Test, redevelop, test, train.

It’s a good idea to get a small number of users (probably one from each of your user-profiles) up and running first and then get some feedback.

Structure your user-profiles so that you can test whether the database delivers on its promise. We recommend using the following structure for each profile: 

As a <type of user> — Who are we building this for? Who is the user?
I want <some feature> — What are we building? What is the intention?
So that <some reason> — Why are we building it? What is the value for the user? 

Example user profile: 

As a Support Worker who organises the food bank deliveries
I want to produce a list of beneficiaries and their requirements for each ward in the borough
So that I can know what and how much is needed for each ward to prepare parcels and map the addresses for the delivery drivers 

There are always teething problems and it’s worth ironing these out with a group of willing participants rather than alienating the whole crowd.

Make sure everyone knows how to use it

Once you and your users are happy with the way things are, everyone will need training.

Thought needs to be given at this stage to how you keep that training live over time in your organisation. People will come and go, responsibilities will change, and use of the database may fluctuate. However, everyone needs to maintain enthusiasm and their skills.

It's important to build in a budget and schedule for refresher training and upskilling of new users.