Centers of Excellence
Enabled by Diamond (R)
PROGRAM & PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
In today’s environment of shrinking budgets and increased public scrutiny, every organization needs a solid understanding of project management principles and techniques – across methodologies that set and support performance expectations.
Leverage Delegata’s expertise to execute and manage all aspects of project lifecycles in a comprehensive portfolio.
Our Solutions
- Aligned Programs & Projects
- Effectively Employ A Project
- Management Office (PMO)
- Build Competencies For Knowledge & Reuse
- Establish Control Through Governance
- Manage Development Configuration Integrity
- Optimize Capacity Utilization
- Plan & Execute Change Through Projects
- Procure Qualified Development Services
- Use A Project Office For Large Office Success
Client Samples
- Caltrans | Caltrans Web Accessibility For All (CWAA)
- CDPH | Project Management
- CalPERS | Automated Communications Exchange System (ACES)
- CalPERS | Pension System Resumption (PSR)
- DOJ | Armed Prohibited Persons System (APPS)
Program & Project Management Solutions
Aligned Programs & Projects
Programs and projects exist for different purposes. Programs sustain business missions to achieve their ongoing results through operations that can be continually quality improved. Projects are often used to make singular improvements in capability, achieving an outcome within constraints of time, investment and quality of scope. Projects often place significant pressure on programs due to operating at a pace that may not be coordinated with the program support they need. Programs supporting projects are often frustrated with the unusual expectations for unique results in unreasonable timeframes. Projects are often frustrated that business needs are not fully reflected in requirements at project initiation and changes are expected with no adjustment in constraints. In truth, programs and projects need to coexist to make each other successful.
Programs survive in today’s market based on their ability to rapidly change their capability and performance through projects. Programs and projects are inseparable, yet serve in completely different dynamics and lifecycles that impede the progress of one another if the conflicts are not understood. By capturing the dynamics of programs and projects and integrating activity to provide structure to build projects that are aligned with enterprise goals and architectures, the two entities can deliver valuable results. Providing performance and feedback through targeted dashboards for operational and project contributions can resolve divisive team perceptions while guiding them to achieve mutual success. By enabling internal resources to carry important roles and capabilities for the company, operational and project improvements can be coupled with organization change practices to achieve results that set an organization apart from its peers.
- Project productivity significantly improves within areas of operational contribution.
- Sub-optimization within silos is replaced with teamwork, improving resource effectiveness.
- Frustration from externally imposed impacts is reduced and replaced with best possible contribution.
- Individual self esteem increases by staff being able to contribute effectively to terms they agree to.
- Performance based on process leads to much greater consistency of performance.
- Image and credibility of the program is highly improved for ability to enhance positive project impact.
- Outcomes are achieved more consistently.
Effectively Employ a Project Management Office (PMO)
Enterprise improvement is driven through projects; yet often, project methods vary significantly and few result in appropriate project outcomes. On larger projects, the project managers may get overwhelmed and not be able to complete projects due to the level of tracking and reporting required. From the start, estimates are inconsistent and rarely accurate, costs don’t seem to get reflected in the project cost profile, and schedules are not used as a management tool. The aggregate value of risks, issues, and changes cannot be determined easily; and, the quality of project results is highly variable. Furthermore, resource assignments are rarely stable, contract assistance is not managed well, and changes are approved at levels without authority. Without the services to help projects establish consistency, project performance will likely remain mired.
Projects cannot be responsible for consistency outside of their unique requirements; this is the job of management. Since not all managers are well versed in project management, they need help to establish and maintain competencies to use projects effectively. Gradual standards and services can help projects be more consistent across all knowledge areas. Using a PMO to establish gradual capability based on organization priorities makes sense because the capability becomes intellectual capital. Finally, avoid doing too much too fast; people must learn many techniques and projects cannot adopt many new practices without impact.
