Tinkderbell

The simple 'alternative' I'd suggest is called a 'person qualified as an ergonomist' who's a member of the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors and a CMIOSH.

Hiring one for a day or two could enable you and your IT support to understand the variety of options and to write your own inhouse guide customised for your own needs. The right supplier could also be contracted to provide email support for a period of x months beyond the period on site; for example, only today about 9.10 a.m. I had an email from an incompany CMIOSH, enquiring about a piece of work I did for him on 18.6.11 and was readily able to provide 'next step' information he could use by 10.00 a.m.

Otherwise you could be patching and mending indefinitely.

Would it not be worth evaluating some technical support options with the existing system provider before contemplating starting from scratch?

Tinkerbell

From what you write, you appear not to be diagnosing your own problem validly. As as been shown in many contexts, when you don't have a valid specification of where you want to go, it really doesn't matter which route you chose.....

The disclosure that technical support for 2 years has been associated with 'excuse after excuse' and loss of patience is a fairly reliable sign that the root issues are far less technical than ones of usability.

For this you need to start with the relevant ISO/EN/BSI standards on usability to design your specification for whatever path you chose, unless you prefer another two or more years of 'excuse after excuse' and loss of even more patience. Money and patient may both prove finite.

Systems Concepts is a a company with proven success relevant to your problem.

This is interesting for me. Sorry I am a new member so please excuse my lack of knowledge. DSE is an area that is very dear to my heart having been a PA for over 30 years and suffered badly through lack of knowledge within companies on the importance of ergonomics and their affects on the muscular skeletal system.

I have completed an on line DSE assessment training course and would like to find out more about getting a recognised qualification as an Ergonomist. Can someone point me in the right direction of where to start looking?

Hi Tinkerbell, I have found the name of the company I used to help with the DSE process. It required a short training package for each person who used DSE and when they completed that training took a little test and could then undertake thier own DSE which I over saw and talked to them about any issues that were identified. The company website is www.workrite.co.uk. They were very helpful and although only online were very good. Hope this will give you some ideas as to how you can go, but please remeber they are only one of dozens of companies doing the same sort of thing so look round and see which suits you best.

Tinkerbell we use Workrite and so far I prefer it to the older Posturite version. The reports are better and you can taylor your own responses which results in only the appropriate action points coming back in your direction