ICL Pathway Progress Summary
for Input to Horizon / Pathway Delivery Meeting
12" January 2000
1
ACCEPTANCE
Progress against the 13 Acceptance Incidents, forming the core of the Acceptance
Resolution Timetable, is reviewed below in Timetable order. AI 298 is Closed, 412 is
conditionally Closed, and 390 is approved for Closure. Progress on Als 408 and 376, the
latter including conclusion of the operating agreement for handling Reference Data,
represents the Acceptance dependencies for the restart of National Rollout, scheduled for 24
January.
211
342
390
376
378
369
ICL Pathway responded on 5/1 to an action to review the revised POCL
requirement for the migration tools. The response contains a suggestion that the
migrated Cash Account could be forcibly balanced, if necessary, with a
balancing item crystallised in a special migration stock unit. A meeting to
discuss this issue is expected before the Delivery meeting and will be reported
upon. Closure continues to be sought.
The remaining issue is handling the side effects of unplanned reductions in the
number of counters to be installed at an outlet. The root cause solution is for
ICL Pathway Implementation to introduce controls that will not permit late
amendments to the number of counters. These controls are in place. In addition
a supplementary report is being considered that will compare offices that
Reference Data defines are live with those that are candidates for polling.
Closure continues to be sought.
The APS recovery software enhancement was distributed 29/11 and POCL was
due to complete its monitoring on 15/12.
Approval for Closure is reported and Closure continues to be sought.
Software distribution started 17/12, 10 days ahead of plan.
At the time of writing, with two of the 10 weeks to go there have been about 14
Cash Account Discrepancies, with four incidents under investigation, against an
allowance of about 110.
Closure is scheduled for 14/2.
Improved diagnostic/defensive code to detect missing or zero-value Cash
Accounts is in place but no instances have yet been trapped. The last recorded
instance of this was in week 38.
It has been agreed that this AI will be left open for the present.
There has been no report from the meeting between POCL and DSS of 22/12
and, in particular, the resolution of the issue of the poor quality printing of order
book bar-codes. The report tabled for the 22/12 meeting recommended Closure
of the incident. However, POCL now states it will close this AI subject to
monitoring of a fix for a problem of bar-code reading after a manual scales
transaction, for which simple workaround is available. The fix is to be
distributed by 24/1.
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12" January 2000
372
298
218
39]
314
408
412
In addition, no report has been received concerning the 211 offices that appear
not to have been following the temporary procedure for Receiving-In books
while offices are not permitted to use OBCS. ICL Pathway has notified POCL
that a general restart to OBCS after the end of January will require phasing if
networks are not to be temporarily congested.
Closure continues to be sought.
The extended POCL review of software distribution processes is scheduled to
complete on 14/1.
The average weekly incident level for the period CAP 34 to CAP 40 was
98, compared with the target maximum of 140.
This AI is now officially Closed.
All activities, except the monitoring of Rollout itself, are complete. This
monitoring is scheduled to complete and Closure to be achieved at the end of
February
All activities are complete except a POCL inspection visit, which is due at this
time.
Two revisions of the API document have been produced and there are now just
155 comments to respond to in a third. The Appendix to cover Key and System
Management topics is being expedited. The schedule requires completion of all
activities by the end of January.
The measures for responses within 20 seconds, for availability of trained and
higher level resources and for ringing back promptly were met in the first four
weeks of the six week period; only four compliant weeks from six were required,
so this represents four passes. The necessary December SLAs were also met, the
December Service Review Book being published today.
The one remaining area of dispute is the treatment of the criterion for Cash
Account call script conformance. The POCL analysis of recorded Help Desk
calls extends to an assessment of the appropriateness of the advice given,
whereas the ICL Pathway position is that the criterion demands only that the
scripts are followed, which they always are. Where required scripts do not exist,
or where information needed is not present in the scripts, then following the
scripts cannot yield appropriate advice. ICL Pathway believes that the criterion
is flawed and unacceptably labour-intensive, and should be replaced with one
that will drive all parties towards desired ends rather than prescribe a particular
behaviour for Help Desk (and outlet) staff that cannot be fully successful.
Conditional Closure has been achieved.
