System Assurance

Project Assurance

The project is well positioned to deliver the expected outputs

• Alignment to and adoption of the agency’s project management framework and public sector best practice guidelines (e.g. PRINCE2)
• Project governance enables timely and effective decision making
• Project is supported by a robust and viable business case
• Planning and delivery processes ensure project activities are well controlled
• Financial management and control of budgets are effective
• Benefits definition, realisation planning and monitoring are sufficiently controlled
• Risk and issue management processes are effective
• Stakeholder engagement and communication processes are effective
• Controls over the management of vendors / sub-contractors are effective
• Quality management and assurance processes are effective
• Change management plan is robust and the business is well positioned to receive the project outputs

Programme Assurance

The programme is well positioned to deliver the expected outcomes and benefits related to the organisation’s strategic objectives

• Alignment to and adoption of the agency’s programme management framework and public sector best practice guidelines (e.g. Managing Successful Programmes)
• Alignment of the programme to organisational strategic objectives
• Programme is supported by a robust and viable business case
• The future organisation design will deliver the expected outcomes and benefits
• Programme governance enables timely and effective decision making
• Programme planning and control processes are effective
• Benefits definition, realisation planning and monitoring are sufficiently controlled
• Risk and issue management processes are effective
• Stakeholder engagement, communication and change management processes are effective
• Quality management and assurance processes are effective

Portfolio Assurance

The organisation has a robust approach to “doing the right things at the right time”

• Alignment to and adoption of the agency’s portfolio management framework and public sector best practice guidelines (e.g. Management of Portfolios)
• Alignment of the portfolio to strategic objectives
• Portfolio definition processes are robust
• Portfolio governance and management processes are effective
• Benefits definition, realisation planning and monitoring are sufficiently controlled
• Portfolio risk management processes are effective

Technical Design Assurance

The technical solution design is fit for purpose and will meet business requirements

• Alignment to and adoption of the agency’s and Government’s enterprise architecture frameworks, technical design standards and best practice guidelines
• Assessment of the quality of the technical solution design, including the following:
  • Functional suitability – Extent to which the design will meet the stated business needs
  • Performance efficiency – Extent to which the design will meet non-functional requirements in terms of responsiveness and capacity
  • Compatibility – Extent to which the design enables information exchange and interoperability
  • Usability – Degree to which the design enables ease-of-use
  • Reliability – Extent to which the design will meet non-functional requirements in terms of availability and recoverability  
  • Security – Degree to which the design protects information and data
  • Maintainability – Extent to which the design ensures the system can be maintained
  • Portability – Degree to which the design enables the system to be transferred from one platform to another
• Completeness of technical design documentation set, including traceability of functional and non-functional requirements against the solution design and vice versa
• Identification of any risks inherent in the design such as extent of customisation, future modification / upgrade capability  and software licensing costs

Technical Implementation Assurance

The technical build is fit for purpose and ICT is well positioned to receive the new system

• Assessment of code and configuration quality against the technical solution design requirements
• Test strategy and management processes are effective
• Data migration and master data management is sufficiently controlled
• ICT transition plan is robust
• Solution is operable and supportable