Corporate ICT Strategy
2011-2015
New challenges, new opportunities
Version 1
December 2010
Page 1
Contents
1 Executive Summary ..............................................................3
2 Self Service and Access .......................................................5
3 Modern Working Practices ....................................................7
4 Investing in our people ..........................................................9
5 Management Information and Data Security ......................11
6 Alternate Service Delivery Models ......................................13
7 Commitment to Green IT ....................................................15
Appendix A – Key Activities and Outcomes .............................16
Appendix B - Glossary of terms ................................................17
Page 2
1
Executive Summary
1.1
The next five years will witness significant changes across the public sector. The shape
and size of the council is likely to change but the need to provide high levels of service to
our citizens will remain and be set against a backdrop of reduced budgets. With these
new challenges will come new opportunities; using ICT to enable the Council to achieve
efficiencies, providing the infrastructure to support shared services and most importantly,
keeping pace with citizens’ changing needs and expectations.
1.2
Throughout the period of this strategy, ICT will underpin and support the strategic
objectives of the council and its partnerships.
1.3
ICT is no longer just a support service; it has become a critical service. If it is
unavailable, the organisation cannot operate. It has the ability to transform the way
services are organised and delivered. It has a fundamental role to play in improving
efficiency, reducing cost across the organisation and underpinning the organisational
change programme. The e-Services Strategy to 2015 sets out how we will ensure that
the council’s ICT infrastructure will support services in responding to these challenges.
- Image: Speaking to a customer.
1.4
We will continue the process of standardisation and simplification based on the premise
of a common infrastructure designed to enable local delivery suited to local
needs. Delivery will increasingly be through partnerships between public, private and
third sectors and this strategy enables greater interoperability to underpin this model.
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1.5
Demand for public services and expectations of levels of service are ever
increasing. Citizens and businesses expect the same levels of access and
personalisation that they see online from large private sector organisations such as
Amazon and Tesco. They expect to be able to access their services from multiple
locations and in ways that suit them. Our Strategy will place a strong emphasis on
providing choice in the way people access services. This will ensure maximum choice to
respond to individuals’ circumstances and preferences, and the provision of quick and
effective responses.
1.6
Our programme of embracing modern working practices, rationalising office
accommodation, eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and administration, and
supporting community based service delivery will drive efficiencies.
1.7
Investing in our people is a high priority. We will continue to improve the ICT skills of our
workforce and our communities, equipping them with the skills they need to enhance
their lives and their neighbourhoods. At the same time we will continually review the
replacement and upgrading of ICT hardware and systems to ensure that our workforce
has the right solutions for their work.
1.8
We will continue our development of a ‘connected community’ of life-long learners across
Wakefield, with equality of access to all, harnessing ICT to motivate and engage
learners, to enhance the skills of all citizens, and to continue the modernisation of our
schools and other centres of learning.
1.9
Where possible, the Council’s use of ICT will contribute to economic success of the
district, and facilitate the delivery of key initiatives including neighbourhood working and
total place.
1.10
Information security is a critical focal point within the strategy given the increase in the
amount of malware and the diverse ways that information can be shared. We place great
emphasis on protecting our systems against threats and maintain constant vigilance to
protect against any new threat. We will continue to invest in training and education for
our users, to raise awareness of security risks and to promote good data security
practice both at work and at home in their private lives.
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2
Self Service and Access
2.1
The Council is offering a choice in the way people access services.
2.2
Making the web the channel of choice for most citizens offers the opportunity to achieve
significant savings for the council, while at the same time offering a better service.
Face to face
Phone
Web
£8.23 per visit
£3.21 per call
£0.39 per visitor
Source: SocITMInsight (December
2009)
The financial case is powerful when one considers the cost of the three main channels.
Estimates vary, but one provided by SocITM shows:
2.3
To be successful in encouraging citizens to use web access to services and information
we need to ensure their experience is a positive one otherwise they will be unlikely to
return.
2.4
All access channels are to be supported by a fully integrated corporate Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) solution. The CRM infrastructure will provide a
consistent model for all customer contact across the Council. A master record of
customers (including businesses) is to be held and updated by the council to provide
consistent, accurate customer data to enable effective and efficient resolution of
customer enquiries. The information captured via CRM provides customer insight to
enable greater customer focus and tailored delivery of future services. Similarly the Land
and Property Gazetteer and the Street Gazetteer provide consistent property and
geographical location information. CRM will link the initial front line information to back
office specialists - fundamental in meeting customer requirements and expectations.