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12" January 2000
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21
2.2
2.3
IMPLEMENTATION
National Roll Out
The period that continued over the Christmas break, has focused on service
improvements in preparation for rollout re-commencement on 24" January 2000. These
areas are concentrating on process refinements across all elements of Implementation,
including suppliers and field teams.
The RNM cluster sequencing is on plan to complete by 10" January, to enable the new
clusters to be scheduled into the programme for installation from 1 May 2000. This
includes the completion of all ALPS and ECCO outlets before end of December 2000,
subject to PON releasing outlets into the infrastructure programme as required to achieve
the plan.
The PA Consulting Audit feedback was presented to the Implementation management
team on 7" December, concluding that the Horizon programme is in a fit state to restart
and sustain rollout in the year 2000. PA’s accumulative report has now been complied
and distributed to POCL and Pathway as the assurance review report.
Pathway are continuing to provide contingency measures such as ‘Man in a van’, to
support the installation programme re-commencement. It is envisaged that it will
continue for the first quarter of 2000.
The Millenium Dome was installed and completed successfully on time and as a result
had gone live from 30" December. It was closed on New Years Eve and re-opened again
on the 1* January and is now fully operational.
Infrastructure Programme
The Infrastructure programme had ceased for the Christmas break, although a small
number of preparations and modifications were continuing up to Christmas. This
programme has now re-started as from 4th January and will continue until its end date in
June 2000.
There have now been a significant number of suspended offices released to Pathway for
scheduling into the programme and agreement has been reached on the release of the
remaining outlets.
Installation Programme
We had come into the non-activity period for installations over the Christmas break, but
are continuing with process improvement work in preparation for 24th January 2000.
Pathway are due to undertake installation of ECCO outlets on Wednesdays for the first
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time, from the re-commencement of rollout, which will prove the feasibility of installing
and migrating ECCO outlets on Wednesdays.
The 16 week installation programme cycle is now complete and on-track, ready for re-
commencement on the 24th January 2000.
User Implementation and Migration
The New Year starts off with the Preview Event training courses being run from 4"
January and the 13 ECCO outlets from 10" January. The remainder of training courses,
starts on the 17" January in preparation for rollout on the 24",
Training system upgrades have now been completed, which will enable all new courses to
be run on higher performance machines with improved efficiency.
A course for TM retail was run in early December. They have requested access to 3
courses: a counter managers course for RNM, auditors course and a train the trainer
course. These courses will need to be reviewed and tailored to suit the specific needs of
TM retail.
Pathway are currently planning activities to run the requested pilot in the summer 2000.
This will make up some 305 outlets, 20 of which will be new installations and the
remainder existing ones that require upgrades.
Pathway received a report from Steve Grayston confirming that PON are satisfied that
previous training scheduling issues have been resolved and the systems and processes are
in a fit state to support the rollout in the year 2000. Further minor improvements are still
under discussion.
The End-to-End Workshop has been followed by meetings held with POCL and KPL to
gain agreement in principle for the proposed changes necessary to include the Preview
Event and 7 day window for manual offices as part of the resolution to AI 218.
Further meetings with Scheduling Planning and KnowledgePool are being arranged to
bring the Scheduling document into line with the change proposals affecting Rescheduling
of suspend/release and capped outlets during NRO.
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12 January 2000
2.5 Implementation Statistics (To 10" December 1999) There has been no major activity
recorded between 11" December and 3" January 2000.
Implementation Weekly Statistics
(Activity Previous report Actual this period Cumulative Comments
total
INFRASTRUCTURE
PROG.
IRGM letters issued 17563 0 17563
Site surveys undertaken 16923 208 17131
Site resurveys required 6576 71 6647
Site resurveys undertaken 6435 54 6489
Site modifications done 4749 196 4945
iSite preparations done 10346 191 10537
Sites RFI 9776 189 9965
INSTALLATION PROG.
IRGM Phase 2 Letters Issued 4487 1052 5539
IISDN lines installed* 1930 541 2471
Sites installed 1864 0 1864
JOffices live 1856 0 1856
[Counters Live 4096 0 4096
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ICL Pathway Progress Summary
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12" January 2000
3. CUSTOMER SERVICE
3.1 Infrastructure Services
3.2 Strategic Services Unit
3.2.1.1 Outlet Change
Changes completed in December:
Counter Increases 2
Relocate Outlet 2
Outlet Closure 2
3.2.1.2 Horizon Service Helpdesk
1. The further 6-week monitoring period, requested by POCL for those AI408
measures that were deemed as not achieved, is now in operation.
