The Top 10 Things to Consider When
Buying a Computer-Aided Dispatch System
Whitepaper
The Top 10 Things to Consider When Buying
a Computer-Aided Dispatch System
For some, computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems are the end-all of a communication center’s
technology. Yet many dispatch managers wonder whether today’s CAD systems are becoming
too complicated. And ease-of-use is only one thing that should be considered when evaluating
a CAD system. The system should be the center of integration and interoperability as a decision
support hub. Functionality, design and configurability are user needs that must be considered,
along with security and reliability. The operation of today’s public safety communications centers
is dependent upon information and the ability to manage it. That requirement, in turn, depends
heavily upon computer-aided dispatch (CAD) software. Read on for the most important things to
look for in a superior CAD solution.
The More Alternatives, the More Difficult the Choice
Making the decision to purchase a technology solution
today can be difficult. With constant changes in hardware,
software, operating systems, networking, and the companies who provide and service them, making a decision can
be very complex for even the most experienced person.
There is often reluctance by the stakeholders in making a
technology decision and it is sometimes increased because
of the unique operating environment of computer-aided
dispatch systems.
Specifically, computer-aided dispatch systems are the hub of today’s public safety incident
management operations because the system is the central communication provider that
records and shares information generated before, during, and after an incident. PSAPs
(public safety answering points) and field personnel are the key users interacting with all of
these products directly, or via an interface. And they all give input about the best features to
consider for the many communication solutions that interface with the system, as well as the
system itself.
This reluctance to replace an existing system or purchase a new one occurs in many cases, even
when the current system is failing to meet the expectations of management and staff, and likely
the 9-1-1 callers and victims. This stakeholder reluctance can best be overcome with some careful
planning, evaluation and execution of a purchase. The key issues to consider when evaluating a
solution provider and its computer-aided dispatch solution, is the focus of this white paper. There
are 10 important things to understand that can help you choose wisely.
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1) The Theory of Reliability
The dot-com days are gone, but the idea of companies that knock on your door to sell you
something is also rare. Some of these companies still exist however, and can offer the
personal service you will need from a technology provider. First, do your homework on the
history of the vendors you’re considering for your CAD system purchase. Review their past
and present financial strength to help determine longevity in the industry. Understanding
their corporate mission will help you determine if it’s a good fit for your own organization.
Do their goals align with your organization’s goals and objectives? Web sites are a great
place to start but you can also meet with potential vendors’ key executives, which can be
a way to gauge their true convictions and business values.
2) Masters of Their Domain
Many CAD system providers may be financially stable but lack experience and expertise within your specific industry segment. For example, some may not have expertise in fire and EMS
but are knowledgeable in law enforcement. Is past performance any indication of the future?
Most experts believe it is the best indicator of future performance, so always ask for customer
references in your industry segment. Remember that experience does not always equal expertise so dig deep when you speak with the references. Ask specific questions about deployment
timing and success, training, and technical support. Has the company consistently upgraded
their CAD solutions and released new versions? This would indicate that the solution contains
leading-edge features and functions to help improve your operations. If the vendor is new to
public safety, ask for biographies of the key players and what other products they have developed for customers in public safety. Although they may be new to the public safety industry,
they may have a substantial amount of expertise and experience in developing CAD solutions
overall.
3) One-Stop Shopping is Most Convenient
One way that providers refer to a CAD system is to refer to a suite of products. A full suite of
products creates a system that should maximize your efficiency (saving you time and money)
and effectiveness (improving quality and saving lives). And should you have issues with your
technology solutions, you would only have one call to make to a single vendor. This is a huge
time-saving benefit and helps reduce confusion for your IT department.
4) It Should be as Easy as A-B-C
‘User friendly’ or ‘ease-of-use’ are definitely overused descriptions of a system’s usability (oops,
there’s another one!), yet this issue should be at the core of making a technology decision for
nearly all stakeholders. If the new system is difficult to use, why make a change? Let’s discuss
the different ways CAD systems can be user friendly.
• CAD systems should be evolutionary, not revolutionary. Revolutionary can leave
users and management behind with the introduction of new and improved features and functions. Evolutionary indicates that the system is very flexible and will
accommodate any incident workflow methodology that a specific user prefers.
For example, some users rarely use a mouse while others prefer the mouse, or
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a combination of keyboard and mouse. The retention of employees is linked to
many things, one of them being control of ergonomic comfort such as this and
the other items covered in this section.
• CAD systems should have user-based configuration. In PSAPs, the exception is
the rule. Specifically, in addition to the methods that users apply to their workflow (e.g. command line, etc.) users have unique approaches to their screen
displays. Whether they are map- or text-based grid displays, users have a very
distinct perspective on how the monitors should look.
