Developing a learning needs assessment system so that it can serve an individual with accurate, useful information is a substantial challenge in itself.

If you extend this idea to larger groups then new challenges arise, particularly if users are asked to provide assessments of others.

In this latter case the architecture needs to support dynamic, context-driven authentication and permissions. This is difficult, as it requires an unconventional approach to data management. In contrast to the role-based permission systems a flexible authentication and permission system needs to recognize the ever-changing and multidirectional nature of data elements – in this case within and among individuals, positions, assessment questions, assessment data, teams, departments, divisions and whole organizations/systems.

Here is a partial list of the dynamic data elements in our system:

Position profiles (can vary by team, department, division, organization and change over time)

Subject-object (assessor-assessee) relationships can be peer, subordinate (including below, but not directly reporting to), supervisors(including above, but not directly supervising) or self and change over time)

Behavioural anchors (can change over time)

Viewing permissions (can change over time)

Editing permissions (can change over time)

Role based permission systems are easier to implement because the system assumes that roles are static. Furthermore, proven tools exist to perform these functions. When required, system administrators intervene to change roles and permissions. Our system will only function most fully when we can develop new technology that accommodates dynamic data elements.

Conventional hierarchical one-to-many data relationships or even non-hierarchical many-to-many data relationships are much easier to implement again because the system assumes that roles or data elements are static. Again, technology exists to support such static relationships and human intervention is required to update relationships.

In contrast our system cannot function unless we develop new technology that accommodates non-hierarchical many-to-many data elements that change continuously.

Furthermore, dynamic authentication and permission systems are not supported in active directory.

The processing of data and the management and integrity of output in our system all require new technology that accommodates ever changing 360 degree relationships among data elements through time. We need to create new scripting and data management algorithms to check and enforce permissions, dynamically.