ZIMSblog

ZIMS release 1.6

2012-01-30T14:57:00.000-06:00

AVAILABLEFOR CURRENT USERS
TheZoological Information Management System (ZIMS) release 1.6 will be the finalrelease of ZIMS 1.x – the first generation of ZIMS software. This releasefocused on cleaning up bugs and assuring that our members who are currentlyusing the ZIMS application will be able to continue their work in the ZIMSapplication until they begin the transition to ZIMS 2012 in a few months.

See thecomplete list of fixes in this release

web servers are coming back online

2012-01-25T12:43:00.001-06:00

thank you for your patience!

ISIS web servers experiencing interruption

2012-01-25T12:15:00.002-06:00

Our data center servers are not reachable right now. We are looking into this, and will notify members as soon as this is resolved.

The affected web sites are:
www.isis.org
Zims.isis.org - the ZIMS application
and all portal sites at ISIS.

We apologize for this inconvenience and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible.

January 24 ZIMS development update

2012-01-24T14:05:00.006-06:00

Hello Everyone!

I hope everyone had a nice Holiday Season recently. At ISIS, we enjoyed a little time off with friends and family, but we also got a lot done. Since the last blog post, the development team has completed more than fifty additional features in ZIMS 2012, including items like:

Additional Transaction Edit-ability, including accession dates, institutions, local IDs, sex type, and birth date
Batch Transactions for accessions, adding weights and lengths, notes and observations, and alerts
Additional types of accessions and dispositions
Institution and User Preferences
Exporting data into PDF and XLS
and many others...

With the application progressing and the progress that I mentioned in my last blog post, we are now turning our attention to make sure that we can migrate and process all of the data necessary to make ZIMS 2012 work. This includes migrating data from the current global database (ISIS4) and from the current ZIMS (R1.x) application. It also includes being able to process ARKS4 files into ZIMS 2012 and export ZIMS 2012 data into MedARKS. Once those pieces are complete, we will be ready to start the deployment and release activities.

We are excited as we continue to get closer to completing ZIMS 2012 so our members can use it soon. Please go see for yourself. You can access a DEMO version of ZIMS 2012 at demo.isis.org. You can also join us for our next user review session on February 23rd. Click here for more details.

Take care,
Doug

Register now: March 30 ZIMS 2012 training event at the Living Desert

2012-01-18T16:12:00.000-06:00

ISIS and The Living Desert present a one-day, intensive ZIMS training opportunity on March 30, 2012. As an early adopter of the ZIMS application, The Living Desert has agreed to host up to 50 colleagues for this in-person training event.

Participants will receive hands-on, instructor-led training on the ZIMS 2012 interface, which will be released to ISIS members in early 2012.

This event will be held after the 2012 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Mid-Year Meeting.

Register for this event
US $250 registration fee includes full-day training, continental breakfast and lunch.

More information on the event.

The ISIS website may be down for maintenance

2012-01-13T12:14:00.006-06:00

Saturday, January 28 from 10:00 am US Central Time until Sunday, January 29 at 11:00 am US Central Time.

We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Work on ZIMS 2012 is progressing nicely

2012-01-05T15:47:00.001-06:00

Over the next month, we will work to solidify the new ZIMS deployment process and timeline. Here is what is going to happen:

1. We will begin working with all members who are currently using the ZIMS application, and all other members who are current on their fees (2012 membership and ZIMS fees) to set up deployment schedules. We will offer all current members the opportunity to begin using the ZIMS application by the end of 2012!

2. ISIS will do a mass migration of the ISIS4 global database (where everyone’s ARKS submissions reside) into the ZIMS 2012 database. This will catch any data submitted by ARKS users since the initial migration (which occurred in March 2010), and will capture any data that did not make it into ZIMS 1.x at that time.

3. The process of migrating data from your local ARKS applications will vary for each member depending on a number of factors, including whether you are an active user of the current ZIMS application, you are a new member, etc.

4. As part of your deployment process, you will be offered training opportunities on the ZIMS 2012 interface. Learn more about deployment and training.

5. You will set up your roles in the ZIMS application

6. When you're ready, you'll go LIVE!

Look for more information from ISIS via e-mail in late January. If you have not heard from ISIS regarding deployment dates by early February, please contact deployment@isis.org.

In the meantime, please visit demo.isis.org to try ZIMS 2012. I know you will be excited by what you see!

AZA's Institutional Records Keeping Course is Next Month!

2012-01-05T06:16:00.000-06:00

Taking place February 6th-11th at the AZA school in Wheeling, West Virginia, this years Institutional Records Keeping course will be conducted using ZIMS 2012!

If you haven't yet seen ZIMS 2012, visit the ISIS website to see all of ISIS' upcoming events.

ZIMS 2012 Development Update

2011-12-15T11:13:00.001-06:00

Hello Everyone! The ZIMS 2012 Development effort continues to roll along. Since the last blog post, we have released an update to the DEMO build of ZIMS available at demo.isis.org.

The updated build includes several key things that we hope you will be excited about, including an improved database design, migrated data, and the initial version of transaction edit-ability. In this post, I’d like to give you a brief update on these three items.

An improved database? That might not sound like much, but here’s why it is critical. The current version of ZIMS (R1.x) could not easily maintain ARKS data and ZIMS data simultaneously. I mentioned in the previous post here that we were updating ZIMS 2012 to hold both. That work is now completed. We are still testing the details, but the initial version of a database that seamlessly maintains data for both ARKS and ZIMS users is complete.

Migrated data. The DEMO build of ZIMS 2012 now includes a version of data taken from the current global ISIS database (ISIS4). So, you should be able to see if data from your institution is there and if it looks correct. We are testing this right now too, but you can look for yourself. Currently, all “demo” users access ZIMS 2012 as a user from a fictitious institution. That essentially means that you are viewing “global” data as any member currently does from the ISIS website. Viewing “global” data won’t let you see all the details for your animals yet, but you can see if they are there and what details are accessible to other ISIS members.

Edit-ability. One of the concerns with current ZIMS is that does not readily allow users to make changes to data that they have previously entered. We’re human. We make mistakes. ZIMS 2012 allows us to correct them. Transaction edit-ability is in its early forms, but we are excited about the possibilities this will give our members to effectively work on their institution’s data while part of a globally-integrated system.

Want to see ZIMS 2012 in action? We are offering ongoing user walkthroughs of ZIMS 2012. The next will be scheduled soon. Click here to join, and stay tuned for more future updates. Thanks!

ISIS Training Update

2011-12-05T10:47:00.000-06:00

Today's ZIMSblog update comes from Josh Courteau, the Training Manager here at ISIS.

We have come very far in two short years since the first release of the ZIMS application! Lets start with a little retrospective.

A look back at ISIS Training...

Where we've Been...
Historically we have provided yearly ARKS training in conjunction with AZA's Institutional Records Keeping course (IRK to be held again this February focusing on records keeping in ZIMS 2012). Otherwise, ARKS training was provided at valuable but all-to-infrequent regional events and all other training was conducted by each zoo, in a self-paced fashion, using the ARKS Training Manual. Apart from a few MedARKS events and more frequent SPARKS trainings over the years, ISIS is relatively new to the training game.

Review of ZIMS Application Training to Date...
Since ISIS delivered the first release of the ZIMS application we have provided well over 400 online classes teaching the application's functionality to users from over 100 institutions worldwide. Additionally, ISIS staff delivered on-site ZIMS application training at AZA's Wheeling School (IRK) and at a ZIMS Workshow during the ZRA Conference in Alberta Canada in 2011. ISIS sold and delivered 45 classes of on-line premium training and conducted paid training events at Houston Zoo and San Diego Zoo in the United States, Artis Zoo in Amsterdam (event for the Polish Zoo Association) and at Parco Faunistico Le Cornelle in Italy all in 2011.

History in the Making...
Adding to this already busy year, ISIS successfully planned and delivered our very first User's Conference in Atlanta Georgia in the United States. This well attended conference provided participants with a wide range of training in the two rewarding days preceding the AZA annual conference. Next year we will offer the same valuable opportunity in concert with the EAZA conference in Innsbruck, Austria --September 24-25 2012.

Going Forward...ZIMS 2012!
As we plan for the arrival of the first overhaul of the ZIMS application in the start of 2012, ISIS' training team is preparing for an increase in the rate of adoption of ZIMS as we move to ZIMS 2012. This provides the training team with challenges and with great opportunities! With a small dedicated staff and a very large user-base (840 members in over 80 counties); ISIS has committed to providing each member institution with valuable training during the migration process to the ZIMS application. We will meet this challenge with a mixture of technology and with the already completed expansion of our professional Support and Training staffing.

Technology Training
ISIS provides cutting edge technology solutions to the global Zoo and Aquarium community via the ZIMS application. It naturally follows that we would make the most out of technological solutions in addressing our primary members training needs. As new members enter ZIMS 2012 deployment, ISIS will provide 10 seats of Deployment Training via online, self-paced, computer based training (CBT). Covered in this CBT are the core ZIMS application functions that are critical to successfully adopting the ZIMS application at your institution.

Key Features of ISIS' Online Deployment Training...

Interactive and individualized- each of your participating staff will be provided with a personalized progress report which will also help ISIS in revising the CBT content to make it more and more effective.
Multi-lingual- ISIS plans to deliver this CBT content in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.
Always available- even though we try to cover the whole world, we are a small staff. Moving to CBT will allow our users to attend training at whatever time works for them. This also allows them to pause the training (if it's feeding time) and allows them to return and re-take the training if a reminder is required.

Professional Staffing
ISIS recently completed hiring of a new team of support technicians who will also be part of the ZIMS application training staff. These new members come from a wide range of backgrounds in Zoos, Aquariums, wildlife conservation and veterinary medical arenas. They join the already seasoned team of trainers who make up our Regional Coordinator team. In 2012, ISIS is prepared with an elite and professional training staff!

Meet the Team...
Team Leaders:
Josh Courteau- Training Manager
Adrienne Miller- ISIS Lead Subject Matter Expert and Training Content Developer

Regional Coordinators:
Sander Cozijn- European and African Region
Dr. Kanako Nishimoto- Asia/Pacific Region
Diana Sarmiento and Myriam Salazar- Latin American Region
Moin Ahmed - India/Middle East Region

ISIS Support Staff:
Dr. Andrew Teare DVM- MedARKS Developer and Veterinary Specialist
Laurie Bingaman Lackey- SPARKS Developer and Studbook Specialist
Nolan Harvey- Zoo Curatorial and Marine Conservation Expert
Michele Moses- Certified Veterinary Technician, Vet-Med Expert
Erika Fronk- Zoo Records Management and Biology Expert
Kim Maciej- Wildlife Rehabilitation and Biology Expert

Stay Tuned!
ISIS has planned a series of pre-training events in the months to come. The next of these "ZIMS Preview" events will be held next week on December 14th. Please mark your calendar to stay updated on the latest developments with ZIMS 2012.

ISIS earns money when you shop

2011-12-01T12:50:00.001-06:00

Support us now at www.goodsearch.com/nonprofit/isis-international-species-information-system.aspx.

ZIMS 1.5 walkthrough available via video

2011-11-09T09:45:00.000-06:00

ZIMS 1.5 Release Walkthrough from ISIS Training on Vimeo.

Help a wildlife conservation organization make a difference today

2011-11-09T09:36:00.000-06:00

We have an important opportunity for the global zoo population to help raise a very large amount of money and some great publicity for the Snow Leopard Trust - all you need to do is to vote for them to win the 2011 BBC World Challenge.

If you haven't already, go to www.snowleopard.org/vote. VOTE BEFORE this Friday 11th November, 2011. Ask all of your friends, families and colleagues to do the same. It takes two seconds (well not literally, but it is a quick, easy process!).

The Snow Leopard Trust has been selected as one of 12 finalists in the 2011 BBC World Challenge. To win, they need as many snow leopard supporters as possible to vote for them before the 11th November. If the Snow Leopard Trust wins this challenge, a US$20,000 cash prize will be awarded to support and expand Snow Leopard Enterprises and the endangered snow leopard will also be featured in Newsweek and on BBC World News.

The BBC World Challenge wants to honour programmes that show enterprise and innovation without creating a cost to the earth. As the only wildlife conservation initiative in the contest, Snow Leopard Enterprises does just that. Snow Leopard Enterprises helps herding families generate sustainable income by turning raw wool into beautiful handmade items, and in return, those families commit to protecting snow leopards and their habitat.

Just go to: www.snowleopard.org/vote

Notice of potential outage

2011-11-04T15:36:00.000-05:00

Please note, the ISIS servers have been experiencing some instability in the last few days. We believe we have isolated the cause, but it may take up to a week to stabilize. This may affect the ISIS websites. We are sorry for this inconvenience.

ZIMS release 1.5 is out

2011-11-02T13:10:00.000-05:00

While we focus most of our development efforts on the new interface for the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) 2012, we will continue to provide updates to the current ZIMS application for those who are using the program. Updates to the current ZIMS application include:

The ability to add an historical census to a group
Improved load times for accession pages
Improvements to accessioning an animal from another institution
Improvements to the animal enclosure report, including showing the reason for transfer
The ability to list groups as parents
The addition of note retrieval and relationship reports
Enhancements to specimen and group specimen, activity, taxon and transaction reports
Redesign of display of conflicted animals on the home portal page
The ability to use the batch animal tool for enclosure moves, weights, lengths, alerts, and training info
Users can now add historical censuses to groups

In addition, several bugs reported by the users have been resolved. See complete list of enhancements in ZIMS release 1.5.

