PrintOutput 1.8 Systems for People
Objective
Systems for People is a program of work that will provide staff with access to the information and tools they need to do their job. The program will transform the way the department operates, including:
- providing a single view of the client's dealings with the department
- establishing consistency in work processes and decision making, together with establishing effective record keeping and quality assurance
- improving data quality, data completeness and accuracy
- significantly improving decision making by providing staff with clearer operating instructions and appropriate decision support tools.
Description
Systems for People is a technology-enabled business transformation program being implemented by the department as a result of the Palmer and Comrie recommendations in 2005. It is the largest single component of the department's major reform program. Systems for People aims to improve the department's performance through the redesign of business processes, better management and use of information, and modernisation of its technology base.
The total program budget including related projects is $598.1 million over four years from 2006 to 2010, of which $184.2 million was allocated in 2007–08. The program is being delivered under both outcomes, specifically Output 1.8 and Output 2.5.
Performance
During 2007–08, the program's major focus has been on border security, compliance, case management and detention under Outcome 1 to immediately address the Palmer and Comrie recommendations. Four releases occurred during this period, delivering infrastructure and user facing projects that included both Systems for People funded projects and non-Systems for People funded projects to ensure all technology changes were aligned, due to their close interrelationship. Most of the changes in 2007–08 affected the department's service delivery network of state and territory offices in Australia and over 60 of the department's offices offshore.
The program is now at its halfway mark, two years into the four-year program. Several hundred staff have been involved in the delivery of the program and several thousand have been trained in the use of the new portals and business processes.
The priority so far has been to establish a single view of a client and improve the performance of our compliance, case management, detention and border security services. By May 2008, the Client Centric Portal had combined approximately 80 per cent of the key client information from seven existing business systems. Compliance, case management and detention services have been significantly improved with the implementation of a new integrated business model this year. The model addresses concerns raised in the Palmer report about the department's lack of holistic case management of clients and the need to improve the consistency and quality of decision making. Through Systems for People the department has also transformed its border entry and security checking systems through the introduction of a new Central Movement Alert List (CMAL) business model, the new Maritime Crew visa and Border Security portal. These initiatives are linked closely with the new Border Security Initiative.
A summary of performance results is provided in Table 56.
In July 2007, the department sought additional capital funding for the program from the Department of Finance and Deregulation for 2007–08. While the second year of the program represented the greatest period of asset creation in the release schedule, capital funding was significantly reduced. The Boston Consulting Group was engaged by the Department of Finance and Deregulation in November 2007 to review the request and advise government. A consultative committee consisting of members from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Finance and Deregulation, the Australian Government Information Management Office and the department was established in early 2008 to support the review process.
In January 2008, the program's request for additional capital was supported, subject to the implementation of key recommendations. The department has undertaken extensive consultation with business and technical stakeholders to develop a detailed work program for the remainder of the program, a more detailed approach to benefits realisation and a revised schedule with fewer releases each year.
In accordance with the recommendations and progressive gateway reviews, the program has embedded a greater focus on better defining and measuring the benefits associated with the program. Since the release in April 2007, for example, 90 per cent of the program's metrics are now quantitative compared to 15 per cent at the beginning of the program.
Following priority being assigned to border, compliance, case management and detention work for the first two years, in the last two years the program's emphasis will shift onto the department's visa processing work and measures to improve client service.
Border Security Initiative
Systems for People successfully incorporated the delivery of phases 1 and 2 of the Security Referral Service. This was part of the Border Security Initiative, a major new program announced in July 2007 to implement tougher border control measures providing more comprehensive and effective examination of travellers seeking entry into Australia. These measures involve:
- new levels of electronic connectivity between the department and the Australia Security Intellegence Organisation (ASIO)
- advanced analysis of personal details for all travellers to Australia
- higher quality of data matching
- more efficient systems with enhanced auditing capacity to ensure that security requirements do not slow down processing affecting legitimate travellers, for example, business people and tourists.
The Security Referral Service (SRS) is the primary program of work introduced to deliver these capabilities in a 'phased' approach. SRS interfaces with visa application systems capturing client visa information and transmits this to ASIO for security checking. Phases 1 and 2 of SRS were successfully implemented on 30 September and 31 December 2007 respectively, and introduced a system which allows for the capture and electronic transfer of information from offshore temporary entry visa classes.
Phase 3 was implemented in August 2008 and expanded on the first two phases to include all remaining visa classes, except Electronic Travel Authorities, processed at overseas posts and state and territory offices.
A scoping study for Phase 4 was also successfully completed. This phase is proposed to cover more advanced analytical tools and higher quality data matching.
Table 56: Systems for People—performance information| Measures | Results |
|---|---|
| Quality/Quantity | |
| Scheduled deployment of three department and three external portals in July 2007 |
This release was delivered over three delivery dates as a result of legislative requirements. Key release projects under this output included the following:
|
| Scheduled deployment of one external portal in October 2007 |
The release delivered critical support and services for the development of future portals. Key release projects under this output included the following:
|
| Scheduled deployment of five department and one external portal in January 2008 |
This release delivered two department portals and one external portal. Key release projects under this output included the following:
|
| Scheduled deployment of one department and two external portals in January 2008 |
|
| Scheduled deployment of one department and one external portal in April 2008 |
This release was the largest delivered to date in terms of its technical complexity and impact, affecting approximately 3000 staff. Key release projects under this output included the following:
|
