The 1988 HUSITA formation meeting identified the needs and issues of those in the human service community who are concerned with information technology. These needs and issues are listed below in the form of questions.
- Where do you get information on information technology e.g., how do we get education and training?
- How can information on technology be transferred from one user to another?
- How do I find and evaluate the information technology I need?
- How do you find out about people who are doing things in information technology?
- What are the processes one goes through when using technology, and how do I find out about them?
- How do I adapt information technology to my culture, language and value system, e.g., protect my values of security, privacy and confidentiality?
- How can we develop the knowledge to control our own information technology progress, without having to reinvent the wheel?
- How can I integrate professional values with information technology developments?
- How do we promote fellowship and support amongst the dispersed advocates of human service information technology?
- If we need a support system, what is the nature of that support system?
- How do we promote progress in less developed communities?
- How do we promote research in this subject?
- How do we promote coordination and continuity?
- How do we establish relevant multidisciplinary set-works, involving technologists and other service professionals?
- How do we identify the “somebody” when we say, “somebody needs to develop this”?
- How do we interface with users, whether direct service workers or clients?
- Do we need to help users handle the psychological stress and issues raised by computerization?
- What mechanisms will help us pursue this list of needs?
- How can we make judgments about the future of information and its impact?