2. A working level interface agreement between HSH and NBSC is to be developed.
Mark Plant will represent POCL. The first meeting is scheduled for 6" January.
3. A monthly working level review between NBSC and HSH is to be implemented.
The first review is scheduled for 27" January.
4. As part of HSH training and development, staff briefings have been scheduled to
cover a day in the life of a Post Office Outlet.
3.2.1.3 Implementation
1. The Millennium Dome Post Office was successfully brought into live operation.
2. The Order Book Control System has been successfully brought into live operation.
3.2.2 Management Support Unit
3.2.2.1 Management Information
1. In line with the continued monitoring requirement for AI408, MSU are monitoring
ring backs and providing a weekly report (until 14/01/00) highlighting the SLA
achievements in agreed areas. As part of this exercise, POCL are monitoring the tapes
produced by the HSH for the Cash Account calls.
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12" January 2000
3.2.2.2
The November service performance was presented at the December SRF. This was
one of the smoothest reviews ever. POCL had provided feedback in advance of the SRF
tabling any questions or queries following their appraisal of the SRB. This enabled
Pathway to attend the review with all the answers required. A major outstanding action
was discharged with the provision of the SRB ‘guide’. This has been well received
although final comments are still awaited from POCL.
Business / Reconciliation Incident Management
MSU are supplying POCL with a weekly “System Incident Log’ to report on the
progress of system related incidents.
Non-polled Outlets continue to give problems. ICL Pathway SSC and MSU have
discussed ways of MSU becoming more self sufficient in resolving non-polled Outlet
queries, and MSU are due to trial some processes this month which should reduce the
number of calls going through to the SMC and eventually the SSC.
The new EPOSS reconciliation reports have now been installed and are reporting
on the Counter / TIP transaction reconciliation in all but 57 Outlets. There have been
some initial problems, mainly due to transactions not being mapped to the appropriate
Cash Account lines. Genuine exceptions have been reported to POCL via the RED
process in line with the agreed incident management procedure.
RED reporting is now running more smoothly as POCL now accept that RED is
there only for reporting the symptom of an underlying fault. As a result the RED
reports are being issued and closed in a more timely fashion.
In line with AI376, MSU supplied 60 ‘test’ exceptions to POCL TIP for their use in
testing the manual input procedures within POCL. MSU have had to negotiate with
POCL over the format of the data supplied - this will be the agreed format for RED
reporting - as the initial attempt was returned with the view from POCL that
insufficient data was supplied. It is important to note that MSU cannot construct an
exact replica of the transaction as included in a TIP file, as a file itself has to be
generated to supply certain data fields.
It is understood that the APS report document has now been accepted by POCL
following the inclusion of a further report (requested by MSU).
3.3 Operations Services
3.3.1
3311
1.
Service Availability
Systems Operations
Host/EMC System & Correspondence Server
The Host/EMC System and Correspondence Servers have no major operational issues.
Audit Server
Following a “Blue Screen’ incident, which was quickly resolved by the support team, both
Servers are working correctly.
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3.3.1.2
3.3.1.3
3.3.2
3.3.21
1.
Data Warehouse
Data Warehouse is currently running behind schedule due to an incorrect feed. This has now
been corrected and a catch-up schedule is currently processing 2nd January data.
Availability/Business Continuity
The overall Availability of all the systems during the holiday period has been
exceptionally good with no T24 problems reported. One minor one concerning the
gathering of audit files was found on 6"" January but was quickly resolved.
As expected, a high number of POs appeared on the Non-Polling list over the
Christmas period. Some 111 POs did not get “End of Day” markers for 4 to 5 days.
Now that normal operations are restored after the holiday period only 9 POs have HSH
calls raised against them.
Pathway will be discussing with POCL ways to get across the message to the
Postmasters that the equipment should never be turned off.
Version 0.4 of the Business Continuity Operational test report CS/REP/046 was
supplied to POCL on the 21st December 1999. It is proposed that this report now be
approved at issue 1.0 and registered as the 1999 test report.