• CAD systems should be map-centric. “A picture is worth a thousand words” has
never been truer than when a dispatcher is in the middle of managing multiple
incidents. Many CAD systems promote ‘map-supported’ as map-centric, but
although map-supported is a step in the right direction, it is not embedded in
the software. Hence, the user can not visualize the incident’s ecosystem or surroundings, which could lead to using more time by relying on text; or worse, the
radio. True map-centric solutions provide the user with the ability to visualize the
incident’s ecosystem so they can quickly build the quality response expected by
the PSAP stakeholders, the 9-1-1 caller, and the victim.
• Critical information, such as premise information that impacts first responder
safety, should not be intrusive to the user. Specifically, the solution must provide it
if and when management or a user wants this information. More importantly, it
should not reduce the user’s speed of action by obstructing the view or causing
other annoyances.
• CAD systems should be easy to learn, logical and intuitive. The goal is to have
users ramp up quickly and not have them constantly referring to training manuals or training staff. Training can be expensive and turnover can be high, so why
not keep costs as low as possible with an intuitive system.
• Keyboard shortcuts are essential if you want to decrease the time to execute
tasks. More than one shortcut for the same action is ideal since the exception is
the rule.
• Process assistants that prompt a user to take action are an invaluable feature.
For example, notifications can flash to notify a user that critical information has
changed or action is past due.
5) P
ut Yourself in the Driver’s Seat
Decision support depth and breadth should be part of a superior CAD system. The reporting
function must be ready to deliver decision support in many geographic areas and for many
different users with various levels of experience so as not to weigh down the savvy report users
with the reporting needs of the entire organization.
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• Run-time decision support can save precious seconds, or even minutes, for PSAP
users but should always allow for overriding by the user.
• Non run-time decision support is no longer a luxury as stakeholders demand
good reporting.
Reporting functions should:
– Report on all items that are touched
– Be thorough enough to avoid the frustration of not being able
to report on something that a run-time user acts upon
–P
ublish reports for users so they don’t have to manage the
communication approach on a daily basis
– Have a log with no ability to be edited
– Provide the ability to operate on a separate reporting server
to maximize performance for run-time users
–N
ot impact the ability for run-time users’ ease-of-use by requiring
clumsy actions or an obstructed view
6) Vulnerability Can Hinder Success
Security issues can certainly be table stakes in this dynamic and risk-adverse environment.
Userlevel security rights and profile-based rights for specific user types are the only ways to
quickly and effectively allow users to see and do what management requires, but may differ
by time within an organization and between organizations. Reporting authenticity and assigning the right level of responsibility, based on user experience and expertise via security
rights, are two critical examples of the value of security rights.
7) Adapting to Increased Demand
Microsoft solutions and ESRI-based mapping products are the most widely supported CAD
technologies by IT personnel responsible for supporting public safety. These tools allow them
to fully support all types of users in many different roles and environments. A CAD system
should scale from small to large and also be able to accommodate the static and mobile
user, and those that move in and out of these two types of telecommunications usage. Field
personnel need to be full members of the communications flow whenever possible.
Organizations are always looking for avenues to be as efficient as possible. Information Technology (IT) groups are not an exception. This results in requirements to have as few platforms
to support as possible and that are as easy as possible to support through installs, upgrades,
etc. Here are key technologies that are foundational elements for CAD.
• Microsoft
– Windows
– .NET
– SQL 2005
• ESRI mapping technology
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8) Recognized for Outstanding Achievement and Performance
Performance means uptime and responsiveness, and they are a must when you leave paper
processes behind for a reason – to save lives. Redundancy naturally supported by an architecture built for distributed capabilities is required versus base redundancy. Performance is all
about the quick response from your system and thus directly relates to the emergency response
times, which means maximizing performance is always a high priority. It is important to ensure
that performance should not obstruct intuitive aids because obviously an inaccurate or weak
response is not the goal.
9) Sharing Data is a Good Thing
Interoperability and integration are not the same so be sure to look for both. Interoperability
means it will work with other companies’ software (and we’ll discuss this issue later in
this paper) whereas integration usually refers to work done by one company to ensure
all products work together. In today’s competitive and dynamic business environment, it
has become imperative for organizations to purchase applications that are integrated.
Application integration is the process of linking these applications, and others, in order
to realize financial and operational efficiencies. Using integrated applications also reduces
duplication of processes, simplifies data sharing, and increases data accuracy.
One of the challenges facing organizations is giving all their workers complete, transparent
and real-time access to information. Many of the legacy applications still in use today were
developed using arcane and proprietary technologies, thus creating information silos acrossdepartmental lines within organizations. These systems did not enable seamless movement of
information from one application to the other. Application integration aims to alleviate many
of these problems, as well as create new paradigms for truly lean organizations.
True integration intends to transcend the simple goal of linking applications, and attempts to
enable new and innovative ways of leveraging organizational knowledge to create further operational efficiencies for the business. When different systems can’t share their data effectively,
they create information bottlenecks that require human intervention in the form of decision
making or data entry. With a properly deployed architecture, organizations are able to focus
their efforts on their value to the public instead of focusing on workflow management.
