Business Process Management, Enterprise Application Integration, Payroll,
You just need to write on the analysis part given below in the photo about 1000 +/- words and 4-5 presentation slides based on these analyses.
You can find useful those points as important–Two years delay –300% cost overrun (over budget) –Incorrect payments to 76,000 employees –Ineffective project governance –Unclear business requirements
•The QLD government was intended to produce a –Centralizing IT management and operations –Simplifying systems and business processes –Adopting a uniform set of business applications and common set of computer technology platform – •IBM Australia was the prime contractor
Queensland Health Payroll system
A case study on business process management
and application enterprise integration
Raul Manongdo
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
raul .manongdo@students.mq.edu.au
Keywords: Business Process Management, Enterprise Application Integration, Payroll,
Queensland Health, Process Modeling
Abstract. In March 2010, the Queensland Health implemented the first stage of a planned
two-stage implementation of its new rostering and payroll solution. This entailed replacing
the ageing ESP Kronos rostering system and out-of-support LATTICE payroll system with
Workbrain and SAP, respectively, as part of an initiative to introduce statewide centralized
shared services to government agencies. The state agency responsible for management was
CorpTech under the state’s treasury department and the prime contractor selected for deliv-
ery was IBM Australia. [1] [4]
The outcome was described as a spectacular failure in many aspects; delayed delivery by al-
most two years, at least 300% over-budget, incorrect payments to 76,000 employees and
performance issues that necessitated significant more investments to fix and stabilize.[1][7]
Numerous reviews from various perspectives on legal, public administration, audit and tech-
nical were made, engaging subject matter experts and independent bodies. The consensus
reached was the failure can be attributed to an ineffective project governance, unclear busi-
ness requirements and the few business processes for supporting the project development
cycle were not adhered to and knowingly by-passed by all parties. [1]
It would had been better if the existing business process were discovered, modeled, opti-
mized and shared to all stake holders. This would form the basis for the ‘To Be system and a
more clear terms for engagement with stakeholders and external contractors. Business pro-
cess suite in support of development and implementation could have been introduced to in-
clude activity monitoring and control.
The risk of failure could had been mitigated by using a a proven and well tested integration
framework; using a partner API between vendor products or better still, adopting an open
web-based standards in a Service Oriented Architecture.
____________________
Analysis:
The implementation of the Queensland Health Payroll system by the QLD government, with IBM Australia as the prime contractor, resulted in a series of significant challenges and failures. Several key issues can be identified based on the information provided:
Two years delay: The project suffered from a significant delay, extending the implementation timeline by almost two years. This delay indicates a lack of effective project management and coordination among the stakeholders involved. It suggests that proper planning, resource allocation, and risk management were not adequately addressed.
300% cost overrun: The project exceeded its budget by at least 300%, indicating a significant financial failure. This cost overrun points to poor estimation, budget control, and monitoring mechanisms during the project’s execution. It suggests that financial management and oversight were lacking, resulting in inefficient use of resources.
Incorrect payments to 76,000 employees: The new payroll system had flaws that led to incorrect payments for a large number of employees. This indicates a failure in system testing, quality assurance, and validation processes. It suggests that the system’s functionality and accuracy were not adequately verified before deployment, resulting in financial and trust issues for the employees affected.
Ineffective project governance: The failure of the Queensland Health Payroll system can be attributed to ineffective project governance. This implies a lack of clear roles, responsibilities, decision-making structures, and communication channels among the project stakeholders. The absence of proper governance mechanisms led to misalignment, confusion, and inadequate oversight throughout the project lifecycle.
Unclear business requirements: The project suffered from unclear business requirements, which implies a lack of thorough analysis and documentation of the organization’s needs. Unclear requirements can lead to misunderstandings, inappropriate system design, and implementation gaps. It suggests that the project team failed to adequately engage and involve the stakeholders in requirement gathering and validation processes.
To address these issues and improve the chances of success in future endeavors, the following recommendations can be made:
Comprehensive business process discovery and modeling: Before embarking on any system implementation, it is crucial to conduct a thorough analysis of existing business processes. This analysis should include process discovery, documentation, and optimization to ensure that the new system aligns with the organization’s needs and requirements.
Improved stakeholder engagement: Effective stakeholder engagement is essential for project success. Engaging stakeholders from the early stages of the project, including business process modeling and requirement gathering, helps to ensure their needs are understood and incorporated into the system design and implementation.
Adoption of industry-standard integration frameworks: To mitigate the risks associated with system integration, it is recommended to adopt proven and well-tested integration frameworks. Partner APIs between vendor products or leveraging open web-based standards in a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) can facilitate seamless integration and reduce the likelihood of integration-related failures.
Enhanced project governance and oversight: Establishing effective project governance mechanisms is critical. This includes clear roles and responsibilities, well-defined decision-making processes, and regular communication channels. Adequate project oversight and monitoring should be implemented to track progress, identify issues early, and take corrective actions promptly.
Rigorous testing and quality assurance: Thorough testing and quality assurance processes are essential to ensure the system’s functionality, accuracy, and performance. Robust testing methodologies, including end-to-end testing, user acceptance testing, and performance testing, should be implemented to identify and rectify any issues before system deployment.
By implementing these recommendations, future projects can improve their chances of success, reduce risks, and achieve the desired outcomes within the allocated budget and timeline.
Presentation slides:
Slide 1: Introduction
Title: Queensland Health Payroll System: A Case Study on Business Process Management and Enterprise Application Integration
Presenter: Raul Manongdo
Affiliation: Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
