Learning Information Services

Phil Nicholls Learning Impact 2012

Part One •  Introduction to Learning Information

Services (LIS) •  Conformance •  Links / Q & A

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

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.

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.

Typical LIS Scenario

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”.

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.

Part Two •  What LIS Provides •  Thoughts on LIS Deployment •  Links / Q & A

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.

What LIS Gives You

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.

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?

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).

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.

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’.

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.

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.

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

Further Info: •  Psydev: www.psydev.com •  IMS: www.imsglobal.org/lis •  Alliance: www.imsglobal.org/developers/

lisalliance •  Our LIS White Paper:

www.psydev.com/free-resources

twitter: @psydevuk mailto: pjn@psydev.com