Government to go to common IT systems across all departments

[Greymatters]

'New agencies' in governments almost never lead to decreased costs or increased efficiency... 

 

[Occam]

From John Turner, ADM(IM):

On 4 August 2011, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, and the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, made an important announcement regarding the implementation of Shared Services Canada (SCC).

SCC was established to lead the streamlining and reengineering of email, data centre and network services. SSC has its own deputy minister and reports to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

At this time, only employees from PWGSC are being transferred to SCC. Within the next two months, SSC will consolidate the existing resources and personnel from 43 departments and agencies.

Details of this implementation as it pertains to the IM Group are still being worked through. As a result, the scope and extent of the impacts are still being determined. Your leadership is fully engaged in working through those details. As information on implementation details becomes available, organizations will be advised.

 

[McG]

'New agencies' in governments almost never lead to decreased costs or increased efficiency...

... especially if the new agency adds another layer of bureaucracy as opposed to reducing layers.

 

[OldSolduer]

From John Turner, ADM(IM):

My former OC and CO in the 90s. hMmmmmmm

 

[Greymatters]

... especially if the new agency adds another layer of bureaucracy as opposed to reducing layers.

I cant think of a single example where a new agency in Canada reduced the layers...or simplified communication, or improved coordination.

 

[Radop]

Maybe we will get a faster search engine on the DWAN....

 

[Colin Parkinson]

or everything goes into a RDMIN's with non searchable titles and numbers.

 

[Remius]

Well Shared Services came in to do some sort of migration and RDIMS was down for week.  Yeah, this will work...

 

[dapaterson]

Well Shared Services came in to do some sort of migration and RDIMS was down for week.  Yeah, this will work...

While it's convenient to point fingers at SSC, who built the infra so fragile that this could happen?  And who are the people at SSC who did the migration?  Mostly the former DND/CF folks who, had SSC not been created, would have been doing it anyways.

 

[Remius]

While it's convenient to point fingers at SSC, who built the infra so fragile that this could happen?  And who are the people at SSC who did the migration?  Mostly the former DND/CF folks who, had SSC not been created, would have been doing it anyways.

I don't care.  I just need to blame someone.  SSC, Range control or Fantasians. 

 

[dapaterson]

I blame Bill Gates.  Everything is the fault of Bill Gates.


For example, all those smug Apple fanbois?  If not for Bill Gates, they'd have no one to sneer at.  Therefore, Apple is the fault of Bill Gates.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I blame Bill Gates.  Everything is the fault of Bill Gates.


For example, all those smug Apple fanbois?  If not for Bill Gates, they'd have no one to sneer at.  Therefore, Apple is the fault of Bill Gates.

Gates only gave us the terminals, Fancy typewriters, if you will.

If Al Gore hadn't created the internet we wouldn't have these problems. He's really the one at fault, but dodges the issue now by being a climate change SME.

So many things to fuck up and so little time. ;D

 

[cupper]

Gates only gave us the terminals, Fancy typewriters, if you will.

But Gates also supposedly said we'd never need a computer with more than 1 MB of memory. And then proceeds to develop an operating system that sucks more memory than the programs that run under it.

I like to lay the blame at the feet of the dumb asses who feel that we need to advance technology just for the sake of advancement. For example, I rented a 2013 Ford Escape for a business trip last week, and it had the full electronic cockpit (less nav system) with the console touch screen. Nice, but all it does is create information overload and a distraction for the driver.

All the technology advances have done for me is that I am now finding myself yelling at my microwave to hurry up, because I can't wait the minute it takes to reheat my lunch. :nod:

 

[OldSolduer]

I like to lay the blame at the feet of the dumb asses who feel that we need to advance technology just for the sake of advancement. For example, I rented a 2013 Ford Escape for a business trip last week, and it had the full electronic cockpit (less nav system) with the console touch screen. Nice, but all it does is create information overload and a distraction for the driver.

That'll learn ya.  You should have rented a Dodge Ram or a Dodge Challenger. Ford.....I sneer at Fords.....except for the Mustang.

 

[cupper]

That'll learn ya.  You should have rented a Dodge Ram or a Dodge Challenger. Ford.....I sneer at Fords.....except for the Mustang.

You don't get much of a choice.

Ironically, I just picked up the exact same vehicle for my trip next week.  :nod:

 

[FJAG]

While it's convenient to point fingers at SSC, who built the infra so fragile that this could happen?  And who are the people at SSC who did the migration?  Mostly the former DND/CF folks who, had SSC not been created, would have been doing it anyways.

I left before this boondoggle initiative came about. I had serious doubts then about what ADM(IM)  could do to clean up the problems within DND's IT infrastructure and for the life of me I can't see what a pan government agency can do. IMHO the problem stemmed from an inability to create a single integrated system rather than the existing system of disparate systems. In large part I saw a dysfunctional personnel system that created very high turnover through job jumping amongst the most skilled workers which made adequate support and project implementation difficult at best.

For those still there: how are things going now?

:gottree:

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Gee it seems Shared Service forgot to pay our phone bill. Hopefully they will cut the phones and the internet at the same time so we can go party.

 

[PanaEng]

Gee it seems Shared Service forgot to pay our phone bill. Hopefully they will cut the phones and the internet at the same time so we can go party.

Growing pains; but seriously, it's mostly the same ppl that did it before - maybe is more about whose cost centre it comes out of.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Not in our case, they hoovered up PY's from the regions and departments and dumped them into Ottawa or where ever they lurk.

 

[c_canuk]

they are requiring justification and a secondary approval stream for a free blackberry upgrade if we ask for one with a car charger and a belt clip. To question the inclusion of  $19.95 in accessories they are creating red tape parade that ads 3 days to the process.

The justifications I put in are "The purpose of the BB is to provide comms while away from desk. Needs car charger to charge BB. Belt case protects device when away from desk saving on costly repairs" I mean isn't that common sense... if you don't need a car charger for your BB, you probably don't need a BB. If you don't have a case to put it in, it will be scratched and useless in weeks.

Never had a single justification come back denied.

They told us a while back that we couldn't bring cell phones or BBs out of country. My reply was that while SCC took it upon themselves to pay the bills, they don't give us our mandate or outrank the MND or PMO.

If a CO wanted to pay out of discretionary funding to make sure there was a comm link with far flung pers that's his prerogative and SCC taking payment away from us doesn't change that. If they don't want to pay for it, bill the f'ing fin code we provided.

They tried to get us to bill the BGen personally for 80 bucks in roaming/long distance charges while he was sent on course to the states.

It used to be the local IT rep watched the bills and the local unit fin code holder made you pay for frivolous calls. Now one dept wants to screen every bill over 50 bucks and then get the local IT rep to look at the bill and the local fin code holder collect for frivolous calls on their behalf.

All the SCC staff working here were already working here.

I'm not seeing any efficiency or savings here.