Additional improvements to the current ZIMS application will be minor as we focus our efforts on ZIMS 2012, which current users will be the first to begin using in early 2012.

The ISIS website and the ZIMS application will again be down for maintenance

2011-10-26T16:04:00.000-05:00

from 7 pm US Central time on October 26 to
midnight US Central time on October 26, 2011

We again apologize for the late notice. This maintenance is necessary to resolve some of the issues we have been experiencing with service interruption (ironically).

The ISIS website and the ZIMS application will be down for maintenance

2011-10-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

from 11 pm US Central time on October 25 to
3 am US Central time on October 26, 2011.

We apologize for the late notice.

ZIMS 2012: from the developers’ perspective

2011-10-24T16:08:00.001-05:00

Doug Verduzco is the ISIS CIO. To help our community understand where we are with upgrades and changes to the ZIMS application – and the reasons for them, Doug will post regular updates to this blog. This is his first entry.

It was great to meet and talk to so many people during the first ISIS Users' Conference in September. During the conference, many people asked if we would post regular updates on the development of ZIMS 2012 to help them stay informed and up-to-date. That was a great suggestion. Welcome to the first installment of ZIMS 2012 Updates.

One of the biggest issues facing ZIMS is the current lack of including all of the data currently in ARKS databases and the global ISIS database. Two things contributed to this issue: business rules and legacy data.

We realized that the business rules themselves were keeping some of our members’ data out of the ZIMS database. Business rules are meant to ensure high quality data. That is great, but if business rules keep most of the data out, it matters less that the quality is high for what gets in.

To fix this, we have moved to reactively acknowledging our business rules rather than proactively enforcing them. We are currently working on data quality tools and reports to show potential data quality problems, but at least data will be there to work on resolutions.

The current ZIMS database was not able to hold legacy data that well. Therefore, data migration relied on complex algorithms to find and match data dispersed through many different ARKS databases and the global ISIS database. We have added two tables to the ZIMS 2012 database to help legacy data and ZIMS data reside more effectively together.

ISIS Users' Conference attendees were able to see and play with ZIMS 2012, and it seemed a success. However, it did not include the changes needed to resolve the data migration issue. We will soon be deploying the initial demo version that incorporates these changes. We are currently testing to see if our ZIMS 2012 “engine tune-up” left the car in better shape than it was before.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned and look for more ZIMS 2012 updates to come. Thanks!

From ISIS Support Specialist Michele Moses

2011-10-06T16:26:00.001-05:00

I, Michele Moses , ISIS Animal Management Senior Support Specialist, was given a mission to convince skeptical zoo veterinary technicians of the benefits of ISIS. Pull them away from their medications and sharp objects to change their opinion about the new ZIMS application. This is my report.

I received this assignment because, I too am a veterinary technician. I understood their reluctance. If given the choice between working with an angry skunk or entering data into the computer, we would pick the skunk. Unfortunately, the data still needs entered.

Unsatisfied with what we currently had to use, while still afraid of change. I accepted this mission to make them as firm of a believer as I had become. I was pleased to find out that though they were skeptical, it was only because they had yet to see ZIMS in action.

During the event, I hosted a roundtable discussion where they asked many questions. They are inquisitive and were very thorough in their queries. They watched the demo on my computer with great interest and excitement. They all cheered with appreciation….ok not so much cheered but they did say they were excited about ZIMS and couldn’t wait for the veterinary module to be presented. I feel they left with a very positive attitude towards the ZIMS application.

They seemed so pleased that I believe they will leave the land of Albuquerque and return with great news of the coming veterinary module of the ZIMS application. I feel my mission was successful and we technicians all over the world can no longer be referred to as skeptical and reclusive!

ZIMS 2012 is coming in early 2012

2011-10-06T08:08:00.000-05:00

The new "user interface" for the ZIMS application -- ZIMS 2012 will be complete in early 2012. Because reception to preview of the application -- at the ISIS Users' Conference and other conferences in the last month -- we are pulling almost all of our resource away from the current ZIMS application to focus on completing ZIMS 2012 as fast as possible!

This means we will pull back on migrating current members into the ZIMS application until ZIMS 2012 is complete. Those who are scheduled for deployment this fall will hear more from ISIS on new scheduling opportunities this month. If you have questions about your ZIMS deployment, please contact deployment@isis.org.
A ZIMS 2012 demonstration is available as we work to complete the ZIMS 2012 application at:
zims2012demo.isis.org.

The username and password will be prepopulated, but just in case you need them they are: User01; User01 (case sensitive).

We will continue to update this build with changes to ZIMS 2012 until the product is released early next year.

YOUR RESPONSE IS REQUESTED

2011-10-06T08:03:00.002-05:00

ISIS 2011 Communications Survey

The 2011 ISIS Communications Survey will help us understand the needs of you -- our members. Please take a few moments to respond to this year's survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ISIS2011CommSurvey.

The survey will take you 10-15 minutes and will remain open until 28 October 2011.
Thank you in advance for your feedback!

ISIS Users' Conference, a few spaces left!

2011-08-29T11:26:00.000-05:00

We have just a few spaces left as we prepare for our first annual ISIS Users' Conference 11-12 September in Atlanta, GA. The agenda is set and preparations are being made.

If you have not yet registered, please hurry. Register now*.

*While the ISIS Users' Conference takes place just prior to the AZA annual conference, please remember that these events are two separate events. Each require separate registration. Register for the ISIS Users' Conference here.

More information about the conference.

View of a few Asian zoos: Sapporo Maruyama Zoo

2011-08-16T21:19:00.001-05:00

This is Kanako again. This time I would like to feature the zoo in Sapporo (I was there for training, too). I believe some of you have tasted Japanese beer named Sapporo. That beer is originally from this city. But there is no relation between the zoo and the beer.

The portal training.

They make lots of effort for the conservation of Polar Bear. They would like to import new pedigree. If your institution would like to cooperate, let’s contact them (you can see the contact information on ISIS website > ISIS members > Find ISIS members).

One of their conservation targets is the endemic species in Hokkaido island (Sapporo is located in Hokkaido). They pass down the importance of coexistence with wildlife to visitors.

Ezo Brown Bear (Ursus arctos yesoensis) exhibit

Hokkaido Sika Deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) with beautiful dapples.

Falconry is one of Japanese traditional method. And some of the zoo people are approved as the traditionist of it. And in Maruyama zoo, you can try it. It is a great experience, and you cannot miss it! (FYI: the falconer experience is not implemented everyday. I recommend you to contact them before your visit)

Children can try with their parents.

They do their best not only for mammals and birds, but also for others. The new reptile and amphibian house was opened four month ago. And this year they succeeded with the reproduction of Long-nosed horned frog first time ever. This was the result of what a keeper learned from his visit to Leipzig zoo last year.

Long-nosed horned frog (Megophrys nasuta).
The babies were still very tiny.

ISIS Users' Conference hotel space filling up fast!

2011-08-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

There's still time to register for...

Hands-on, face-to-face training on the ZIMS application
Discussion on best-practices for records keeping from basic animal data to medical records keeping with experts in their fields:

MedARKS creator Dr. Andrew Teare will discuss "tips & tricks" for using MedARKS
Adrienne Miller & Lynn McDuffie will discuss basic records keeping, including permits

Networking with zoological professionals from up to 830 ISIS member institutions around the world

And -- experiencing enhancements to the ZIMS user interface

Major enhancements to the ZIMS user interface have been planned. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to see and work within this new environment

Conference hotel is filling up fast!

To assure your rooms are held, reserve them today!

The conference will be held just prior to this year's Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference and near the world-class Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Zoo and in Atlanta's famous entertainment district.

For more information and to register, visit www.isis.org/Pages/UsersConference2011.aspx.

View of a few Asian zoos: Kobe Oji Zoo

2011-08-11T22:29:00.016-05:00

Hi everyone, this is Kanako, the ISIS Asia / Pacific Regional Coordinator. This blog is usually written by Michele (ISIS Marketing & Member Services Director), but this time I would like to interrupt a bit to introduce zoos recently I visited. I hope you enjoy it!

The first one is Kobe Oji Zoo. I visited there for ARKS and Portal training. This zoo keeps the popular and famous species such as Giant Panda or Koala, but I believe most of you have chance to see them at this zoo on websites, so this time I would like to focus to others.

Fun training

The General Curator Dr. Yoshihiko Shimatani goes around the zoo every morning. Animals remember him and come closely when they found him.

Dr. Shimatani and a Sea Lion

Currently they are under the renovation project, and the new bear exhibits are just opened one week before my visit.

The area of this zoo is not big, but they make the best use of inventiveness to make enclosure as much as larger and make the comfortable environment for animals.

The Southern White Rhinoceros
under the shade of trees

Sloth bear sleeping overhead

The zoo keeps some of the elder animals. One of them is Jonny the Chimp. He is 61 years old (estimate) and the oldest Chimpanzee in Japan. This is one of the results by their cordial treat for animals.

He moves fast and it was hard to take photo of him!

Final destination: Tierpark Hagenbeck (Hamburg Zoo)

2011-07-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

Feeding the elephants

To round out our trip, we were treated luxuriously at Tierpark Hagenbek -- from the Linder Park-Hotel Hagenbeck (which is owned by the zoo) to the exhibit halls to the animal enclosures, no details have been missed.

A view of the sightline
Carl Hagenbeck made famous

Our tour began with an opportunity to feed the elephants. From there, we explored the original zoo grounds, which were designed by Carl Hagenbeck in the early 1900s! Mr. Hagenbeck's idea of "bar-less" enclosure was patented and has been used worldwide.

Hagenbeck's also features a new enclosure with a tropical theme. Filled with species from tropical areas around the world, the Tropen-Aquarium is an experience in itself! The exhibit features many free-roaming animals, including bats that fly overhead and cave spiders that are housed to give the illusion that they are free to escape...and crawl where they will. (They are actually "enclosed" by a steam of running water around the perimeter of their cave that they will not cross.)

My favorite part of the exhibit was the huge aquarium, which is at the center of the Tropen-Aquarium.

While we had full days and learned
a lot, we also had fun along the way!

Overall, the entire trip was a fantastic journey. Our group was inspired by the displays we saw and the people behind them. Thank you all for your generous hospitality - and willingness to let us "inside" to explore how you make all these wonderful facilities really work!

Zoo Leipzig

2011-07-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

Zoo Leipzig has been busy! Just a few weeks ago the newest exhibit -- Gondwanaland -- a total experience that immerses visitors in the sights and sounds of the tropics. The journey begins as visitors ride through a "cave" to narration of the story of the dinasaurs and creatures that began it all.

Once back on land, visitors can experience the tropical hall at all levels -- on the ground, from rope bridges that spiral across the tree tops and through tunnels with view out from behind waterfalls. More than 17,000 tropical plants line the way along a path where visitors search for animals native to these enviornments.

The zoo also features an incrdible area for apes and chimps where visitors can spend hours just watching the primates from all angles. And, areas to watch elephants and tigers up close.

Zoo Leipzig takes conservation seriously with programs on numerous species.

Another great experience for our crew!

ISIS web services may be interrupted

2011-07-18T16:16:00.000-05:00

Due to a power failure at ISIS main offices, ISIS website services may be interrupted today (18 July 2011). We are working to fully restore our services.

Hannover Zoo!

2011-07-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

Hannover Zoo has seven unique theme worlds, each giving visitors the feeling that they've been fully transported to a new area of the world. While all of the areas are very well done, I think our group enjoyed Yukon Bay the most - polar bears and seals delighted audiences (including our group!).

The entire zoo offers numerous experiences for visitors...I could imagine my kids spending hours not only enjoying the animal exhibits, but the boat rides, numerous children's areas and many themed restaurants. Some of the young-at-heart in our group even managed to sneak in a ride on an inflatable ring down wooden roller coaster!

Definitely a day to remember!

Second stop: Vienna Zoo

2011-07-11T01:31:00.000-05:00

The tour group

The oldest zoo in the world, Vienna Zoo was originally built as part of an imperial residence. The zoo has sprung up around the heritage site and become a modern institution - an amazing place to see animals and the city of Vienna!

View of a few European zoos: Zoo Zurich

2011-07-09T17:15:00.001-05:00

Over the last few days, I (ISIS Marketing & Member Services Director Michele Peters) have had the honor of traveling with a group from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and others as they visit zoos in the EU to get ideas for their own zoos.

The first zoo on the tour was Zoo Zurich. Home to the man who has been christened the "Founder of Zoo Biology," Heini Hediger, Zoo Zurich has made amazing strides in the last 15 years -- opening new exhibits and rehabilitating the zoo.

Dr. Zingg shows ZSL Director David Field
and Bronx Zoo Director Jim Breheny the
plan for a new elephant enclosure

Dr. Robert Zingg, head of veterinary services and biology, and Robert Graf, education director, gave us a personal tour of the facility, and other staff contributed their valuable time to answer questions about husbandy, marketing and the general business of running a zoo.

