Publications and Press Releases - Speeches and Presentations

Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | Brand Hong Kong

Publications and Press Releases > Speeches and Presentations

Opening Address by Mr. Stephen Mak, Deputy Government Chief Information Officer, at the Hong Kong Software Quality Assurance Conference

18 August 2009

Edmund, Distinguished Speakers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning! I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak today at the Hong Kong Software Quality Assurance (HKSQA) Conference amidst a series of related workshops. I am particularly delighted to meet distinguished speakers from different places who will share with us their profound knowledge and experience on software engineering best practices.

Software quality is taking on ever-increasing significance in the Internet and Web 2.0 era, where interconnectivity is the norm, performance is presumed and information security and privacy of personal data continue to be major factors in all facets of the system development lifecycle. Disruption of online services will not only cause businesses to halt, but also adversely affect the social interaction of many people, including our younger generation. The software industry is fully aware of these risks and global trends. They have responded by improving software engineering practices to be in line with technological advancements and users’ behavioral changes. These best practices focus on fitness for purpose, richness of functionality, good user experience, operational efficiency, information security, and value for money so as to satisfy the needs of customers.

To this end, we have seen continuous global effort in refining quality management models and practices. To name just a few, the ISO 9000:2008 stresses on the need to achieve customer satisfaction through consistent products and services which meet customer expectations; while the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) version 1.2 provides a comprehensive framework and mechanism for assessing an organisation’s capability on software quality assurance against a set of key processes in the areas of development, acquisition, and services. In the Mainland of China, the Computer Information System Integration Qualification Certification, which is now open for application by local service suppliers, is a stepping stone to the taking up of IT projects on the Mainland. Suffice to say that all these gear towards the assurance of quality software delivery. Our distinguished speakers will certainly give you better ideas and more insights later during the Conference.

The Government fully supports the adoption of quality management best practices and accreditation to global and regional quality management systems by the IT industry. One of the recommendations of the Task Force on Economic Challenges chaired by the Chief Executive relates to the establishment of a Council for Testing & Certification to enhance the professional standards and global recognition of local testing and certification services. The Council will work with various industry sectors in mapping out a three-year, market-oriented development blueprint in the six months after its establishment. I encourage the IT industry to collaborate with the Council with a view to enhancing the professional standards and recognition of our industry in the international arena.

As one of the major users of IT services in Hong Kong, the Government has structured its IT sourcing arrangement to give particular emphasis on service quality and recognise the professional standards and qualifications of our IT services suppliers. For example, under the “Standing Offer Agreement of Quality Professional Services” scheme, we have recently awarded contracts to 26 IT service providers who are committed to providing quality services to Government bureaux and departments. These service providers, when they compete for individual service assignments let out by bureaux and departments over the 4-year contract period, will need to continue to demonstrate their commitment to quality and professional standards to stand a better chance of success. This in turn promotes and encourages the continuous development of software quality in the Hong Kong ICT setting.

We also stress the importance of providing quality online services to the public. Throughout the development of GovHK, the one-stop government portal for making public information and services easier to find and use, we have placed heavy emphasis on its security and accessibility, with due consideration to satisfying the diverse needs of the customers, including the elderly and the disabled. We are making continuous improvements on GovHK’s content and usability. One new feature worth mentioning is the myGovHK platform, which will be launched next year to provide a more personalised user experience that is pleasurable and straightforward as using an integrated user account.

Internally, the Government also cultivates a sense of quality among our over 2,000 IT professionals working in bureaux and departments who are responsible for the development and management of IT projects. Over the years, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer has promulgated comprehensive policies and guidelines on quality management for adoption by in-house IT professionals. We have also shared these best practices with our IT suppliers for their reference. More recently, we are revising our best practices on IT strategy formulation, IT-enabled business transformation and IT operations to ensure that they are fully compatible with the latest global trends.

Quality management cannot be practised without quality professionals. To ensure the Government has a sustainable and robust IT workforce, in terms of capacities and capabilities, to develop and deliver its IT strategies, initiatives and programmes, we developed last year a Government IT Skills Framework with reference to international best practices. Besides providing formal training to maintain and enhance the skills and competencies of our IT professionals, we have also established a comprehensive knowledge management system to promote a culture of knowledge creation and sharing over the virtual space as well as through face-to-face interactions. We are gratified to note that our Office has recently been named a Winner of the 2009 Most Admired Knowledge Enterprise (MAKE) Award organised by the Knowledge Management Research Centre in Hong Kong. On a wider industry front, we will continue to support the Industry Training Advisory Committee of the Education Bureau in the development of the Qualifications Framework and the underlying Specification of Competency Standards with a view to enhancing the professional workforce and promoting lifelong learning.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the organiser, the Hong Kong Productivity Council, on its success in staging this worthwhile Conference in promoting software quality assurance. I think you will find your time well spent and have a rewarding experience. For our friends from overseas, I would like to wish you a pleasant stay in Hong Kong.

Thank you.

- ENDS -

Top

End of page