Training

1
Johns Hopkins eIRB Software Development
Process and the Genetic Algorithm
Aaron Sorensen Clinical Research Systems
Manager Office of Human Subjects Research Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine Bring-Your-
CIO Annual Meeting of the AHC Clinical Research
Forum March 30, 2005
2
Challenge Give a presentation that tells the
story of the Hopkins eIRB software development
process in 25 minutes and that culminates in a
single slide containing a visual representation
of the complex take-away concept.
3
Preview of the JHM eIRB Software Development
Story

• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment

• Well-documented Base Object Model

• A Pool of Best Practices from Peer Institutions
  (the ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium)

Produce

• Iterative Blending of High-Potential Solutions

• Tightening of Development cycle (i.e., less time
  and effort wasted)

4
eIRB Development Cycle Tightened and eIRB Modules
Optimized
Same Concept with Different Vendor/Technology to
be Applied to a New Clinical Trials Management
System
5
Solution Look to the experts of
teaching/learning by analogy for inspiration
6
Learning/Teaching through analogy
1. Introduce target concept (e.g., the human eye)
2. Review analog concept (e.g., a simple camera)
3. Identify relevant features of target and
analog (e.g., retina and film)
4. Mapping of similarities (e.g., lens of the
camera to lens of the eye)
7
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
8
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Review of Analog Concept
2. Genetic Algorithms (a Type of Artificial
Intelligence Used for Difficult Optimization
Problems)
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
9
1. Introduction to ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB
Development Process
A rapid prototyping/development environment
allows us to kick the tires of a proposed change
or enhancement and, once approved, to quickly
implement it.
10
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Review of Analog Concept
2. Genetic Algorithms (a Type of Artificial
Intelligence Used for Difficult Optimization
Problems)
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
11
1. Introduction to ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB
Development Process cont.
Well-documented Base Object Model creates a
lingua franca or Rosetta stone for all project
participants
12
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Review of Analog Concept
2. Genetic Algorithms (a Type of Artificial
Intelligence Used for Difficult Optimization
Problems)
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
13
ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium
1. Introduction to ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB
Development Process cont.
14
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Review of Analog Concept
2. Genetic Algorithms (a Type of Artificial
Intelligence Used for Difficult Optimization
Problems)
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
15
2. Review of Genetic Algorithms
A genetic algorithm is a computer algorithm that
searches for good solutions to a problem from
among a (large) number of possible solutions. It
uses evolutionary mechanisms including natural
selection and reproduction to evolve an initially
random selection of solutions. As the population
is evolved from generation to generation, bad
solutions tend to die out while good solutions
mate and produce better solutions. A useful
analogy may be to think of casting a net into the
pool of possible solutions, and then mixing and
matching the better ones. Only some of the
possible solutions are ever tried Genetic
algorithms are useful in problems that are too
big or too difficult to solve with conventional
techniques.
Advanced Computational Modeling Center University
of Queensland Australia
16
2. Review of Genetic Algorithms cont.

• Success depends on how quickly you can get to
  the absolute highest peak (global optimum) or at
  least a peak that approximates the highest

• Dangers lie in reaching a foothill peak and
  believing that you have summited Everest

• The challenge consists in getting on the scent
  of the best solutions early on the in the process

17
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Review of Analog Concept
2. Genetic Algorithms (a Type of Artificial
Intelligence Used for Difficult Optimization
Problems)
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
18
3. Identification of of relevant (analogous)
features of the JHM eIRB Software Development
Process and Genetic Algorithms

• Not always easy to tell which solution
  represents the highest peak

• You never have perfect information on all of the
  options

• Your vision is often blurred by institutional
  history

19
3. Identification of of relevant (analogous)
features of the JHM eIRB Software Development
Process and Genetic Algorithms cont.

• The process of finding an optimal software
  solution can be thought of as a spiral with each
  step taking you (hopefully) one step closer to
  the goal or center

• If we let time equal the length of the green
  rays emanating from the center of the spiral,
  then we can say that the more tightly wound the
  spiral, the more efficient we have been in
  converging on the optimal solution.

• A loose spiral means that at the beginning of
  the development process, we mistook foothill
  peaks for mountain summits. In other words we
  started down roads that were far from optimal and
  thereby wasted time and effort.

20
3. Identification of of relevant (analogous)
features of the JHM eIRB Software Development
Process and Genetic Algorithms cont.
Each System Module has Its Own Optimization
Process
21
3. Identification of of relevant (analogous)
features of the JHM eIRB Software Development
Process and Genetic Algorithms cont.
The ClickCommerce product/consortium has helped
the JHM IRB move towards optimal solutions for
each eIRB Module with genetic-algorithm-like
scanning that allows us to immediately hone in on
promising solutions and discard ones with little
promise.
22
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
23
4. Genetic Algorithms Mapped to the JHM eIRB
Software Development Process
Two ingredients
1. People
Pop-up Video A form of music-video annotation
24
4. Genetic Algorithms Mapped to the JHM eIRB
Software Development Process
eIRB Project Team Members
25
4. Genetic Algorithms Mapped to the JHM eIRB
Software Development Process cont.
Karen System Administrator/Programmer Keeps
the Home Fires Burning
First Name Role Key eIRB Function
eIRB Project Team Members cont.
26
4. Genetic Algorithms Mapped to the JHM eIRB
Software Development Process cont.
Aaron Project Manager/Architect
Disparate-End-User-Opinions-Harmonizer
First Name Role Key eIRB Function
eIRB Project Team Members cont.
27
4. Genetic Algorithms Mapped to the JHM eIRB
Software Development Process cont.
eIRB Pop-up Icons Legend
28
(No Transcript)
29
The Analogy Methodology Applied to This Talk

• 1. ClickCommerce/JHM-eIRB Development Process
• Rapid Prototyping/Development Environment
• Well-documented Base Object Model
• The ClickCommerce Compliance Consortium

Introduction of Target Concept
Identification of Relevant Features of Target and
Analog
3. Key Features of the JHM eIRB's Software
Development Approach and the Genetic Algorithms
Optimization Approach
Mapping of Similarities
4. Use of VH1 Pop-up-video Technology to
Simulate the JHM eIRB Software Development Process
5. Encore of Take-Away Slide (Bringing It All
Together)
30
eIRB Development Cycle Tightened and eIRB Modules
Optimized
Same Concept with Different Vendor/Technology to
be Applied to a New Clinical Trials Management
System
31
Johns Hopkins eIRB Software Development
Process and the Genetic Algorithm
Aaron Sorensen Clinical Research Systems
Manager Office of Human Subjects Research Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine Bring-Your-
CIO Annual Meeting of the AHC Clinical Research
Forum March 30, 2005