Senior User Group

1
Senior User Group

• 24th October 2008

2
Introduction Previous Actions

• Nigel Williams

3
Previous Actions

• Action 1 MCIS team to arrange a User Forum for
  Core 1st session to cover guidance notes, and
  what further material may be useful.
• Action 2 AA to draft a note for the PIG,
  summarising the compliance assessment activities
• Action 3 RV to share his work on file content
  sizes to EMDA.
• Action 4 EMDA to YFs work on file sizes and
  assure themselves that these are being accurately
  forecast and adequately tested.
• Action 5 MA to produce Guidance Notes on
  claiming for staff working across gt 1 budget,
  agree them with BERR, and issue to RDAs
• Action 6 RDAs to review Guidance Notes on
  claiming for staff working across gt 1 budget and
  discuss their individual situation with their MA
  regional lead
• Action 7 NW to consider whether, and when, it
  may become possible to expedite Release 1
  roll-out for Core by re-focussing the team, and
  what the implications might be for Release 2
  development.
• Action 8 DE to formally email PIG to notify
  them the change of implementation strategy (to
  focus on r1) has been agreed.
• Action 9 NW to circulate a paper detailing a
  proposal for a security review of the other
  (non-MCIS) systems involved in the delivery of
  ERDF Programmes.
• Action 10 RDAs to arrange for DEs governance
  proposals to be reviewed within their own
  organisations, and feedback to DE.
• Action 11 GDE to write to DE proposing how the
  particular needs of Core users might be addressed
  9within the support arrangements).
• Action 12 RD asked NW to table, for a
  forthcoming SUG meeting, a discussion of the
  overall role of the SUG.
• Action 13 SL to draft a template for the
  Aggregate Claim Progress Report, and circulate.
• Action 14 Core users to advise AMcI if they
  would like a visit to discuss Release 2
  functionality
• Action 15 Add these risks to the MCIS Risk log.
• Action 16 (see also Action 1) User Forum for
  Core to be convened at YF, for AWM, SWRDA, EMDA,
  to review lessons learned.
• Action 17 SWRDA to make available to other Core
  RDAs the XML project and claim files that they
  have successfully uploaded on 16/09/08 as an
  additional exemplar which may be useful.
• Action 18 NW to ensure MCIS integration test
  environment is populated with revised view of
  YFs OP (9 priority axes), by end of this week.
  Otherwise, RV advises there is a risk of slippage
  to the YF UAT date (mid-October).

4
Implementation of Release 1

• Mark Swan

5
Implementation Release 1, Topics

• Status in each RDA
• Witness testing
• Remaining activities
• User guides
• Issues / risks

6
Implementation Release 1

• Status in each Full RDA
• Witnessed Testing completed 18 July 09
  Sept 24 Sept 08 Oct 21 Oct
• MCIS Live 28 July 15 Sept
  29 Sept 03 Nov 07 Nov
• Problem with receiving Government Gateway
  login emails resolved 18 Sept

7
Implementation Release 1

• Status in each Core RDA (1st 6 tasks completed
  by all)

8
Implementation Release 1 Witness testing

• Witness testing - some advice
• Study and prepare answers to questions circulated
  from MA and AA
• Aim to cover all the business scenarios in
  Appendix 2 of User Acceptance and Go-live
  document
• Special focus on
• Management controls across the whole solution
• Defined business processes, with accompanying
  desk instructions
• Reconciliation of data within and across all ERDF
  systems
• Definition of user roles and support systems
• Risk management, scoped across the whole approach
  towards delivering effective management of ERDF
• Business continuity
• MAs and AAs acceptance, determined by
• Availability of information and supporting
  documentation
• Degree of effective compliance to EC requirements
  
• Visibility of sign off from RDA

9
Implementation Release 1 Remaining Activities

• Remaining activities for Full users
• Complete desk instructions for all additional
  ERDF processes
• Complete systems testing
• Payment interface, if appropriate
• Use of workarounds in absence until Release 2 of
  clawbacks, irregularities, visits
• Post implementation review
• Document prepared
• Initial feedback requested
• Full PIR post r2

10
Implementation Release 1 Remaining Activities

• Remaining activities for Core users
• Complete desk instructions for all additional
  ERDF processes
• Dont forget to include reconciliation as routine
  processes
• Complete systems testing
• Simulate use of workarounds in absence until
  Release 2 of clawbacks, irregularities, visits
• Process and submit zero-value Interim claims
• Process and submit Final claims
• Process and submit Progress Only claims
• Ensure second aggregation does not include paid
  applicants claim already reimbursed in a
  previous claim period
• Try out project revisions (i.e. contract
  variations) and test reconciliation before and
  after
• Complete report writing for reconciliation
  processes
• Post implementation review

11
Implementation Release 1 Remaining Activities

• Just to clarify
• Heres a typical claim schedule
• 2007 Q3 - Interim claim
• 2007 Q4 - Interim claim
• 2008 Q1 - Interim claim
• 2008 Q2 - Final claim
• 2008 Q3 - Progress Only claim
• 2008 Q4 - Progress Only claim

12
Implementation Release 1 Support Tools

• User guides
• Project Deliverer
• Claim Editor
• Aggregate Claim Editor
• Available as
• Hard copy
• CD
• And, dont forget the help texts behind each
  screen!

