NSW Government Information and Communication Technology Strategic Plan
People First is the roadmap for a coordinated government-wide approach to ICT planning, expenditure and allocation of ICT resources.
Download: http://www.gcio.nsw.gov.au/docs.asp?CAT=2066
The Strategic Plan was launched on the 27th July, 2006. It will be implemented over four years.
Priorities / Objectives
Front-line Focus
Greater priority will be given to front-line and line of business (core agency) technologies.
Front-line technologies include those involved in services such as e-learning, patient care, police operations, emergency services management and community services, in areas such as policing, health, education, community services, transport and housing.
Conversely, there will be a decreased focus on back-office applications and infrastructure, such as email, content management, finance and payroll systems.
Coordination
It is expected that the Plan will generate over 100 independent projects. However, these will largely operate through technologies co-ordinated across the whole of government. Enterprise-wide co-ordination that spans government agency and service boundaries will be implemented. For example, a shared and federated authentication environment will be provided to ensure security for all agencies.
Consequently, amalgamation of ICT infrastructure and aggregated whole of government ICT purchasing will be priorities. This will remove duplication of systems, applications and infrastructure.
Customer-focused E-Government
The number of government services available electronically (e-government) will be increased in order to allow the public better, quicker and easier access to government information and greater self-service.
As part of the integrated whole of government approach, these services will be delivered in a consistent way and coordinated across multiple delivery channels. The public and businesses will deal with ‘one government’ instead of many agencies.
A single NSW government portal will be established. The Customer Interaction Hub will provide a single point to manage customer service. When contact with agency staff is needed, the Customer Electronic Response Management System will assist in managing service requests.
This co-ordination also involves a telecommunications convergence, with greater integration of communication technologies (eg radio, broadband, telephony). For example, the Customer Services Gateway will relay electronic messages between a range of communication devices.
Standards
The standards to be adopted also reflect the desire for greater inter-agency ICT integration.
A Standard Operating Environment will be established. This will reduce maintenance, enable common processes, facilitate collaboration and encourage faster deployment. Increased support will also be given to open standards. This operating environment will include the desktop operating system, the fileserver operating system and records and document management.
Expenditure
The NSW Government annually invests around $ 1 billion in ICT across the whole of government. It is aimed that the costs will be kept within the current levels of ICT expenditure.
However, the allocation of funds will be altered, with expenditure aligned with service delivery priorities. Greater investment will be made in front-line service systems and, conversely, less in ‘back-office’ applications and infrastructure (eg email, records management and payroll systems).
The ICT procurement policy will favour aggregated whole of government ICT purchasing.
It is planned that a single capital fund for ICT will be established.
Governance
The CIO Executive Council (comprised of government CIOs) is the principle forum that provides direction for the Plan’s implementation. ICT project plans will be submitted to this council for endorsement.
Permanent working groups have been established for each ICT Program. These will carry out detailed project planning and implementation.
Agency chief executives and CIOs will ensure that their agency’s ICT strategy is consistent with the Plan.
ICT Strategies and Programs of Work
| STRATEGY | PROGRAM | LEAD AGENCY |
| Front-line Service Delivery | Front-line Services | Department of Community Services |
| Line of Business Services | Department of Community Services | |
| Back Office Applications Consolidation | NSW Police | |
| Channels and Access (e-government) | Customer Interaction Hub | Government Chief Information Office |
| Customer Services Hub | Government Chief Information Office | |
| Authentication and Security | Shared and Federated Client Authentication | Government Chief Information Office |
| Information Security | Government Chief Information Office | |
| Information Management | Information Management | Government Chief Information Office |
| Emergency Information Management | NSW Fire Brigades | |
| Telecommunications | Telecommunications Convergence | Department of Environment and Conservation |
| Broadband Services | Government Chief Information Office | |
| Radio Communications | Government Chief Information Office | |
| ICT Infrastructure | Agency Infrastructure Consolidation | BusinessLink |
| Internet Gateway | Government Chief Information Office | |
| Standard Operating Environment | NSW Police | |
| ICT Procurement | ICT Procurement | Roads and Traffic Authority |
| Strategic Governance Framework | ICT Governance | Government Chief Information Office |