HURIDOCS is contracting a software developer to improve its WinEvsys database for documentation of human rights violations. Please forward this note to software developers you know or have worked with, and across your networks to help us find a top-flight partner to contract. The Request for Proposals (RFP) can be downloaded from here:
http://huridocs.org/tools/monitoring/openevsys
(~3.1 MB, contains RFP + annexes; files also downloadable separately from that page)
This initiative, which we have code-named "OpenEvsys", has two interesting roots. Firstly, in 2007 different organisations in Sri Lanka and Somalia made substantial modifications to WinEvsys, some of which should certainly be made available to everyone. Secondly, the superb feedback from the Geneva Advanced Documentation workshop, which was held by HURIDOCS in January this year. This workshop brought together a range of human rights advocates, technologists and documentation specialists. Part of the discussion there focussed on the steps HURIDOCS needs to take to improve the WinEvsys database. Whilst many felt it was powerful and valued it, all participants wanted the following:
a) Ease of use
b) More extensive reporting features such as graphs, tables and maps
c) Better flexibility in deployment, for larger, distributed organisations
d) Be open source, to better enable customisation and translation
The nature of this user feedback made us feel that re-engineering WinEvsys as a web application was the best route, outlined in the RFP:
http://huridocs.org/tools/monitoring/openevsys
The deadline for responses is 15 August 2008, and they should be sent in English to our project manager, Tom Longley (tom.longley@huridocs.org) by that date.
As well as helping us find a software developer, we also ask for your knowledge and expertise in the following areas:
- Indentifying pilots for OpenEvsys
- Testing pre-release versions of improved database
- Translating (the present database exists in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Turkish and Portuguese so far)
- Development of outreach and training materials
Again, email Tom (tom.longley@huridocs.org) if you're interested in helping out in any these areas, or know someone that is.