The most impressive display is their newest exhibit -- Masoala Rainforest: a complete rainforest habit modeled after the Masoala area of Madagascar. Much more than an exhibit, Masoala is "a new strategy for rainforest conservation in Madagacar." This area of Madagascar was chosen for this project for numerous reasons. Among them:

Madagascar is one of the world's top three biodiversity hotspots
The Masoala peninsula contains the largest remaining block of rainforest in Madagascar
The geography of this area -- mountains, dense forest and coast increases its biologic value

One of the most unique things they've done is to grow their own cocoa - which they then used to make a small quantity of chocolate with products completely produced in Switzerland. They sold the chocolate bars for the price of gold! Two percent of the zoo's revenue (about $100,000/year) is reinvested in Madagascar's Masoala National Park each year. Zoo Zurich supports an additional 19 conservation project worldwide.

Mr. Graf

One of Europe's premier zoo, Zoo Zurich is a fantastic example of how a zoo can contribute to conservation efforts across the globe.

ISIS Users' Conference early bird registration ends July 11

2011-07-09T11:07:00.003-05:00

http://www2.isis.org/news/Pages/ISIS%20Users'%20Conference.aspx

What value will I get from the ISIS Users' Conference?

2011-06-14T11:18:00.001-05:00

Good question! and we've gotten it a lot.

1. ZIMS training

During your “ZIMS deployment period,” your staff can receive up to 10 classes of basic training on the ZIMS application (ZIMS 1000 and 1001). Additional training is available online at $99/class.

During the ISIS Users’ Conference, 11-12 September, each registrant will have access to all ZIMS training sessions – both our basic and premium offerings from qualified ZIMS instructors in person. In addition, attendees will have the opportunity for many discussion with ISIS staff and current users of the ZIMS application.

The cost of this intensive two-day in-person training experience is $350. (For comparison, ISIS would have to charge about $1500 plus expenses to send a ZIMS trainer to your facility for in-person training.)

2. Networking

Already, ISIS members from 10 countries have registered for the conference. This is your opportunity to make connections with ISIS members around the globe.

You can find more information about the conference here: http://www.isis.org/Pages/UsersConference2011.aspx, or if you have specific questions, Michele Peters (mpeters@isis.org) would be happy to assist you.

Early bird registration ends July 11 - and registrants receive a 20% discount on the AZA Annual Conference. Register today!

Not yet registered for the ISIS Users' Conference? Would you RSVP?

2011-05-24T11:22:00.000-05:00

If you are planning to attend the ISIS Users' Conference - or are thinking about it, but have not yet registered, would you please let us know?

It's time for us to start planning our resources for the conference, and, as this is our first, we are looking to get a better idea of the number of members who may attend. If you have not yet registered, but plan to attend the conference - or are pretty likely to, would you please RSVP to mpeters@isis.org?

This will not commit you to registration, but will be very helpful in planning. We would hate to run out of room - or refreshments!

Remember - early bird discount ends July 11!

Official notice from our colleagues in Japan

2011-03-14T09:56:00.003-05:00

ISIS works closely with colleagues in many areas of the world. Our hearts and thoughts go to our friends in Japan as they deal with the recent tragedies. This is an official note from the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which they have asked that we pass to our members.

Dear Colleagues around the world,
Thank you very much for your concern for the earthquakes that was happened on March 11. As you might already know, we got the huge damage in the north part of Japan. Currently we are making effort to get understanding of the situation of our member institutions. We already know that some aquariums in Tohoku area (north part of Honshu island) got the damages, but most of our members have no problem.

JAZA will cooperate with the member institutions and make effort for the restoration of the damaged institutions. Please kindly give us your cooperation and support. If you need further detailed information about our members, please contact to Kanako Nishimoto (kanako-jaza@pony.ocn.ne.jp).
Best regards,

Shigeyuki Yamamoto
The Chair of JAZA

JAZA official Facebook account: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002133978979. JAZA will update information here when possible.

If you wish to donate directly to help our friends, please use this information.

Bank Name: Mizuho Bank, Ltd (SWIFT code: MHBKJPJT)
Branch Name: Ueno branch
Branch address: 3-16-5, Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0005 Japan

The receiver information:
Name: Shadanhoujin Nihondoubutsuensuizokukankyokai Mimaikin
Account No.: 4180763
Address: 4-23-10-402, Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-8567 Japan
Phone number: +81- 3-3837-0211

If you have any questions, please contact Kanako Nishimoto
kanako-jaza@pony.ocn.ne.jp

ISIS leadership transition

2011-02-17T09:14:00.000-06:00

After seven years of dedicated service to ISIS, Hassan Syed has announced his resignation as Chief Information Officer of ISIS. Hassan is planning to stay within the community, so he won’t be far away, and will continue with ISIS to work through the transition plan over the next couple of months.

“Hassan has given years of dedicated service to ISIS and the ZIMS project,” said Roger Stonecipher, CEO, ISIS. “He did it when others said it could not be done. It is through his leadership that the ZIMS project was brought in-house and delivered. Hassan has created a strong and able team that I am confident will continue to do great work. We look forward to Hassan’s continued involvement throughout this transition.”

In addition to his work on the ZIMS project, Hassan envisioned and created the ISIS Community Portal, a social networking platform for the aquarium and zoo community with the potential to bring thousands of zoological professionals from around the globe together, and coordinated the work of creating more than 300 data standards for the ISIS community.

“I have been honored to work with the ISIS community,” said Hassan Syed. “The ZIMS project gave me the opportunity to work with more than 600 dedicated volunteers throughout our community. I have made many lasting connections and am very proud that I was able to be a part of this fantastic evolution in animal care.”

“Hassan’s legacy at ISIS is strong,” said David Field, ISIS Board Chair. “Hassan has been instrumental in leading our community – and the ISIS team to create the ZIMS application – a long unrequited dream for the community. The knowledge gathered in the ZIMS application will have implications for animal care, management and research worldwide.”

New leadership
Doug Verduzco will begin to assume the responsibilities of ISIS Chief Information Officer immediately. Doug has worked with the ZIMS project since 2001 and has vast experience in the zoo community.

“The fact that we have a strong leader ready to step into the chief technical position so quickly is testament to the strength of the team Hassan has built,” said Stonecipher. “We are extremely fortunate that Doug – a well-respected, experienced leader from our community – is willing to step in immediately for a smooth transition.”

“I am fully confident that Doug’s skills and abilities will lead ISIS to success,” said Syed. “Doug is an excellent choice.”

ISIS Elects Paula Brock to Board of Trustees

2011-02-16T13:33:00.000-06:00

ISIS announces the election of Paula Brock, chief financial officer, Zoological Society of San Diego (ZSSD) as Treasurer of the ISIS Board of Trustees. Ms. Brock has been with ZSSD since June 2001, where she has been instrumental in financial reporting and strategic planning.

Ms. Brock has a prestigious financial background, including the founding of a CPA firm. Ms. Brock has already been instrumental in working with the ISIS Board to establish its current five-year plans and financial projections.

“The addition of Ms. Brock to our board will strengthen our commitment to solid financial planning and ensuring the long-term viability of ISIS,” said David Field, ISIS Board Chair. “We have many critical tasks ahead of us in coming years, and I am honored to work with a professional whose skills and knowledge are so wide and deep. Ms. Brock’s expertise will be invaluable to our board.”

"Working to conserve endangered species has been an important part of my career with the San Diego Zoo." said Paula Brock. "I look forward to expanding this effort by working with ISIS."

Ms. Brock assumes the duties of ISIS Board Treasurer from Lena Lindén, Nordens Ark (Sweden). Ms. Lindén has stepped down as treasurer, but will remain on the ISIS Board to help with transition and to support the work of ISIS through the end of her term in December 2013.

ISIS Board of Trustees

ISIS Elects New Trustees to Board

2011-01-03T10:43:00.000-06:00

ISIS announces the election of the following new trustees to its 24-member Board:

David Field, Zoological Director of the Zoological Society of London. David is filling his second full term as an ISIS Board Trustee and has been elected by his board peers to fill the chair position

Dr. Lena M Linden, Director of Nordens Ark (Sweden) will serve her second term on the ISIS Board Executive Committee where she serves as Treasurer

Dr. Theodor Bernhard Pagel, Director of AG Zoologischer Garten Köln (Germany)

Susan Hunt, Chief Executive Officer of Western Australian Zoological Parks Authority (Perth Zoo) will serve as association trustee for Zoo Aquarium Association

“The addition of these members strengthens our leadership capacity across the globe,” said Roger Stonecipher, ISIS CEO. “We have many critical tasks ahead of us in the upcoming year and I am thrilled to work with a team of directors whose skills and knowledge is so wide and deep. This board really represents our membership well.”

ISIS offers training on the ZIMS application

2010-11-09T11:29:00.000-06:00

With deployment of the ZIMS application, ISIS member institutions receive 10 seats – equivalent to 20 hours of free training during their three-month ZIMS deployment period. This includes two course options -- 1000: Introduction to the ZIMS application and the 1001: ZIMS Administrator Training.

This is the first time ISIS has been able to offer training as a part of a software rollout. Because ZIMS is a powerful application with many facets, it is essential to give our members a good grounding in how to use this new software to provide a good experience for our members – and the community.

In addition to free training opportunities, ISIS is offering extra and advanced classes to our members who want to take advantage of more of the complex functionality in the ZIMS application. Our new Premium Service Training is set at $99/class. To see current offerings, check the Premium Services Training Calendar: http://training.isis.org/premium.

ISIS Board of Trustees Elects New Chair

2010-11-02T10:50:00.000-05:00

The ISIS Board of Trustees announce the election of David Field of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to the ISIS Board Chairmanship. David accepted the position at the October 16 ISIS Board meeting and started immediately.

“David is a valued and experienced member of the ISIS Board,” said Roger Stonecipher, CEO, ISIS. “David’s professional insight and experience will be a great asset to our leadership team as we work to include the entire zoological world in our network.”

“As someone who has been involved with ISIS at all levels – from a studbook and records keeper to now a board member I truly value and am honored to take on this role as Chair,” said David Field. “We, as the ISIS community, are in an exciting phase with active deployment of ZIMS – which will revolutionize all of our work making us more efficient as businesses, better population mangers and more effective conservation organizations.”

Mr. Field, who has been serving on the ISIS Board since 2008, has been a part of the ISIS community throughout his career. David has previously been the Endangered Species Programme (EEP) Coordinator of Golden Lion Tamarins and Moluccan Cockatoos. David is a Council Member of British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), an Editor for the International Zoo Yearbook and a trustee of the Gorilla Organization. David holds a Masters in Business Administration and a zoology degree.

ISIS Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) Aquarium Roadshows

2010-09-27T09:48:00.002-05:00

Come and see how the ZIMS early adopting aquariums are using the ZIMS application. Hands-on demonstrations. Hear from those who are actually working with the system, and learn from their experiences.

Seattle Aquarium – October 25-26, 2010
Monterrey Bay Aquarium – October 28-29, 2010
South Carolina Aquarium – November 3-4, 2010

Dates in other regions to be announced.

To receive an invitation, contact Michele Peters at ISIS – 651.209.9259; mpeters@isis.org.

Video: ZIMS early adopter ZoosSA view of the application

2010-09-20T14:45:00.005-05:00

We would like your feedback

2010-09-01T16:28:00.000-05:00

ISIS is undergoing a complete audit of our communications practices. As a part of that, we would like feedback from our members. We have created a brief communications survey and are asking that members respond by September 17, 2010. We will post results of the survey for members on our Web site in October.

If you are a member, would you please spend 10-15 minutes to complete this survey?

Thank you in advance for your time!

18 prominent zoos and aquariums are leading the way as our community goes online

2010-08-18T08:08:00.000-05:00

Today, the ZIMS early adopters are announcing their participation in this global conservation movement. We are telling the world that we are moving our animal management knowledgebase online – and working with zoological institutions around the world in an unprecedented effort to unite the global wildlife conservation community.

As part of the ISIS consortium of more than 800 zoos, aquariums and related conservation organizations in almost 80 countries, we are forging a new path in collaborating and sharing information on more than 2.6 million animals – many who are endangered or threatened species.

Review the press release - and help spread the word!

Continuously improving

2010-06-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

As we move through the early adopter phase of the ZIMS rollout, we are continuing to make improvements based on feedback from current users. This week, we introduced an update to the application to iron out some rough spots and to improve functionality - and speed in many areas.

As with all software, ISIS will remain in a continuous development cycle throughout the life of ZIMS.

Did you know that you can advertise your connection to ISIS online?

2010-06-24T16:45:00.000-05:00

Using ISIS software has long been recognized as the world-standard best practice for zoological record-keeping. In addition, the pooled knowledge in the ISIS database is used for conservation efforts worldwide.

As a member of ISIS, you can use our logo in a prominent location on your Web site and to link to the ISIS Web site. This designation will help your constituents understand that your organization contributes to global conservation efforts.

Members intersted in using the ISIS logo should contact Michele Peters (mpeters@isis.org).

Are you receiving e-mails from ISIS?

2010-06-14T15:32:00.001-05:00

Be sure to add *@isis.org to the safe sender’s and white lists in your e-mail client to assure that you will receive important e-mail messages from our help desk, monthly ISIS update e-mails, special service announcements, etc.

Change in ISIS support hours

2010-06-09T15:27:00.002-05:00

As our community continues to grow, ISIS remains focused on improving the level of service provided to our members, but we must also align and manage our resources effectively. To meet current needs, we are adjusting our technical service hours of operation. As of 14 June 2010, ISIS technical support will be available live from Monday, 12:00 a.m. US Central Standard Time, through Friday, 11:59 p.m. US Central Standard Time.

