Management response and action plan: Audit of IT Client Services - Application Development and Maintenance

June 2012

Audit of IT Client Services - Application Development and Maintenance
Recommendations Management response and planned actions Deliverables Expected completion date Responsibility
Recommendation 1

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch, in consultation with client branches, define an enterprise architectural strategy for application development.
Management agrees with the recommendation.

The development of business reference models will establish a long term vision and will describe Health Canada's activities around common business functions (such as regulatory).

These models will promote departmental collaboration by establishing baseline information. This will provide the opportunity for the Department to collectively determine priority investments.
Regulatory Business Reference Model December 2012 Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Development of plan to move forward with additional program business reference models January 2013 CIO
Recommendation 2

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch establish a governance framework for all application development and maintenance.
Management agrees with this recommendation.

Management has already begun to use the Investment Planning and Reporting Framework to support application development.

The Investment Planning and Reporting Framework was recently approved by the Health Canada - Executive Committee.   This governance model identifies common business requirements related to projects.

The Information Management Services Directorate will also strengthen its internal governance model for application and development and maintenance project management.

The Information Management Services Directorate will define governance for both the Investment Plan and the Sustain (in-service) application maintenance activities.
All regional active application development projects are included in the Investment Plan April 2013 CIO
Project Delivery Office to produce a directive on gating process. The directive will cover risk management, reporting, architecture review and change management processes March 2013 CIO
Recommendation 3

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch develop service level agreements with branches for the maintenance and support of applications.
Management agrees with this recommendation.

Based on existing standards, the Information Management Services Directorate, in consultation with clients in Health Canada /Public Health Agency of Canada, will review all applications and ensure that they are categorized by risk.

The Information Management Services Directorate will review existing service standards and update them to address any gaps. The appropriate service level standard will then be identified and confirmed with application owners.
Review of existing service level standards December 2012 CIO
Applications are reviewed and assigned appropriate service levels for maintenance and support March 2013 CIO
Recommendation 4

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch develop controls and guidance, in consultation with branches, for business requirements, risk assessment, solution feasibility and approval.
Management agrees with the recommendation.

The Directorate has already begun developing guidance documents to improve development of business requirements, business processes, information technology risk assessment and solution feasibility and investment planning governance and oversight.

In addition, the Directorate will seek to enhance its internal capacity to provide ongoing advice and guidance on application development and maintenance requirements. Regional realignment of information management/information technology will also contribute to enhanced rigour.
Updated System Development Life Cycle is distributed to National Capital Region and regional information management/information technology staff March 2013 CIO
Recommendation 5

It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services Branch formalize the departmental system development lifecycle.
Management agrees with this recommendation. 

Various System Development Life Cycle documents already exist within the Information Management Services Directorate.  These existing documents will be used to build a formalized departmental System Development Life Cycle. 
Updated System Development Life Cycle is distributed to National Capital Region and regional information management/information technology staff March 2013 CIO

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