The CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012 – using the GSBPM to support good governance

1. The CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012– using the GSBPM to support good governance MSIS 2010 – Daejeon 26-29 April 2010 Joe Treacy Central Statistics Office Ireland

2. In this paper • Inputs to the CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012 • Key features of the strategy • Putting the GSBPM at the heart of the strategy • How we are using the GSBPM to influence corporate strategy and culture

3. Inputs to the CSO’s IT Strategy • Users’ concerns and priorities for IT • Strategic review of CSO in 2009 • Plan for Business and Organisational Development • Lessons from DMS project • Generic Data Management System (DMS) • Ambitious and far-reaching project • Organisational culture • Informality • Taking “ownership”

4. Users’ concerns and priorities for IT • Uncertainties about DMS project • Capacity of CSO IT to maintain and develop DMS • Capacity to meet new business requirements • Not enough support for end-users • Technical support for end-user statistical software • Policies, standards, training • Demand for upgraded desktop & groupware tools • Need for better communications by IT • Decision making processes (governance) perceived to be difficult

5. Plan for Business and Organisational Development • CSO’s potential to deliver on corporate objectives • Statistical outputs; response burden; cost • Co-ordination of Irish Statistical System • Internal co-ordination • Re-organisation: • Business and household surveys – process model • Large Cases Unit – single point of contact • Administrative Data Centre – greater use of administrative sources • IT: • Wide range of IT requirements arising from plan • Re-organisation within IT: System User Support Team & Web Development

6. Lessons learned from DMS project • Data Management System (DMS) • Project began in November 2003 • System went live in September 2007 • Reviewed in 2009 • Outcome of review • DMS project has delivered a solid platform for capturing and processing statistical data • But: far-reaching project – full ambitions not realised • Input to IT Strategy • DMS is a strategic system – support and develop to meet new needs • Consolidate our statistical IT applications • Implement new developments on a small scale – need faster benefits realisation

7. CSO’s organisational culture • Culture and communications in a small organisation • Informal • Based on personal networks more than on formal management processes • Flexible - “gets things done” • But at a cost ... • ad-hoc solutions; sub-optimal decisions • Informal management culture not sustainable

8. CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012- key features Applications – Support and Development • Business-driven • Developments we undertake will reflect business demands • Consolidate existing applications architecture • Develop in small projects • Early benefits realisation (ROI) • DMS is core strategic application for data capture and processing • Develop in line with business needs

9. CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012- key features Governance & Communications • Manage the corporate toolset • Simplify governance processes • System User Support Team • Pro-active support to business areas in developing projects and ideas • Better support for end-user computing

10. CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012- explaining the rationale The strategy explains the rationale for corporate IT policies. For example: Corporate applications (DMS) Consolidation of corporate toolset (strategic software) Effect on allocation of IT resources Rationale: • More efficient allocation of IT resources • Better response to business requirements • Better decision-making

11. CSO’s IT Strategy 2010-2012- Enterprise Architecture The phrase “Enterprise Architecture” is absent from the strategy. Main target readership: Our staff and managers We want them to read the strategy. We want them to understand it. We want their actions to be consistent with it. Plain non-technical language makes the message clearer. We’re using the GSBPM as a communications tool to explain the rationale of the strategy.

12. Putting the GSBPM at the heart of our strategy • GSBPM is referenced throughout the strategy • Appendix describes the GSBPM • and its contribution to IT and corporate management • GSBPM reflected in: • Data Management System (DMS) • Plans for further statistical application development • But model is more than a set of production or IT steps • A way of influencing corporate culture

13. GSBPM and Governance Good governance – gives space for proper planning and evaluation – fosters a culture of quality improvement.

14. GSBPM and Governance- changing the culture Acceptance that formal processes are worth the effort: • Good documentation • Consistency of approach across the organisation • Planning • Monitoring resources and outputs • Quality management processes • Evaluation • Culture of learning and improvement • Repeatability • Effective response to: new demands, scarce resources, complex high-level objectives

15. GSBPM and Financial Management- changing the culture Greater visibility of costs and value of IT contribution: • Better cost metrics • Map costs to GSBPM Level-1 • Map costs to business owner areas • Improve budgeting and monitoring of IT spending Improve awareness of costs, choices and consequences when allocating IT resources.

16. The GSBPM is more than an IT framework GSBPM is often seen as: • Description of production processes • Description of IT processes • “Belonging” to IT This is a limited view of what the GSBPM can contribute. “Other uses of the GSBPM” – Section VII of GSBPM document • Contribution to Corporate Strategic Planning, Governance, Quality Management, Building Organisational Capability, Measuring Costs, Measuring Performance These “other uses” are a valuable part of the GSBPM framework.

17. End of Presentation Any questions?