Members may continue to submit issues that arise during off-hours via E-mail to support@isis.org, or voicemail at 1.651.209.9240. Any issues submitted during off-hours will be addressed by ISIS Support on the subsequent Monday.

This change in the hours of operation is based on utilization of the support channels, and is aimed at optimizing the use of our resources to better serve our members. This change will allow us to allocate our resources adequately to periods when utilization is highest.

ZIMS early adopters are live!

2010-06-02T11:51:00.002-05:00

As of today, eight ZIMS early adopter institutions officially turn on the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) application in their facilities! South Carolina Aquarium, Copenhagen Zoo, Givskud Zoo, Adelaide and Monarto Zoos, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens are now using the ZIMS application in real time.

Learn more about the ZIMS early adopters.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA - North America): resource for wildlife rescue efforts in the Gulf of Mexico

2010-05-24T09:11:00.001-05:00

AZA is working to highlight the important role that AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums have in wildlife rescue efforts in the Gulf of Mexico through a Web page with resources and information from zoos and aquariums and US Federal agencies on their effort. AZA hopes this informaiton will help the public better understand zoos and aquariums roles as wildlife experts during this disaster.

ISIS training in Latin America

2010-05-18T09:37:00.001-05:00

Recently, Kristin Leus (CBSG Europe, EAZA) and Laurie Bingaman Lackey (ISIS) taught the third Basic, and first Advanced Population Management Courses for the Latin American Zoo and Aquarium Association (ALPZA), 20-28 March 2010. Studbook managers arrived from Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay. The students who took these classes keep studbooks for such species as jaguar, Andean condor, tamandua and Brazilian tapir.

The Buenos Aires Zoo hosted the gathering. ISIS would like to thank Diana Sarmiento, executive director of ALPZA, and Adrian Sestelo, Fundación Bioandina Argentina & Buenos Aires Zoo, for organizing these very successful meetings.

ZIMS Early Adopters are using the application!

2010-05-07T11:28:00.001-05:00

ZIMS Early Adopters are using the application!
The first wave of early adopters is set to begin using the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) application in their institutions. Currently, the South Carolina Aquarium is practicing setting up their users and roles in their ZIMS sandbox. In addition, Copenhagen Zoo and DSI Givskud Zoo will go live next month.

Learn about why these institutions are involved in the ZIMS project.

Gulf of Mexico oil spill could have a dramatic impact on fragile wetlands

2010-05-04T14:37:00.002-05:00

The 20 April 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill could have a dramatic impact on Louisiana's fragile wetlands. ISIS member Audubon Aquarium of the America in New Orleans is headquarters for the wildlife rehabilitation efforts through the Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program (LMMSTRP).

Learn more at http://www.auduboninstitute.org/about/conservation/lmmstrp.

Did you know that you can submit data from ARKS via FTP?

2010-04-28T12:41:00.006-05:00

An additional feature of the latest edition of ARKS allows you to submit your data to ISIS via FTP. Check it out!

Help save endangered ISIS e-mail!

2010-03-17T12:47:00.001-05:00

Act now to protect the rare ISIS e-mail (Litterae automata isisii) from extinction! Please add *@isis.org to your organizations and personal “Safe Senders” and “White Lists” to ensure you and your coworkers maintain the critical habitat that the ISIS e-mail needs to thrive! This will also ensure that you are getting important e-mail regarding ISIS support, ZIMS updates and the ISIS Community Portal!

If you haven't downloaded the new ARKS4 release; you can now install from CD

2010-03-04T13:49:00.003-06:00

All ISIS members should have received ARKS4 CDs the week. If you have not yet upgraded, now is the time!

This new version of ARKS4(26-February-2010) has been built to ease the transition to the ZIMS application. ARKS4 (26-February-2010) has greater functionality to use the Internet, including the ability to communicate directly with the upcoming ZIMS database that will be used upon its release replacing the current ISIS4 global database. This can be considered the last major program upgrade before ARKS4 is retired and the ISIS Community is only using the ZIMS application.

If you prefer to download the latest ARKS4, it is available here: http://portal.isis.org/support/products/Wiki%20Pages/ARKS2010.aspx.

Questions? Call ISIS support at +1.651.209.9250 , or e-mail support@isis.org.

ISIS Elects New Trustees to Board of Directors

2010-02-03T10:59:00.002-06:00

New trustees will oversee global rollout of world’s first fully-integrated global database system to aid world’s zoological community in achieving animal management goals

This press release was sent to media outlets today.

Eagan, Minnesota (February 3, 2010) – The International Species Information System (ISIS), the world’s largest zoological service organization, announces the election of the following new trustees to its 24-member Board of Trustees:

Dr. Bishan Singh Bonal (Central Zoo Authority – India)
Dr. Robert Cook (Wildlife Conservation Society – New York, NY)
Mr. Mauricio Fabre (Zoologico Nacional Parque Metro de Santiago – Chile)
Dr. Ken-ichi Kitamura (Japanese Associations of Zoos and Aquariums)
Dr. Michael Maunder (Al Ain Zoo – United Arab Emirates)

Mr. Jim Fleshman (Cameron Park Zoo – Waco, TX) has assumed the role of ISIS Board Secretary.

“The addition of these members strengthens our leadership capacity across the globe,” said Roger Stonecipher, ISIS CEO. “Our board now represents 14 nations, which will be critical for the exciting and challenging tasks ahead of us in the coming year.”

In addition to their regular duties, the ISIS trustees will oversee the rollout of the first unified global database system for endangered species and other animals living in the world’s zoos and aquariums – the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS). ZIMS will allow the ISIS global network to instantly exchange information on breeding of endangered animals and other critical data for the first time.

“We are on the cusp of a revolution of knowledge management for the global zoo and aquarium community,” said Stonecipher. “When ZIMS is released, this community will enter into an evolutionary shift in the way it is able to exchange data on breeding endangered animals and manage their collections.”

ISIS has worked with the global community to create ZIMS. The first release is scheduled for March 2010.

See full list of ISIS Trustees at www.isis.org.

##

ISIS Welcomes new CEO

2009-08-10T10:15:00.003-05:00

Photo: Roger Stonecipher

After a comprehensive search, ISIS is happy to introduce Roger Stonecipher as its new CEO. Roger was the very best candidate for the position from an outstanding group of four final candidates. His wealth of experience from the world of corporate leadership will complement the many existing strengths of the ISIS team.

Roger has more than 20 years of experience in the telecom systems and power businesses, and graduate degrees in engineering and business. He most recently was CEO of Lineage Power. Roger has travelled extensively and built strong relationships in dozens of countries.You may read a full biography of Roger by clicking here.

Roger will help ensure not only successful completion of ZIMS but also the next phase of ISIS’s contribution to zoos, aquariums and the wider conservation community. Roger will work closely with Nate Flesness and Hassan Syed to ensure a smooth transition in ISIS leadership.

Welcome, Roger!

ZIms Podcast # 3 - The Wonder of Components

2009-01-07T15:13:00.010-06:00

This 6 minute video brings you up to date on where ZIMS is right now as "Sprint 1" ends and "Sprint 2" begins. It includes a rather mind-boggling example of why we re-designed the ZIMS development process the way we did.

Click on the "play" arrow. It may take 30 seconds to download. Please be patient...

If you'd like to read a printed version of the podcast narration, click here.

SMEs in Minnesota

2008-12-18T13:22:00.007-06:00

If you are looking for the newest podcast on ZIMS testing, scroll down to the post below...

It’s -9°F (-22° C) in Minneapolis, a good time for bipedal primates in the family Hominidae to huddle in a warm cave and develop software.

This week marks a transition between ZIMS Sprint 1 (institution contact information) and Sprint 2 (taxonomy ). (What’s a sprint again?).

Sprint 1 is in the final testing/bug fixing cycle as planned. That phase lasts until 2 January. Each sprint has a two-week planning phase, and this week marks the beginning of sprint 2 planning. Both sprint 1 and sprint 2 are the simplest parts of ZIMS.

We begin sprint 2 planning with a gathering of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). These are experts from the ISIS Global Community whose inside knowledge of the daily aquarium and zoo world will guide the “business” (meaning "user") side of ZIMS development. SMEs have always been the backbone of ZIMS development and they remain so.

This week marks another transition. Over the last eight months ISIS has reconfigured the ZIMS development process, redesigned the way ZIMS screens look and revamped the structure of the database. This week marks the first time that some members of the ISIS community start to see the details of that work, including some very cool doo-dads and widgets (like “drag and drop”) created by Wenlei Fang that will help speed up a lot of basic data entry in ZIMS.

The SMEs in Minneapolis this week are:

Duncan Bolton, Birdworld, Farnham, Curator
Jason Crichton, South Carolina, Aquarium Biologist
Lynn McDuffie, Disney, Registrar
Adrienne Miller, ISIS, Registrar
Tracy Clippinger, San Diego, Veterinarian
Rachel Thompson, ISIS, Veterinarian
Becky Bryning, San Diego, IT
Jon Ballou, National, Population Mgmt.
Tim Carpenter, Seattle Aquarium Biologist
Laurie Bingaman Lackey, ISIS, Population Mgmt.

Podcast: Testing Sprint 1

2008-12-12T11:48:00.006-06:00

Welcome to the ZIMS podcast: This one is a 5-minute exploration of how ZIMS Sprint 1 is being tested by ISIS.

Click on the "play"arrow at the bottom left of the screen below.

Testing Begins on Sprint 1

2008-12-08T11:49:00.016-06:00

As you can tell from the happy picture at right, Sprint 1 enters testing today. (What’s a sprint? ) The ISIS tech support team will be the primary testers for Sprint 1. Pictured from left: Kanako Nishimoto, Josh Courteau, Tabbi Saleheen, Elisabeth Hunt and Chris Houghton.

Sprint 1 began on October 30. By the end of last week all 45 planned screens were completed. Because the work has gone slightly faster than we were anticipating, we expect to complete 8 screens from Sprint 2 within the Sprint 1 timeline. Sprint 1 focuses on basic institutional information, and these 45 screens will be used by ISIS staff. Sprint 2 is all about taxonomy. More on that in a future blog post.

The chart above is part of a weekly progress report prepared by Shalini Jain, a ZIMS Project Team member based in India (pictured below).

ZIMS World Tour Podcast

2008-11-21T13:22:00.007-06:00

Welcome to the ZIMS podcast - a seven-minute tour of the ZIMS world. This episode takes you behind ZIMS screen development and into the ZIMS database.

Click on the "play" arrow in the center of the screen below.

Sprint 1 / Week 1 results

2008-11-11T09:24:00.003-06:00

Under our new development process our stated goal was to complete development of fifteen screens per week. Last week (the first week of actual code-writing) we completed a total of eighteen screens. This is a very good start.

(What’s a Sprint?)

Sprint 1 focuses on Institution screens - in many ways the least dramatic screens in ZIMS. But it is in this sprint that we will also create many templates that will be reused throughout ZIMS.

Sprint 1 contains approximately forty-five screens. Release 1, due out March 1, 2010, will be built in seven sprints and will have a total of approximately 300 screens and reports.

Meet the ZIMS Team

2008-11-05T13:13:00.006-06:00

Below: Craig Yellick, ISIS ZIMS Team Leader,

introduces the new A-1 team to ZIMS architecture

and the new development process.

Gurgaon, India: ZIMS Sprint 1 is moving fast. (What’s a sprint?)

We want to introduce you to the team building ZIMS. Click here for photos and brief bios of the five ZIMS Project Team. With an impressive array of deep experience in the IT industry and the zoo and aquarium business, these pros are guiding ZIMS toward completion.

A-1 Technology, the new ZIMS vendor in Gurgaon, India has assigned its finest developers to the ZIMS project (because ISIS insisted on it). The A-1 developers are split into three teams, led by Gurmeet Badwal (Scrum Master), and Rishun Gupta (Project Coordinator).

Team Shark, Meenakshi Sharma (Team Lead), Sarvedra Singh (Backup), Umang Kapoor, Prateek Gupta.

Team Tiger: Tarun Sainger (Team Lead), Ritu Dadarwal(Backup), Firoz Alam, Ravikant Mahajan, Neeraj Prashar

Team Dragon: Kaushal Bajaj (Team Lead), Ritesh kumar(Backup),Vishwanathan, Ritu Bhadwar, Suprodeep Mukherjee

For the next three weeks, Sprint 1 focuses on Institution screens including contact methods, staff, and ISIS Membership data. It’s probably the least sensational data in ZIMS and that is why we begin with it. This means we will have improved our processes, tools, and quality assurance methods before we get to the most-critical parts. Also, we will be creating many of the re-usable templates, or “web parts” in this sprint that will make their way into all of ZIMS.

More About SMEs

2008-10-27T10:24:00.005-05:00

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have always been the backbone of ZIMS. Now that we have re-launched ZIMS with a new vendor ISIS communications guy Jaime Meyer gathered questions about SMEs to ask ZIMS Chief Architect, Doug Verduzco. Doug was heavily involved in ZIMS at the very beginning, and returned to the project about one year ago as it was heading into the transition between vendors and development processes. Doug has been integral to the design of the new “agile” development process under which ZIMS will be completed.

Jaime: Why have SMEs (pronounced "SMEE") been so directly involved in the design of ZIMS?

