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Process Overview Created September 2023
Introduction
This isa high level introduction to how problems are managed today. The appendixes provide more in-depth details on the process
We recently rebranded the word ‘Defects' to ‘Problems’. Problem is the term used by ITIL and is industry best practise terminology for a production issue, and
defect is the term used for issues found prior to going into production e.g. issues in testing or development etc.
‘What does the term ‘problem’ mean?
‘A problem is an issue live in a branch that Is inconsistent with the agreed design or service specification and has the potential to affect branch or customer
financial outcomes or has the potential to affect the way a Postmaster Is required to use the system.
Recent History of the Problem Management process and ownership
> Fujitsu Managed Process - Prior to 2019 Fujitsu worked to resolve Horizon problems with input from Post Office
> Joint Fujitsu and Post Office Process established - In 2019 a joint Fujitsu and Post Office forum was instigated, prompted by certain problems that
required Post Office design decisions from product owners
> Post Office Managed Process - In 2021 Post Office recruited a dedicated role and took over the management of the forum, Fujitsu remained an attendee.
but it became a Post Office chaired forum, terms of reference were amended to reflect this change
> Creating an Audit Trail - In 2021 all problems started to be managed as problem records via Service Now, ensuring central recording of all problems,
‘maintaining a complete audit trail of evidence, decisions etc. forall open and closed problems
> Independent audit - In 2021 KPMG undertook an independent review of the new process and provided input to ensure it was @ robust process
> Protecting the Future - Since 2021 there have been various updates to the process, these are as result of feedback from the GLO Horizon trial and Horizon
Issues Judgment (HU) related directly to the lack of clarity, communication and controlled management of problems, and a desire to continually improve
the process, and to include the management of all problems in all branch facing technology. Discussions are underway to ensure NBIT will also follow this
process and Post Office will retain all problems as centrally recorded problem records in the future.
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Current Process
Identification — A new problem can be raised by anyone across the business, but most come from development teams including suppliers or data services
‘who in the process of testing or developing new code identify an issue in existing code. The Branch support centre and IT service desk are aware of all
‘open problems and will advise IT if they see any new issues that could be considered a problem. Other sources include new programs, changes, internal
testing teams ete.
Raising a New Problem — if an issue is determined to be a problem, then a new problem record is raised in Service Now, an extraordinary meeting is held
within 48 hours of identification and the relevant supplier, stakeholders and the NFSP representatives are invited to build understanding of the issue, the
{im isto consider any intial workarounds or potential resolutions, and to gather enough information for investigation and communication to take place.
Each problem is categorised as either having the potential to have a financial impact to a branch or that it could provide 2 poor experience for a branch.
Notification — A Branch Hub article is created informing all branches of a new problem. If this has potential for financial impact the legal team are
advised. The various business reps including the NFSP are asked to provide a criticality score e.g. operational, branch, customer impact etc.
Branch Hub Link
Review — A weekly review of all open problems is chaired by Post Office with Fujitsu and internal teams from the business in attendance. Every open
problem is reviewed for progress, including problems that have a resolution and are awaiting their scheduled release, problems under development and
any problems where a solution Is still being sought. We also review any problems that are now resolved and ready to be closed.
Auditable — All problems are recorded and updated in ServiceNow, every update is timestamped, all actions and minutes are captured against each Snow
problem record, along with all evidence of any email exchange, closure notes, supplier updates, test validation sign off etc.
Resoli
jon — All resolved problems have to go through a closure approval process.
Measuring success — we measure the success of the problem management process through a series of key performance indicators, how quickly we advise
branches, how quickly we raise the new service now record etc.
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Example of current Problem Reporting
Current open Branch Impacting Problems
(with potential for financial impact)
(Provided internally monthly)
Branch Impacting Problem Process - Key Performance Indicators,
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Update since last report
Changes to process
+ Wehave nna ew sessions wth Mel Parkand Kay O'Connor totale the
challenge rom Ben Fa: ~ofhow we would know fhe busines reconelation
‘of any problem had concluded and what the cot of problem ay, dasha
Eraated a series of sons now beng undertaken indudig an education
program for beth new starters into BSC but alo an overview ef etch open
Problem record for BC and invesigaton teams so they can easier ieniyin
“he utr branching to thers about an eng problem nd rake
‘that eorlaon better Aso the singe st fl problem KX's wll be broken into
individual es 50 cases can be legged against tor, we wl ack hishelps 0
dena mpacted ranches
+The rbrand from ‘efecto ‘problems is almost complete; wo now have
Updated Tera of Reference with Fuitsu fr self
New Ks have been reduced
+ Review dsebuson group olga and NU noticasone of now problems
