FaCSIA

The Client

The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) advises the Australian Government on social policy issues. FaCSIA works in partnership with other government and non-government organizations to manage a diverse range of programs and services which support the lives of Australians. FaCSIA supports groups such as families and children, young people and students, women, people with disabilities, the aged, people living in rural and remote areas and the homeless.

The Challenge

In March 2006, FaCSIA merged with the Office for Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC). The OIPC coordinates and implements Indigenous policies under FaCSIA. OIPC faced challenges in collecting and maintaining information on its projects across Australia. Without a single repository for information, OIPC was unable to exercise effective version control or document management capabilities. This made it difficult to generate accurate and timely reports. The OIPC needed a solution that would allow it to share and manage information and track projects across multiple locations in a structured and efficient manner.

The Solution

FaCSIA worked with Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Unique World to create an integrated Web-based collaboration platform and information management system using Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS) out-of-the-box core functionality. Where there was a need to alter the product to meet specific requirements, Unique World were able to modify and customize. Running the information management system on a Microsoft platform was also a strategic decision, as MOSS was able to integrate with FaCSIA’s other Microsoft applications.

The Benefit

The solution gave FaCSIA better ways to manage their electronic content, speed up their business processes and make better decisions. Simplifying the collation of project, community and survey information and increasing the accuracy of that information provided a significant boost to employee productivity. Improved project-tracking capabilities, which included automatic monitoring and reminders to follow up tasks, improved service delivery and ensures OIPC’s compliance with its regulatory responsibilities. Standardizing information storage and retrieval in one system has eliminated the potential for information duplication. The Unique World solution has also improved reporting, by placing the information staff need at their fingertips, FaCSIA have vastly improved the accuracy and timeliness of reports generated for the Minister and other decision makers in the Department.