Rosebery Housing Association
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
May 2017-20
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
Table of Contents
1
Overall Aim.......................................................................................... 3
2
Vision ................................................................................................. 3
3
Introduction ......................................................................................... 4
4
Key Objectives ..................................................................................... 5
5
Infrastructure Strategy ......................................................................... 6
6
Application Strategy.............................................................................. 6
7
Service Delivery Strategy ...................................................................... 7
8
Information Strategy ..............................................................................
9
Project Implementation Strategy ............................................................ 8
Appendix A – Digital Systems Programme ..................................................... 9
Appendix B – Systems required ................................................................ 10
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
1
Overall Aim
The overall aim of this strategy is to transform the way Rosebery Housing
Association currently works and support the Digital Transformation Strategy.
It will provide a robust, reliable, responsive and speedy infrastructure that will
utilise current and future technologies to provide digital channels to allow
contractors, residents and key stakeholders to provide structured information
into our systems whilst allowing flexible and remote access to information for
staff in the office or on the move. Self service portals and Apps will provide
transparent secure information to residents and key stakeholders.
2
Vision
This strategy supports the business to deliver both the vision and the key
objectives which relate to the corporate strategy.
This strategy will deliver online services for residents to interact with the
organisation at a time that suits them, it will:
 deliver systems that are integrated so that processes are seamless and
staff can carry out their work in a streamlined and flexible way
 ensure staff have the right skills, are highly IT literate and engaged,
confident, trained and supported on an ongoing basis in using the systems
to their full capacity
 continue to provide a robust and reliable infrastructure where downtime
and disruption are very rare occurrences
 continue to provide a process where all projects are clearly owned,
managed, delivered and followed up so that all systems remain effective.
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
3
Introduction
This strategy builds upon reviews with the Executive Team and Heads of Service
at Rosebery Housing Association (RHA).
It aims to deliver technology based solutions to the business and key
stakeholders that are robust and reliable, with improved speeds, responsiveness
that will reduce data duplication and provide transparent information to
residents.
It will provide staff with readily accessible information when and wherever they
need it regardless of being in the office, working remotely or in a resident’s
home. It will also offer RHA the opportunity to provide services at times more
suitable to resident’s lifestyles.
It will increase the digital offering to stakeholders by delivering solutions that
move interactions with the business from more time consuming and expensive
processes to lower cost processes, via web portals and Apps.
It is supplemented by an annual Information Communication Technology (ICT)
project delivery plan (Appendix A) that outlines how the objectives will be
achieved.
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
4
Key Objectives
This strategy builds upon the ICT infrastructure that is highly available, fit for
purpose, reliable, and scalable over the next 2-3 years. It delivers enhanced
integrated data and voice networks with key systems, partners and suppliers.
It supports a computing environment that:

Transforms customer related interactions reliably, consistently and in a
speedy manner

Facilitates the recording and analysis of property asset and customer data
and provides an enhanced customer offering