Doug: SMEs represent the end-user community of ZIMS. They are the best judge to determine if and how ZIMS can automate and improve what they do, day-to-day. If we didn’t have SMEs actively and directly involved, the effectiveness of ZIMS to solve their problems would be left up to chance, at best. Without direct SME involvement, developers would need to work from documents, illustrations, etc. The zoological world is highly complex, and it often does not follow “common sense” rules. Having direct SME involvement is the best way to transition zoological knowledge to developers and catch errors in judgment before they start.

Jaime: Can you describe the new Development Methodology with which SMEs will be working?

Doug: To be successful, it is more effective to break a large task down into small ones. The same is true with software. The overall ZIMS software was broken down into releases that more or less equate to Animal Management (Release 1), Animal Healthcare (Release 2), Population Management (Release 3), and Advanced Features (Release 4). Each release will subsequently be broken down into “sprints,” which are short, high-intensity development efforts to create a subset of the release’s functionality. Release 1 which began on October 13th, is divided into seven sprints.

Jaime: Why do SME’s need to go to India for extended periods?

Doug: ISIS has two great strengths and they feed each other. One is the fact that it’s a membership organization—a global community of colleagues. ISIS is in service to the community and it serves by making unique business software available for far below the fees that a for-profit software company would charge. The community responds in kind by providing expertise to ISIS. Throughout ZIMS development, SMEs have volunteered expertise which has helped keep the cost of ZIMS far lower than an application this size and complexity would normally be. ISIS has significantly expanded its internal technical team to do much of the work on ZIMS. But ISIS could never afford to hire the sheer number of programmers ZIMS needs to complete. The Indian market for programmers delivers highly-skilled resources at approximately one-fifth the cost of a comparable US-based resource. Therefore, using “off-shore” developers from India is a perfect fit for the ZIMS Project. It’s really the only way possible.

However, one of the most crucial components to the agile development methodology is having SMEs and developers working hand-in-hand. This is impossible to get around, especially with a unique application like ZIMS. So someone will have to travel – either the entire fifteen-person team in India comes here, or two or three SMEs go there. The math tells us that the SME’s will be the ones traveling. This assumes that the SMEs and their organizations are willing to make that commitment, and thankfully both are willing to do so.

Jaime: ISIS recently announced the current group of SMEs. Why were these people chosen?

Doug: It takes an incredible amount of time to train IT people to think like zoological people and vice versa. That is probably the largest difficulty we faced in Alpha ZIMS and it translated into a wide variety of day-to-day challenges. Each member of the current SME team has an expertise in certain kinds of functionality ZIMS needs. Most of them spent a great deal of time on the Alpha project, so they know what worked well, what did not, where the trouble areas are, and they are well aware of all the work done by the community that forms the center of ZIMS functionality. This SME team brings a balance of zoo and aquarium knowledge, Alpha ZIMS experience and optimism and dedication to helping the ZIMS vision succeed. And each of them has an adventurous spirit which is really a crucial skill for the ZIMS project.

ZIMS Re-launches Today

2008-10-13T09:45:00.004-05:00

After months of developing a detailed new ZIMS process, quantifying it all into a plan reviewed and approved by the ISIS board and searching for the right vendor, today the ZIMS project formally re-launches. It feels great.

Over the last few months ISIS has “staffed up” internally. At left are the faces of the ZIMS internal project team. These are professionals with expertise in database architecture, cutting edge software development, user interface design and zoo/aquarium business practices. Some of them are formally ISIS employees, some are consultants. All of them share the optimistic vision for what ZIMS will be and a dedication to making ZIMS an amazing tool for the ISIS global community.

ZIMS will be built in seven intense bursts of activities called Sprints. Click here for details on sprints. Sprint 1 begins today with a conference call/Webex meeting between the Minnesota staff (pictured below) and the staff at A-1 in Gurgaon, India.

During Sprint 1 we will focus on Institution Administration including contact methods, staff and membership data and user administration including roles and access rights. Basically we are developing the least exciting parts of ZIMS first. Why? Because it is here that we will build many template pieces that will be inserted throughout all of the screens in ZIMS.

Later this week, several internal project team members will travel to India:

Hassan Syed/ ISIS Assistant Director /22 days
Craig Yellick /Senior Architect Analyst /14 days
Wenlei Fang /Development Team Lead /30 days
Isaac Koss /Developer 29 days
Nury Sword /Developer /13 days
Mike Kelly /Developer /19 days

ZIMS 1 Release Date - March 1, 2010

2008-09-30T11:53:00.008-05:00

by Nate Flesness

We have set March 1, 2010 as the official release date for ZIMS 1 (Animal Management for Zoos and Aquariums). After a summer of intensive planning and a pilot project with A-1 Technology in Gurgaon, India, we have now formally engaged A-1 as the vendor. The project ramp-up work begins October 13th which means most of the ISIS ZIMS project team will spend the next few weeks in India.

I wish it was easier to explain briefly how much skill and thoughtfulness we have driving this project now that was absent earlier. There are two broad reasons. First, our earlier arrangement provided great financial protection (we received all of your money back) but the processes used were far too indirect and layered for developing such a unique and specialized application. It was like driving a car in freeway traffic by sending emails to the driver’s boss’s boss. Going forward ISIS has complete, hands-on project control, so this issue is now resolved.

Second, we found five hundred volunteers wonderful for developing data standards and specifying ZIMS functional requirements, and the dedication shown by all of them is truly remarkable. But it turned out that a group that size was too unwieldy for doing screen designs. (Imagine designing your next exhibit with a committee of 500.) The work done by the community remains the very center of ZIMS – nothing has been lost and we are referring to it daily as we move forward. But our new process will organize all of that input in a far more streamlined way.

ZIMS Release 1 will be built in seven highly disciplined bursts of work called sprints. Each sprint begins with two weeks of planning, followed by up to four weeks of execution (code writing) and one week of testing. Each sprint is time-boxed, which is a way of saying that we have carefully planned the work to meet the deadline and if we encounter unforeseen challenges, some functionality will be put off for a later release rather than delay the release. While some details of the sprint plan below may change, the deadline for Release 1 will not change.

Release 1 will be tested for several weeks by early adopter institutions beginning Dec 21, 2009. It will begin deployment March 1, 2010 –rolling out first to the 143 institutions that have invested funds in ZIMS.

ZIMS Release 1: Animal Management for Zoos and Aquariums
Sprint Timeline

Sprint 1: Institution
Begin Date: 13-Oct-08
Key Functionality: Institution administration including contact methods, staff, and ISIS Membership data and User Administration including roles and access rights

Sprint 2: Taxonomy
Begin Date: 22-Dec-08
Key Functionality: Taxonomic hierarchy, local synonyms, and taxon-related rules

Sprint 3: Enclosures/Tanks and Life Support Systems
Begin Date: 16-Feb-09
Key Functionality: Enclosure/Tank hierarchy, enclosure/tank characteristics, enclosure/tank observations, and life support components

Sprint 4: Animal Husbandry
Begin Date: 13-Apr-09
Key Functionality: Accessioning of individuals and groups, identifiers, transponders, morphometrics and measurement types (e.g. live animal weight, shell length)

Sprint 5: Animal Management
Begin Date: 8-Jun-09
Key Functionality: Animal observations, census, death/disposition, group split/merge, quarantine, contraception

Sprint 6: Complex Transactions
Begin Date: 3-Aug-09
Key Functionality: External transfers, pedigree, role/team responsibilities, and inventory reconciliation

Sprint 7: System Functionality
Begin Date: 28-Sep-09
Key Functionality: ARKS/ZIMS Data migration, data fragmentation, and data quality metrics

User Acceptance Testing of ZIMS Release 1: Begin 21-Dec-2009

ISIS engages “Super SMEs” for ZIMS Release 1

2008-09-30T11:45:00.004-05:00

By Doug Verduzco
ZIMS Chief Architect

In the original ZIMS development process, we gathered invaluable input on data standards and specific functional requirements from five hundred volunteers, and they did a phenomenal job. In the new development process, we continue that direct input by people who will be using ZIMS.

To that end ISIS has engaged six experts from the zoo and aquarium field who will be spending weeks at a time in India with the developers who are writing ZIMS code. These six subject matter experts (SMEs) will be making many of the moment-to-moment decisions on what each ZIMS screen must capture in an intelligent way, and what functions it should provide to fully serve you. Their business expertise will be shaped by professional “User Interface Design” experts to make sure that ZIMS screens are easy to use and intuitive. This is our priority: to create a powerful application that is easy to use.

It’s important to the success of the ZIMS project that ISIS will be able to make decisions quickly and that is why we now have direct oversight of the project. Rather than even the smallest decisions getting tied up in layers of bureaucracy, ISIS will be able to make and communicate every decision, large or small, within hours so that work can remain on the fastest track possible.
The intrepid folks listed below will be spending time in their home towns, at the ISIS office in Minnesota, and in India making sure that ZIMS Release 1 is of superior quality. The Release 1 Super SMEs are:

Adrienne Miller (Registrar, Audubon Institute)
Duncan Bolton (Curator, Birdworld, Surry, United Kingdom)
Jason Crichton (Director of Husbandry & Facilities, South Carolina Aquarium)
Laurie Bingaman Lackey (Technical Advisor, SPARKS Expert, Giraffe Studbook Keeper)
Lynn McDuffie, (Registrar, Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Tim Carpenter (Curator of Fish and Invertebrates, Seattle Aquarium)

ISIS Supports MedARKS

2008-09-25T08:22:00.005-05:00

by Elisabeth Hunt
ISIS Director of Training and Technical Support

At the AZA conference last week I was surprised to hear this: “Some folks are trying to re-platform MedARKS from DOS to Windows and ISIS has been unwilling to help.” For those who don’t speak software language, re-platforming could potentially solve some of the issues in MedARKS because the issues come from the older DOS program's efforts to "talk" to the newer Windows programs that most of us use today. However, right now all of this is in the realm of “potential.” Right now no one knows for sure if re-platforming MedARKS would be a viable short-term solution. That’s what people are trying to find out.

Rumors are always a shorthand version of truth so let me give you the actual story. ISIS is delighted that Paul Shoop at Smithsonian National Zoological Park and others are taking the lead in imagining solutions to challenges with MedARKS while ZIMS is in development. None of us wanted ZIMS to be delayed as it has been.

We gave Paul the MedARKS source code so he can evaluate whether re-platforming is a viable short-term solution. But ZIMS is back at full-throttle-forward and right now and ISIS is unable to divert staff resources from ZIMS to join in this effort to find out if it’s feasible to re-platform MedARKS.

By feasible, I mean the time and dollars it will take to get the job done. Indeed, if the assessment reveals that re-platforming MedARKS is feasible – if it will take a reasonably short time and a reasonably small amount of money - ISIS will be the first to celebrate and we will support that work in any way we are able.

Finally, please remember that we support MedARKS! If you have a problem with MedARKS, contact ISIS Tech Support! We are here to solve your issues with ARKS, MedARKS and SPARKS! Email us at support@isis.org

Perspectives on Transitioning ISIS Leadership

2008-08-28T16:08:00.003-05:00

by Nate Flesness
ISIS Executive Director

I’ll be turning 62 this January, one of several indicators that it’s time for some transitions, and time for me to decide how I can best contribute now. I feel the entire community should take real pride in the unique worldwide ISIS network we are building together. Achieving cooperation on this scale is an uncommon thing in human affairs. People from institutions worldwide have come together to build a global ISIS network for a multitude of reasons including: many zoological animals or their ancestors originate from far away, we need to track their movements among institutions internationally, we need overview information on all ex situ populations for planning, and our collection management system needs are shared.

I have been in the ISIS leadership position for a long time. When I joined, ISIS was 5 years old, I was half of the staff, we had troubles making payroll, and ISIS had 85 members in 5 countries. The ISIS network has grown for these past 29 years, continues to expand at a rapid rate, and is now fast approaching 800 member institutions in 76 countries. ISIS is by far the world’s largest zoological membership organization. There have been many challenges along the way, but they have been overcome, with help from many of you. There are challenges now too, but they will also be overcome.

As ISIS has grown, and particularly with the many challenges encountered in the very large scale and pioneering ZIMS project, my daily work has moved away from my backgrounds in population biology, zoological data, and zoological software development. With ISIS’ expansion, ISIS’ chief executive must focus increasingly on organizational development and management. That person must support the ISIS Board for policy development, and manage state-of-the-art IT as it is applied to complex biological disciplines. That person needs to continue building stronger partnerships with multiple zoo and aquarium and professional associations worldwide, and relationships with external organizations. That person must manage marketing, capital campaigns, contracts, communications, budgets, bankers and bridge loans, human resource policies, and so on. These are all essential duties, but I have missed not being able to contribute more from my areas of expertise.

With these facts in mind, the ISIS Board’s Executive Committee and I agree that ISIS will now best be served by new executive leadership, bringing new skills to lead ISIS forward in a new time. We have also agreed that I can make further contributions to ISIS in a new role which utilizes my experience with ISIS and my training as a population biologist. Therefore I will be stepping aside as ISIS Executive Director, and I will assume a different and supporting role as ISIS Director of Science. I have been lucky to have helped to develop the ISIS community to this point, building a wonderful circle of colleagues and friends worldwide. I am totally committed to supporting my successor and the future of this unique service network.

