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Input into CAPS Programme Board Report
for Meeting on 15 January 1999
Introduction
This report summarises the state of the overall HORIZON:
Programme as at 31 December 1998, with updates to key areas.
Programme Overview
The major focus of the Programme at the current time is:
*. supporting the existing live systems
+ reviewing with Pathway the status of testing and the robustness
of the system
«progressing the ‘Programme Management’ content of the Plan :
with respect to the Live Trial, Multiple Benefits and the NR2+
Release, and brokering a way forward
+ clarifying contractual issues and the acceptance process.
+ Service Management development
+ ‘supporting the Treasury review and resulting negotiations.
Live Operations
The current Release continues to provide'a Benefit Payment Service
and Order Book Control System for Child Benefit Payments in 204
outlets (119 in the South West & South Wales Region and 85 in the
North East Region). From an operational point of view, there are no
major threats to business continuity.
Six incomplete transactions (ITs) were generated during November;
a promising reduction from last month’s reported figure of 13 (this
equates, to 0.7 per 10,000 against a target of 0). ITs are still a source
of concern and remain the number one priority with both POCL
and ICL Pathway operational environments.
During November there were approximately 86,000 encashments
with a total value in excess of £2.7m (includes foreign encashments).
The Business Service Management Team continues to produce a
monthly Service Report which includes service performance reports
and operational issues / threats. The latest report was issued on 30
December 1998. CAPS are included on the distribution list.
Progress against the Master Plan and Integrated Programme Plan
The Programme Master Plan (MP version 4) and Integrated Plan
(IPP version 1) will be formally updated following current proposed
revisions to the ‘Critical Path Plan’ that was agreed in the Treasury
Review. The HORIZON level 0 and level 1 plans are currently being
updated to reflect recent work, including discussions with
members of the CAPS Management Team on 5 January. Pathway
are also in the process of updating their plan to version 7.
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5.2
The current planning work has proposed changes to a number of
key milestones in the area of the POCL Child Benefit
implementation. A report of these changes, and current progress,
will be given at the CAPS Board together with the implications for
the Multi-Benefit stream and NR2+.
ICL Pathway Release 2
Release Management
- A joint meeting was held between Horizon, CAPS and Pathway on
the 18 December which agreed potential options and issues to be
addressed in both single and multi-benefit testing. Following this
meeting, a Horizon/Pathway meeting reviewed the status of testing:
and the robustness of the system on 23 December. Pathway agreed
the proposed Horizon planned dates for undertaking pre-proving
activities and MOT, starting migration and starting NRO.
Further discussions with CAPS and Pathway took place on
_ 4/5 January covering the plan, the review procedures, modus
operandi and resourcing..These covered for example: the need to
run the tests in a more controlled manner and to manage the length
of the E2E working day. The current key milestone dates are
proposed as follows for POCL Child benefit:
6Jan Start pre-proving
8 Feb Start E2E
15 Feb Start MOT
Week of 5 Apr Release Authorisation Board
8/9 May Data.Centre migration
15/16 May Contingency weekend for Data Centre
migration
Testing :
The pre-Christmas targeted testing completed on 16 December. Thi
results indicated improvements in software quality, for example
balancing cash accounts, but was run on a limited set of data.
Witnessing of reported cleared pinICLs indicated a failure rate of
around 20%. Based on this progress Horizon concluded that we
were prepared to move into the fuller pre-proving exercise, and that
the timescale for the pre-proving could be slightly reduced but
subject to specific success conditions being satisfied.
A Checkpoint Meeting was held on 23 December to agree the way
forward, and Pathway accepted the Horizon approach to the pre-
proving exercise prior to MOT and E2E Final. Financial integrity of
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5.3
the system will be specifically monitored by a set of co-ordinators in
addition to previous arrangements.
Pre-proving is planned to commence on 6 January, to run in two
phases. The first will concentrate on Counter Activity, running a 6
day plan without connecting back-end processes. Once progress
has proved satisfactory, we will then repeat the 6 day plan, this time
connecting the back-end systems (notably TIP and HAPS). :
This should enable us to reach a-level of confidence on the counter
before proceeding to the back-end. batch processes, and finally
proceeding to MOT / E2E Final. Agreed criteria for proceeding
between each stage will be drawn up with Pathway during w/c 4
January. .If testing proceeds without major difficulty, the first
internal checkpoint will occur on 14 January to review Counter
processing. Joint checkpoints with CAPS are scheduled for 18
January and 3 February to agree moving forward into MOT and
E2E Final.
Daily update meetings will be held with Pathway so that a common
understanding of issues emerges, and prompt action can be taken as
required.
