7.3: Information services

The 1997-1998 Portfolio Budget Statements, informs Senators and Members of Parliament of the proposed allocation of resources to portfolios outcomes and their objectives and targets including the agencies within the Health and Family Services portfolio.

In this section:

Budget Measures

Objective

To advance corporate objectives through improved access to information and improved management of information issues.

Priority outcomes

Provide solutions to meet departmental information needs that are:
- timely;
- high quality; and
- cost effective.
Information Services (IS) supplied to departmental clients represent best value for money.
Effectively manage and implement changes to information needs arising from the Government's initiatives in the IS area and other government directions.
More effective collaboration between IS providers, Programs and business units with the aim of achieving improved alignment of business and IS management.

Strategies

In accord with Government directions, implement revised arrangements for the delivery of information services through maximum use of competitive arrangements to promote and support a contestable environment for the delivery of information services to departmental clients.
Investigate emerging technologies and new business processes and their applicability to achieving productivity gains and more cost-effective services.
Provide strategic assistance to portfolio business units in their transition to a more commercial operating environment.
Successfully integrate the information services and corporate services functions.

Performance assessment: indicators and targets

Effectiveness

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Suitability of the information services supplied in meeting the business needs of clients (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 1)	Clients rate level of suitability as improved	Client surveys undertaken Every six months Quarterly meetings with service level agreement clients
Service performance levels (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 2)	Performance levels for all services equal to or better than the levels negotiated in service level agreements with Programs and business units	Quarterly meetings with client groups Help Desk and availability statistics Monthly
Management and implementation of change flowing from whole of government initiatives for the provision and management of Information Technology (Priority Outcome 3; Strategies 1, 2)	Revised arrangements are implemented on schedule, within budget and meet service level agreements to the satisfaction of key stakeholders Office of Government Information Technology schedule achieved	Quarterly meetings with client groups Internal reporting systems Annual
Satisfaction of business units in relation to assistance with transitional arrangements (Priority Outcome 4; Strategy 3)	Business units rating of assistance	Quarterly meetings with business units Feedback to IS Business Unit Team
Successful integration of information services and corporate services functions (Priority Outcome 3; Strategy 4)	Service standards maintained	Client surveys undertaken Every six months Quarterly meetings with client groups Help Desk and availability statistics Monthly

Efficiency

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Average cost per service to the client (Priority Outcome 2; Strategies 1,2)	A reduction on last year's average	Data from Computer Resource Accounting system Annual

Quality

Indicator	Target	Information source and reporting frequency
Quality of information services delivery (Priority Outcome 1; Strategy 2)	Clients rate level of quality as improved	Client surveys undertaken Every six months Quarterly meetings with service level agreement clients

Performance assessment: evaluation

No major evaluations are planned for this Sub-program in 1997-98.

How the program is resourced: reconciliation of appropriations to the program and summary of portfolio outlays (Excel 36 KB)

Variations to Program Outlays 1996-97 to 1997-98 (Excel 21 KB)