​​Technology

Key objectives include:

• moving asset ownership and management to suppliers
• reducing the cost and complexity of inter-agency connectivity
• improving security across government and removing it as a barrier to change
• providing a sustainable reduction in government’s spend on telecommunications
• providing attractive and relevant service offerings to reduce barriers for agency uptake.

In response to these objectives, GCIO has developed a package of shared services that is easily scalable and provides agencies, particularly those co-locating, with greater flexibility, efficiencies and security. GCIO operates packages of shared services that:

• are defined in terms of outcomes rather than infrastructure components
• have no minimum volume
• have no minimum term
• will evolve to meet the ongoing needs of end users
• are a complete set of services that can be mixed and matched to meet varying circumstances.

By introducing shared services to your agency, existing geographical restrictions for the availability of your agency ICT services disappear. Shared services enable greater ease, lower cost and more effectiveness for:

• organisations to co-locate and relocate
• project teams to work across organisations
• organisations to merge or demerge
• business continuity planning (BCP)
• end users to have consistent experiences no matter where they’re located
• appropriate security services that enable business processes.

Applying this approach in a co-location

ICT considerations should be included at the early stages of the project and your agency’s desired technology outcomes included in the design brief.

GCIO, with Statistics NZ, have created a suite of guidelines to help lead agencies and participating agencies create a government shared services ICT solution to suit their co-location. The guidelines explain the actions needed to implement a shared ICT solution. There are eight ICT shared accommodation guidelines and standard operating procedures available.

1. GSA-ICT Solution Overview.
2. GSA-ICT Shared Resource Booking Solution.
3. GSA-ICT Shared Printing Solution.
4. GSA-ICT Back-end integration patterns.
5. GSA-ICT Lead Agency Responsibilities.
6. GSA-ICT Tenant Agency Responsibilities.
7. GSA-ICT Shared Printing FAQ’s.
8. GSA-ICT Printing Implementation Guide.

Contact the GCIO team at gcio@dia.govt.nz for more information on the guidelines.

For a co-location, agencies need to consider what combination of services will deliver the best outcomes for their end users. GCIO has a shared services panel which can help provide these outcomes.

We recommend lead agencies work with GCIO and Statistics NZ to develop and execute an MoU for ongoing services.

Mobility (Connectivity, WIFI/LAN/WAN)

A single network fabric that is location agnostic and allows agencies to connect to home networks. Each participating agency only brings devices that support staff flexibility to work from different workspaces or other areas within the office.

• Reduces the complexity of the ICT environment at the office.
• Eliminates per-agency on-site ICT hardware deployments.
• Reduces support burden on participating agency ICT functions.

Printing

A single, fleet of MFDs, usable by all agency users and with guest printing services.

• Reduces the number of printers within the office.
• Provides convenient print facilities for long-term and short-term occupants.
• Reduces support burden on participating agency ICT functions.

Meeting room technology

Meeting spaces have plug ‘n’ play capability for presentations and group document review and work with network accessibility for all users.

Video conferencing capability is overlaid onto meeting rooms as appropriate for the level of inter-office interaction.

• Enhances basic functionality of meeting spaces, supporting more consistent utilisation of spaces.
• Provides greater flexibility for the spaces to be used for multiple purposes.
• Supports productive group work.
• Increases ease of interaction between agency sites.

Resource Booking

A means for occupants to easily identify availability and book shared resources. Ideally integrated into an agency’s mail/calendar application.

• Allow tenants and visitors to make best use of the meeting room shared spaces.
• Users experience remains consistent with single agency sites.

Building Directory

A single view of tenants and their locations in the office, easy to keep updated.

• Reduce the information-sharing/administrative burden placed on receptionists.
• Introduces visitor registration processes that automatically notify staff their guest has arrived.

Telephony

Capabilities which allow tenants to be flexible and work at different workspaces and areas within the office.

• Reduce technology-imposed limitations to support staff working flexibly.
• De-couples individuals from dedicated working spaces.

Business Insights

Capabilities which allow facilities management to understand how often different spaces are being used, with options to add the ability for staff to find available workspaces and people.

• Provides information to inform space planning (what types of workspaces need more of/less of, occupancy loading neighbourhoods if in a flexible environment), particularly useful in flexible working environments.
• Can assist with wayfinding for staff, help find colleagues and spaces to work from.

Support

A single point of contact ensuring all tenants can easily make use of the site ICT resources.

• Simpler process for staff.
• Reduces potentially time consuming interactions between staff and multiple IT contacts.