A typical project begins with a discussion about the scope of the work. At this meeting, the investigators and the RITS representative(s) review the objectives of the project. The conversation will cover the sorts of data the investigators will collect (or are collecting), the sources for these data (e.g., clinic, lab, other institutions), the data types (e.g., repeated measurements for patients over time, imaging data, genomic data), and the needs for reports and analyses of these data, and so forth.

After the initial discussion, RITS staff will produce a Statement of Work for the project. This statement will summarize the initial conversations about the needs and desires for the database. The Statement of Work will also outline the responsibilities of all parties with respect to the database's development, initiation, and maintenance. For example, the document will include a schedule of regular meetings to allow both sides to review progress and make corrections or changes if needed.

Finally, the development process will begin, where our team will work to the best of their ability to provide a pithy application tailored to the discussed needs of the end user. As this phase progresses, communication between the team and users continues regularly to ensure the best final end product.