Organizations increasingly depend upon projects to deliver internal changes intended to achieve business performance benefits, or to deliver results to their clients. Project competencies must become key capabilities that can be depended upon. Project success is driven by both project level performance and organization level governance of projects. To add consistency to governance, standards in reporting and measurement can help significantly in providing decision information. To add consistency to projects, standards in project management knowledge areas are highly effective. This is the initial power of the PMO – to establish an appropriate control environment for progress. As PMO maturity builds, it grows to building competencies across the dimensions of capability required for consistently delivering the planned value for project investments.
Appropriate use of a PMO has resulted in many benefits. Project results become much more predictable for organization investments. Leaders are able to make decisions since information readily available. Consistency improves with published standards. Resource waste is significantly reduced. The business regains confidence in the ability to deliver a quality product. Turnover lowers due to higher team esteem and success. Training and competency management are focused for PM skills. Knowledge, guidelines and templates are available to aid consistency. Interdependency is tracked and managed to avoid impact. In all, the PMO services received pay big dividends in making investments deliver on their business case.
Build Competencies for Knowledge & Reuse
Organizations often reinvent the ability to perform activity due to lack of competency in knowledge and reuse practices. On many projects, providers and customers often don’t understand each others’ methods and there is no basis for comparison. Plans often do not represent known methodologies and therefore confuse the participants. Projects also commonly apply unproven methods that often fail in achieving the required results. New resources have difficulty integrating with teams in a productive manner. Team results are very inconsistent, and lack of understanding the methods drives a level of change that overwhelms projects.
Preparation is the key to the effective application of knowledge and reuse. On projects, plan methodologies with sufficient flexibility to merge with others at execution time. Also, plan for configuring methodologies into project plans to encourage reuse and maintain levels of standardization. Across the organization, standardize estimation methods to help calibrate techniques to actual performance. Additionally, plan for using methodologies as a navigation tool to obtain standard templates at execution time. Capture and reuse knowledge in the form of data and resources with special skills. Furthermore, ensure baselines are available for scope and requirements as a minimum practice on projects.
One of the most important competencies that leaders can develop is to manage the control of change for their organization. Control implies that there is a known destination (vision) and that decisions are made as necessary to navigate to the destination with efficient and effective utilization of resources. Implementation requires significant discipline, structure, process and some technology to ensure that the entire organization is operating optimally to achieve business goals and objectives. This solution also facilitates agreements on the allocation of authority with responsibility, and provides mechanisms to help retain visibility and control consistent with the governance principles. Sometimes, those entrusted with implementation of a decision get “too busy” to actually implement the decision, or implement it in a manner not consistent with the original decision. Implementation verification closes that gap. Finally, to learn and to help adjust the process for decision-making, validation occurs later to determine if the decision achieved its required and intended results.
Use of this solution helps to comply with control agencies’ preferred methods and standards. Providers are enabled, providing their best delivery using their own proven and tailored methods. Planned methods and standards are made available to teams for reference and higher productivity generation. The methodology materials and templates are available and reusable, with access to items that help guide work. Merged teams have a way to merge methods and can remain oriented with plans, increasing productivity and resource effectiveness. Due to more appropriate plans, cost, schedule and quality tend to be higher, and teams are better aware when particular work efforts are completed. The solution helps to make the organization more predictable and places management back in control of results, elevating the organization image and credibility.
Establish Control Through Governance
Without understanding the impact of sound governance decision-making, programs and projects can suffer from too many decisions or never making decisions. Without appropriate decision authority, gridlock is likely, waiting for all decisions from top level management. When individuals feel empowered, many decisions can be made without senior management involvement. Conversely, if insufficient information is given to decision-makers, the decisions can create more difficulties than not making a decision. Often decision makers are not held accountable and can’t learn from decisions made. When governance is ineffective, people feel powerless to make needed change. Organizations with these characteristics will have a low achievement level.
Governance is a balancing act. It must include an appropriate amount of structure to allow flexible enterprise performance while still maintaining control. This requires certain principles of transparency, accountability, discipline, independence, responsibility and fairness, as well as full lifecycle considerations for decision making, implementation, verification, and validation. The foundation for this level of control is information. Without information and the participation of the right stakeholders, decisions will severely impact management control. By allocating authority and establishing processes for predictable performance, an organization can achieve solid performance in implementing change with consistent and predictable outcomes.
