technical module: common ict (information, communication & technology) common services and...
TRANSCRIPT
Technical Module:Common ICT (Information, Communication & Technology)
Common Services and Harmonized Business Practices ToT14-17 September 2010
unite and deliver effective support for countries
What is the UNDG ICT Task Team?
Supports Deliver as One (DaO) pilot countries in their ICT harmonization initiatives
Mission:Provide continued direct support to pilot country implementationsAddress country-level common ICT service needsDevelop and publicize guidelines and templates for Delivering as One in ICTPropose capacity building measures that support other UNDAF offices
DaO ICT Guidelines
Created for UNCT and ICT to identify action plan for an ICT harmonization initiative
Focuses on:Improving efficiencies in delivery of UN ICT servicesLeveraging ICT in support of core UN businessEstablishing a technical foundation for country-level collaboration and information & knowledge sharing
Provides step by step process and lessons learned from DaO key pilots
Goal of the DaO ICT Guidelines
Improve efficiency and effectiveness in delivery of UN ICT services
Leverage ICT in support of core UN business
Establish technical foundations for collaboration, information, and knowledge sharing among the UN agencies and stakeholders
Assure Quality of Services
DaO ICT Guidelines Contents
1. Introduction: Background and General Strategy
2. Organizing for Delivering as One
3. Preparing for Delivering as One ICT Projects
4. Implementing Delivering as One ICT Projects
5. Supporting Shared ICT Services
6. Technical Guidelines
7. Annexes
Business Perspectives of ICT
Capabilities, services, and infrastructure tend to be developed and deployed in parallel, as per agency-specific requirements
Independent management of basic communications and standardize business processes may detract resources from substantive value-added services to marginal activities
Delivering as One in ICT is a mandate for inter-agency cooperation to leverage existing agency investments in ICT infrastructure and resources
Introduction
Key Benefits for DaO in ICT
Improve overall ICT response to business needs
Increase ICT value for money
Synergies gained through collective strengths
Improved business continuity posture
Improve ICT staff professionalism and motivation
Enhance communication, redundancy, and information security
Introduction
Risks for DaO in ICT
Increased operational expense without additional services
Unsustainable shared services
Lack of governance and business foundation for shared services
Additional stress to ICT resources
Introduction
General Strategy for DaO ICT project
Set up ICT Working Group
Identify existing & future needs
Identify key ICT assets
Identify gaps in ICT services
Consult with guidance & cases
Follow business case approach
Follow project based approach for changes
Establish sustainable mechanisms for support
Introduction
Organizing for DaO in ICT
Establish UNCT Commitment
Establish local ICT Working Group
Identify ICT Opportunities and Gaps
Conduct a Joint ICT Assessment
Identify Potential ICT Efficiencies & Value Added Services
Assess Sustainability Issues
Present Roadmap to UNCT
Organizing
Establish UNCT Commitment
Benefits of ICT harmonization recognized at agency level
UNCT or OMT appoints ICT focal points from each agency
Time and resources provided for ICT focal points to meet
Organizing
Local ICT Working Group
Formed by ICT focal points from each agency
Small agencies may wish to delegate to other agencies
ICT WG reports to OMT/UNCT
Sample TORs (Annex A in Guidelines)
Guidance can be sought from UNDG ICT Task Team through UNCT [email protected]
Organizing
Working Group Collaboration
Organizing
ICT Opportunities and Gaps
Analyze current and future ICT operational needs
Inventory of all Agency considerations
Optimize use of existing assets
Share resources
Identify cost reduction opportunities
Identify new services
Conduct a risk assessment
Organizing
Joint ICT Assessment
Goals: Shared understanding of ICT infrastructure
and services
Identification of common providers
Identification of ICT needs
Sharing of agency running costs and upgrade plans
Understanding of UN ICT staff resources
Organizing
Efficiencies and Value Added Services
Localtelecommunicati
ons
Training Resource
s
Connectivity
FinancialControl Systems
Equipment
procurement &
maintenance
SecurityTelecom
munications
End-user &
desktop support services
Shared Data
Centre
Contingency
facilities
Organizing
Assess Sustainability Issues
Cost and management issues of any shared ICT project requires assessment
Key Factors on consider:
Maintenance and operational costs
Cost sharing mechanism
Support structure
Defining investment worth, risks and benefits
Organizing
ICT Road Map
Steps and strategies to take advantage of ICT opportunities (collaboration of ICT WG and OMT)