13
Implementation Release 1

• Issues / Risks
• Time to complete integration testing witnessing
  
• IT Audit, what if some concerns are identified,
  how do we handle?
• Approval of Audit Strategy
• Others?????

14
NWDA Implementation Case Study

• Andy Land

15
NWDA Implementation A Case Study, Topics

• Click embedded file (removed to limit file size)

16
Annex XII Completion

• Margaret Lees / Des Mulcahy

17
Annex XII Completion, Topics

• Summary of actions
• Timescales
• IT audit
• A.o.B. / questions

18
Summary of Actions/Timeline
DECEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
24
17 20
27
31
07
03
21
17
10
14
28
24
05
01
MA use approved template to update RDA Annex XIIs
Clearance of Annex XII by CLG Board
MA Load Annex XII into SFC 07
MA to provide updated Annex XII template and
clear with AA
MA review updated RDA Annex XIIs
All RDAs review, update and complete compliant
Annex XII statements
All RDAs provide evidence of local system sign off
5 Nov
All RDAs complete tests, update systems
Deadline 3rd Dec 08
All RDAs complete Witness testing
Final Check that Annex XIIs are complete and
compliant
AA compliance assessment of the CA
YF 12/13 Nov
SWRDA 6 Nov
AA In depth IT Audit
NWDA 10/11 Nov
AWM 31Oct
EMDA 29 Oct
Completion of AA Compliance by NAO
Review and Approval of Audit Strategy
MA tasks
RDA tasks
AA tasks
19
End of Morning Agenda Items Any Other Business?

• All

20
Lunch

• All!

21
Support

• Michael Runnicles

22
Support, Topics

• Procurement status
• Change control procedures
• A.o.B. / questions

23
Procurement Status

• Seven bids received 8th October
• Currently being evaluated by a panel of 12,
  comprising of representatives from RDAs,
  Security, Technical Design, KITWE, Procurement
  and EPP
• Evaluation meeting to be held 29th October to
  determine shortlist
• Short-listed bidders' presentations to be held
  4th November
• Target date for contract award - end November
• Transition process to commence in December with
  live service to start February/March 09 subject
  to successful implementation by existing team of
  MCIS release 2

24
Change Control

Process / Risk
Check,

Create RFC
acknowledge

• Draft Change Control
• All RDAs requested to review process
• Intention is to implement this from completion of
  r2
• Further development of the CR process may be
  undertaken by the new supplier
• Initially, this will be an offline paper
  process, and will be reviewed with the new
  Supplier
• The Change Advisory Board can authorise changes.
• Escalation/appeals managed via PIG

Lead contact
and log RFC


Project Team
BA


Reject

Review

TA

Approve
e

Assess and
evaluate

BA, TA

Reject

Authorise
CAB

Approve
e

Plan updates

BA, TA

Coordinate
change
implementation
Development
Team

Review and
Evaluation
close change
Report

record

Project Mgr

25
Implementation - Release 2 Anne Smith / Mark
Swan
26
Implementation Release 2, Topics

• Development status system MI
• User testing approach
• Implementation, constraints / principles
• A.o.B. / questions

27
Development Plan as at 18/08/2008
28
Development Plan as at 24/10/2008
29
Development Plan Key Dates
30
Release 2

• Project Categorisation
• Completed on 05/09, release 2.0.0, currently in
  system testing
• Clawbacks
• Completed on 26/09, release 2.1.0, currently in
  system testing
• Payments Interface
• Release 1 complete, however LDA testing is
  taking longer than expected
• Release 2 in development and schedule for
  completion by 07/11
• Funding Agreements
• In development and schedule to be completed by
  24/10, release 2.2.1
• Visits
• In development and schedule to be completed by
  31/10, release 2.2.2
• Irregularities
• In development and schedule to be completed by
  30/11, release 2.2.3

31
Release 2

• Real Time Reports
• Print Claim Release 2.2.2 on 31/10
• Print Project Release 2.2.2 on 31/10
• Reporting
• Claims Release 2.2.2 on 31/10
• Certifying Authority, Visits and Irregularities
  Release 2.2.3 on 07/11
• Project Monitoring Release 2.3.0 on 14/11
• Programme Monitoring Release 2.3.1 on 21/11
• Regulatory Reports no planned release
• Managing Authority no planned release
• Audit Authority no planned release
• Web Services
• Release 1 complete and in UAT
• Release 2 in development and schedule for
  completion by 07/11