One of the most important competencies that leaders can develop is to manage the control of change for their organization. Control implies that there is a known destination (vision) and that decisions are made as necessary to navigate to the destination with efficient and effective utilization of resources. Implementation requires significant discipline, structure, process and some technology to ensure that the entire organization is operating optimally to achieve business goals and objectives. This solution also facilitates agreements on the allocation of authority with responsibility, and provides mechanisms to help retain visibility and control consistent with the governance principles. Sometimes, those entrusted with implementation of a decision get “too busy” to actually implement the decision, or implement it in a manner not consistent with the original decision. Implementation verification closes that gap. Finally, to learn and to help adjust the process for decision-making, validation occurs later to determine if the decision achieved its required and intended results.
With this solution, decision authority becomes clearer and is distributed more appropriately. Decisions are tracked through implementation and validated for effectiveness to help improve analysis and use of authority. Also, individuals are assigned responsibility for implementation of decisions; likewise, there is verification that implementation was completed correctly. Benefits extend to stakeholders to ensure they participate in the decisions, and with appropriate implementation, management priorities are clearer. Decisions on business or project changes are made from known baselines to protect the integrity of change. As information and analysis become available, managers learn to expect information for decision-making; resulting in improved resource productivity and organizational capacity.
Manage Development Configuration Integrity
In modern systems development initiatives, it is common for products to have little integrity for meeting requirements due to focus on just the latest specification from design rather than the expectation of customers or users. Changes during a development effort are often not all accounted for and the impact is rarely understood. Technical team results are commonly problematic due to simple coordination issues:
- Software product builds do not have specified functionality expected in releases.
- Test coverage is insufficient to prove requirements are met.
- Changes to infrastructure sabotage application software not expecting a different environment.
- Products are highly dependent upon discipline and skill of individuals.
- Products don’t work after production launch or fail soon after.
Software development standards and practices have proven to build greater integrity into the software, leading to much higher quality and project success. By ensuring that errors are found early on, more effort is focused on high quality. Systems are available to facilitate a high quality process at software creation time. By using automated build engines and reporting with enhanced testing during the build process, early feedback is provided to developers to demonstrate higher integrity of code. Managers actively help control the pace and quality of development efforts, that are often protracted due to rework following formal test phases. With systems designed for system configuration and quality integrity, teams have a greater probability of success.
The greatest benefit from this solution is to lower the cost of quality. The cost of quality improvements come from people, process and technology. People improvements include: productivity for more immediate correction during early development activity; higher effectiveness for timing of corrections; reduced waste for tracking errors that automation could find; and, fewer disruptions from other disciplines. Process improvements include: more consistency to customer results; and predictability of schedule and cost with fewer interdependent impacts. Technology improvements include: immediate notifications to multiple participants simultaneously for any anomalies; and systems are synchronized and updated automatically based on best practice schedules. By correcting any problems early on, the multiplier effect of passing errors deeper into the process is reduced by tenfold.
Optimize Capacity Utilization
In operational organizations, projects often impose significant pressure on resources that already have full time responsibilities. Commonly, operational units have no capacity to respond to unique requests larger than traditional operational needs. It is not unusual for projects to fail due to lack of support from enterprise infrastructure units, especially when operational emergencies, project unknowns and other surprises combine to place needs well beyond means. The mismatch in expectations between projects and programs leads to requests that are seldom clear enough and are time consuming to accommodate. When challenged with urgency of need, managers often support the wrong priorities due to lack of information and insufficient capacity.
Software development standards and practices have proven to build greater integrity into the software, leading to much higher quality and project success. By ensuring that errors are found early on, more effort is focused on high quality. Systems are available to facilitate a high quality process at software creation time. By using automated build engines and reporting with enhanced testing during the build process, early feedback is provided to developers to demonstrate higher integrity of code. Managers actively help control the pace and quality of development efforts, that are often protracted due to rework following formal test phases. With systems designed for system configuration and quality integrity, teams have a greater probability of success.
