Government Technology - November 2008 - (Page 38)

social services S TAT E | LO C A L | F E D E R A L j j Synopsis: Speech recognition software eases administrative burden on case workers at the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Agency: Florida DCF. Record BY ADAM STONE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER For the Technology: Nuance Communications Dragon voice recognition software. Contact: Sarrah Troncoso, deputy press secretary, Florida DCF, Sarrah_Tron coso@dcf.state.fl.us, 850/488-4855. or years, investigators within the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) worked with one hand tied behind their backs. As productive as they were in the field, they were forced to squander untold time and energy after returning to the office. The problem was reporting each day’s work. After each client meeting, handwritten notes were typed into final form and filed for future reference. Typing took time, and the two-part process — from handwritten transcripts to typed documents — imperiled accuracy. A solution is emerging to enable reporting efficiency. Since July 2008 the department has been deploying voice recognition technology, designed to let fieldworkers dictate their notes while in the field. Software converts the dictation into typed copy, letting investigators spend more time on the road. Once back in the office, the fieldworker plugs the dictation device into a PC and gets a printed report. The system has transformed Lisa Brooks’ job. A child protective investigator with three and a half years of experience in the department, she said the voice recognition technology has made her more efficient. “It’s freed up my time considerably,” she said. “I am able to get more work done because I do not always have to worry about getting my notes typed in.” The new tools have made her reports more accurate too. “You always speak more than you would type, so reports are more complete,” she said. “And since I am able to do it right after the interview, I am able to recall more information as well.” F Voice recognition helps child protective services work faster. NOV_08 Speaking Naturally The DCF, Florida’s largest social service agency, selected Nuance Communications’ Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional Edition 38 http://www.govtech.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - November 2008

Government Technology - November 2008 Contents Point of View On the Scene Big Picture Four Questions for … Forward Thinkers Taking Tech Home Virtual Frontier Hidden Costs Uncovered Seeing Red For the Record In the Loop Benign Dictatorship Home-Field Advantage A Better Way to Park New Tools for Fighting Crime How It Works Spectrum Products Two Cents signal:noise

Government Technology - November 2008

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