New Branch Impacting Problems in period
+ Onew Branch inpacing Preble asd as month(s far his menh)
Closed Branch impacting Problems period
STeam dosed
(Bmore items going through closure process)
“hore has now boon 3 change tthe Key Performance Indicators. The
‘previous KP were unreal and did’ account for ving to complete
‘eran asks nase order, og fnsh nial nvesigation before bong ableco
Froude sen or pact scare We wll now str measuring ra the
Shove New «= going forwards
“There were nono problems inthelast month, she KPYshave not hadthe
wil prove over the next ew months as
prove eficiney when new problems get
Note: There ae2 types of Branch Impacting Problems:
1. Potente havea finance impect on a branch
2. Nopotentia!fore financial impact, bt could couse
‘apcorenperince
‘Thi report fcutes on the most important Branch
Impacting Problems that hove the poten thave @
fenced poet
‘Age Profile Open items — by logged date
‘
oz oom am ws owe
Nope otad eid
Release Dates (pending and deployed)
+ 87230 was deployed beoween 06/02/23 -2
+ R73 10 wos deployed betweun 05/04/23
+ £7320 was deployed betweon 04/05/23 Type ‘Open I Penang I coved
+ R73 30nd 875.40 (one combined release) ~ 24/08/23 07/09/23 re
1+ RT3S0 stheded for 5/10/23 - 16/20/23 (ST texting on sched _ 1 3
tecomplete by end of August) Prensa pact
PoorExperence I 23 7 I 7
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Appendixes
The following slides are:
> Details of all open problems and problems going through closure process that have the potential to impact a branch
> Examples of Branch Hub articles on open problems
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Appendix — Latest Status of Open Problems (as at 01/08/2023)
(Preble
Reference ed Description Resolsion
80041161 I 11/07/2022]67 Banking Vansactions decned atte counter were actualy [Needs Funding frac
procezeed by Vora and nat reversed, This meane tat the Ix required to aevent reoccurrence
customer's ether outof pocket (withdrawal) or up by the
transaction amount deposit) unt manually corrected via the
Bins process under a unique BIMS reference. No effect. on
branch accounts,
"RBGOATTIG I 18/03/2023] AP-ADC transactions recovered inthe apace order tothe [Needs Finding rac
lorderin whien they were added tothe basket
RBGOATIOS I 18/11/2022] MoneyGram and Western Union Recovered DoD Gara Needs Finding frac
Hransactione settle to Cazh not card Fic Required ~The solution i seen as the delvery ofthe Bureau Refund
to Card CP which is eurenty under review.
wRBGOUI2IT I 23/08/2022] Payment and Banking Vancaclionsare declined whena wavel [Word ne Change Wording
money card transaction fas at the exact same as another _I Fx Develoged to fx ssue where PAN's are blank for Travel Money Card Pending Release
transactionis processed. When t's eccus the Horizon system I transactions, because card being removed too quickly from contactless [(Possb'yS1-36)
wil receive a decine and te transaction wil be canceled ora [reader
request fora diferent method of payment wil be requested. I Pending Werldine eleate— currently planned for thelr release S36
However, the transaction int cancelled withthe end fnaneal
institution anit sl autrorzed and settied, Branch accounts
are notaffected but the customers bank account will be
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Appendix — Latest Status of problems in Closure Process (as at 01/08/2023)
°RBOO41109 20/06/2022] Contactess payment rejected by bank, customer inserts card into chip& IFujtsu Change 173.10 ~ Depieyed- Pending Cosure
(08:49:28 in at same time cer logs into 2nd counter, causes basket & recovery tI Fix Developed - Implement defensive code so the system
‘ai handles thi error condition
Deployed Going tough closure process
*RBOOATIO@ 14/06/2020} Transaction Reversed Twice - By Existing Reversaisand by Recovery IFujtsu Change 7230 Deployed Pending Conse
14:20:35 action Fi deve'oned -Rootcause has been estalshed and
ces planned as part of releases 72.30 / 36.10
Deployed ~ Going tough closure process
"RBDOATOSG i370 [2020] Branch Trading Statement reports showing non-zero Trading Postvons — IFujtsu Change 7230 - Deployed Pending Conse
10:41:50] after afaled store un't Balancing Period (BP) rolover attempt from BP99] Fi Developed -
te P100 72.20 Deployed Going trough closure process
"RBDOAOBT [2/09/2021] Recovery Serpte wiin APADC have bees found tocontanerrorsin [Data Services Cranage [APADC- Deployed Pending Clore
14:42:56 Iserptng that n some case caure detrimental mpacton vansactions I FixDeveloped
and branches Depioyed~ Going trough closure process
7R60040527 1/05/2021) communications loss both short and longer term caused Gnues with Pre [Data Services Change JAPADC- Deployed Pending Closure
(Order Bureau traneactione within ranch Requires Development - APADC se\stingto alow
lraneactonsto handle corectyerore during
communication inciding recovery process.
"RBOOATI60}11/07/20221 E Top-Up issue - When dong a reversal to cancelaniiem, Kensean [Fujitsu Change
remain selected and get processed Fx being developed - Counter code change to clear the
selection when the user cancels atthe selection
confirmation message MSGOOL47 - Being fed with
[2063
*RBDOATAG0I05/02/2023] Recovery may fal Wrmulple payment ransactionsare presentina __IFujtsu Change
sezsion undergoing recovery, Potential to affect payments, nat banking. IFix Developed: Thiele a problem that has not been seen
Iransactions in ive or test ewvironments. Obcerved as part ofa code
Being desieyed in 73.30,
/RBOOAIS52 4/04/2023] Branch unable to rolover Into anotver Balancing Period stock untis [Data Services Cnange
tuck at 8°98. MSGAO086 ero" displayed unt al ofthe branch rolled IFxdeveloped
lover into Trading Period [curenty being tested
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‘Appendix — Examples of Branch Hub Articles
PRBOO41303 —- PRBOO41480 == PRBOO41518 — PRBOO41552_ —- PRBOO41553_ —- PRBOO40527
PRBOO41109 PRBOO41104 PRBOO41160 PRBOO41161 PRBOO41211 PRBOO40948 PRBO041099
—