The greatest benefit from this solution is to lower the cost of quality. The cost of quality improvements come from people, process and technology. People improvements include: productivity for more immediate correction during early development activity; higher effectiveness for timing of corrections; reduced waste for tracking errors that automation could find; and, fewer disruptions from other disciplines. Process improvements include: more consistency to customer results; and predictability of schedule and cost with fewer interdependent impacts. Technology improvements include: immediate notifications to multiple participants simultaneously for any anomalies; and systems are synchronized and updated automatically based on best practice schedules. By correcting any problems early on, the multiplier effect of passing errors deeper into the process is reduced by tenfold.
Plan & Execute Change through Projects
Business lacks confidence that any project can meet intended business needs due to consistent failure. Project situations have resulted in frequent delays, interruptions, or rework causing unexpected cost overruns. Teams seem unwilling to commit to deliver results and are satisfied with sub-optimized production that does not have the desired level of quality. Repeatedly, customers are not satisfied, organization resources are not used effectively, governance control seems lost and frequent use of “emergency” means is required to complete work. Often when changes begin they cannot be stopped since results would not meet expectations. The term “project” has become synonymous with opportunity to fail.
Businesses change predominantly through implementation of projects. The rate of change makes projects more and more important to business capability generation. Program management is not used to the level of uncertainty that exists early in projects. Expectations are that estimates (often with confidence levels in the 50% range) will be delivered with 100% fidelity. The level of control required by programs seems to encourage making decisions that may be harmless in a program execution mode, but extremely harmful in a project mode; so, it is critical to ensure projects provide as much information about the uncertain as the certain when reporting, to facilitate an organization’s success in delivering projects. Practicing the nine Project Management Institute knowledge areas is not bad, but there are significant gaps in this information for what large projects need to succeed. There is no substitute for identifying the few critical items to success and planning their activity to ensure the everyday grind doesn’t impact doing what is important and making it systemic to avoid the major pitfalls.
Applying enlightened project management leadership and operations has resulted in a much higher rate of meeting business goals and objectives. Collaboration and interdependency management significantly improves schedule performance. Control measures help catch problems early and protect from individual errors propagating through many systems. Aligned and accurate measures help to complete work that satisfies the original need and expectation. Resource control protects productivity and knowledge continuity. Process-based performance, enhanced with strong communications builds stronger teams, keeps impacts lower, builds stronger team relationships and improves supportability of systems developed. More importantly, business results are achieved and customers of system performance are satisfied.
Procure Qualified Development Services
Procurement processes are long and painful, and don’t always result in the desired outcome. Governing bodies reject or require significant rework on key procurement documents. Public sector procurements often result in protest. When large projects are at stake, protest can delay implementation for years. Procurement plans and solicitation documentation are rarely complete, causing requirements changes after the procurement effort, impacting cost and schedule. When procurement activity is complete, the enterprise is rarely ready to support the vendor arrival. In general, there is a strong lack of confidence that a procured solution will meet the business needs for which it was intended.
Procurement for large system development activity can be a very expensive and tension-filled activity. Without appropriate planning and a strategy for the procurement activity, achieving a successful contract award will be very difficult. Methodology and process are critical to completing activity within prescribed law and regulation and to protect the integrity of the process. Caution is required to avoid any situation where protest could be invited. Procurement process and contract type options need to be considered carefully to meet the circumstances of the procurement, and decisions and plans need to be aligned with the strategy.
This solution addresses a situation where there is insufficient definition of process for procurement in the executing organization; or, where there is lack of a model to help define all related requirements for a large initiative. The common lack of preparation for procurement process is replaced with complete readiness and a better chance to avoid protest. This process builds a greater understanding of the business need and what it takes to satisfy that need. The entire procurement process is enhanced with collaboration solutions among procurement team members. Quality assurance inherently protects against individual errors that are frequently undetected in many organizations. Where negotiations are commonly dependent upon the personalities in the room, this solution provides process and preparation to the equation. Now the enterprise can be as completely prepared as the vendor for a new initiative.
