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KEY ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IMPACTING/INFLUENCING IM/IT AND SERVICE DIRECTIONS
TC ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN - The IM/IT Perspective
FORCE/TREND: Emerging Technologies
Government departments and private sector companies are focusing on incorporating the use of emerging technologies to improve upon internal processes and create operational efficiencies. Citizens and businesses are increasingly relying on emerging technologies for improved access to government services and information.
IMPACT: External Factors:
| Challenges |
Benefits/Opportunities |
- measuring incremental benefits of new technology
- assessments must include the total costs associated with the incorporation of a particular technology into the current business / IM/IT environment
- maintaining a level of knowledge in step with the rate of technology evolution
- training and support requirements will evolve and touch upon skills upgrades, career planning, and human resources
- in order to fully capitalize on the benefits associated with emerging technologies, there must be a culture change which supports process renewal, information sharing and a client service delivery perspective
- ensuring a level of IM/IT consistency within TC and across levels of government to support information sharing and access (Expenditure Review, TC Comprehensive Reviews, Common Services/ Systems/Infrastructure)
- integration of the various computing devices / tools in use (e.g mobile with traditional computer technologies)
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- improved service delivery both internal and external
- potential for minimizing costs in the longer term (e.g. appropriate levels of investment in IM/IT and a well conceived implementation plan for incorporating emerging technologies into the current environment, will lead to an ability to create efficiencies in program service delivery, while working within human resource constraints)
- convergence of various technologies into fewer devices (e.g. pager, printers, hand held, cell phone)
- increased support for mobile computing (extending services to the mobile user / office)
- an increased awareness of technology as a business enabler
- capitalization of economies of scale and scope offered by government wide approaches such as the GoC Shared Services agenda
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TC ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN - The IM/IT Perspective
FORCE/TREND: Government Initiatives
There is growing pressure to provide government information and services via electronic medium. Faced with resource constraints, government departments are rethinking the way they provide services through collaboration on common IM/IT initiatives. Government-wide frameworks such as the Service Improvement, PSMA, Enhanced Management Framework (EMF), Common Administrative Shared Systems, Common Infrastructure and Common Services approaches are key in assisting program areas in examining means of providing services via alternate means and through a more effective use and management of IM/IT.
IMPACT: External Factors:
| Challenges |
Benefits/Opportunities |
- balancing traditional with new service models
- common infrastructure is required across levels of government
- understanding the costs associated with IM/IT service delivery
- business transformation is an ongoing managerial responsibility
- training / certification on use of technologies / services
- benefits must be measurable
- need for champion(s) / adopter(s) at senior level with senior management support
- formulation of service performance indicators and associated costs
- agreeing on what services / offerings should be "common" across government.
- accountabilities extend beyond the organization
- security
- managing expectations
- identification of opportunities and benefits of self service
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- capitalizing on resource constraints - internal specialists focus on value-added
- improved service delivery both internal and external
- capitalizing on IM/IT to rethink service delivery at the whole of government level
- cost / resource efficiencies
- more rigor in monitoring project activities and measuring value for IM/IT investment
- understanding the true costs of IM/IT service delivery
- economies of scale / lower costs
- improved intergovernmental partnerships
- increased consistency in IM/IT products and services across departments
- better distribution of workload
- potential for more 7/24/365 services
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TC ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN - The IM/IT Perspective
FORCE/TREND: TC IM/IT Strategic Planning and Governance
The aim of the TC IM/IT Strategic Plan and supporting governance processes is to ensure that the future TC IM/IT infrastructure and infostructure that will be implemented will not only satisfy current business requirements but also anticipated business requirements and facilitate enabling unforecasted changes in business processes as rapidly as possible.
IMPACT: Internal Factors:
| Challenges |
Benefits/Opportunities |
- managing within an environment of constant technological change
- senior management and business unit managers must understand how IM/IT enables the business
- IM/IT decisions and investments must be clearly linked to business and information requirements
- IM/IT benefits must link to the departmental key results / outcomes (MAF)
- working collaboratively across the department
- the IM/IT strategic direction and overall IM/IT governance including roles and accountabilities must be understandable by all in TC
- the IM/IT environment is not static - it must evolve in synch with changes in internal and external business drivers
- need for a flexible and transparent process for obtaining approval to proceed with departmental IM/IT related expenditures
- finding the balance between the longer term strategic vision and immediate tactical activities that need to proceed to realize the vision
- integrating IM/IT planning into the departmental business planning process
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- minimized IM/IT costs when used as the basis for IM/IT strategic and investment decisions
- improved service delivery
- leverage critical resources
- reduction in redundancy
- effective management of information and technology through alignment with the business and other GoC initiatives
- IM/IT effectively responding to TC's changing demands
- increased interoperability
- faster implementation / modification of systems
- improved management of complexity of distributed environment through reduced components and a total lifecycle management approach
- IM/IT resources which are more responsive to ever increasing client demands
- responds to Expenditure Review pressures
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TC ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN - The IM/IT Perspective
FORCE/TREND: Resourcing & Investment Strategy
The IM/IT communities within government are facing challenges with regards to availability of skilled resources to support its legacy infrastructure as well as newer electronic service delivery based ones. A resource strategy built on the work undertaken to develop a departmental IM/IT Investment Plan is key in ensuring that future IM/IT infra/ infostructure that will be implemented within TC will incorporate a level of resourcing required to support both short and long term needs.
IMPACT: Internal Factors:
| Challenges |
Benefits/Opportunities |
- creating a heightened awareness of the IM/IT expenditure situation and opportunities for improvement
- attracting and retaining qualified IM/IT personnel
- career planning
- succession planning
- knowing the right mix of IM/IT FTE / FTE equivalents at any point in time (e.g ability to forecast needs)
- accountability on IM/IT expenditures
- compensation tied to performance indicators
- reporting on IM/IT expenditures
- alignment of business, HR and IM/IT planning
- training
- evolving the IM/IT environment and service level standards
- ability of resources to cope with change
- continuity of resources
- establishing partnerships
- operating within a landscape of expenditure reviews and scarce funding
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- increased career bridging opportunities
- ability to further support departmental objectives through effective use of IM/IT
- knowledge sharing / continuous learning
- resources consistent with work plans
- ability to balance workloads
- ability to identify and justify resource requirements
- focus on growing corporate memory
- prioritize use of internal resources against value-added work
- IM/IT priorities linked to departmental priorities
- resource priorities linked with departmental priorities
- improved management of the costs associated with IM/IT
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