Proposed dates for the 2000 schedule of Business Continuity tests have been
supplied to POCL. These dates have been formally registered in the CS plans.
A Business Continuity incident with regard to the HSH was raised on 6" January.
This had no serious impact but resulted in a number of Advice and Guidance calls
being lost for that day. A PIR is to be held.
Networks
There have been no incidents of concern on the Network during the Christmas & New Year
period.
SLA Management
APS
Transaction file deliveries were successful over the Christmas and New Year
period.
The document specifying APS CSR+ Reports has progressed with a new report
being agreed by CS/Development. POCL will now be able to sign-off the document.
This is a very positive step forward.
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3.3.2.2
3.3.2.3
An issue has arisen on a couple of occasions whereby POCL OSG (HAPS) have
raised an ‘A priority’ call because they have not received transaction files by 23:59.
However, on calling out OSD technicians it was established that the files were sent and
POCL had just not ‘found’ them (i.e. it is a POCL problem). Ways to prevent
unnecessary call out of technicians in the early hours of the morning are now being
investigated.
Informal information has been received from an OSG Manager regarding POCL’s
intention to “Contract Out’ their HAPS interface and physically move its location in
Spring 2000. This could have a negative impact on the Client Migration programme.
POCL representatives linked to Client Migration were unaware of this particular
intention. Pathway awaits formal notification and more detail before the impact can
accurately be assessed.
CTO
The CR for the new Token Verification Service is still awaited. POCL advise it is
imminent.
Rogue tokens from Eastern Energy give a problem at the Counter whereby the
cards swiped are completing the transactions but these are not then transferred to
Eastern Energy (due to a Service Code field problem). A fix to provide a ‘Message’ at
the Counter when the problem occurs is installed at all Counters. POCL are trying to
retrieve the physical tokens but are having problems getting the offending tokens from
Eastern Energy. They continue to pursue this.
POCL have agreed the plan for the introduction of the additional January 2000
CTO schedule but a response is still awaited to the letter sent to OSG outlining the
charging structure for these additional CTO schedule cycles.
AP Client Migration
There is increasing concern about the progress of the programme within POCL.
Immediately before Christmas a note was sent to POCL’s AP Product Manager again
expressing Pathway’s concerns about the ability to achieve the project deadlines
because of the way POCL are managing the initial client contacts.
Although Pathway still plan to meet POCL’s requirement to migrate a client during
the CSR+ pilot, there is little confidence in being able to produce the TIS and AIS in
time. The detail of the concerns are as follows:
a) There is a lack of progress by POCL Account Managers to arrange client visits to
present the strategy. The Strategy document and draft plans originally agreed for this
activity to be completed by end of September 1999 with sign-off of TIS and AIS
documents by end of December 1999.
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3.3.24
3.3.3
3.3.31
1.
b) Client visits and specification production dates have been revised a number of times
because of the delays. Deadlines for completion of initial client visits last revised to
mid December 1999. This has not been achieved. Standard deadline for AIS and TIS
production is end of March 2000. This must be achieved, but current progress suggests
this to be in jeopardy.
c) However, in order to meet the deadlines to migrate a client during the CSR+ Pilot,
Pathway need to have identified and agreed the clients to be used, completed the visits
and have the AIS and TIS signed off by end of February 2000. It has been stressed to
POCL that if the AIS and TIS are not completed by that date Pathway cannot achieve
the CSR+ Pilot deadline of mid August 2000.
d) POCL’s Co-ordinator for this project does not have control or authority over the
Account Managers who are key to moving this first phase forward. This is clearly
having an impact.
e) A small number of initial client visits have been completed. Only 2 of these visits
included Pathway. Contrary to agreement the Account Managers have visited a small
number of clients without Pathway, which has done nothing to help Pathway move
forward. Pathway is still ‘blind’ to those clients’ requirements because no constructive
feedback has been provided. Subsequent meetings which need to be arranged to detail
the AIS and TIS requirements are not being managed by the Account Managers, they
are leaving a Pathway contact number with the clients but not pushing progress.
f) The issues have been identified on a Risk Register and are also minuted through the AP
Steering Group.
g) Conversations and correspondence with more senior POCL representatives have
confirmed a mutual agreement that progress so far is inadequate and jeopardising the
project. They have stated the issues are to be escalated internally through POCL.
