Fall 2007

Johnnie Peterson uses Gridcheck to schedule thousands of interpreting appointments each quarter

Seattle Lighthouse sign language interpreters log over 6,000 hours each year providing interpretation in a diverse range of communication modes: English-to-American Sign Language (ASL)interpretation and tactile sign language, close-visual sign language, and spoken language interpretation to name but a few.

With so many diverse assignments, keeping organized and on top of scheduling has always been of interpreting appointments each a priority for the Interpreting Department. How they have organized their master schedule has evolved right along with the department itself, but the goal remained the same: to effectively, efficiently schedule interpreting services while maintaining client confidentiality.

The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. added their first staff interpreting position in 1984, which was split between interpreters Kathryn Cutler and Linda Williamson. “We split twenty hours each, and then overlapped for one hour a week so we could catch up,” Linda explains. “There were no computers here, no email. We’d round up other staff when we needed extra help.”

Linda and Kathryn immediately implemented a system for Deaf-Blind people to request interpretation support for telephone calls. “We initially had a box, it was like a piggybank. Deaf-Blind people would deposit a card with their name on it into the box, and we would go meet them when we had time available to interpret a phone call. A few years later, a system was created using a timecard rack. Deaf-Blind people could feel the rack to determine when a phone interpreter was available, then put their request card into that slot,” Linda says. “[Teletypewriters or TTY] access was very limited then. To be able to make the occasional telephone call, to make a doctor’s appointment for example, really improved the quality of life for Deaf-Blind people.”

As the department grew and changed, interpreting staff developed a request form and a book calendar system. Request forms included information regarding the job details while the calendar helped interpreters and schedulers track assignments. Cherie Furtado, who was the interpreting services coordinator at that time, implemented “the book” system to track interpreting appointments.

“The overall system was a calendar book with a wide column for each day. When an interpreting assignment was confirmed, a colored line would appear marked from the beginning to the end of the assignment time on the calendar. The interpreter’s initials would be penciled in above the colored line, and a code number written beside it,” says Linda. “All of the details for the assignment were kept on a separate form, filed by code number. The interpreter would check the form for the specific details of the assignment. No confidential information was available to the casual passerby.”

Tami Berk adds an appointment to “the book”

As the Deaf-Blind program and population grew at the Lighthouse, so did the demand for interpreters. Eventually, a staff interpreting scheduler position was added to the department. The interpreting scheduler uses his or her skills in language assessment, awareness of community connections, and cultural knowledge to match interpreters with customers. The interpreting scheduler would take requests by telephone, email, or in-person and then coordinate interpreting assignments in the scheduling book.

By the late 1990s, technology changes were having far-reaching effects in the Lighthouse. “When I came on [as interpreting supervisor], we were receiving about half the requests by phone,” Linda remembers. “By the time I left the position five years later, almost all of the requests were coming in by email.”

By the time Jackie Matthews stepped into the role of interpreting services supervisor in 2005, the scheduling system was ready for its next incarnation as the web-based scheduling system Gridcheck. The Gridcheck system digitally manages and stores interpreting requests, assignments, and statistics. Lighthouse employees can log in and request interpreters, while interpreters can track their assignments through the system.

“Through Gridcheck, I can see what time will work for a job, and then I can see who is available to interpret,” says Johnnie Peterson, interpreting scheduler. “Staff interpreters will enter in their availability and freelance interpreters will input their vacation hours or time they will be at the Lighthouse.”

“When I was hired, [switching to Gridcheck] was one of my goals,” says Jackie. “Tracking statistics was a driving force because using the book is so labor intensive. This way, we are able to track interpreting needs and costs.”

She adds, “Another advantage is you can access it from anywhere. With the old system, everyone had to be in touch with the scheduler. With Gridcheck, everyone has access to it and can check their schedule.”

“What I like is that the interpreters seem happier with their schedule,” says Johnnie. “In the old system, we’d have to send a separate email to each interpreter. Now, we can send group emails. It’s more efficient and professional.”

“Many people put a lot of hard work into getting the right scheduling system in place and brought it to where it is today,” says Jackie. “I just really want to honor all the great work people put into this through the years.”

Interpretation Note: Johnnie’s comments were translated from American Sign Language (ASL) to English by a certified ASL interpreter.

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