Live Reference Data Proving and Y2k is proceeding satisfactorily.
Good progress continues on all 4 Technical and Security test
streams with Systems Management, Security, Integrity Test Reports
and Performance Tranche 1 Closure Report all approved.
Acceptance
Work continues on the review of acceptance specs with all
comments from Horizon and sponsors sent to Pathway on 4
December. Three Acceptance Specifications (BES, PAS/CMS and I
Reference Data) remain at “Red” status and it will be February
before they are all finally resolved. These outstanding specs are
being negotiated between all parties to agree appropriate evidence
for acceptance. Unresolved issues, where possible, are being
caveated for escalation and future resolution. ‘Lack of agreement,
however, i is not precluding progress with the acceptance tests.
Following a workshop on the subject of witnessing Pathway
acceptance tests, an agreement on the approach has been reached
with all parties. HORIZON has issued, for review, the procedure
on the handling of acceptance incidents when they arise. Work has
commenced to identify all acceptance reviews to ensure that we
have adequate planning and resource availability
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Implementation
Migration ;
Release Management will manage the ‘migration pre-proving —
exercise using live reference data in order for POCL to gain
confidence with all migration scenarios.
A data centre migration date of 8/9 May is proposed with 15/16
May as a contingency. This will avoid conflict with the CAPS 3.5 go
live on 29/30 May. Release Management confirmed this approach
with CAPS on 5 January.
Live Trial
Release Management have met with POCL and BA to develop the
approach to live trial.. With the agreement, in-principle, of the NR2
release dates, this work will continue to be taken forward.
National Rollout
Agreement has been reached with ICL Pathway on the end date for
incomplete -preparations and modification snagging, to be
completed be end of January 1999. _
A revised approach to the deployment of Survey Support
Managers has also been reached ‘to ensure quality checking is
triggered at earliest point of rollout process.
6 Issues / Risks
A report on Issues and Risks follows.
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Horizon Programme - Most Signi
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icant Risks 31Dec98 *‘,.
Rog. . Prob] Impacts (1-3) Dato ‘Action I Action
No. “ - > Risk Statomont G5, ELF P Owner} Raised Risk Roduction/Mitigation Actions by Whom I by Whon:
(0001 ILack of End-to-end design of the reference data processes 4 I 3 I 3] 3 IP Kennedy [01/09/98 IUnder programme review; Model Office testing preparation has. [DWM
may be Inadequate to support live operations. clarified the scope and Issues In this area; additional phase of testing
established to prove live Ref. Data. ,
10002 IPOCL Organisational Processes may not be ready totakeon I 4 I 3 I 3 I 3 IARadka [01/09/98 I1) Executive support required to sustain priority of Horizon support A Radka
Horizon - may Impact Service performance. initiatives.
2) Develop approach and management plan with business managers
(0003 [If the POCL network does not conform to Horizon business 4 [3173] 3 [ARadka [24/09/98 IService Management conformance team established; Plan in place to [A Radka
processes and procedures - there will be a detrimental Impact Ishow all conformance project milestones
lon performance , costs, services etc.
10004 [Scale of Service Management support requirement for roll-out I 4 I 3 I 3.] 3 [ARadka [01/09/98 [Management Pian and Implementation Pian to address this concem is IA Radka
rate Is too great for POCL to take on, being developed.
10005 [Due to lack of adequate visibility of the Pathway design, POCL{ 5 I 3 [I 3 I 3 [J Meagher [14/12/98 IAll other approaches having falled - final entreaty has been made for IJ Meagher
risks the Implementation of a system which will have negative co-operation from Pathway to make available appropriate levels of
loperational impacts - both at oullets and centrally. documentation. Outcome awaited
(0006 IThe inability to attract and retain staff with the requisite 5 I 3 [I 3 ]-3 IJMeagher [14/12/98 INo reduction/mitigation actions taken until the conclusions of the
technical ability and business knowledge causes the Horizon Treasury review are determined.
programme to be reliant upon contract staff to fill key roles,
thereby causing: Programme Issue raised to address the Immediate consequences of IJ Meagher
le cost escalation and by Implication endangering the this risk ‘
business caso,
je high tum-over of staff leading to lack of continulty,
+ Inability to fulfil the Product Assurance primary function.
[0007 {Due to the nature of the contract with ICL Pathway, POCL 5 I 3 I 3] 3 IJ Meagher I14/12/98 INo reduction actions possible whilst ICL Pathway continues to use tho
risks the Implementation of a system which will have negative terms and conditions of the contract to deny Horizon access to the
operational impacts - both at outlets and centrally. information necessary for technical assurance.
7 Post
Mitigation - Discussions are planned to explore methods for IJ Meagher ITreasury.