I look forward to the transfer of ISIS organizational leadership to the new executive director and am enthusiastic about the opportunity to focus full-time on integrating the science of the many zoo and aquarium disciplines, to help deliver on the promise of ZIMS, as well as the promises we have made to the community. Also, I won’t mind having a little time for some long-postponed vacations….

Many thanks,

Nate

The Six Reasons ZIMS is Taking So Long

2008-08-14T11:42:00.005-05:00

by Nate Flesness
ISIS Executive Director

I want to answer the biggest question right now: “Why is ZIMS taking so long?” Blog posts are supposed to be short and pithy, and this is a little longer, but if you take the three and a half minutes to read this all the way through, you’ll understand everything you need to know to answer the biggest question about ZIMS.

The answer is short: because ZIMS is complex. But ZIMS is not just complex; it is hugely complex. Why? Six reasons – and only one is IT-technical. The others spring from the way our zoo and aquarium business works.

1. ZIMS is pioneering. No one has ever done this before. The zoo and aquarium community articulated what it needs: software that delivers an integrated specimen (or group) record on the web, in real-time. That record needs to be maintained by subsequent holders of that specimen (or group), including the veterinary (health) data. It was only through developing ZIMS and seeking external funding that that we discovered no one anywhere has built a system like this. We will get the job done; it just takes longer when you are pioneering. We learned a great deal from the ZIMS alpha effort - admittedly with some pain, but that’s one way to learn. Now we are moving forward again, and when ZIMS is released, every ISIS institution will become a leader in information technology.

2. The IT- Technical reason: All software projects declare that the underlying architecture is critical, but most do not actually build it correctly. Like building a house, you can build software fast and cheap by not investing in the highest quality components. These are the houses that end up costing far more in repairs later. ISIS is choosing to do this job right, using an advanced architecture to make sure ZIMS is solid and less expensive to improve and maintain into the future. By “maintain” we mean creating new versions, fixing bugs and generating new functionality as zoos’ and aquariums’ business needs change over time. We are making sure that our investors (you), our members (you) and our end-users (you) get a quality product that will be as inexpensive as possible far into the future. The up-front investment in quality pays off down the road. So we are demanding much-higher-than-usual quality in the underlying architecture and program code. To reach this high quality standard, ISIS itself must develop the system and code templates, as well as overall quality standards, provide them to the vendor, and very actively monitor work and delivery at a fine level of detail.

3. ZIMS must serve the largest to smallest institutions’ needs. The range of ISIS member annual budgets is from less than $100,000 to more than $100 million. Some want and can manage greatly detailed animal records; others use only the most basic information. Add in that animals move internationally, often tracing their history and their pedigrees back through many institutions worldwide, and you arrive at a ZIMS (and an ISIS) that needs to think and function across a vast spectrum, including across national boundaries. Actually, language translation is a relatively small challenge. The alpha effort of ZIMS was translated into Japanese and Spanish in about a week. The far greater challenge is designing a single ZIMS to work well simultaneously for both very small and very large institutions that have different needs and often different ways of managing their collections.

4. ZIMS will serve aquariums. This is the first broad community effort to build a standard system for managing complex life support systems, sophisticated tracking of groups, and detailed monitoring and management of the water in aquarium tanks.

5. Remarkably complex software needs to be remarkably easy to use. The ZIMS alpha effort taught us that 500 expert volunteers contribute lots of valuable ideas but those ideas must be made into ZIMS screens by professional User Interface designers. This is how consistent, user-friendly, efficient screens are born. (As part of our current pilot project, professionals have developed several new User Interface design concepts this summer, and we will show you some samples soon!)

6. ZIMS establishes a ten-fold expansion in data standards. A huge, instantly accessible database of unstandardized data is not useful. Many intensive community-driven data standards workshops determined that ZIMS would establish about 300 standards, up from about 30 used previously. It is another challenge to make these powerful new data standards (such as SNOMED) easy to use.

So the ZIMS vision is big. But the vision is not pie-in-the-sky; it is exceedingly practical. ZIMS is about addressing practical, modern realities for our business. It’s about saving time on data entry and records management, getting permits, efficiently assembling studbooks, and the thousands of little tasks that, made more efficient, will save hours of work for institution staff every day. It’s about gaining exponentially quicker access to information that can save animals’ lives. All of this translates directly to saving money and supporting zoos and aquariums doing a better job caring for animals and sustaining living collections for the long-term.

These goals are all absolutely worth working for, even if it takes longer than we all hoped. ZIMS will get done, and it is worth the wait.

So Far So Good

2008-07-30T08:00:00.002-05:00

by Hassan Syed

ISIS Assistant Director

The six-week pilot project with A-1 Technology Inc. is just past its midpoint, and so far, so good. The purpose of the pilot is to test the new methodology devised by ISIS for finishing ZIMS and to test the potential working relationship between ISIS and the new vendor.

Our team is creating the technical frameworks for ZIMS and we are teaching A-1’s team a specific way of writing the code for ZIMS pages that will guarantee a higher-than-standard quality and make ZIMS far easier to maintain and upgrade over the long term.

It’s too early to give you a definite statement that ZIMS will re-launch with A-1 as its new vendor. We’ll keep you up to date!

Of Waterfalls, Wicked Problems and the Scrum Master

2008-07-14T13:17:00.009-05:00

by Jaime Meyer

ISIS Communications Specialist

Software development is incredibly difficult to describe to non-developers. It has its own secret language, called, appropriately, “code.” If you enjoy exploring secret language, read on:

The Waterfall Model of software development is the “traditional” approach. In very general terms, waterfall development pre-plans the fixed sequence of events for the development of the entire application. Once the sequence of events is set in motion, the entire project moves along, cascading like a waterfall, unstoppable and unchangeable. The Waterfall model lends itself well to traditional top-down managerial control. But Waterfall can fail to account for wicked problems: subtle, odd, unexpected problems full of internal contradictions that cannot be planned for. Software development is the playground of wicked problems, and in the waterfall method, the client does not see working software until far downstream, which raises the risk that wicked problems can become deadly. (Thanks for some of this text to tucows.com)

ZIMS is now using a methodology that arose about ten years ago as a response to the Waterfall method. It’s called Agile Methodology. Where Waterfall tries to avoid wicked problems through copious pre-planning, Agile acknowledges that wicked problems are going jump into your day no matter how well you plan. Agile is based on close collaboration between the developers and the clients with a focus on flexibility to make quick changes or to re-prioritize. The specific Agile method ISIS is using is called Scrum, which has a vague connection to the term in rugby for packs of players binding together face to face to make a play. In the rugby scrum, a small number of players pack in tightly, moving, pushing, repositioning, and adjusting moment to moment until the ball pops out and the game goes to the next phase. Scrum is intended to be fast-paced and focused on producing tangible results quickly in short bursts. Rather than releasing the whole software program all at once like a waterfall pouring over the edge, Scrum releases pieces, or iterations, of working software and adds in more working pieces over time. Each Scrum-developed piece works, and has had the full input and approval of the client because it meets very specific business needs. This is why ZIMS will be released in several stages. (Thanks for some of this text to “Adaptive Project Management Using Scrum” by Craig Murphy.)

One of the basic elements of Scrum is the daily scrum meeting; in our case held at 8 AM Central Time (6:30 PM New Delhi time). Like all aspects of Scrum, these meetings are tightly time-boxed. Daily Scrum meetings are allowed to last only 15 minutes and they focus on each participant answering in as few words as possible three critical questions:

What did I do yesterday?
What am I doing today?
What are the obstacles in my way today?

The purpose of Scrum meetings is to form a close-knit, fast-working team with tight focus on the common goal. The Scrum meeting is a symbol of the intense, focused process ISIS is now using. It takes a strong coach and mentor to make this process work – the person we call the Scrum Master – and that person for us is our new ZIMS Project Manager, Alvin Smith. Al is located at the ISIS office in Minnesota and his job is to make sure that in this quick-moving, shifting, flexible, collaborative Agile environment, everything moves steadily forward, stays focused, and no one gets lost. Welcome Al!

ISIS technical team creating “coolest parts” of ZIMS

2008-07-02T14:00:00.013-05:00

By Nate Flesness
ISIS executive Director

The new methodology we plan to use for completing ZIMS is called agile development.

With this process, ISIS will have direct, instant oversight every day of all work being done on ZIMS. With that responsibility also comes the fun: the expanded ISIS technical team is itself creating some of the new, “coolest parts” of ZIMS. Our plan is for the new vendor to write the more generic technical parts of ZIMS (such as improving the overall user interface, or user-friendliness), with ISIS requiring higher quality code than is written for most software.

ISIS has assembled a top-notch development team. Even before we have selected a new vendor (see ZIMSblog post below), our internal team has already done significant work on ZIMS. One example is simplifying the database. It’s impossible to describe this briefly, but basically, the way the database was working was far too complex. Our team and consultants looked at it and after evaluation, we cut its complexity in half.

Below is another example. It’s a draft version – a “proof of concept” – of a more powerful taxon tree. It shows taxonomy, but also lists all the animals now in the institution, by each taxon. Because it is built with cutting edge technology, it produces this report in a few seconds. (Please remember that this screen exists in this form only to test the underlying technical architecture—this is not how the finished ZIMS will actually look. )

All of this makes clear why it is critical to have ZIMS created by people who really understand what zoos and aquariums do and what they need. We will finish ZIMS with those people (some from the community of Subject Matter Experts and some from the ISIS staff) sitting next to the programmers. This approach is already making a huge difference in our development process.

Hello From India!

2008-07-01T11:10:00.020-05:00

By Doug Verduzco
ZIMS Chief Architect

We have completed the first week of the six-week pilot project with A-1 Technologies. The purpose of this pilot is to test the working relationship and the new methodology ISIS has proposed for completing ZIMS. We’ve gotten used to saying that ISIS is a unique client and ZIMS is a highly unusual and complex application, but I'm telling you, whenever we begin talking about what ZIMS needs to do and what ISIS has done for 34 years, people’s eyes grow big - they’ve never seen anything like this!

This week was all about familiarizing the A-1 team with ISIS, the zoological world, the ZIMS project, and the technical architecture that the ISIS team has envisioned for ZIMS. Eight ISIS team members delivered the orientation, including Nate, Hassan, Elisabeth, Wenlei, Craig, Rich, Kim, and myself, and this took all week. We hit them with a lot of information. They asked a lot of great questions, and the week went very well.

Over the next several weeks, as we get down to creating some ZIMS screens, we will determine if A-1 is a good fit to complete the ZIMS project over the long haul. We all hope this will work, but ISIS is being careful to make sure that this relationship works for our needs.

It’s been a hectic week, and getting eight people from Minnesota to Gurgaon involves a great deal of logistics. This is part of what we are testing too with this six-week pilot, because part of what makes this project unique is that ISIS will have its own people present throughout this process. Those ISIS people may be developers from the ISIS office or Subject Matter Experts from our community. So over the next year, ISIS will be racking up a lot of frequent flier miles for a lot of people!

So far, it’s not been without its headaches (or stomach-aches!) but for ZIMS to be delivered with the exceptional quality and complexity that our community needs, this is how the job needs to be done.

(We have been able to have a little fun:)

Leaving for India

2008-06-17T11:07:00.004-05:00

By Nate Flesness
ISIS Executive Director

Hassan’s blog post below describes the goals and objectives for a six-week pilot project with A-1 Technologies in India. This Friday several of us leave. The basic goal is to try out the logistics and the working relationship. Here’s who is going:

For several weeks:
Hassan Syed
Doug Verduzco
Rich Langree
Craig Yellick
Wenlei Fang
Nury Sword
Elisabeth Hunt

For a week or so:
Nate Flesness
Kim Hastings

Check back in a week or so for an update!

Nate

Testing the Waters With a New Vendor

2008-06-05T11:21:00.005-05:00

by Hassan Syed
ISIS Assistant Director

In about two weeks, ISIS will begin a Pilot Project with A-1 Technology. The work will be conducted in Gurgaon, Haryana India, known as “the Cyber City of Haryana,” sort of a silicon valley suburb of New Delhi. This pilot project is a trial step, before confirming the new ZIMS vendor. The purpose of this pilot project is to test both organizations’ working methods and to test the relationship between A-1 and ISIS.

Experience has proven that ZIMS is a highly atypical software project and ISIS is not a typical vendor’s client. ZIMS is unusual because of its very high level of complexity, which springs from the unique needs of the zoo and aquarium community ISIS serves. ISIS is an unusual client, in that we are a network of member institutions, rather than a single large organization. The “agile” development methodology proposed by ISIS reflects the extraordinary needs of the zoo and aquarium business. (More detail about that methodology will appear in the next ZIMSblog post).

The pilot project will last six weeks and ISIS will send a team of six to A-1’s office in Gurgaon, India for some of this time. While actual development work on ZIMS will be happening, the core goal of this pilot project is to test all of the ideas, logistics and stresses that will naturally occur in the project. We want to identify, confront and overcome as many problems as possible before we step deeply inside this critical relationship.

Some of these challenges we see are:

The vendor’s ability to write code to the very high quality ISIS requires, within the time period set out by the methodology;
The ability of ISIS to communicate to the A-1 development team the needs of our end-users (user friendliness) and the complex needs of the zoo and aquarium business.
The ability of both ISIS and A-1 to communicate to one another and understand each other’s subtle needs;
The logistics and challenges of co-locating ISIS Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with the vendor’s developers. (If we go forward with this vendor, it will mean that many ISIS staff and expert volunteers from the ISIS global community will be spending a lot of time in India.)