2.5
A key challenge will be to embrace the rapidly increasing use of smartphones. It is
estimated that 85% of all phones will be smartphones by 2013 with a wide range of
digital interactions being made via handheld devices
2.6
We are continuing the process of moving services into our telephone contact centre
(Contact Wakefield) to deal with a range of contacts including email, text messaging, and
digital TV. This approach will underpin the development of a modern high technology
contact centre in the Council’s new Westgate Office development.
2.7
Citizen access through the council’s buildings is being rationalised. Libraries and key
buildings provide assistance and free use of computers, broadband connections and
telephone access to services. Employees, elected members and citizens are able to use
the facilities and services on our websites from these locations.
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2.8
Access to services by the Internet and for reporting of emergencies is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. The Council intends that all services that can be efficiently
delivered electronically will be, including the development of self-service solutions. The
use of broadband and digital services is being promoted through marketing and publicity
to improve take up. Access for disabled people and excluded groups is an integral part of
the approach, and will be delivered through working with partner organisations.
- Image: www.wakefield.gov.uk
2.9
All access channels will capture management information on take-up and customer
satisfaction and we will use this information to continually review and improve services.
We will encourage the take-up of electronic channels. We will seek to reduce the highcost channels by marketing or incentivising the low-cost channels.
2.10
Access to services is to be further developed with external partners to simplify access to
both Council and external partner services. This includes co-locating Service Access
Points and reception desks with other public sector partners, routing telephone calls
between our Contact Centres, and integrating our web sites to provide joined-up public
services.
Did you know that our Web site has over quarter of a million visits
per month with 500 visitors accessing via Wakefield Interactive,
our digital interactive TV and Mobile Service?
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3
Modern Working Practices
3.1
The Worksmart programme is changing the way we work. The programme is delivering
significant efficiencies by introducing modern work styles such as hot-desking, mobile
working and home working, reducing and rationalising office accommodation and
eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and administration. The efficiencies achieved are
being invested into delivering improved services by increasing staff time allocated to
service delivery, greater contact with the customer and improved access to supporting
information.
3.2
The Council’s organisational review is an on-going programme covering all aspects of
the Council’s structure, services and cost base in order to ensure that the Council
operates in the most efficient and effective way possible. A key element of this
programme is the use of technology to improve productivity, service delivery and value
for money. Cashable savings achieved through new technologies will be identified and
captured.
3.3
Investment is being made into new technologies, equipping the mobile worker, home
worker and traditional office worker with the appropriate tools necessary to do their job.
Investment is being made into retained property to ensure it will support the new ways of
working and the expectations of a modern local authority. All new ICT projects will be
based on whole life costing with benefits and efficiency savings indentified in advance.
3.4
Staff are being equipped with the technology to go out into the community and link back
to council’s systems quickly and effectively. Our technical architecture supports staff
mobility, equipping them to go to customers, not customers to buildings. This underpins
community based services rather than building based services. To support this, security
of information and its communication is being continually reviewed and improved.
3.5
We are using facilities that are flexible and as future-proof as possible, reducing the
numbers of devices that someone needs to carry or use, integrating communications and
using wireless technologies wherever practical.
3.6
We will continue to invest in virtualisation of both desktop and servers to reduce cost and
improve efficiency. The service will embed ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure
Library), which is a set of concepts and practices for good practice in Information
Technology Services Management.
This will ensure:
Better general IT support of business operations.
A move from reactive to proactive management.
A clearer view of user and IT support roles and responsibilities
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For the Service Desk it will support:
More efficient working.
Improved staff utilisation.
Greater perceived IT benefit from users.
Improved first time fix rate.
Improved Incident Management
Reduced business impact of incidents by timely resolutions.
Reduction in reactive incident resolution activity.
3.7
Touch down points around the district provide hot-desking facilities for mobile staff and
are it intended that these eventually be integrated into the citizen’s Single Access Points.
