Some information is better than none but like the draft LIS structure that was missing any derived data the draft LARA does not even include the various codes to be used or any realistic example data.
I may have missed it but I was unable to find any reference to funding differences between provider/employer delivered ALR in the LIS or LARA tables/fields or how different GLH within framework or qualification pathways are to be identified for funding purposes. I would have expected that the software writers would be provided with the same level of detail and specifications that will have been provided to those responsible for developing the LIS and LARA applications.
If the plan is to provide the draft working examples in June /July this leaves us only a month to implement changes, recode our software, test it, train staff all in time for learner starts from the 1st August. This situation may be acceptable to corporate software suppliers with large resources but for independent and own software writers I do not expect that it will be.
The change to XML has been better as we have been given in time the specifications and a draft working example, but we still need to be able to test a Batch file.
Can anyone give odds on systems being ready for 2011/12?