The pilot project begins around June 23rd and is scheduled to conclude in early August.

Thoughtful Leadership in a Time of Transition

2008-06-04T12:13:00.004-05:00

From Nate Flesness, ISIS Executive Director
and Chris West, ISIS Board Chair

The transition between vendors for ZIMS has inspired a great deal of thoughtful analysis among ISIS trustees. The new ZIMS development plan is not simply to hire a different company to take over where the previous one left off. The new approach is very different: ISIS will directly oversee this final stage of ZIMS, managing the process in detail.

This changes ISIS responsibilities, and this moment in time needs clear-headed assessment. Starting today, ISIS will be working with an outside firm called Infotech (http://www.infotech.com/Guest.aspx) to assess our project management needs and capacity in three areas.

The first is the ZIMS project itself. The IT technical part of the assessment is, for all practical purposes, completed and has resulted in the new development approach to completing ZIMS. The ZIMS project is continuing to move forward and will not be unduly delayed by this assessment.

The second assessment area is to make sure that ISIS has the proper staffing to manage the immense ZIMS project while also providing routine services to its members.

The third assessment area is the deployment of ZIMS, which will now be different (4 planned releases) than under the previous ZIMS process.

In the next few months we will answer these questions and make adjustments to ensure that ISIS enters and emerges from this transition not only with a great ZIMS product, but also in solid shape for the long term.

ZIMS outshines ARKS

2008-05-27T14:36:00.007-05:00

By Elisabeth Hunt,
ISIS Director of Training and Support

Since last week’s posting of the plan of a four-stage release of ZIMS, we’ve received a few questions. Here’s one, with some answers. If you have questions about the ZIMS please send them to Jaime Meyer (jmeyer@isis.org).

Question: You say that the first release of ZIMS will serve most zoos’ daily needs. However, doesn’t ARKS4 serve most of zoos’ daily needs? Didn’t ARKS 1 do that? Why the need to spend millions of dollars and over four years of effort on a product that doesn’t offer anything more than what we have?

You are right that ARKS is a remarkable program that has served zoos’ daily needs for a long time. But technology in every other area of life has advanced over the years - because our needs change. The ZIMS project began as a global conversation among professionals in the zoological community who recognized that a technological advance was needed to meet the needs of the modern zoo world. ISIS was asked to manage the project, and hundreds of your colleagues provided the input on what these needs were: things like commonly accepted data standards, a single global accession number for each animal and real-time data. These demands exceed ARKS4 capabilities, and that software is built on a platform that cannot be updated because it has been replaced by modern tools with far more capabilities.

(By the way, all of that work done by these great volunteers still forms the foundation of ZIMS, and that global collaboration remains one of the many extraordinary things about the ZIMS project.)

Let me provide just a few examples of how even the first stage of ZIMS will outshine ARKS4.

ZIMS will establish a single global accession number for each animal. This number will remain with the animal its whole life no matter what institution it goes to. This will exponentially advance our ability to coordinate data on all of our animals. This is a huge advance that cannot happen in ARKS.

ZIMS will bring about real time data. Right now, as you know, institutions submit data at intervals. Data you see in the ISIS global database may be three months old, and in some cases older. So when your zoo is thinking of acquiring a Giraffe from another zoo, you’ll know that the data you see in ZIMS on that animal is current. Also, if zoos are going to be in the lead in the global conservation movement, they need a global, real-time information system.

Let’s say you are at a conference and a colleague asks you a question about your collection (“How many of your Red Pandas are of the fulgens subspecies?” or “What water temperature works best for you to breed poison dart frogs?”). You can go to any computer, use your own log- on and password to access your records and answer the question.

ARKS4 does not store much data on groups. In ARKS, you can record that you have a prairie dog colony of 35 animals, but that’s about it. With ZIMS, you’ll be able to enter age, sex, number of babies, dates of birth of each, and a lot more. In nearly uncountable ways, ZIMS will let you record a wider variety of data in detail not available in ARKS.

In ZIMS you’ll be able to upload documents and images. For example, you could upload a copy of your Injurious Wildlife Permit so that people who need it can find it quickly. If you want to upload an image of the unique stripes on your zebra’s hindquarters as a way of being absolutely clear about which zebra the record is talking about, you’ll be able to do that in ZIMS.

If you share ownership of an animal with another zoo, you will be able to record the percent of that ownership between institutions in ZIMS, and you’ll hear right away if something happens. ARKS can’t do that.

Finally (for now) ZIMS will include functionality for aquariums. This vastly expands the zoological family that is adding to and retrieving data from the ISIS global database. It is long overdue that ISIS welcomes aquariums in to this data-saving and sharing community. (And many zoos are also aquariums!)

All of this is in the first stage of ZIMS. As the subsequent versions roll out, veterinarians will be able to see core animal data and veterinary data on the animal without having to manually export the data from ARKS into MedARKS. When Studbooks are included, studbook keepers will save immense time because updates can be done with vastly more speed and automation. Studbooks will be in real-time for the first time ever.

Well that’s a few reasons why we think you will welcome the first stage of ZIMS. Thanks for your question!

ZIMS Four-Stage Release Plan

2008-05-20T14:50:00.013-05:00

ZIMS will be released in four stages, each stage adding in more functionality. This strategy permits a focused, streamlined process in building and testing, and should allow more rapid training and rollout. ZIMS is a huge and complex application. ISIS’s new development process will work on discreet sections at a time, making sure that each section is complete, tested and functional before moving on. “Early Adopter” institutions will still test ZIMS as in the previous work plan, but the massive outlay of time by hundreds of testers at dozens of institutions will be reduced drastically, saving everyone time, money, and stress.

The four ZIMS releases
ISIS is in the process of choosing the new vendor - the actual company that will write the code for ZIMS under direct supervision from ISIS and our experts. We’ve interviewed over a dozen firms with available .NET programming teams, and are now down to a couple of excellent companies. After the new vendor has formally begun work on ZIMS, the four releases are as follows:

ZIMS Animal Management for Zoos and Aquariums
Release date: 18 months from vendor start
This release will contain all core animal inventory functionality needed by zoos. This ZIMS release will serve most ISIS members’ daily needs. In addition, it includes groups, life support systems and water management for aquariums. For the first time, ISIS software will fully welcome aquariums into the ISIS global community.

ZIMS for Veterinary Medicine
Release date TBA
This release will include most of the functionality needed by veterinarians, (considerably more than ISIS MedARKS), including basic stored sample management. Advanced stored sample features will be in release 4.

ZIMS Studbooks
Release Date: TBA

ZIMS Plans, Protocols, Tasks and Request (PPTR)
Release date: TBA
This release will include plans, protocols, tasks, and requests, giving managers at ISIS member institutions the kind of “workflow” tools that are becoming common in large corporations.

The ZIMS Development Process

Release date takes precedence
Each of the four development phases will be “time-boxed.” This means that after refining our project plan with the new vendor, we set a deadline for that release and work first on “mission-critical functionality” – what is absolutely necessary for people to do their jobs. When that functionality is complete, we will begin to add in the more specialized wishes gathered by the ISIS community over the past few years. We will include as many of these wishes as possible in each release, but the release deadline will take precedence over the inclusion of every “bell and whistle.” When the deadline is reached, that version will be released. Remaining good ideas on the wish list will be carefully held for future inclusion in subsequent ZIMS updates.

User friendliness is fundamental
It is important to know that UI (User Interface or “User Friendliness”) is a critical function for ZIMS. We will begin the new development of ZIMS with a template designed by a UI expert and every ZIMS screen will be based on that template. It cannot be overestimated how different – and better - this approach will be than the process previously used. As finishing ZIMS proceeds, user friendliness will win over competing priorities.

SMEs close to the process
We always knew ZIMS was complex and unique. We have learned from the previous development process that there is simply no way to develop this application without having subject matter experts (SMEs) and ISIS staff in close contact with the people writing the code. It is likely that much of ZIMS will be developed in India, because of the availability of programming teams with the needed skills. To be close to the process means we will be sending SMEs and ISIS staff to the vendor’s base (India) multiple times and some will stay for extended periods.

Questions? Comments? Send them to Jaime Meyer jmeyer@isis.org .

Q & A

Why aren’t the dates listed for the ZIMS Veterinary, Studbook and PPTR releases?
All of us are sensitive to missed deadlines in the past. In announcing these dates ISIS must strike the balance between promising the soonest release date possible and planning for inevitable setbacks and unforeseen challenges. After we are on solid footing with the new vendor and the new development process, we will be able to announce dates for the other three ZIMS releases.

When will the new vendor start?
We are being extremely careful to make sure that this new vendor is a good match for the demands of building a very complex ZIMS with a process that includes close interaction by ISIS and subject matter experts. We expect to have the vendor hired by September.

Can ISIS get this job done?
Yes. ISIS has extraordinary technical savvy inside ISIS - a staff with the deep experience and creativity to do this job. When ISIS stepped into the ZIMS project, it began a steady organizational transformation into a leading edge information management company. ISIS remains a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the membership and this is why the fees we charge for our software and services are quite modest by marketplace standards. But there is simply no way to be a global information company today without being a cutting edge, sophisticated organization. And that is what ISIS has become and will continue to mature into.

The ISIS board recognizes that this is a critical time to be prudent and clear-eyed in regard to ISIS organizational capacity. Over the next two to three months, ISIS board and staff will be working with outside assessment firm(s) to assess ISIS organizational capacity, and make adjustments to ensure that ISIS has the necessary staff and approach to manage an immense ZIMS project while also providing routine, current services to its members. The assessment will also focus on the needs for deployment of ZIMS, which has shifted because the time line has changed and because the way ZIMS will be finished will change the way it is deployed. This assessment will take place while the new ZIMS development process continues to move forward.
Questions? Comments? Send them to Jaime Meyer jmeyer@isis.org

2008-05-13T11:48:00.005-05:00

Ramping up
By Wenlei Fang, Development Lead

We are ramping up the new ZIMS development process. This means interviewing many vendors - the companies that will actually finish writing the code for ZIMS - and also building our internal team at ISIS. In the last few weeks we have hired two new excellent developers and we will continue to add more technical staff.

"Ramping up" means a lot more than hiring developers. Over many months, ISIS has developed a plan for a new ZIMS process, how that process must be staffed, and how long this should all take. Our plan is very different from the previous development approach. We have spent a great deal of effort on "proof of concept" - meticulously researching and providing evidence that this new plan is feasible. We are leaving no stone unturned, and we know we must have no gaps in our thinking to make sure that what we are about to launch into will work.

We have arrived at a place where we feel we have indeed proved our concept. The ISIS board has given us the green light on our new development plan. We are interviewing a couple of finalists to be the new vendor. We are analyzing vendors’ capabilities with as much energy as we have done in every other part of this plan. We want to move fast, but our priority is less on speed and more on making the absolute right decision.

No one likes that ZIMS got so far behind, but purely from the standpoint of a developer there is an upside. We have amazing new tools now that will make ZIMS so much better than we had originally thought. Software development evolves so fast that even a two-year period makes for a whole next generation of tools, and that is what we have now at our disposal.

In the new ZIMS plan, we put more emphasis than ever on the usability of the application. We will utilize partial page updates (AJAX) to keep the page refreshes as few as possible. We will use type ahead to speed up data entry. We will research and implement a more user friendly menu system that will provide consistent navigation and look-and-feel.

For specific ZIMS areas that involve intensive data entry and/or require offline access, we will also provide a "Smart Client" alternative. Smart Client is a term used to describe an application environment which:
· delivers applications over a web http connection
· provides automated installation and updates
· has the look and feel of desktop applications
· Provides an interactive and highly responsive user interface

I know that probably means nothing to most of you reading, but believe me, it means a lot to us! And though all of what I’ve described here will be invisible to you, your work will be easier and faster because all these functions are present in ZIMS. We are thrilled to have this next generation of tools to build ZIMS in a better way – a way not possible even a short while ago.

ISIS Board Approves ZIMS Plan

2008-04-25T14:04:00.004-05:00

Nate Flesness,
ISIS Executive Director

News from this week: the ISIS Board has unanimously approved in principle the new plan to finish ZIMS with the US $4.3 million ISIS has recently received. The new ZIMS plan was arrived at through months of intensive evaluation of the current state of ZIMS, conducted by ISIS staff, user/leaders from the zoological community, and external IT expert consultants. The Board added into the plan an assessment (and likely reinforcement) of ISIS' staff capacity to directly manage this very large project while also sustaining current membership services. The highlights of the new ZIMS plan will be released soon. We will keep you informed of every significant development as we bring this important project to completion.

How Will ZIMS Change?

2008-03-31T11:28:00.014-05:00

Nate Flesness,
ISIS Executive Director

We’re hearing two questions right now about ZIMS. Understandably, a few have asked “Is ZIMS dead?” We are living Mark Twain’s answer (“reports of our death are greatly exaggerated”)…If you walked by any of the offices at ISIS right now, you’d know that the answer is unequivocally NO.

We have an incredible amount of consultant, volunteer and staff skill and energy pouring into planning the final stage of ZIMS development, and money in the bank to deliver ZIMS. An intense month of planning meetings in San Diego, Atlanta and Minneapolis have just been completed, laying out a new work plan to be presented to the ISIS board on April 11. As several zoo directors have said to me recently: ZIMS feels finally "unstuck" and is moving forward again. They are right. The news of transition to a new vendor can be unsettling, but there is no doubt in my mind that ZIMS is going to be delivered faster and better - now more than ever.