Facilitates the recording, tracking and communication with key stakeholders
that empowers them and provides greater visibility to their data allowing
them to control how Rosebery works around them
The organisation aims to review and digitalise its processes and procedures in
line with the ‘Digital First’ communication channel with residents, contractors
and other stakeholders.
It supports ongoing reviews and implementation of an information strategy
which identifies the information flows in and out of the business and between
departments. This will include processes, transaction costs and customer
journeys.
This strategy works on the clear business case process created in the previous
ICT Strategy to ensure the benefit of the IT investment is understood. It also
supports the implementation of a project management process that initiates
projects based on a set of business requirements. This process will include
measureable outcomes, including Value for Money (VfM) and post project benefit
review stages.
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
5
Infrastructure Strategy
The current infrastructure is fit for purpose and provides a stable platform for
the next 2-3 years. Given the pace of technological developments this will be
reviewed in 18 months to 2 years time.
The software infrastructure used by the Group delivers applications to desktops
and allows authorised staff to access selected applications from any internetconnected computer. This method of delivering applications to staff remains an
effective approach to provide IT services. This will be extended through the use
of Apps and enhanced web portals supporting the Digital Transformation
Strategy.
The current disaster recovery and backup process has been tested and is stable,
exceeds business requirements and expectations and delivers Value for Money.
6
Application Strategy
Applications will provide residents with cost effect methods to pay rents and
charges; contractors with a portal to monitor, track and invoice jobs - reducing
transaction costs in line with the Digital Transformation Strategy. The application
strategy provides seamless integration with back office and contractor systems
reducing time spent on transactions and processing resident repairs, complaints,
service charge, rent requests and queries. The CRM (Customer Relationship
Management) system will store stakeholder information available to softphone
users which identifies callers whilst providing a 360 degree view of the profile
held on our systems. It will also allow access to related documents visible to
stakeholders based on RHA’s predefined access controls in line with EU General
Date Protection Regulations (GDPR). The intranet will continue to act as the
central repository for department processes and procedures to guide system
processes and how customer data is handled within the organisation. The
intranet will also use the electronic document management system as its central
repository to handle version control, archiving and ensure the latest information
is available to staff and stakeholders through various systems, websites, portals
and Apps (Appendix B).
It promotes the integration of larger contractor systems and provide a portal for
smaller contractors. Data collated from these contractors can be acted on
immediately to remedy or improve customer satisfaction, conduct surveys or
provide data for benchmarking against KPI’s.
The strategy will continue to support RHA’s lone working solution.
Supporting the Digital Transformation Strategy the organisation will continue to
invest in digital literacy of staff developments through training, user group
attendance, enhanced induction process and continued training to maximise the
success and advancements of our systems and future technologies.
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
7
Service Delivery Strategy
The aim of the service delivery strategy is to define the requirements of each
contract and support service to obtain the correct balance of service delivery and
value for money to the organisation.
All IT contracts will continue to be reviewed, re-procured and deliver value for
money.
8
Information Strategy
Staff support calls will continue to be logged and dealt with through the RHA
Helpdesk portal. The RHA support team will continue to deliver support and
facilitate the flexible, remote and mobile working required of the Digital
Transformation Strategy.
The Information Strategy will focus on the Digital Transformation and continue
to identify how and where information flows in, through and out of the
organisation.
An information audit will be carried out which will define the information outputs
required by the digital transformation Strategy. A key focus of the audit will be
to monitor changes in behaviour and pro-actively make changes which channel
shift how we communicate with staff and customers, in particular, introducing
more Apps and self service options which will empower residents, contractors
and stakeholders to do more for themselves.
The continued recommendations of the audit will be used to build a programme
of information that will be migrated into the electronic document management
(EDM) systems, making it the default repository for all key documents. The use
of EDM for customer documents supports the delivery of online access for
customers. Making appropriate document’s viewable by residents. Using EDM for
corporate documents improves access to documentation and EU GDPR
compliance, including version control and data retention.
A document or records management policy and procedure will address
information naming, filing conventions, access and systems security in line with
corporate governance policy. Data will be archived to maintain system speeds
whilst following legal regulations. Policy, Processes, Procedures and User Guides
will continue to follow the review and authorisation cycle that exists with
enhanced monitoring and review processes.
The information audit will continue to review and update the data map that
shows the master source of each type of data, current interfaces and
requirements for future interfaces. Changes and improvements will be
implemented in a planned way, focussing on interfaces that bring the most
value.
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
9
Project Implementation Strategy
The project implementation strategy delivered from the previous ICT Strategy
will continue, and will ensure the successful initiation, implementation and
review of projects within RHA.
The use of a robust business case allows decisions to be made on whether to
implement a project.
The project steering group will continue to prioritise projects based on their
weighting and significance to the corporate strategy; whilst ensuring projects are
delivered within timescales, scope and budget. It will also ensure continuous
improvement on applications and service delivery throughout the organisation,
not only within IT.
The ICT department will continue to identify and review new tools and
techniques that can provide improved ICT services extending and enhancing the
range of services provided by RHA.
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
Appendix A – Digital Systems Programme
In this action plan some budgets are yet to be confirmed, this is because these
projects require reviewing along with the resource and budget allocation.
Task Name
Digital Transformation Process
and Procedure Review
Open Housing Upgrade v14
SMS - Implementation
Mobile Working -Voids
Mobile Working - Arrears
Mobile Working Neighbourhoods
Mobile Working –Inspections
(Pre and Post)
Purchase Ordering and Invoicing
System/Process
CRM (Customer Relationship
Management)
Unified Communications
Tenant Portal
Contractor Portal
EDM (Electronic Document
Management)
Website
Intranet
Department
Responsible
All service areas
Finish
October 2017
IT
IT
IT/Asset
Management/Housing
IT/Housing
IT/Housing
September 2017
April 2018
February 2018
IT/Asset Management
February 2018
IT Finance
July 2018
All service areas
March 2018
All service areas
IT/Housing/Asset
Management
IT/Housing/Asset
Management
All service areas
March 2018
June 2018
Digital/Housing/Comm
unications
Digital/Housing/Comm
unications
June 2018
February 2018
February 2018
March 2018
May 2018
September 2018
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference
Information, Communication Technology Strategy
Appendix B – Systems required
ROSEBERY DIGITAL SYSTEMS OVERVIEW
BOARD
IMT
TENANTS
CONTRACTORS
WEB SITE
PORTALS
Log/Track/FAQs
Repairs
Rents
Neighbourhoods
STAFF
APPS
Rent Statements
Service Charges
Letters
STAFF
SOFTPHONE
Pri/Pos Ins
Voids, Neigh, etc
CRM
OpenHousing
Tenants &
Properties
EDM
Stakeholders
HR/Comms
Contacts/Feedback
Complaints
Press/Councillors
Ensemble
Intranet
SUN
Rents & Service
Charges
Docs/Letters
Social Media/IM
Conversations
Policies
Processes
Procedures
Financial
VisioDocument
Rosebery Housing Association – Making a Positive Difference