Includes:
Results of joint ICT assessment
Potential efficiencies and value added services
Sustainability issues
Endorsement by UNDG ICT Task Team
Presented to & Supported by UNCT
Organizing
Preparing the DaO ICT Project
Prepare the Business Case
Leverage Business &Task Team support
Gain UNCT approval for Business Case
Funding ICT changes & investments
Preparing
The Business Case
Basis for UNCT to decide which ICT projects should be selected for implementation during the next UNDAF/programming cycle
Drafted by ICT WG
Realistic , Accurate and Practical
Tangible (versus intangible benefits)
Validated by all Agencies
Approved by the UNCT before implementation
Preparing
Business Case-Table of Contents
a. Executive Summary
b. Vision and Organizational Objectives
c. Purpose/ Stake holder statements
d. Situational Assessment
e. Assumptions, Constraints, Risks
f. Statement of Business Requirements
g. Analysis of Solutions/Scenarios
h. Financial Analysis
i. Sustainability Plan
Preparing
Leveraging Support
ICT WG role to leverage support
Local financial expertise to validate calculations
Share ICT road map and Business case with UNDG
ICT Task team
Present Business Case to OMT & UNCT
Focus on ROI
Flexible options for Agencies
Preparing
Funding for DaO in ICT
ICT projects usually funded as one-time investments from RCO
Limited to No Funds from Agency HQ
Investigate other sources: Direct Donor Funding, Multilateral Donations Options for Other Countries
No funds = No implementation
Other non-Financial Resources
Not all projects require funding (process improvement)
Preparing
Implementing the ICT Project
Identify Project Service Agency
Create Project Methodology & Plan
Establish Project Governance
Gain Commitment
Review Technical Guidance
Implement the ICT Project
Implementing
Project Service Agency
Drives the ICT project (organize, implement & complete)
Agency is nominated after discussion with ICT WG
Significant country-level ICT presence and/or expertise
Full support of local country representatives to DaO goals
Able to dedicate a portion of its ICT resources to support the DaO project
Implementing
Project Plan
Prepared by Project Manager with ICT WG
Includes: milestones, critical path, challenges, resource requirements, time requirements and financial requirements
Recommended standard: Prince 2 and PMBO
Elements: project tracking; communication and reporting; procurement, assets and resource management; risk management; closure and hand over (if applicable).
Implementing
Project Governance
Governance Board- independent management oversight and direction recommended for larger scale and complex projects
Board validates changes & evaluates project goals & deliverables
Project Service Agency manages project funding & reports this to UNCT and Board
UNCT approval of high-level concepts in project plan
UNCT kept informed of high-level status of the project
Implementing
Gaining Commitment
Two key steps in developing a Stakeholder Engagement Plan:
Step 1 – Identify key stakeholders and their views
Step 2 – Develop strategies for engaging stakeholders
Implementing
Technical Guidance
UNDG ICT Task team support:
Technical guidelines with regards to design in various areas (e.g. network security)
Specific technical support through joint missions
Review of project design documents
Implementing
Implementing the ICT Project
No funds = No project startFunds commitment needed from AgenciesEnsure plan has minimum project elements (project
tracking; communication and reporting; procurement, assets and resource management; risk management; closure and/or hand over
Project Manager tasks: Keep ICTWG and UNCT/OMT up-to-date Track benefits and ensures ongoing validity Manage and assign issues Manage risks Send out monthly status reports
Implementing
Supporting Shared ICT Services
Define the Service Management Strategy
Define the Service Catalogue
Define the Service Management Model
Define the UN Service Agreement
Define the Financial Model
Service Management Governance
Supporting
Service Management Strategy
Developed by ICT WG and Project Manager ITIL used as a best practice Outlines who (service manager) and how services will
be managed (operation, maintenance, changes, monitored, improvements)
Inter- Agency service catalogue Identifies the project service agency Common Service Operations Centre Outsourcing operation/management of servicesUN Service Agreement (SA) between UNCT & SMFinancial model- see considerations and case studyService Management Board
Supporting
Service Management Models
Supporting
Service Agency
Common Service
Operations Centre
Outsourcing
Service Management ModelsModel: Service Agency