Use a Project Office for Large Office Success
Large project records reveal systemic problems. Participants expect frequent delays, interruptions, or rework. Evidence suggests that integrator pressure overwhelms the client organizations and places blame for project schedule and cost overruns at client expense. In the end, project results do not have the desired level of quality and customers of the project’s products are not satisfied. Organization staff is not used effectively and their expertise is not utilized. Critical business rules and other business inputs are ignored since there is little governance to ensure clear responsibility. The client looks back to lessons learned and realizes they just needed a little more help to be in control.
Very large projects create tremendous pressure on organizations, which cannot be truly anticipated or understood without experiencing it. With an appropriate set of models to understand and distribute responsibility, an organization can keep itself in a position of control at the pace large projects must execute. Special measures are required to keep on top of performance information to avoid pitfalls that individually can be significant, but cumulatively create an impact impossible to recover from. A Project Office is a dedicated management team that addresses business and technology transition activity to keep the project, and the project management activity, on track.
The use of this solution generates significant client benefits. With proactive planning, a large vendor will not overwhelm the client. Proactive readiness of client personnel avoids many events that could cause significant cost and schedule impact. Maintaining performance data and records act as a shock absorber to placing blame on the client. Formal complaints are met with respectful responses and requests for explanation of performance omissions. Adversarial relationships are avoided by providing information openly to the vendor at the time of collection, enhancing the probability of success for all. Integrator oversight lapses are buffered with independent observation. In the end, the client organization reputation remains intact and control of cost and schedule lead to vendor acknowledgement of responsibilities. The control benefits far outweigh the cost of typical problems encountered in large projects.
Program & Project Management Client Samples
Caltrans | Caltrans Web Accessibility for All (CWAA)
Caltrans shares transportation information online that is critical to California’s safety and economy. Site visitors include local partners, the California State Transportation Agency, the legislature, the public, the Governor’s Office, and many others. Caltrans website was built on legacy technology and lacked a content management system (posing a risk for duplicate, conflicting, and/or outdated information) and provided limited functionality for mobile and assistive technologies. In 2018, Caltrans set out to make its online presence accessible to all site visitors and launched the Caltrans Web Accessibility for All (CWAA) initiative. At the time, it had over 2.7 million online documents and webpages and 300+ web applications.
With over 9 million new users every year, and almost 1 in 4 adults in California with some type of disability, this was a critical endeavor that went beyond legislative mandate. With Caltrans’ size (20,000+ employees), distributed organization structure (12 Districts, 15 Business Programs), 200+ webmasters, and hundreds of content creators across the state who partake in updates for public consumption, innovation was critical for success. This project met the Assembly Bill 434 (AB 434) mandate to certify compliance with WCAG 2.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) Conformance Level AA standard, reinforcing ADA (Americans with Disability Act) Section 508.
Delegata partnered with Caltrans to tackle four main workstreams: file remediation, application remediation, website development, and content migration. With 800+ locations in California, Caltrans’ new website development effort involved significant complexities of scale. A comprehensive governance structure was established with a dedicated and active Executive Steering Committee leading enterprise-wide decisions and providing necessary support and resources to lead Caltrans to a successful launch on June 28, 2019.
Caltrans Information Technology (IT) Program partnered with districts and program areas across California to provide the technology foundation, innovation, infrastructure, and program management to conduct multiple concurrent website update efforts in a short period of time.
Labs and knowledge sharing sessions were provided, offering support in remediation and document compliance, and the platform of the new content management system. Training was offered both online and in-person, and webmasters were equipped with a Webmaster Survival Kit and a Web Content Agreement that clarified new roles and required a commitment from supervisors and Chief Deputies to uphold digital ADA compliance. A dedicated website on the internal secure network was created to provide project updates, resources, and helpful guides. Finally, an Accessibility Compliance Reporting Dashboard was developed that tracks—at the file and webpage levels—the performance of all web content.
The most immediate impact of this initiative is to dramatically improve access to transportation information for mobile device and assistive technology users as well as provide enhanced visibility and controls for content owners, webmasters, and leadership. Website content is now more relevant and navigable with approximately 4,000 webpages and 15,000 documents as well as 57 web applications. The new, modern, citizen-centric website now provides information integrated with assistive technologies, enhanced security, and a more intuitive user experience.
