ITSD ensures quality of IT systems in building E-government
05 - 11 - 2002

The Government is committed to continuously improving the quality of its information technology (IT) systems, which facilitates the development and implementation of the E-government initiatives.

Speaking at a software engineering process conference today (November 5), the Director of Information Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong Chi-kong, said that his department has implemented a quality management system to assure and maintain the quality of IT products and services.

Mr Wong said, "Our quality policy states that quality products and services are to be achieved by Continuous Improvement, Constant Measurement, Responsible Performance, Responsive Actions, High Creativity and Achievable Total Quality."

"If you take the first letter of the second word of these six factors, you will easily recognise that they form the word 'IMPACT' because we believe quality will have great and positive impact on our products and services.

"Our commitment to continuous improvement is rewarding and is constantly applied to the development of the E-government programme," he said.

In taking forward the E-government programme, the Government believes that bureaux and departments will have to assume greater ownership on IT and to blend IT with their core business.

With the assistance and support of the Information Technology Services Department, more than 20 IT Management Units (ITMUs) have already been established in government bureaux and departments to ensure the effective management of their respective IT services and functions.

Mr Wong said, "With the setting up of more ITMUs and our outsourcing policy, the continuous need to maintain and ensure the quality of government IT systems has become a real challenge."

"ITMUs and their outsourcing contractors are highly encouraged to adopt quality planning and quality assurance review in their management of IT projects," he added.

More and more companies understand that the adoption of a quality management system for software process improvement is crucial. They also recognise that the ability to produce quality software is a key to success in the software development business.

Since quality management can take up a lot of management time and organisational resources, the Government is working with IT bodies and associations to explore means to help companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises in the IT industry, in achieving international IT quality standards. This is aimed at enhancing their competitiveness in the long run while maintaining a right balance between seeking quality accreditation and actually improving their work processes and output.

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