Presentation by Phil Nicholls of Psydev from Learning Impact 2012. Introducing the LIS standard, looking at its benefits and things to consider when implementing.
3. Introduction: Me
• “LIS Guy” / Tech Facilitator
• Software Developer since ’95
• Interoperability Standards for most of that
time
• Broke into IMS via Telcert Project in 2004
• Based in Sheffield, UK
• www.linkedin.com/in/philnicholls
• @psydevuk
4. Introduction: LIS
• Final (2.0): April 2012.
• APMG open to members / affiliates.
• LIS is a set of services that allows
software systems to exchange information
about people, courses, groups,
memberships and outcomes.
• LIS specifies how to transfer “live” data as
well as bulk data.
5. Introduction: LIS
• A provider of information is termed a
“reference agent”.
• A consumer of information is termed a
“synchronisation agent”.
• Information moves from a reference agent
to synchronisation agent(s).
• Specifications are WSDL / SOAP based.
7. Conformance
• The need to make sure that messages
from one vendor system can be consumed
by a different vendor system.
• Challenge: Services vs Data / Packages.
• Challenge: Need to test RAs and SAs.
• Challenge: Data model very “optional”.
8. Conformance
• Vendor community beginning to undergo
conformance testing.
• Help with conformance is free via the LIS
Alliance.
• Issues being tracked via APMG.
• Goal to extract “common” data model.
• Bulk Data conformance testing planned.
9. Part Two
• What LIS Provides
• Thoughts on LIS Deployment
• Links / Q & A
10. What LIS Provides
• Automated, reliable movement of learning
data between different systems.
• Automate use provisioning, enrolment,
grade reporting…
• An end to manual work around scripts.
• Frees IT departments from integrations;
lets them concentrate on adding value.
• Reduces single vendor lock in.
12. Thoughts on LIS Deployment
• LIS is enterprise software.
• To reap the full benefits, and reduce
migration risk, you need to engage with
your vendor.
• Do not simply ask “do you support LIS” on
an RFP.
13. Vendor Engagement
Engage vendor on five key questions:
• Will it work with my other systems?
• What extra work must I do?
• What happens if it goes wrong?
• What if it is too expensive?
• Is it future proof?
14. Does it work with my other
systems?
• Beware of “Yes – next question!”
• Check versions.
• Check conformance.
• Beware of pairwise integration statements.
• Psydev can help to LIS enable systems
(legacy or otherwise).
15. What extra work must I do?
• LIS provides 80% of what you need; the
other 20% is in local factors.
• Data semantics.
• Security.
• Hosting environment.
• Psydev can assist with working out what
might be missing.
16. What happens if it goes wrong?
• RISK: Supplier 1 blames Supplier 2 who
blames Supplier 1.
• Diagnosis tools.
• SLAs.
• Psydev have worked with the major
vendors, and we have a range of tools
available to support ‘debugging’.
17. What if it is too expensive?
• LIS is still quite new in its current form.
• Do you need all of LIS, or just the profile?
• Do you need both Reference and
Synchronisation agents?
• Lots of help available from IMS.
• Psydev offer software and consulting to
provide vendors with a head start.
18. Is it future proof?
• Standards do evolve.
• APMG.
• Use common version of LIS if possible.
• Check upgrade path of all systems.
• Backwards compatibility.
• Psydev software handles changes to the
standard.
19. Conclusions
• LIS presents an opportunity to save many
hours of staff effort
• Proprietary-only integrations eliminated
• No more scripts / spreadsheets /
workarounds
• Deployment for your organisation requires
some careful thought
• Plenty of help exists