Ontario government receives I&IT Task Force report recommendations
Ontario Government Receives I&IT Task Force Report Recommendations That Will Help Ensure Large I&IT Projects Are Well Managed
TORONTO, July 28 /CNW/ - The report of a special task force on large-scale government information and information technology (I&IT) projects will help ensure future government I&IT initiatives are managed more effectively and efficiently, said Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips after receiving the report today.
"I would like to thank the task force members for the considerable amount of time and energy they put into this initiative," said Phillips. "We very much agree with the overall thrust of the report, and we think it provides an important blueprint for action."
Large-scale I&IT projects are defined as being multi-million dollar in scope that require significant system development and have a major impact on the delivery of government business. The purpose of this report was to provide recommendations to the government that will help ensure the right steps are in place to manage future I&IT initiatives.
The task force was formed last fall and was led by L. Denis Desautels, former auditor general of Canada. Other members of the task force were Carol Stephenson, dean of the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, David Johnston, president of the University of Waterloo and Howard Dickson, Government Chief Information Officer for the Government of Hong Kong, Special Administration Region.
"We agree with the Task Force's overarching recommendation that major business transformations need strong executive leadership and project management," said Phillips. "Our recent appointment of a Deputy Minister responsible for business transformation and public service modernization is an indication of how seriously we take this priority."
The government will study the report and its recommendations in detail and will respond in full in three months. Minister Phillips announced that as an initial and immediate response to the report the government will also:
- Create a portfolio management approach of major I&IT projects currently underway in the government
- Design and implement a "scorecard" system for all I&IT submissions to Management Board of Cabinet (MBC) to assess risk, business case readiness and alignment with government priorities
- Institute quarterly status reports to MBC on major I&IT projects
- Adopt a "gateway review process" for projects under development to ensure that projects stay on track and do not proceed before they are ready
- Implement a standardized training program for project managers and a standardized project management methodology and require all large I&IT projects to use a consistent methodology
- Ensure that all large I&IT projects undergo a post-mortem within three months of the end of the project. This information will be reported to MBC on a quarterly basis and shared with all project management and OPS leaders.
"Large-scale I&IT projects are complex by their very nature and all organizations face challenges with the management of these projects," said Phillips. "Our goal is to improve our project management capacity so we can receive value for money while providing the best possible services to the people of Ontario."
The task force report is available on the Ministry of Government Services' website at www.mgs.gov.on.ca.