issue and back issues)

Ø Would have the ability to post our Annual Report

Ø Would have the ability to post press releases

Ø Create a way to donate on line to ICM

Ø List supporting organizations and churches with links to their web sites

Ø Easy contact page for staff and board of directors

Problem Justification: (Why this problem should be selected over another)

Ø ICM is making a concerted effort to reach out to area churches. We are attempting to partner with the churches and ultimately obtain more financial donations and volunteers through our association with them. If our web page was updated and easier to maintain we could refer the churches to our website for current information about services provided and programs available.

Ø This project could easily be handled by a group of 4 to 5 students in one semester

Ø Most of the information for the web site is readily available in word format which could be easily adapted to the web page

Ø ICM could provide photos that could be used on the website

Ø ICM relies on the web page to attract volunteers and donations

Ø ICM would like to attract more sponsors to our fundraisers by promoting the website through all fundraising promotional material

ICM is highly regarded in the non-profit sector, keeping organizational cost very low compared to direct client costs. For each dollar donated, over .90 is used to provide programs for clients of the Clear Lake community.

Information Systems Request Form

Submitted to the Systems Committee of the

ESCH/Bauer College of Business

Agency Name:

Bay Area Turning Point, Inc.

Semester:

ÿ Spring ÿ Summer ÿ Fall

Executive Director:

Diane Savage

Executive Director Phone #:

281-338-7600

Board President Name:

Gigi Lampson

Agency Contact:

Fran Moore

Agency Address:

P.O. Box 57543, Webster, TX 77598

Agency Contact Phone:

281-338-7600

Agency Contact E-mail:

fmoore@bayareaturningpoint.com

Agency Contact Fax:

281-557-0290

Problem Description: (Use additional page if more space is needed)

Bay Area Turning Point needs assistance with updating the layout and typeface of existing website. This update includes the addition of new pages, the creation of a library of documents in a printer friendly format, the ability for on-line credit card donations or ordering on-line agency developed products.

Problem Justification: (Why this problem should be selected over another)

Bay Area Turning Point empowers survivors of family violence, sexual assault, and displacement by providing crisis intervention and shelter and promoting education an awareness within our community - - the Greater Bay Area. BATP currently provides shelter, 24-hour Crisis Hotline, police, and hospital and court accompaniments.

This update will provide additional tools for Bay Area Turning Point to provide information for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and will assist with the agency’s mission to promote education and awareness within our community. The ability to use this updated website to receive on-line donations, for special events and marketing of client created products will provide much needed additional revenue sources for the agency.

More information on this ESCH/ Bauer College of Business program can be found at:

http://192.138.194.200/disc4370/disc4370.htm

REQUEST FORM

FOR MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

PROJECT ASSISTANCE

ESCH/U of H Bauer College of Business

Mail to: ESCH 2630 Fountainview, Suite 428, Houston, TX 77057 0R Email esch@eschouston.org

Agency Name:

Adult Reading Center, Inc.

Date Form Submitted:

December 31, 2005

Executive Director:

(Mrs.) Dale E. Pillow

Executive Director Phone:

281.485.1000

Agency Contact:

(Mrs.) Dale E. Pillow

Agency Contact Phone:

281.485.1000

Agency Address:

2246 N. Washington Avenue

Pearland, TX 77581-4040

Agency Web Site Address:

www.adultreadingcenter.org

Agency Contact E-mail:

linktoliteracy@sbcglobal.net

Agency Contact Fax:

281.485.3473

Problem Description: (use attachments if necessary)

The Adult Reading Center is an United Way agency, a ProLiteracy provider, and a member of both the Houston READ Commission and the Adult Education Consortium of Region 4 of the Texas Education Agency. We receive funding from these organizations and various other foundations and endowments for our programs. Each of these organizations requires different annual, quarterly, or monthly reports on various goals and objectives, student testing, outcomes on student progress, and tutor/volunteer contact hours.

A team of students from the University of Houston developed a database for the Center in the Fall of 2005. Because of time constraints, not all the requested components of a database were able to be incorporated. For instance, in order to be effectively utilized by the Center, a more robust donor tracking component should be added. Additionally, classes should be segmented by dates and reports feature needs to be expanded. Presently, we manually take information from various sources to prepare reports. It would be very advantageous for the Center to have the system expanded to include all pertinent data and to have a procedures manual developed that can be utilized by other volunteers to maintain the database.

Problem Justification: (Why this problem should be selected over another)

The students assigned to this project will experience first-hand the working of a non-profit volunteer-based literacy provider and the detailed information that must be kept for reports that are required by funders and partners of such agencies. They will learn the importance of consistent, precise, and timely accumulation of data, as well as the necessity for accurate reporting. Through the data input, they will see the wide variety of individuals and nationalities who receive our services. The students will see the value of volunteering at a non-profit agency. The expanded development of the database and input into the system could be shared with other non-profits. This assignment can be accomplished in one semester.

SOUTH CENTRAL HOUSTON COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

South Central Houston Community Health Center provides low cost primary medical services to the underserved and those without medical coverage. Their main facility is located at 8610 MLK Drive and has 10 patient rooms. They have just opened a satellite location near UH that is even larger. They have been accredited under federal guidelines for over 10 years as one of the first in the nation and still remain the largest in the Houston area.

They need a web portal that both markets their mission to the community and extends their reach of service. Some of their vision for this portal includes:

Marketing outreach

Medical awareness to the community

Clinical information including services offered, terms of service and support

Medical reference material specific to their local patient base

Patient appointment scheduling

Patient question submittal to the providers (doctors)

Online seminars or presentations that explain certain health issues

I have the commitment of the Executive Director of SCHCHC for her time and that of her staff. They have a T1 Wide Area Network provided as part of the Texas State Network. This website would be interactive and may need the support of an interactive database behind it. Besides PC based servers, they have an IBM OS 400 application processor for their patient information system.

This center has a high community visibility profile.