HIMSA discusses long term NOAH strategy with its member companies
Visitors to the October trade shows got a sneek peak at NOAH System 3.6, the new version of
NOAH System due to be released in January 2007.
With a new and larger database, advanced networking technology and Microsoft Vista compatibility, version 3.6 will help meet the ever growing needs of today's hearing care practice.
However, NOAH 3.6 is just one step in the ongoing evolution of NOAH.
"New computer technology is constantly advancing, providing new and exciting possibilities for software usability," says Søren Kristensen, Product Manager at HIMSA. "At HIMSA, our goal is to use the latest technologies to simplify and optimize daily routines for hearing care professionals."
What NOAH Users Want
A key to optimizing NOAH is to find out how the software is typically used in hearing care practices.
This year, HIMSA performed an extensive survey and an array of interviews together with the German company UID, experts in usability and user interface design. The survey included practices of all sizes, from single locations to chains, in the USA, Germany and the UK.
The overall results indicate that users are happy with the current NOAH 3 functionality and stability. However, many users also indicated that NOAH 3 did not efficiently fit the way they do business.
"The needs of users and the processes they use differ from user to user, practice to practice and country to country," stated Kristensen. "It is therefore clear that in the long term, NOAH needs to be made more flexibile, so that each user can configure the software to optimally match the way they work." For example, some NOAH users showed a preference for the standard way of using NOAH, where they can search in a configurable list of patients and then view all actions for a patient before they begin. Other users, however, prefer starting a patient directly in a fitting module with a single click, and get to the fitting right away.
The detailed feedback from this survey provides an essential base on which to plan the long-term evolution of NOAH.
The Next Step
HIMSA has already begun discussions with member companies on the survey results and the long term strategy for the evolution of NOAH System in the years to come.
"Our member companies and their distributors deal with hearing care professionals on a daily basis," said Kristensen. "And they have passed along some excellent suggestions on how to improve the usability of NOAH 3 software." These suggestions are being discussed and evaluated by HIMSA and its members, and priorities and plans are being made for the future evolution of NOAH.
Ideas Always Welcome
"It is important to stress that the future of NOAH is a dynamic project," stated Kristensen. "As technologies and work processes change, we are always open for new ideas."
Have a suggestion for NOAH? We're listening. Just send us an e- mail to himsa@himsa.dk.