CDPH | Project Management
The Genetic Disease Branch (GDB) is part of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). At the time of Delegata’s project with GDB, it was part of the California Department of Health Services (DHS), which is now named the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
The GDB works to protect and improve the health of all Californians. It runs the largest screening program in the world and sets the standard in delivering high-quality, cost-effective genetic services to all Californians. The mission of GDB is “To serve the people of California by reducing the emotional and financial burden of disability and death caused by genetic and congenital disorders.”
GDB’s newborn genetic and congenital disorder screening program performs nearly a million annual tests and uses computer-based analytical tests and patient information to determine the risk that a fetus or newborn will suffer a particular disease. Time is of the essence for these screening programs since treatment of affected newborns must begin immediately. GDB partnered with Delegata to provide Project Management support for this mission critical endeavor.
The California Department of Health Services (DHS) Genetic Disease Branch’s (GDB) newborn genetic and congenital disorder screening program performs nearly a million annual tests. The screening programs use computer-based analytical tests and patient information to determine the risk that a fetus or newborn will suffer a particular disease. Time is of the essence for these screening programs since treatment of affected newborns must begin immediately. GDB asked Delegata to provide Project Management support for this mission-critical project to deploy a more automated replacement system.
Incorporating Delegata’s Diamond© Methodology, Delegata worked closely with DHS management and their integration vendor to establish a project management solution that was open, flexible and extendable. Delegata managed this GDB mission-critical software development project utilizing PMBOK, IEEE and SEI standards combined with DHS PMO and Department of Finance (DOF) process and reporting standards. This approach resulted in highly integrated Change Management, Configuration Control, and Risk Management processes uniquely customized for the needs of the SIS project team and management. Utilizing Delegata’s Diamond IT Project Oversight Framework Assessment Tool, we significantly enhanced DHS’ PMO ability to rapidly comply with DOF’s new reporting process, with emphasis on Risk Management.
DHS now has extensive PMO documents and fully compliant best practice processes that meet DOF requirements and offer customizable projects. Delegata developed industry and DHS-standard project planning documents, organized the core project team and set the stage for vendor and state technologists to implement the SIS system. Multiple project “kick-offs” were scheduled for executive, program, and data center stakeholders to further ensure that all participants shared open lines of communication. Additionally, we integrated existing DHS PMO risk planning processes to include DOF’s new Information Technology Project Oversight Framework.
CalPERS | Automated Communications Exchange System (ACES)
CalPERS, the largest public retirement system in the nation, provides retirement and health benefits to more than 1.6 million members and 3,000 employers. To better serve its members, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiencies, CalPERS partnered with Delegata and developed an Internet-based application for partner communications. The Automated Communication Exchange System (ACES) portal was developed to provide the people, process and technology links for CalPERS’ new G2G/G2B platform. Featuring online data entry forms, file transfers, inquiry, and billing capabilities for critical operations, ACES effectively meets the needs of CalPERS and its employer partners.
Delegata built ACES to seamlessly connect with CalPERS’ existing legacy systems while utilizing Oracle’s new 9iAS Model View Controller (MVC) framework. We developed an e-service strategic vision, defined roles and responsibilities, modified existing processes, and defined new processes while establishing a new technology infrastructure. Not only did Delegata provide project management, analysis, development, and quality assurance assistance, we also ensured that CalPERS’ staff members fully understood how to implement and maintain the solution via a thorough knowledge transfer process.
CalPERS employers and provider partners now use the Internet to quickly and easily process health, membership, and payroll transactions. Employing Delegata’s pragmatic approach, CalPERS achieved substantial benefits, including:
- Dramatic reduction in manual processing
- 97% satisfaction rate increase
- Ability to grow with their partners
- Less wasted time correcting data errors
- Streamlined new account processing
- Improved tracking and monitoring
- Electronically processed payroll data
- Increased security
CalPERS | Pension System Resumption (PSR)
CalPERS, the largest public retirement system in the world, provides retirement and health benefits to more than 1.4 million members and 2,500 employers. The Pension System Resumption (PSR) solution sets the foundation for CalPERS’ vision to use the internet as a primary channel for conducting its business – a solution known as “my|CalPERS.” The foundation for the vision is a technology infrastructure that provides the flexibility, expandability, and scalability required to grow the business in the coming decades. By 2011, PSR will enhance today’s my|CalPERS by providing a fully integrated suite of products and services that will enrich the web experience for internal staff, participants, employers, and the business partner community. With the implementation of these self-service capabilities, CalPERS will be able to minimize today’s administrative support services and focus instead on adding increased analytical and planning value to its extensive member community.