True integration is not simply a buzzword dreamed up by the press. It is, at its foundation, a
response to decades of creating distributed monolithic, single-purpose applications leveraging
a hodgepodge of platforms and development approaches. Integration represents the solution
to a problem that has existed since applications first moved from central processors. Put briefly,
it’s the “unrestricted sharing of data and business processes among any connected application
or data sources in the organization.” The goal of any business should be to share data and
processes without having to make sweeping changes to the applications or data structures.
Only by creating a method of accomplishing this integration can it be both functional and
cost-effective. Knowing what it is, the value of integration should be obvious. It is the solution
to the unanticipated outcome of generations of development undertaken without a central
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vision or strategy. For years, systems have been built that have served a single purpose for a
single set of users without sufficient thought to integrating these systems into larger systems and
multiple applications.
Undoubtedly, there are a number of instances of stovepipe systems in an organization, for
example fleet management systems, CAD systems, general ledger systems, and human resource systems. These systems typically were custom-built with specific needs in mind, utilizing
the technology-of-the-day. Many used non-standard data storage and application development
technology. Integration has increased in importance because computing often takes the form
of islands of automation. This occurs when the value of individual systems are not maximized
due to partial or full isolation. If integration is applied without following a structured approach,
point-to-point connections grow across an organization, and dependencies are added on an
impromptu basis, resulting in a tangled mess that is difficult to maintain.
10) Interoperability and Conforming to Accepted Standards
Standards are important, but there is more than one and thus difficult to call them a ‘standard’,
so it’s important to focus on interfaces that are well understood, work properly and are fully
supported. NFPA compliancy is a key issue to look at in a CAD solution. Every CAD system
must have a secondary system in place. By interpreting the standard, this includes backup
systems in the case of computer failure, power failure, or any other unforeseen circumstances.
Physical access to the hardware must be limited to authorized personnel. The standard does
not define “authorized” personnel. But we interpret this to trained IT personnel and/or
supervisors only. A means to prevent denial of service must be provided. This is almost a
repeat of the first point, but the NFPA standard specifically lists this in detail. By the definition of denial of service, the standard is very clear that no matter the issue, the system must
allow for units to be dispatched. For example a manual card system. The CAD must have
the capability to exchange data with other CAD systems and 911 databases. This point
seems simple enough. The system must allow for the manual override of assignment of units.
These 10 things can result in one voice giving you advice when you’re planning to purchase
a new CAD system. And this statement applies to any important decision, and that is “Do not
settle!” Settling means a long period of remorse before you can correct the error, not to mention
the loss of credibility with key leadership in and outside the organization. On the other hand,
don’t lose sleep over it, so create and agree on a plan with your team of stakeholders (fire
chief, EMS chief, communications director, etc.) and then execute the plan. This white paper
can help guide you on the path to success but due diligence must be done or you may risk not
achieving the highest return on your investment, which ranks high in nearly all decision makers
minds in this world of limited funding.
RescueNet CommCAD
RescueNet CommCAD is the latest RescueNet solution from ZOLL Data Systems. It’s an
incident-based CAD system for PSAPs (public safety answering points) that is focused on
delivering superior EMS and fire dispatch services. CommCAD’s map-centric, user-friendly interface, coupled with industry-leading decision support, maximizes PSAP operational efficiencies
and effectiveness, while leveraging a Windows-based platform that is designed to meet the
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security, reliability, interoperability, and scalability requirements of public safety.
RescueNet CommCAD is a key component of the RescueNet suite—integrated solutions
designed to optimize your operations. The RescueNet suite consists of:
• RescueNet Dispatch
• RescueNet Billing
• RescueNet TabletPCR
• RescueNet Crew Scheduler
• RescueNet Resource Planner
• RescueNet Nomad
• RescueNet Code Review
About ZOLL Data Systems
ZOLL Data Systems of Broomfield, Colorado, develops, markets, and sells the RescueNet
suite-computeraided dispatch, billing, field data collection, scheduling, and mobile data
software for the emergency medical services (EMS) market; and now offers a state-of-the-art
CAD system for fire/EMS organizations. RescueNet is the only fully integrated information
management system that allows fire/EMS organizations to manage critical information for
maximum performance.
For more information, visit www.zolldata.com or call 800.474.4489.
About ZOLL Medical Corporation
ZOLL Medical Corporation is committed to developing technologies that help advance the
practice of resuscitation. With products for pacing, defibrillation, circulation, ventilation, and
fluid resuscitation, ZOLL provides a comprehensive set of technologies that help clinicians,
EMS professionals, and lay rescuers resuscitate sudden cardiac arrest or trauma victims. ZOLL
also designs and markets software that automates the documentation and management of
both clinical and non-clinical information.
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