Report No. 2009-112
October 2009
Complete Audit Report
Findings in the audit of Information Technology Consolidation
Survey Responses and Other Comments
Information Technology Services Division (ITSD) employees and agency users provided mixed survey responses regarding the benefit of statewide information technology (IT) consolidation. Slightly more than half of the agency users responding to our survey did not agree the statewide IT consolidation was positive for the users' state agency. However, more ITSD employees responding to our survey agreed, the consolidation was beneficial to the agency the employee supports (37 percent) than disagreed (33 percent) with 30 percent remaining neutral.
Many respondents included comments on areas the consolidation benefited as well as areas the consolidation hindered, indicating that while progress had been made, additional steps need to be taken. Two common themes in survey comments were concerns with employee morale and communication. Employees also indicated various concerns with how the consolidation was handled. Our review of several of these concerns indicated various misperceptions about the statewide IT consolidation, which may have existed due to a lack of communication from ITSD management.
Consolidation Goals
The ITSD had accomplished or made progress on all seven consolidation goals established for the statewide IT consolidation in 2005. However, management had not offered security training to state employees and had not fully established a strategic planning process to align technology with business to increase overall customer satisfaction and to present a vision for future goals. Security training is expected to be in place by January 2010, and the strategic plan for 2009 was being refined to focus on the ITSD's customers, according to the state Chief Information Officer.
ACTS Program
ITSD management had not solicited a legal opinion to verify the ACTS (Applause, Check It Out, Thumbs Up, Gold Star) program was constitutional, ensured the program was used equitably across the division, or ensured adequate controls over the ACTS system were established. ITSD management established the ACTS program as a way to reward employees for exceptional work. ITSD staff estimated 368 hours of leave had been awarded under this program from July 2, 2007, through March 27, 2009.
Service Level Agreements
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) between the ITSD and user agencies were established by prior management to document the services provided by ITSD and the responsibilities of the user agencies. The current ITSD management identified concerns with the measurements of customer satisfaction after taking office in January 2009. According to ITSD management, reviews of SLA measurements have been suspended pending the resolution of these concerns, and the development of new agreements and measurements.
Project Management
ITSD management had not developed a project management framework to ensure IT systems development and maintenance occur in an effective, efficient manner. Having a complete plan reduces the risk of unexpected costs and project cancellation, improves communications to and involvement of business and end users, ensures the value and quality of the finished project, and maximizes the contribution of the project to the organization. Management allowed each business unit to establish individual project management policies because of the differences between the structure and resources of the business units. As a result, ITSD management lacks assurance that projects are actively managed in a consistent manner, which is necessary to ensure the state receives the maximum benefit of each project at the minimum cost. In addition, the risk that ITSD management cannot effectively manage projects is increased without a time accounting system to track staff availability or manage personal service expenditures.
Complete Audit Report
Missouri State Auditor's Office
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