3.8
We are co-locating Service Access Points and Contact Centres, and use joint
assessment frameworks and services to provide public services that cut across
organisational boundaries through closer working with partner organisations,
3.9
The service is driving a move to ‘paper-light’ policy (the ability to print where necessary,
but with minimal paper storage). This involves working with a managed service provider
to rationalise our printer and copier estate and minimising the use of paper. The strategy
seeks to reduce existing internal print costs by up to 25%.
3.10 We will continue to monitor technology developments in order to identify where they can
add value to services and citizens. We will ensure that the council maintains awareness
of how technology can help deliver corporate priorities and innovative approaches to
service delivery that support its business plans, service ambitions and the wider
organisational review. Fast changing technologies lead to opportunities for service
innovation and organisational design that might previously have been unimaginable.
Did you know that a team of 96 staff that adopted flexible working
is saving nearly 200,000 commuting miles a year (equating to 55
tonnes of carbon emissions)?
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4
Investing in our people
4.1
The Council will be seen as an employer of choice, attracting and retaining a high
calibre, ambitious workforce.
4.2
We are providing support in the creation of a workforce able to meet the changing
needs of the district and the council, improving capacity in relation to skills,
knowledge and behaviours driven through the competency and appraisal processes.
4.3
ICT is seen as a core competency. ICT competencies have been developed that
define minimum levels for all staff, councillors and pupils. These competencies
provide a basis for determining the necessary training to improve effective use of
ICT. Available resources limit the level of training and support that can be delivered
through traditional means so new ways of learning will be promoted including elearning and the use of local ‘champions’.
4.4
We are developing our workforce by providing learning activities that increase
confidence and competence in the use of ICT in the workplace, for leisure and at
home. The Council itself is developing as a learning organisation. Experiences,
good practice and lessons learned are shared across the Council and with external
partners.
4.5
We are providing services and technology to enhance the learning experience within
schools, learning centres, libraries, museums, galleries etc. placing the Council’s
learning centres at the forefront of the innovative use of Information and
Communication Learning Technologies. Developing local skills in digital
technologies will also raise the skills and confidence of local people to benefit their
lives and neighbourhoods.
- Image: Internet facilities in libraries.
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4.6
We have provided fast, reliable, sustainable broadband connectivity for our schools
and learning centres to the National Education Network (NEN) and we continue to
improve the performance and resilience of these links. Every learner and teacher
has access to a consistent set of resources, services and applications which are
being continually increased, improving the availability and use of high-quality
educational content, helping to ensure that schools maximise the return on their
investment in ICT.
4.7
We are working with our partners in the Yorkshire and Humber Broadband
Consortium and nationally to develop single user names and passwords for every
learner for the personalisation of learning.
4.8
We are transforming how people learn by harnessing the full potential of new
technology across all subjects and skill development, and embedding assessment
more appropriately within learning and teaching.
- Image: Children using IT in schools.
Did you know that e-Services support over 300 sites and over
10,000 PCs, of which half are in our schools? There is at least one
PC for every 6 primary school pupils and at least one PC for every 3
secondary pupils in Wakefield schools.
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5
Management Information and Data Security
5.1
The Internet has resulted in the Council, its partners and citizens having access to
unprecedented information. The Council requires accurate and timely information on
which to make informed decisions. Modern services require greater access and
sharing of information. Staff need to be able to work collaboratively across different
sites and with partners through the use of new technology. To support these
challenges, the Council will implement modern electronic document and records
management (EDRM) integrated with collaborative portals.
5.2
The Council will need to maximise the use and value of its data assets, both within
and beyond the Council. Core to this will be increased data transparency, publishing
and sharing information in a manner that is useful and interesting.
5.3
Managers will be able to obtain all
relevant information on demand
(self-service), and ensure that
decisions are taken in full light of
available knowledge (especially
service related knowledge).
5.4
Flexible, home and remote
working will continue to move the
Council forward in managing
performance by outputs and
results.
5.5
The Council will utilise corporate
workflow models to streamline
processes and transactions to
improve services and efficiency.
5.6
We will ensure that there is
effective data handling and
exchange across all areas of the
council and with our partners.
5.7
We are embedding across the
Council the principles of the
National Information Assurance
Strategy (NIAS) and will maintain
Government Connect security
standards to ensure that we
protect information and information
systems so that individuals and
organisations have confidence in
our ability to manage their
personal information securely.
