DIMA Annual Report 1997-98
Sub-program 6.3: Information Technology (IT)
Performance information
Financial and staffing resources summary
Performance outcomes
Objective
To provide cost effective delivery of programs by providing accessible, reliable and responsive Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and systems.
Description
The sub-program provides the Department's IT and Telecommunications infrastructure and services. It develops, implements and maintains IT applications to support the Department's activities.
The sub-program is administered through the Alliance Strategy and Management Branch.
Performance information
Outcomes are measured against the extent to which:
- business operations are supported; and
- a secure operating environment is provided.
Financial and staffing resources summary
1997–98 |
1997–98 |
1996–97 |
|
| Budgetary (cash) basis | |||
| Components of appropriations | |||
| Annual appropriations | |||
| Running costs | 32 440 |
42 465 |
n/a |
| Other program costs | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Total appropriations | 32 440 |
42 465 |
n/a |
| Less adjustments | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Total outlays | 32 440 |
42 465 |
n/a |
| Total revenue | 0 |
0 |
n/a |
| Staffing | |||
| Staff years (actual) | 170 |
175 |
n/a |
Due to program restructures in both 1996–97 and 1997–98, sub-program figures for1996–97 actuals are not meaningful for comparative purposes to 1997–98 figures. They have therefore not been included in this table.
[ Top Of Page ]Performance outcomes
(i) Business operations
Alliance
In August 1997, a long-term strategic alliance was reached with the Computer Science Corporation (Australia) (CSC) to provide more effective application development to support cost-effective delivery of departmental programs. The Alliance is an innovative approach aimed at achieving value for the Commonwealth, providing access to a larger pool of skills and facilitating skills transfers.
Senior management in the Department and the CSC worked to refine management arrangements and align teams and cultures. Working groups, chaired by departmental and CSC staff, were established to develop management guidelines and procedures for the Alliance, taking into account policies and practices of both organisations.
The Alliance was critical to accelerating solutions to IT and associated business problems. Under the auspices of the Alliance, processes have been developed to align IT services more closely to corporate business priorities. Achievements in 1997–98 include:
- the development of a whole-of-business approach to Year 2000 compliance, the completion of a risk assessment of centrally supported IT systems and the identification of IT systems that support critical business functions;
- progress in the development of an Integrated Client Systems Environment (ICSE), an IT system supporting the lodgement and consideration of applications for citizenship and visas. ICSE will replace 10 ageing and increasingly inefficient non-Year 2000 compliant application processing systems with a single generic Year 2000 compliant application processing system, supporting more effective and efficient business processes. Phase one of the ISCE project is well under way, with Citizenship (see also sub-program 4.2) processing support the first step towards achieving a fully integrated approach to client data and application processing;
- the development of a legal information system that supports more effective and efficient management of the litigation program by providing on-line access to case information for legal staff and others within the Department;
- the development of a data warehouse strategy which, when implemented, will enable easier access to management information;
- the establishment of a corporate application development environment (SEER*HPS). SEER*HPS enables systems to be efficiently re-developed and allows for more flexible deployment options for applications ranging from desk-top personal computers (PCs) to mainframe computers;
- the design and construction of a Health Assessment Tracking System (HATS) which provides for a faster turn around in the health assessment process for prospective migrants and ensures the integrity of the process;
- implementation in early 1998 of a new approach to maintenance of the Department's systems applications, including the corporate prioritisation of work. The approach is aimed at improving, through cross-skilling and mentoring of staff, the base level of IT skills and knowledge necessary to support the Department's applications, and increase the productivity of staff working in teams.
New records management system
In January 1998, the Department signed a contract with Computer Vision (CV) Services International, for the delivery of an integrated paper and electronic records management system.
The system selected, CTOp (a combination of TRIM4.2 and the Opetgra vault systems), is included in the Office of Government Information Technology's (OGIT) shared systems suite.
This system will greatly improve the management of departmental records, including subject, policy and client information by providing a modern Microsoft Windows '95 interface on computer desk-tops, under which sits sophisticated record-keeping and search facilities.
The system aims to deal with all electronic and paper media. It was piloted in early 1998.
Its implementation across the Department will occur following acceptance of the pilot by the Project Steering Committee. After full implementation, DIMA will be a lead agency in the management of paper and electronic records.
SAP R/3
On 30 September 1997, a contract was signed to purchase SAP R/3 Financial Management Information System (FMIS) (see also under sub-program 6.2).
SAP is one of six FMISs which were approved for inclusion in the OGIT's shared systems suite.
The implementation phase started on 4 November 1997 and the system went into production on 1 July 1998.
SAP R/3 FMIS operates on a mid-range platform and is deployed to all departmental offices in Australia through the Department's wide/local area network. SAP R/3 was configured and implemented by a team of departmental officers and personnel from CSC Australia.
SAP R/3 is a full accrual accounting system which will support the Department's transition, in keeping with the Government's timetable, to an accrual-based outcome and output-focused resource management framework.
[ Top Of Page ]Human resource management system
It was intended to finalise the evaluation of a replacement for the Department's human resource management system during 1997–98.
However the evaluation was postponed to focus on the successful implementation of SAP R/3.
It was also postponed because of the substantial changes arising from the Workplace Certified Agreements, which significantly varied working arrangements and conditions of service in public service agencies.
HR management systems have required extensive modification to accommodate changes arising from the Certified Agreement. Once the system implementation and the new arrangements have settled, consideration will be given on future strategic directions on HR systems. This will not occur until 1999.
[ Top Of Page ](ii) Secure environment
Movement to new desktop
Rollout of a fully integrated suite of software, Microsoft Office '97 started in 1997–98. This was undertaken to provide a more robust and user-friendly computer desktop to support departmental operations.
[ Top Of Page ]Cluster 3
As part of the Government initiative to outsource IT infrastructure, the Department was included in Cluster 3 with the Department of Finance and Administration, the Australian Electoral Commission, Intellectual Property Australia (Patents), Australian Government Analytical Laboratories and the National Crime Authority.
A tender process was carried out between December 1997 and February 1998, with the announcement in March 1998 that CSC (Australia) was the successful tenderer.
Under this arrangement, CSC (Australia) assume responsibility from 1 July 1998 for all departmental IT infrastructure services including the delivery of mainframe, midrange, wide area network, voice, desktop and help desk services.
[ Top Of Page ]Year 2000
The provision of a Year 2000 compliant environment has been accorded a very high priority within the Department. Work is on track to meet the OGIT timeframes for completion work and testing by June 1999.
[ Top Of Page ]IT security
The departmental Information Technology Security Instruction (ITSI) was enhanced to reflect the Department's IT security needs.
The objective of the ITSI is to provide a framework to protect the interests of the Commonwealth, the Department and its staff as well as commercial partners and clients.
In conjunction with the ITSI, systems security plans for all departmental information technology platforms, including the mainframe and the LAN, were enhanced by outlining the security standards to be met for each platform.
[ Top Of Page ]Intranet and Internet technologies
The introduction of the Microsoft Office '97 suite, modern desktop equipment and Secure Gateway Environment for Internet services allowed DIMA to explore more fully the opportunities which Internet technologies provide.
With the upgrade of DIMA's IT infrastructure, due to Cluster 3 arrangements and the Secure Gateway Environment, further increases in Internet and Intranet services will occur, with all staff having access to electronic mail services.
IT standards
Compliance to data standards to ensure quality of data systems within existing and new application systems has been maintained through the updating and implementation of new standards and procedures to encompass the SEER*HPS development tool and the DB2 database software.
IT Staff farewell colleagues on the eve of the hand-over of the Department's IT function to CSC.