Criminal Justice IT Program

The design and implementation of simplified information systems throughout the CJS IT network.

The Client

Criminal Justice IT (CJIT) is part of the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) in the UK and is a cross-departmental team covering the Home Office, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Attorney General's Office. CJIT also delivers IT solutions that coordinate with the CJS, which encompasses the modern infrastructure and case management systems in the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Courts, Prisons, Probation and Youth Offending Teams.

The Challenge

CJIT has been faced with a series of challenges to succeed in its objective ("By March 31, 2008 anyone involved in the CJS' users of it or people working within it'should have access, from any browser-enabled device, to a seamless, coherent set of applications and information to cover the breadth of their dealings."). The deliverables include:

• Implementing the overarching vision of creating a seamless, coherent set of applications and information throughout the CJS
• Transforming high-level program objectives into a defined set of deliverables with clear accountability operating under transparent government structure
• Bringing order and direction to a startup organization with no established processes, tools or techniques with which to undertake an extremely complex and challenging program endeavor
• Establishing program management control mechanisms to create greater visibility and understanding of the CJS IT portfolio and its decision-making process

Other key challenges included:

• Building a level of program management delivery capability, commensurate with the complexities of each program, without effecting deliverables
• Creating a portfolio management and investment appraisal process that would allow senior management to prioritize projects
• Assessing the performance of the programs across multiple organizations and report progress in terms of milestone delivery, cost and benefits realization

The Pcubed Solution

Above all, the Program needed definition and structure to reduce complexity and to focus management attention on achieving quick wins within a rapidly developing organization. Pcubed consultants established a pragmatic framework for defining and setting up projects spanning three government departments. This demanded discipline in the project initiation phases to broker joint agreement on strategically aligned projects, and the development of Business Cases agreed by sponsors and owners. In addition, the introduction of new processes and the establishment of a program office were supported by Pcubed's implementation of a project management toolset based around Microsoft Enterprise Project application.

What's more, an innovative Criminal Justice IT Program was also integrated into the solution. Pcubed specified, and advised on the implementation of, this tool that helped to achieve a number of key objectives:

• Drive consistent delivery across all projects
• Integrate risks and issues into plans to facilitate change impact assessment
• Generate a single, program-wide view with minimum resource overhead
• Supply program reporting to Management Boards
• Give senior managers real-time visibility of project and program delivery status
• Ensure that the solution was easily adopted and utilized by staff members

Key elements of the solution included:

• Program and Project Management resource assistance in stabilizing cross-program delivery
• The ability to allow the lead manager to focus on managing key stakeholders and build relationships
• The implementation of a Portfolio Management Controls Program to ensure the portfolio contained the right mix of projects that would achieve a positive ROI
• To secure a legacy of increased capability within the CJIT team and community through a carefully prepared transition plan from Pcubed resource to civil servants