DIMA Annual Report 1998-99
Sub-program 6.3: Information Technology
Performance outcomes
(i) Current business operations
Infrastructure services
The Cluster 3 contract for outsourcing infrastructure services was awarded to Computer Science Corporation (Australia) (CSC) in March 1998 under the whole-of-government IT and telecommunications initiative. In DIMA the Cluster 3 contract covers mainframe, mid-range, desktop, network and voice services.
The initial period of outsourcing involved a transition from in-house mainframe and desktop support to a CSC-managed environment. The transition to CSC provided of infrastructure services has been challenging, not unexpectedly, given the size and complexity of the undertaking. Significant efforts have been directed to bedding down the new arrangements.
Under the Cluster 3 contract, CSC has successfully completed infrastructure upgrades in the Department including:
- replacing and relocating the mainframe;
- replacing and standardising the desktop environment with almost 3000 desktop computers in a roll out across the Department;
- replacing voice infrastructure with 3000 handsets and 30 PABX systems;
- upgrading Internet facilities across agencies, giving DIMA staff Internet facilities; and
- upgrading DIMA's data network capacity so to provide acceptable response times to system users, in the face of systems developments and systems initiatives.
The CSC works to a set of specified service levels, including standards agreed for:
- problem resolution responsiveness;
- the availability of various systems, such as mainframe and midrange; and
- the proportion of calls resolved by help-desk staff on first call.
Prior to outsourcing, service level standards were poorly defined and measured. Since outsourcing there is a heightened awareness of the cost to business where service levels are not met, and of the need to refine which services have the most business impact.
Legacy systems maintenance
Maintenance of legacy systems (for example, movements, passports and compliance systems) will continue a critical aspect of responding to business needs and Government policy changes. The Department has implemented a new workplace methodology to better support this important work.
Known as 'Peritus' (from the Latin term meaning skilled), it is a comprehensive workflow methodology for software evolution developed in the early 1990s to revolutionise the approach to maintaining and improving software.
The emphasis of the methodology is on gaining increased efficiency through better software tools and, more importantly, through changing the way people work when undertaking software maintenance and improvements.
Introduced to the Department in 1998, the methodology emphasises continuous improvement and efficient task management through self-directing teams responsible for managing their own team-based workflows.
Teams maintain, support and administer the Department's production systems. They undertake projects supporting policy changes and business initiatives which impact on production systems, and make production systems changes to support the implementation of new developments, for example, introducing the Integrated Client Service Environment (ICSE) in mid-1999.
Top of PagePerformance outcomes
(ii) Future business operations
Business systems and architecture
The Department is developing an Enterprise Wide Technical Architecture to guide current and future IT infrastructure and systems development activity. Key business directions identified for the next two to five years are:
- accessibility to corporate knowledge stored in the Department's computer systems to support decision-making integrity;
- flexibility in locating work irrespective of where it originated;
- electronic interfaces with the Department's partners;
- electronic service delivery to clients; and
- minimising reliance on paper documentation.
These corporate business directions point to new developments in electronic commerce, including on-line publishing, electronic forms, and web-enabled business transactions and remote access for field workers.
They will complement existing e-commerce applications, notably the Electronic Travel Authority and Advanced Passenger Processing systems and are consistent with Government directions outlined in the Government Online 2000 strategy.
Initiatives already under way include the ICSE. Developed to provide a single client image for processing all onshore applications, ICSE, in partnership with CSC, is one of the most ambitious IT projects ever undertaken by the Department.
On 18 December 1998, the first phase of ICSE -for processing citizenship applications onshore- was implemented nationally, achieving the planned release date to support the 50th anniversary of Australian citizenship conferral ceremonies. The second phase to support visa processing onshore, was successfully rolled out nationally in July 1999.
ICSE replaces eight non-Year 2000 compliant legacy systems supporting core business processes with a single generic Year 2000 compliant system, while retaining links with other departmental systems and external agencies.
Combining and refining 39 million records from the disparate legacy systems into about 5.8 million records in the combined holdings in ICSE proved a challenging task.
In doing so, 800 000 duplicated records were eliminated. The new integrated system will support more effective and efficient business processes, and ultimately provide better service to the Department's clients.
Community Information Network
The Community Information Network project, coordinated by staff in the Settlement Branch and assisted by CSC, seeks to improve settlement services by taking advantage of opportunities provided by the Internet.
By the end of 1999 it is expected to provide:
- a client service information system for use by Migrant Resource Centres;
- new web pages incorporating settlement information for migrants on the Department's Internet site, accessible locally and internationally; and
- migration settlement statistics.
Student visa pilot
Business Solutions Group is assisting the Business Analysis and Support Section in trials of a range of electronic service delivery initiatives with a small number of approved education providers.
The project will run trials of the electronic lodgment by universities of applications for Student Work Visas, and will also provide a targeted information service for education providers. Participating universities are in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.
Integrated Management Information and Reporting System
The Department depends heavily on data collection and reporting to provide services to clients. The management of corporate data, standards and methodologies is critical to the efficient provision of IT services to the Department.
Of primary importance is promoting data accuracy and quality, and the skilled use of the collection, storage and retrieval tools to manage its vast data holdings effectively.
The Department has implemented the Integrated Management Information and Reporting System (IMIRS) infrastructure to deliver strategic management reporting capabilities using integrated data from operational systems.
Data is extracted and loaded into the IMIRS from ICSE, Travel Records Immigration Processing System, and the Immigration Records Information System. Plans are underway to incorporate further data from other operational systems, to enable reporting against a single integrated and consistent view of corporate data using a standard user-friendly reporting toolset.
Top of PagePerformance outcomes
(iii) Secure environment
Year 2000
High priority is given to ensuring that the DIMA's business critical and essential IT systems will roll-over to the new century. The Department had 55 mainframe and mid-range applications in scope for replacement or remediation by mid-1999.
The work needed to assess the impact, identify remediation strategies, carry out the strategy for each system and test the systems was completed within the Government guideline timeframe of 30 June 1999—1100 separate compliance tests were conducted on the 33 critical and essential mainframe business systems.
These systems rely on the supply of Year 2000 compliant IT infrastructure by CSC. The Department has been assessed at 'low risk' of failure in Y2K readiness. As well, the Department has prepared detailed Business Continuity and Contingency Plans to ensure that should there be systems failure in the rollover to 2000, critical business functions can continue uninterrupted.
Information Technology security
High importance is placed by the Department on the integrity of its secured IT infrastructure. In concert with CSC and Defence Signals Directorate and other agencies, the Department is working to protect the interests of the Commonwealth and commercial partners and clients.
IT Security Section, in association with the Infrastructure Services Management Office, established a secure connection to the CSC Secure Internet Gateway (SIG) as part of the Cluster 3 contract.
The connection allowed all staff access to external electronic mail services through Lotus Notes, and created the opportunity for new web-enabled applications such as the Community Information Network and student visa internet project to be developed.
Business Analysis and Support
In July 1998 the Business Analysis and Support Section (BASS) was created to enable the Migration and Temporary Entry Division to integrate its management of divisional information technology systems.
This was necessitated by emerging system needs (related in part to development of new systems), the need to respond to Year 2000 contingencies, and the outsourcing of Information Technology management, which all influenced the environment in which the Division operates.
Since its creation, BASS has issued a number of systems upgrades for the Department's universal visa system, conducted training for onshore departmental staff in operating the new Integrated Client Service Environment, and completed (and is implementing) a strategy for student-related visa issues. The last is designed to improve client service by using methods of electronic service delivery.