Pros•Easy to set up •Potential for reduced management overhead •Use of existing agency financial mechanisms for cost-recovery •Can leverage agency resources for service peak/surge capacity needs •Build up on an existing infrastructure if possible (multiple agency service provider given existing capacity and expertise) •Potential for Long Term service delivery and sustainabilityRisks•Staff assigned to manage the service may prioritize agency-specific duties over shared service tasks •Changes in Agency presence and capacity may dilute the ability to deliver service
Supporting
Service Management ModelsModel: Common Services Centre
Pros•Managing, Support and delivery of services is well identified and is independent of any single agency •Potential for enhanced collaboration among the technical support team •Consolidated view of service provision in country Risks•New Approach at country level (untested within the UN) •Agency resistance to this approach and Policy restrictions •Accountability framework not in place •Undefined Linkage with the existing regional/global service centres of individual agencies •May incur higher resource overhead •Additional facilities and working space required
Supporting
Service Management ModelsModel: Outsourcing
Pros•Takes responsibility for overall project•Responsible for operation and management of one or more shared services•Employ existing and best practice service management mechanisms and governanceRisks•Third party access to UN sensitive information and networks •May Incur higher expenses to operate the service •Lack of third party local capacity to manage such projects •Weak governance which could lead to decrease in quality of service •Agencies IT policies and standards may not be met
Supporting
Technical Guidelines
See Guidelines for Dao in ICT Section 6, page 23
Annexes- Sample Templates
See Guidelines for Dao in ICT Section 7, page 38
Harmonizing ICT & Business Practices
Country Office ICT Objectives:Enhance ICT partnership to the business as an enabler and facilitatorIncrease the quality of service by establishing a common approach to ICTAllow all country offices seamless exchange of information and harmonized infrastructureImplement ICT Best Practices in Delivering as OneProvide same level of ICT services to all UN agencies
Country Office Mission:Increase UN Coherence, harmonization and effectiveness at thecountry level (one programme, leader, etc.)
Thank you
In 2007 eight pilot countries volunteered to test Delivering as One (DaO)
UNDG-HLCM Country-level Business Practice Review
Key Findings related to ICT Recommendations
ICT staff not empowered for change Use “UNDG Delivering as One in ICT” Guidance to implement a business-aligned change approach, linking local ICT WGs to the RC/CMT structure
Limited capacity to carry out business and technical changes
Enhance inter-agency capacity to support both business and technical challenges of country level ICT change projects
Limited IT support for new, shared processes
Enhance use of IT as a programme-enabler by looking at standard solutions to support new processes and information requirements
Common procurement of basic ICT components hampered by limited standardization among agencies
Enhance standardization by developing common service catalogues and shared specifications for “commodity” ICT equipment
Timeliness of gaining HQ approval for changes related to inter-agency ICT projects
Establish agency pre-approvals for standard ICT service agreements
Network Architecture & Security Guidelines
Network Architecture workshop took place at WHO Headquarters in Geneva (May 2010)
Eleven Network and IT Security architects participated, representing 6 agencies
Draft document completed and currently under review
Final version ready by mid September 2010
Guidelines to be reviewed and continuously updated in view of experience from newly implemented sites
Network Architecture & Security Guidelines
Scope of guidelines:
Local Area Networks (common LAN, small to large
offices)
Shared Wireless Access
Common Voice communications
Metropolitan Area Networks
Shared Connectivity
Network Security
Network Architecture & Security Guidelines
Objective:
To develop a comprehensive guide for network
design that can be used in all possible "Deliver as
One" locations with different physical and business
requirements, based on latest industry standards
Network Architecture & Security Guidelines
Key requirements: Flexibility of architecture, can be applicable to all DaO scenarios
Facilitate effective collaboration and information sharing between
agencies
Provide high quality inter-agency voice and video communications
Maintain individual agencies' security standards and ensure
separation of individual agencies' traffic and networks
Ensure higher availability and performance of IT infrastructure
Provide higher level of security
Reduce operational costs by sharing network infrastructure and
connectivity
Improve support by standardization and joint support arrangements
Support mobility of staff within a DaO site and abroad