- Image: e-Services Server Room.
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5.8
We are applying robust arrangements for authentication and security that are
compliant with nationally agreed standards. In addition we pro-actively monitor data
security in order to safeguard the Council’s information and system. This applies to
those elements of the systems that are internal to the Council and those provided by
external partners.
5.9
We continue to strengthen business continuity procedures and disaster recovery,
underpinned by regular testing of business continuity procedures.
Did you know that each year we prevent some 1 million malicious
attacks from infecting our networks thanks to our multi-tiered
security defences?
- Image: Working on a problem.
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6
Alternate Service Delivery Models
6.1
New systems and technology are enhancing partnership working, collaboration
(both internally and with partners) and facilitating improved information sharing.
6.2
We continue to deliver best of breed solutions and engage with partners where
necessary to add value and address shortage of skills or capacity. Importantly,
technology will strengthen corporate working and transformation, adopting a ‘One
Council, One Best Way’ approach.
6.3
We will continue to explore alternate service delivery models and introduce these
where they represent best value for the council. The ICT infrastructure and
contractual relationships with suppliers will need to be flexible in order respond to
the changing shape of the authority, whether this is outsourced services,
commissioned services, community ownership or shared services.
- Image: New Westgate Offices.
6.4
We are working in partnership with other authorities and public sector organisations
to explore the potential for shared service delivery. This includes developing a
regional model for ICT procurement in order to use collective buying power to
minimise costs.
6.5
ICT provides the channels to underpin shared services, opening opportunities to
bring together transactional services that are processed at regional and sub-regional
levels. This is exemplified by the Council’s commitment to the regional public sector
network project.
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6.6
Joint commissioning is being facilitated:
nationally through the Office of Government Commerce,
regionally though the Supplier and Contract Management System, the
Yorkshire and Humber Grid for Learning and the Smarter Procurement
programme.
sub-regionally through West Yorkshire Chief Information Officers Group.
6.7
We continue to leverage the benefits from working in partnership with other public
sector organisations. This includes engaging with user groups such as the LA CRM
user group, the Microsoft Shared Learning Group, SocITM and others. This enables
sharing best practice, innovation and development of new approaches to improve
the delivery of services and enhance democratic engagement.
6.8
We will continue to explore opportunities for emerging technologies and delivery
models, including:
external hosting of applications
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS)
the emerging Cloud technologies and public sector network
the increased use of mobile devices by citizens and social media such as
FaceBook, Twitter, blogging and more offer new ways to engage with citizens
Did you know that the Council has been using Facebook and
Twitter for several years to engage with citizens and share
information?
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7
Commitment to Green IT
7.1
We will continue to optimise our application portfolio. Only those applications that
are essential to running the organisation will be maintained. We will continue to
apply Application Lifecycle Management to ensure that for all systems there are
reviews in place to identify future development, replacement or cessation
requirements.
7.2
The use of existing applications and hardware will be maximised including reuse
where possible, and equipment disposal will meet WEEE requirements. Where
possible, third sector organisations are used for recycling of legacy equipment.
7.3
We take into account the total cost of ownership, including energy and disposal
costs, over the lifecycle of a device or system, not just the procurement cost. Where
possible, efforts will also be made to reduce the total cost of ownership through
leveraging existing applications and negotiating with suppliers.
7.4
Environmental criteria will be specified for all new devices including energy
consumption and robust energy management facilities.
7.5
We will develop and promote “paper-light” environments in which documents are
stored electronically and shared electronically rather than in paper format.
7.6
Other targeted benefits include reduction in travel costs and other environmental
benefits including reduction in CO2 emissions. We also map the additional social
and economic benefits that are being delivered through new technology.
7.7
We will continue the rolling programme of infrastructure, applications and desktop
refresh, moving towards an integrated voice, data and communications solution.
7.8
We are improving the efficiency of existing servers to ensure resilience and
performance, deploying desktop and server virtualisation which can extend the life
of desktop PCs. We provide drop in facilities for mobile staff supported by
appropriate levels of access to Council ICT resources.
7.9
Our printing strategy will reduce the need for print through adoption of electroniconly media and use of multi-function networked devices.