TIP
Transaction file deliveries have been successful over the Christmas and New Year
period.
Completion of OLA is still awaited, although a deadline has been set for the end of
January 2000.
Completion of POCL’s input into the Incident Matrix is awaited.
The Operational Review meetings are to be postponed whilst the Steering Group is
in its current form. It has been agreed to have Operational issues as part of the Agenda
for the Steering Group until further notice.
Change Management
Reference Data
The next meeting to discuss progress on the POCL data quality issue is scheduled
for Thursday 6" January. Both parties are continuing to look at areas of concern and
action plans are being developed for those areas that need them.
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6.
3.3.3.2
A total of 153 reference data changes have been released to the live estate since the
last report. The total number of correction files and migration special files received was
6 (approx. 4%) and 0 respectively. There were also 3 files (approx. 2%) which
contained rejected rows.
The corrective actions to remove the problem of RDMC releasing new data when
earlier versions are still being verified/released are progressing well. The longer-term
solution is currently being tested.
SIP16 implementation is now complete and it has been agreed that the old Cash
Account spreadsheet is no longer required. (N.B. manual data is still required in
spreadsheet format for MiEcco and CSV for Scales data).
Following discussions with POCL, a revised version of the Interface Agreement
document has been sent out for consideration.
The total number of POCL PinICLs was standing at 37 on 24 December. There is a
further 2 outstanding on CSR+ Reference Data.
The issue of the number of helpdesk calls directed to HSH when they should have
gone to NBSC is under consideration in the end-to-end review of Reference Data.
The end-to-end review of Reference Data has discussed the issue of RDMC
rejected rows. Further consideration is to be given to ways of handling this issue. A
workshop to discuss this, and other incident handling, is scheduled for 10“ January.
The Huthwaite Gateway problem has been narrowed down to the failure to start
FTP service on the Gateway. ICL Pathway procedures are being enhanced to ensure
that this service is started on all future occasions.
Software Distribution
38 release notes have been created over the past two weeks. 17 release notes have
been authorised for release.
CI2_2 (EPOSS Reconciliation) has been deployed to Outlets. Full distribution was
not achieved due to a one-off problem in the delivery mechanism, which has now been
rectified, and due to several Post Offices being switched-off during the holiday period.
Final distributions are underway.
The updated EICON drivers will be issued to approximately 100 Outlets by 8"
January. Distribution to the remaining Outlets will begin week commencing 10"
January afier the Outlets have been notified.
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12" January 2000
Actions from Delivery Meeting — Wednesday 15" December 1999
ACTION
DESCRIPTION
5301
John Dicks to confirm in writing the changes required to the
previous minutes on AI408/3 and AI408/4.
34° JD
STATUS
This was completed via an exchange of mails between Dick
Brazear and John Dicks on 16-20/12/99.
Action complete.
5306
John Dicks to review the revised POCL requirement for the
migration tool to contain a mechanism to warn of a misbalance in
migration and remedy it prior to committal.
JD
(after 24 January)
STATUS
This was completed via mail on 5/1/00.
4__ Action complete.
5307
John Dicks to review the identified situation where polling of an
office could not occur and propose a solution.
JD
STATUS
A verbal update will be provided at the Delivery Meeting.
As was stated at the Delivery Meeting the fundamental solution
was to address the root cause and this has since been effected
by introducing controls within Implementation which will not
permit late amendments to the number of counters.
A supplementary report comparing offices live according to
Reference Data with those that are candidates for polling is
being considered.
Action ongoing.
5312
Keith Baines and Tony Oppenheim to arrange a meeting quickly
to review the content and documentation of new criteria for
acceptance.
KB/TO
STATUS
A number of meetings have taken place to discuss this subject
and a further meeting is to take place on 11" January. An
update will be provided at the Delivery meeting.
Action ongoing.
5315
All to provide comments / amendments for the agenda for the
meeting to be held on 14" January to Naresh Mohindra.
All
STATUS
Comments were coordinated by Mike Coombs and input to the
reheasal meeting held on 7/1/00.
Action closed.
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