May 2010
Previous page | Table of Contents | Next page
Overall, CIOB accepts the observations, findings and recommendations of the Audit of Governance of Specialized IT Resources, which reflect a lower level of maturity for IM & IT governance within EC.
Current and expected future fiscal constraints make it timely to revisit, review and update EC’s associated management structures and supporting processes, in order to provide EC executives with the insight and information required for assurance of optimal IM & IT resource investment decisions in service to EC strategic imperatives and program priorities.
CIOB’s three-year IM & IT plan, 2010–2011 business plans, and program of work are consistent with and address maturity improvements in many of the recommended areas to be addressed in this audit, with the pace of implementation subject to budget allocations and resource demands.
In considering the audit report’s recommendations, CIOB’s management action plan takes the following key factors into account:
The CIOB Management Action Plan contains four components that address the recommendations outlined in the audit report. Please note that completion dates are subject to consultation on the Management Action Plan with programs/clients, and on confirmation of CIOB’s 2010–2011 budget allocation.
With respect to recommendation 8 the success of this recommendation is contingent upon guidelines that should be developed by CIOB, e.g. a document that describes the departmental metadata repository and provide guidelines to Branches regarding what should be included in the repository. That said, the MSC will continue to work with CIOB in supporting sustainable, accessible and robust data management approaches.
MSC collects and manages large volumes of near real time, through to historical data, which are essential in delivering weather, water, air quality and climate related products and services. A robust data management framework is essential for ensuring that our business objectives are met. This includes our obligation to share meteorological and other data, with, for example, the World Meteorological Organization on an ongoing basis that conforms to international standards and approaches.
The MSC will continue to collaborate with CIOB on the development of the Data Management Framework and other approaches to oversee data management, such as the metadata repository. The Data Management framework will ensure the metadata required for this repository is available.
As well, the development and implementation of the Asset and Life-Cycle Management system will ensure that metadata reflects and supports life-cycle management of the networks.
With respect to recommendation 11 the MSC People Plan focuses on succession planning, training, and retention of all MSC employees, including the specialized IM/IT resources. In particular:
Within the MSC there are two main areas where specialized imbedded CS resources are essential in contributing ongoing specialized expertise to support core program outcomes; both within the Weather and Environmental Prediction and Services Directorate.
Recruitment of the required experts, training, and succession needs are of key concern to the operational success of the environmental prediction system (which includes an in-depth understanding of the numerical weather prediction model suite and science; international modeling science, advanced and complex data stream management and; interfacing with complex informatics systems, as well as understanding the desired science program outcomes for example the air quality index or new marine program products).
It takes years to develop this combination of expertise and is largely developed through the work environment once hired. The MSC will continue to ensure that the appropriate on the job training takes place to retain and develop our embedded CS experts. It should be noted that turn over in these Division is much lower than the EC average, making it even more important that the Directors ensure that their staff career development is fully supported, and managed.
With this in mind, the Prediction Development Division and Prediction Operations Division are currently developing Human Resource plans which focus on the evolving needs of the Divisions, including the CS' who work in each Division; anticipated completion date March 2012.
MSC will work with CIOB to ensure that both Branches have a common understanding of the existence of training materials, standards and processes and its accessibility to all EC CS staff.
In the absence of existing material, the MSC will rely on the CIO Branch to develop and provide consistent training material to the MSC. When official Departmental training exists, and is offered to Branch staff, MSC will ensure that their CS' are trained on the departmental architecture, standards and processes that are implicated in their day to day work (as opposed to normal "run" oriented desk top operations).
MSC is committed to ensuring that the work of their CS' is high quality, meets program needs and respects standards. MSC will work with CIOB to define what is considered "properly qualified staff" in the context of the both program operational needs and CIOB governance goals.
With respect to recommendation 8 S&T Branch agrees with this recommendation and will work with CIOB to ensure that departmental databases under our control are represented in the corporate metadata repository.
With respect to recommendation 11 S&T Branch agrees with this recommendation and notes that policies and processes are already in place to support their implementation.
The Branch is currently developing a leadership development and succession planning framework to ensure that the Branch is able to recruit, develop and retain capacity in key areas. We will look at using this framework, as well as other succession planning activities in the Branch to meet this recommendation.
S&T Branch will have in place learning plans for all its employees, and the Branch will work with CIOB to ensure that the recommended elements are included in the training and development plans of embedded IM/IT staff.
The Branch continuously works with HR to maintain a high quality in our staffing processes to ensure we are employing highly qualified staff.
With respect to recommendation 8 we will get a complete list of departmental databases that are under ESB control and determine who the responsible DGs are.
Ensure that any relevant databases in ESB are represented in the corporate metadata repository.
With respect to recommendation 11 we will, as a first step, get a complete list of all CS positions, if any that are within ESB control and to which DG they report to.
Determine what is the specialized skill set required for the position(s). Ensure that the position(s) requirements is/are carried out by properly qualified employee(s) and determine if additional training is required
Make certain that employees in these positions have the sufficient training on departmental architecture, standards and processes. If not, ensure that they take any necessary training.
10 “the above” refers to the relative risks arising from the audit reports recommendations
Previous page | Table of Contents | Next page