As a longtime Delegata client, CalPERS recognized Delegata’s commitment to excellence in the delivery of effective business solutions, and requested Delegata’s assistance in managing the PSR Project.
Using a solution-driven approach and its expertise in project management, Delegata established a robust set of project management services within CalPERS that aligned with industry best practices leveraging the baseline available in our “Use a Project Office for Large Project Success” solution. Some components of Delegata’s solution include:
- Guidance and expertise in project management and governance, including knowledge transfer, tools, and techniques to CalPERS staff at all levels of the organization.
- Execution of key roles, such as Project Office management, Risk and Issue management, Communications, Configuration/Change Management, Quality Assurance/Control, Resources and Schedule management, and Contract/regulatory compliance.
- Information, forecasting, and trend analyses enabling CalPERS to proactively manage and control the PSR Project.
- Standardization of project management practices, processes, and tools to ensure that Project performance is consistently measured against strategic and tactical goals.
In addition to providing project management services, Delegata supports other critical aspects of the Project, such as security, design consulting, and the testing of over 100 interfaces for over 3,000 external partners.
BUSINESS BENEFITS
CalPERS and Delegata are partnering in the project management of the new PSR solution, with CalPERS leading the way with its expertise in retirement and health services, and Delegata bringing best practices in project management solutions to the Project. The initial launch of the solution will bring the web experience to internal staff, participants, employers, and the business partner community. Improved member self-service features will follow shortly thereafter. Using the internet as the primary channel for conducting business, CalPERS will modernize its pension retirement services and provide ongoing flexibility to scale and adapt its products and operations to ever-changing market needs. The successful partnership of CalPERS and Delegata will bring retirement system self-service to millions of public employees.
DOJ | Armed Prohibited Persons System
The Attorney General also assists district attorneys, local law enforcement, and federal and international criminal justice agencies in the administration of justice. To support California’s law enforcement community, the Attorney General coordinates statewide narcotics enforcement efforts, participates in criminal investigations and provides forensic science services, identification and information services and telecommunication support.
In addition, the Attorney General establishes and operates projects and programs to protect Californians from fraudulent, unfair, and illegal activities that victimize consumers or threaten public safety. The Attorney General also enforces laws that safeguard the environment and natural resources.
Under the state Constitution, the Attorney General is elected to a four-year term in the same statewide election as the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Insurance Commissioner. In 1990, voters imposed a two-term limit on these statewide offices.
APPS is a database of persons who have been, or will become, prohibited from possessing a firearm subsequent to the legal acquisition or registration of a firearm or an assault weapon. Authorized law enforcement agencies will have inquiry access into APPS to determine the prohibition status of a person of interest.
DOJ will populate APPS with all handgun and assault weapon owners across the state and match them up against criminal history records to determine who might fall into a prohibited status. Automatic notifications from State and Federal criminal history systems will be received daily to determine if there is a match for a current California gun owner. When a match is found, the system automatically raises a flag to Firearms Division staff which triggers an investigation into the person’s status.
Utilizing the Diamond methodology and a team-based commitment to finish the project on time and on budget, DOJ and Delegata completed the development and implementation of the new system in fewer than 7 months. Now agencies committed to public safety will have an automated tool to increase efficiency and accuracy as well as enhance collaboration and cross-departmental communication. DOJ and Delegata established a foundation for collaboration within internal departments and across external organizations by utilizing data from internal DOJ databases as well as from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI.) DOJ and Delegata were honored to win the “Best Solutions Award” for APPS at the Government Technology Conference (GTC) West 2006.