. ‘collaboration to assure technical viability. Review
I
I
an I
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Horizon Programme - Most Significant Risks : . : 31Dec98 ~*
Reg. 1 ProbI Impacts (1-3) ‘ Date Action r Action
No. wr Risk Statement." (4-5){'E [-F I PI Ownor- I Raised I: Risk Reduction/Mitigation Actions by Whom I by When!
[0008 IThe plan proposed by ICL Pathway for the provision of training] 4 I 3 I 3 I 3 IB McNiven [21/12/98 I1) Supplier process under review; fallout rates and contingency plans {B McNiven
may not meet the logistical needs, quality requirements nor to be established; intervention procedures to be agreed.
the operational limitations of the POCL business network and '2) Position taken by POCL In current round of negotiations will greatly
community, thereby causing the implementation plan to be reduce this risk. D Miller
disrupted and the roll-out rate to be degraded. Asa I3) Proactive measures taken to:
consequence the direct and Indirect costs of Introducing ay Assess and overcome users resistance to technology.
Horizon will be greater than expected. 'b. Assess the degree to which current practices conform with
Horizon procedures, .
4) Research Into understanding and attitudes Is In place to Identify
those areas which will require Improvement. 'M Kelly
5) Paper being prepared and scoped to review “post Go Live" support,
‘subpostmaster literacy levels, POCL employee requirements and I IT Rollison IFeb 99”
the revised BES transaction tralning.
6) Kirkpatrick scales will be used to measure the effectiveness of the
early delivery of training to MOR, MOT and Live Trial periods so. IT Rollison IFeb 99
that processes to overcome any deficiencies can be developed as
early as possible. _
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10003 Jinabllity to achieve salisfactory cash account balancing. __IJW 6-11-98[Need to prove all aspects of cash accounting across a number [AS 20-01-99IRED [GREEN
lof different test phases In order to provide POCL with the
confidence to authorise the release of NR2. Adjustment to
shape of final testing phases required,
124/12 - Testing replan agreed, Progress checkpoint on 14/1 to
roview.
0004 I Treasury Review conceming the Programme Is not yet DM 30-10-98) Negotialions are underway with all parties and progress Is DM 06-01-99/RED [GREEN
completed and resolved. reported as and when.
[Await Ministerial decision.
10007 Product Assurance: All Acceptance Specs to have been JM 30-10-98} All Acceptance Specs expected to be signed off 13/11. A JM 13-01-99]RED IGREEN .
signed off by mid-November 1998, number of Issues still remain If date Is to be achieved. i
23/12 - 4 Specs outstanding. DWM to review details In
January. Follow up 13/01/99.
10018 [Data centre Migration date not yet decided. AS 18-11-98] Meet discuss and agree Data Centre Migration date . Migration IAS. 20-01-99/AMBER IGREEN
iweekend discussed with CAPS 5/1/99. New dates now agreed
(8/9 May with 15/16 May as contingency) - being brokered with
BA .
10023 The only formal change control we have Is to the contract. IJM 02-12-98]1) define aspects of the service and solution which need to be [All 06-01-99/AMBER [GREEN
We need to be able to control the technical solution at the formally managed. 2) need a process which provides orderly
Icross-domain level to ensure Integrity of the service. control of change.
* IDraft approach to Change Control Issued to HMT for comment
I. Needs to be developed further, agreed and Implemented.
Formal follow-up on 6/1/99
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Service Management Development
Work is continuing on three main strands of work;
¢ Establishing a support centre
¢ Conformance
¢ Development/deployment of Business Service Management
principles. .
Work continues to develop the new Support centre and recruit staff.
The business case is in final draft prior to circulation for comment. It
is hoped to submit the case to the Post Office Major Projects
Expenditure Committee (MaPEC) in February.
Future Releases
Release 2 + (introducing AP Smart and Logistics Feeder System
functionality)
HORIZON continues to progress toward development of the end- ~
to-end design for the following components of NR2+: LFS, AP
smart, AP direct client interfaces; Soft EVP and Operational TIP.
A meeting has been held with Pathway & POCL to discuss
Reference Data hangouts from NR2 to be included in NR2+.
Planning for NR2+ is being progressed with several CCNs being
approved and initial milestones identified.
Release 3
HORIZON has intercepted Release 3 design and is discussing
EFTPOS with all parties.
This report has been produced in accordance with the guidelines
agreed between Peter Crahan and the Horizon Programme Director
on 15 April 1998. The area not covered is ‘Routine Commercial /
Contractual Activity’ where no request had been made by the CAPS
PMO for specific detail, and no input received from the Horizon
Joint Contracts Team.
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