Improving an organization’s technology and data collection capacity can yield many benefits. That has been the case for Homeboy Industries (HBI), whose experience implementing a new data system was described in an earlier InPractice post. But there are complexities and challenges that must be addressed before a successful implementation can take place. This post explores how HBI, one of the largest gang rehabilitation and reentry social service programs in the world, managed that change process. It employed five principles that other organizations may want to consider when launching a new system to ensure that everyone is onboard and prepared for the rollout and that client data can be collected and used effectively by the entire staff: (1) identify staff needs and concerns, (2) design an inclusive process, (3) tailor the training strategy, (4) foster a learning culture, and (5) be willing to adapt.

In this commentary, originally published in District Administration, MDRC’s Michelle Maier and Shira Mattera offer evidenced-backed advice for policymakers and practitioners about how to invest new federal funds to enhance the quality of preschool programs.

Unemployed or underemployed parents have trouble paying child support. There is growing recognition that child support programs need to address parents’ financial ability to pay their support obligations, and many child support agencies across the country now provide services aimed at improving the quality of parents’ employment and increasing their earnings. Most child support–led employment initiatives focus on case management, job readiness activities, job search assistance, and job placement. The Families Forward Demonstration (FFD) sought to test a more intensive approach—led by child support programs—to help parents increase their earning potential by training them in occupational skills needed by local employers. The questions arising from this project may help other agencies evaluate prospective job training partners.

Process maps are “human-centered” tools that social service organizations can use to improve their service delivery by breaking down complex problems and addressing them collaboratively. See how the Los Angeles Community College District improved its Los Angeles College Promise program by bringing students into the making of its process maps. By placing the experiences and opinions of people receiving services at the center of the process, the district encouraged students to help solve problems and gave them a greater say in how they received services. This post shows how making a process map can work for your organization.