The other important question is being asked by the many hundreds of people who have been part of the global collaboration to design ZIMS, and by the hundreds more who have seen ZIMS at conferences or on the ISIS web site. Their question is: “How will ZIMS change?”

For the vast majority of ZIMS users, what will matter more than anything else is “user friendliness” or what software people call “User Interface” (UI). There is probably no better way to show the sense of optimism pervading the ISIS office right now about ZIMS than to talk about UI.

Below are two examples of the ZIMS “Animal Details” screen. The first is the existing ZIMS screen; the second is a proposed idea by a new UI professional ISIS hired to consult on design improvements. Both screens accomplish the same tasks.

As you can see, the second screen (below) makes the user feel more immediately ready to begin entering data. It’s friendlier and more logical, and that goes a long way in software.

Please don’t take away from this blog post that this is the new look of ZIMS. It’s not – it's one of several suggestion we will be evaluating.

What I hope you will take away is this: ZIMS has been an incredible, unprecedented project. It began with a global collaboration unseen and untried before: 500 zoological professionals from many countries pouring their ideas and hopes into the common cooking pot, followed by years (yes, too many years) of assembling these many ideas into the various early “builds” of ZIMS that many of you have seen and explored. While anyone would hope that a project this huge in vision would move quickly to a simple and happy conclusion, that has not been our luck. But right now, because of bold decisions made, we have the opportunity to refine ZIMS well beyond the merely “acceptable,” and to drive toward the extraordinary. We have engaged experts in UI, as well as several other more highly technical areas of software design to help ISIS continue distilling the massive amount of ideas and good will poured into ZIMS, filtering them down into a friendly, powerful, extremely useful product for the ISIS global membership.

ZIMS is, indeed, unstuck, moving faster than ever, and in the right direction.

The ZIMS Database

2008-03-19T20:14:00.004-05:00

By Rich Langree,
Sql Server DBA

Hassan wrote in his last post about the positive discussions last week in San Diego around UI –User Interface – the way ZIMS looks and feels to the user (see his post from March 13).

I’d like to briefly mention the discussions in San Diego that focused on the ZIMS database. A database is pretty much any pool of information that can be searched by a computer and deliver answers to search requests. In the world of hi-tech, database architecture has to be one of the geekiest areas. I’ve been working on database design for 20 years, and it is difficult to explain in everyday language.

What I think is important to the ISIS community is this: a group of database experts and I have been working on ZIMS database issues now for months now. The large vision underlying ZIMS – all the world’s zoological data in one searchable web library – makes for a complex database because of all the different ways our community asks questions of the database and retrieves information. I anticipate that when it is up and running the ZIMS database will be among the most complex and technically advanced databases yet designed.

Those of us who have been spending time creating the ZIMS database have developed diverse ideas about what can make it work best – meaning FAST. I am pleased to report that the intensive discussions on the ZIMS database last week have resulted in agreement within the ISIS team regarding the plan to refine its design – to make significant improvements in the way it is managed and to simplify how it works. These refinements will take a couple of months to implement. In the end we will have a much faster and more stable database. As the intricate work on finishing all the code for the many ZIMS pages moves along in the next few months, it will be great to know that the larger database changes are already completed.

There’s a lot of good news to report as ZIMS moves fast in its new direction, and this is just one piece of it.

Exciting Possibilities

2008-03-13T14:44:00.007-05:00

By Hassan Syed
ISIS Assistant Director

On a personal note, I cannot tell you how exciting it is to see ZIMS leap into action after so much time spent on other things. As I write this I am on my way home from a two-day meeting in San Diego with about a dozen technical experts and subject matter experts. The focus of the meeting was UI – user interface, or what non-technical people call user-friendliness. UI is the experience that people have as they navigate through the software. To a large extent, UI is about how people feel emotionally when they are using a software. And since however people feel about ZIMS is how they will feel about ISIS, we certainly have a great motivation to make ZIMS very user-friendly !

ZIMS is a huge and powerful program and one of the great challenges is to make it not overwhelm the user. The final ZIMS work plan we are developing includes adopting new technology that will allow ZIMS to display menus in ways that are specific to each kind of user. This means registrars will see a slightly different ZIMS than veterinarians, and aquarists will see what they need to see, and no one will need to see extra menus, fields or boxes they don’t need to see. One main point of discussion these last two days is how to improve the design of ZIMS to accomplish this great new approach to ZIMS. I feel very excited about the possibilities!

Along with the technical experts ISIS has already engaged (see ZIMSblog from March 5) we have also brought in these expert consultants to help ZIMS move along on its new course (In alphabetical order):

Faiyaz Alam is a Senior Consultant focusing on vendor selection and management for the new direction in the ZIMS project. He lives in New Delhi, India, and speaks English, Hindi and Urdu.

Ed Morrison, a senior consultant with Microsoft Corporation for over ten years, and at several other major tech firms for 15 years previously, recently conducted an assessment of the ZIMS database design for performance considerations. He continues on the ZIMS project to offer his expertise on overall ZIMS architecture and design especially the critical area of “BI” (Business Integration) – making sure the application does exactly what our community needs it to do.

William (Rod) Pickard joined the ZIMS project in February 2008 as a consulting application architect. Rod is a senior consultant from Magenic (http://www.magenic.com/) and has been designing cutting edge solutions using Microsoft technologies for over 17 years.

Peg Ratcliff, a User Experience expert from Magenic, joined the ZIMS project in February 2008 as a consultant to perform a User Experience Assessment and develop a prototype of suggestions for improving that experience. Wrangling complex work processes into highly useable software is her specialty.

Nury Sword has spent his last 11 years on MS SQL Server starting from version 6.5, involving database design, analysis, development, performance tuning and administration, He also has hands-on experience in Visual Basic programming as well as .NET programming. In all these capacities he serves as a consultant on the ZIMS project.

Craig Yellick is consulting company Alto’s vice president and senior analyst and is assisting with the architecture and design of ZIMS. Craig is a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) with certifications in numerous development tools and SQL Server as well as the core operating system certifications. He is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). Craig’s most recent project involved designing a commercial clinical application for tracking and tracing of implantable human tissues in hospitals. It’s a unique application in that it is based within a SharePoint Portal. Microsoft did a video interview with Craig about this application; you can see it at https://www.obacentral.com/solutiondetails.aspx?solutionid=80. Craig is providing high-level code reviews and recommendations for improving ZIMS programming.

New Experts at ISIS

2008-03-05T13:47:00.000-06:00

Hassan Syed,
ISIS Assistant Director

Things are moving swiftly as ISIS moves in a new direction with ZIMS. We have hired four exceptional new technical experts.

Doug Verduzco started working on the ZIMS project at its beginnings - in July 2001 for AZA. He facilitated multiple working sessions with subject matter experts to develop the initial data standards and the conceptual data model. Later, he developed the scoping-level requirements included with the original RFP. (In other words helped to define how big ZIMS would need to be to serve ISIS members). In 2004, he began to work with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to lead their adoption of ZIMS. He worked with subject matter experts to develop pre-ZIMS and post-ZIMS animal management and healthcare processes and their application conversion requirements. In 2007, he began working with ISIS on the ZIMS Retooling effort. Doug is leading the business side of this final phase of ZIMS development. Doug lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and three children.

Seshu Durbaka joined the ZIMS project as Technical Project Manager in early February 2008. He is a PMP certified .Net project manager with 15 years of experience managing a portfolio of .Net projects, Pre-sales, vendor management, product evaluation, Business Analysis (in USA and UK) , technical workshops and presentations (in Denmark and Singapore), multisite development with different time zones (Denmark- New Jersey- India), and onsite – offshore projects (Morristown, USA – Madras, India). In other words he has exactly the kind of global experience that the final phase of ZIMS development needs. Seshu has managed teams of up to 28 professionals in application development projects and 8 director-level team leads in a matrixed project. In addition to application development projects, he delivered assignments in Disaster recovery, Database upgrades, Migration, ERP implementations and a product in Delphi for the American automobile industry. He is a certified Microsoft Navision ERP professional. He is coming back to Twin Cities after completing a multimillion dollar project in November 2007. He hails originally from Andhra Pradesh, India, and speaks English, Telugu, Hindi and Tamil. Seshu and his wife have three young children.

Manish Verma is a new ZIMS Developer. He was born in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, and is brand new to Minnesota, so we are all assuring him that eventually the ice does melt. Manish’s development experience is in healthcare, banking and finance. He speaks English, Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit. Of course he also speaks .Net, XML, ASP, JavaScript, and PL/SQL. He’s newly married. Congratulations, Manish!

Rachel Thompson, DVM, the new ISIS Veterinarian in Residence (part-time…we share her with the Minnesota Zoo), did her undergraduate work at Missouri State, and attended the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota. She moved back to Minnesota in January from northern California after being the associate veterinarian at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. She shares her life currently with a very high maintenance Labrador retriever.

Important Activities in March

2008-02-29T10:29:00.001-06:00

By Hassan Syed,
ISIS Assistant Director

In March, ISIS will hold four important ZIMS meetings. The first meeting will focus on the User Interface (“UI,” otherwise known as “user-friendliness”) of ZIMS screens. As we move ahead in this new direction for ZIMS development we have a great opportunity to directly address some UI questions that have arisen during ZIMS testing.

Two more March meetings will center on database and architecture of ZIMS. These critical meetings will lay out a definitive framework for what in the existing ZIMS code will stay, be altered or be replaced. These two meetings will be based on the formal “code review” recently conducted by two outside experts from Microsoft and Altos. That review found that some of ZIMS architecture is of high quality, but also recommended some changes. Our new direction will make any changes far easier to implement.

The final meeting will be an overall project planning meeting in which deadlines and release dates for ZIMS Version 1 will be assessed. All of these details will be presented to the ISIS global community’s elected Board of Trustees for final approval in an April 11th board meeting. After that approval, we will be able to communicate it all to you.

Below are the participants for the March meetings:

Subject Matter Experts:
Jon Ballou Population Management, Taxonomy, Studbooks
Tracy Clippinger Animal Health
Duncan Bolton Animal Management
Jason Crichton Aquatic Animal Management, Environmental Monitoring
Tim Carpenter Aquatic Animal Management, Environmental Monitoring
Patricia K. Robbins Animal Health
Rachel Thompson Animal Health

Technical Experts:
Hassan Syed ISIS Assistant Director
Robert Erhardt Chief Technology Officer, The Zoological Society of San Diego
Paula Loring Simon Chief Technology Officer, Wildlife Conservation Society
Doug Verduzco ZIMS Chief Architect
Elisabeth Hunt ISIS Director of Training and Support
Seshu Durbaka ZIMS Technical Project Manager
Craig Yellick Consultant
Wenlei Fang ISIS Development Team Lead
Sonya Nederloe Documenter

At this writing we have 12 vendors who have responded to our Request for Information. Our team will review these proposals and will narrow the list to four by March 15. The criteria for vendor selection are:
· Organization size: not so big that ISIS does not matter to them; not so small that they are dependent on us - our project should not be more than 10% of their yearly revenue and should not be less than 2%.
· Quality of resources
· Ability to execute fast
· Transparency in project management
· Maturity of development processes and focus on quality
· Blended rate of standard resources
· Experience working with similar size project, company and technology as the ZIMS project.

We may decide to use more than one vendor to mitigate risk and because highly trained developers in the latest technology are hard to find. Having more than one vendor expands the talent pool.

As we have been telling the ISIS global community about the new direction for ZIMS, we have been met with overwhelming optimism and support. One ZIMS volunteer said that she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard about the new direction for ZIMS. We have a lot of serious work to do. None of us like that ZIMS will take longer than expected, but we are on a new road, and there is a great deal of new positive energy flowing into the ZIMS project.

Welcome to ZIMSblog!

2008-02-22T11:46:00.001-06:00

Nate Flesness,
ISIS Executive Director

If you are reading this blog, you are likely aware of the new direction in the ZIMS project. This blog represents ISIS’ commitment to be transparent on the progress of ZIMS. One of the upsides to the new direction we are taking is that ISIS will be far closer to the actual development process. Starting now, we are able to tell you more of what’s going on at each moment. You have a lot invested in ZIMS - in money and in an incredible contribution of thousands of volunteer hours conceiving and designing and refining ZIMS up to this point. We want you to know what is happening.

ZIMSblog will be the space for the most current information on ZIMS the project – the newest of the news. You can bookmark the address, or, even easier, click “subscribe” at the bottom of this page, and whenever ZIMSblog is updated, it will be sent to you automatically.

ZIMSblog won’t be written only by me, but also by others close to the intricacies of ZIMS development. Sometimes we’ll offer you information that any ZIMS user will want. Other times it’ll be aimed at the tech “geeks” in our community who really want to know some details about .NET, Rational Rose, SQL Server, SCRUM, Agile Development or other tech-speak heard in the ISIS office. (Maybe those postings should have some kind of “Geek Alert” icon at the top!) Other bloggers will write about ZIMS testing and training and whatever else needs to be said to put you on the same page as us, in real time.

Please post your comments and feel free to send questions to be addressed in the blog to Jaime Meyer: jmeyer@isis.org.