32
Release 2 UAT Approach Anne Smith / John Hull
33
R2 User Acceptance Testing - Objectives

• Business Assurance
• that MCIS R2 software will support RDAs and
  CLGs ERDF business needs
• Enable go-live decision
• culminate in formal acceptance of the Release 2
  software
• by the Acceptance Panel, on UAT participants
  recommendation
• Evidence of due process
• All Stakeholders need to be able to demonstrate
  diligence in establishing confidence in systems
  used for ERDF processing (CA statement, Annex
  XII)
• Scope and findings need to be documented for AA
  potentially EC Audit
• Knowledge Transfer
• RDA, CA and MA participants will learn how to use
  Release 2

34
R2 User Acceptance Testing - Activities
Preparation
Testing
Acceptance
Other
35
R2 User Acceptance Testing - Activities
Preparation
Testing
Acceptance
Other
requirements
irregularities workshops
Scenarios, data requirementsCoverage, priorities
what to test
user manual
R2 functional scope
design
ScriptsEfficiency repeatability how to test
Plan sequence, time
36
R2 User Acceptance Testing Scenario Template
37
R2 User Acceptance Testing Script Template
38
R2 User Acceptance Testing - Activities
Preparation
Testing
Acceptance
Other
Run Scripts, record results
fixes
raise
close
Defects
prioritise
Defect review meetings
39
R2 User Acceptance Testing - Activities

• Agree which defects must be fixed before go live
  
• Contribute to, review and approve UAT exit
  minutes and UAT exit report
• Recommend formal acceptance of the Release 2
  software

• Help draft system help text and User Guides
• Produce updates, for SUG community

40
MCIS Release Iterations
Unit/integration cycle 1
System Test cycle 1
Schedule for actual MCIS Release 2 iterations
will be presented as part of todays SUG
User Acceptance cycle 1
Unit/integration cycle 2
System Test cycle 2
User Acceptance cycle 2
Unit/integration cycle 3
System Test cycle 3
User Acceptance cycle 3
41
Resource request

• Representatives from Full user RDAs
• Up to 3 resources required covering the
  end-to-end process
• Offer gt project set upgt claims gt monitoring gt
  irregularities.
• Will need to have knowledge of both the ERDF
  process, requirements of the regulations and user
  manual. Familiar with MCIS functionality and
  roles.
• ONE, LDA and SEEDA have volunteered resourcing
  details to be confirmed
• Representatives from Core user RDAs
• Up to 2 resources required, covering the business
  and IT aspects of the end-to-end process. Will
  need to be knowledgeable on the Data Dictionary
  and the required contents of the additional file
  types. Able to co-ordinate production of
  required file types for uploading into MCIS.
• EMDA has volunteered resourcing details to be
  confirmed

42
Approach Timings (see handout)
43
Next steps

• T.o.R. any comments? (All)
• For RDAs participating in UAT
• Please confirm resource availability
• Who from your organisations will be involved?
• How much time they can allocate in w/c 27/10,
  3/11, 10/11, 17/11?
• Can they co-locate full time, at EH, in w/c
  24/11, 1/12?
• with possible (contingency) extension into w/c
  8/12?
• Availability to end of December, to help with
  User Guides Help Text?
• Discuss requirements for support next week from
  MCIS Team, and opportunities to meet
• Start documenting your scenarios!!

44
Model Office Business Simulation Testing

• Performed by all RDAs as part of their MCIS
  implementation
• For UAT participantsMay be run in parallel with
  User Acceptance phase of testing
• Objective is to prove the readiness of the
  complete process (i.e. people, process and
  technology) for operating ERDF
• Successful completion of this phase is a
  pre-requisite for the decision to go live with
  MCIS within each RDA
• This phase will be managed by the RDA Local
  working Group, with support from an
  Implementation Co-ordinator from the MCIS Project
  Team
• RDAs can use the business scenarios used as part
  of System and User Acceptance Testing, but they
  should also be writing extra scenarios to test
  their own MI System

45
Release 2 Implementation Approach Mark Swan
46
Release 2 Implementation

• Principles Constraints
• Operating two versions of the software in the
  live environment will be too difficult to do at
  an acceptable level of risk
• Given the above, all users will have to go live
  with Release 2 simultaneously
• MCIS team will release
• final version of Release 2 software, following
  successful User Acceptance Testing
• final version of Data Dictionary (note changes
  from version 1.7.1 are unlikely) and associated
  Visits and Irregularities schemas
• From this moment, a limited time period will be
  allowed by mutual agreement for all RDAs to
  perform
• Changes to business processes and desk
  instructions
• Changes to local computer systems (Core users)
• Model Office activities, as appropriate
• Retesting and sign-off of all of the above

47
End of Afternoons BusinessAny Other Points?

• All