7.10
We continue to provide best value ICT technical support and procurement
frameworks.
7.11
We use recycled products wherever feasible.
7.12
We are integrating new technology into the design of new buildings to minimise
energy consumption and other running costs.
Did you know that we now ensure that all our new PCs, laptops and
printers are Energy Star compliant?
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Appendix A – Key Activities and Outcomes
The following summarises some of the improvements and changes users will see over the life
of this strategy.
Activity
Outcome
Through the use of ICT competences,
training and support we will ensure that the
Council’s workforce has the skills to make
the best use of technology.
Maximising productivity and changing the way
we work.
Development of a rolling desktop refresh
programme.
More modern PCs and laptops will improve
reliability and productivity.
Deployment of the latest operating systems
and desktop applications, initially for the
Westgate Office services followed by wider
corporate deployment.
Ensure the Council has modern, flexible
collaborative systems to optimise performance
and productivity and underpin modern flexible
working.
Further data centre modernisation including
virtualisation.
Improved reliability of servers and reduced
running costs.
Develop a modern transactional website or
portal integrated with corporate Customer
Records Management.
Improved self service for citizens with reduced
transaction costs for the authority.
Implementation of a modern Intranet with
Electronic Document and Records
Management plus digital mail handling.
Improved records management, access to data
and information, and collaboration.
Removal or replacement of remaining
legacy systems.
Improved management of systems and reduced
risk of failure.
Continue annual review of Information
Security requirements in the light of
changes in processes and practices.
Ensure data and information is managed
securely and that Business Continuity Plans are
effective.
Improve Help Desk responsiveness by
introducing self-service, e-forms and, in the
longer term, a new service desk application.
Improve productivity by improving the response
to problems and encouraging users to resolve
common issues themselves.
Review service performance, and
benchmark our performance internally and
externally.
Ensure we balance value for money with
performance and demonstrate value for money.
Leverage the benefits of emerging Cloud
solutions.
Reduction in overall total cost of ownership and
greater flexibility in sourcing and implementing
solutions.
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Appendix B - Glossary of terms
Term
Explanation
Active Directory
Used primarily in Microsoft Windows
environments. Its main purpose is to provide
central authentication and authorisation services
for Windows based computers.
BizTalk
A business process management (BPM) server.
Through the use of "adapters" which are tailored
to communicate with different software systems
used in a large enterprise, it enables companies
to automate and integrate business processes.
Offered by Microsoft
DirectGov
The UK government's website for citizens,
providing a single point of access to public sector
information and services.
Hot-desking
Hot-desking (or flexi-desking) involves one
workstation shared between several people who
use the facility at different times.
ICT
Information and Communications Technology
LA CRM
A customer management application developed
by local authorities for local authorities and
focuses uniquely upon that requirement.
LAN
Local Area Network - a computer network
covering a small geographic area, like a home,
office, or group of buildings.
MultiVue
Software which enables the unique identification
of a person, be it patient-based for the NHS, or
citizen-based for Local Authorities, across the
disparate systems within the organisation, or
even across organisational boundaries e.g.
Social Care & Health. This is achieved by
searching for an individual using a variety of
parameters to identify the person in question.
These parameters could be numeric identifiers or
other attributes such as date of birth, name,
address, etc.
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National Education Network (NEN)
An education specific broadband network
connecting Universities, schools and colleges in
England.
National Information Assurance Strategy
(NIAS)
A Government Strategy which aims to give
citizens, the government and organisations
confidence in the way in which the private and
public sector collects, uses and shares
information.
Office 2007 and Office 2010
Microsoft range of office software products.
Outlook Web Access
A webmail service.
SharePoint
A collaboration and document management
platform from Microsoft. It can be used to access
shared workspaces and documents.
VOIP
Voice over Internet Protocol is the routing of
voice conversations over the Internet or through
any other IP-based network.
WAN
Wide Area Network - used to connect LANs and
other types of networks together, so that users
and computers in one location can communicate
with users and computers in other locations.
Wi-Fi
A wireless technology brand owned by the Wi-Fi
Alliance intended to improve the interoperability
of wireless local area network products.
Yorkshire and Humberside Broadband
Consortium
Consortium of Local Authorities established to
deliver broadband connections and Internet
services to schools and other education
establishments in the region.
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