Homeland Security. Oversight of Neglected Human Resources Information Technology Investment Is Needed
Human resources IT investments get stuck in management's lack of interest Although the Human Resources Information Technology (HRIT) investment was initiated about 12 years ago with the intent to consolidate, integrate, and modernize the department's human resources IT infrastructure, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made very limited progress in achieving these goals. HRIT's minimally involved executive steering committee during a time when significant problems were occurring was a key factor in the lack of progress. This is particularly problematic given that the department's ability to efficiently and effectively carry out its mission is significantly hampered by its fragmented human resources. DHS's ineffective management of HRIT, such as the lack of an updated schedule and a life-cycle cost estimate, also contributed to the neglect this investment has experienced. DHS will be limited in efficiently tracking and reporting accurate, comprehensive performance and learning management data across the organization, and could risk further implementation delays.
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Federal Agencies Need to Address Aging Legacy Systems
Be aware of legacy IT risks The US government spends about 75 percent of the total amount budgeted for information technology on operations and maintenance. GAO reviewed Office of Management and Budget and 26 agencies, covering years 2010 through 2017 and recommends to develop a goal for spending measure and finalize guidance to identify and prioritize legacy IT needing to be modernized or replaced.
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IT Support in the Judicial Chain
The Swedish National Audit Office has examined how well agencies in the judicial chain have handled known flaws in their IT support and whether the Government’s control mechanisms have provided ... the agencies with sufficient prerequisites to expand and improve IT support. ... ... Needed: good conditions by government, better steering and control by authorities ... Despite many years’ of work to modernize the IT support within the judiciary, there are still many deficiencies. The Government has not given the authorities good conditions enough to lead the work ... . The authorities, in their turn, need to improve their steering and control, as well as interact to a much higher degree.
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The Ministry of the Environment lacks a compact information system and still uses 125 separate information systems and databases
The objective of the audit was to scrutinise the management of funds earmarked for the purchase and administration of ICT within the MoE and selected organisations which come under the management ... of the MoE. The audit identified the following risks: (1) non-existence of the Integrated environmental information system (IEIS) as an independent information system; (2) purchase of ICT, within the budget ... chapter of the MoE, through a state co-funded organisation CENIA which comes under the management of the MoE; (3) utilisation of the information systems. The audited period was 2010 to 2013; where relevant ... ... Ministry of the Environment manages 125 information systems and databases ... The Ministry of the Environment (MoE) has for more than 20 years a legal obligation to administer and manage an Integrated Environmental Information System (IEIS). In spite of this fact, the existing ... systems (more than 125 information systems and databases) are designed, implemented and managed as individual information systems without a direct integration into a joint point of reference.
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Effectiveness of the execution of the eHealth project
The Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia has audited how effectively the Ministry of Health had managed the project eHealth - the national plan for developing information system support ... to the national public health system in the period between 1st of January 2004 and 26th of September 2013. The audit has focused on the effectiveness of the Ministry in achieving the project’s goals, time ... management, management of the human resources and financial oversight. The goal of the Ministry was to implement a modern information system, which would support secure eHealth operations and effective ... ... Clear concept, good planning and financial control are indispensable conditions for a successful IT project ... The Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia analysed a Government eHealth project. Its goal was to implement a modern information system, which would support the health services and health related ... data. The Court has pointed at a long list of project management fundamentals to be corrected.
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Electronic Health Records - VA Needs to Identify and Report Existing System Costs
Difficulties after 30 years of decentralized development The US Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care services to approximately 9 million veterans and their families. However, the IT system they use is more than 30 years old, is costly to maintain, and does not fully support exchanging health data. The US GAO, analyzed the system's modenization plans and found serious problems with definition and cost estimation.
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Improved Planning and Performance Measures Are Needed to Help Ensure Successful Technology Modernization
Massive modernization effort needs coordination Social security issues can touch lives of many. Information technology in this area are increasingly costly and difficult to maintain. GAO is recommending to develop comprehensive metrics to effectively gauge modernization progress; complete comprehensive strategic planning, including its enterprise architecture; and define the new roles and responsibilities to help ensure effective oversight.
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The Shared Services Centre
The necessary environment for the efficient management of the Shared Service Center is lacking The department's administration of the Shared Services Centre (SSC) has been effective for sharing resources between the departments and delivering selected back-office services to a small client base. However, the governance arrangements established to oversight the SSC have not positioned it well for the future and the departments have not yet determined if the arrangement is efficient and resulting in savings. ANAO found instances where the advisory board of SSC was not consulted or involved in decisions relating to the strategic direction, financial arrangements and expenditure priorities. Information reported to the board did not focus on areas of strategic importance and the quality and completeness of this information could be improved. The mechanisms established for setting out responsibilities and obligations and ensuring transparency for services delivered by the SSC was weak. Service standards and levels were not fixed and can change. The delineation of responsibilities between the SSC and its clients was not clear and there was no commitment by the SSC to certify the quality of its control framework.
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