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2002 December Report of the Auditor General of Canada

December 2002 Report—Chapter 2

Case Study 2.1—Two information systems serving the same purpose

Background

Canada's 22 Marine Communications and Traffic Services centres give vital support to mariners by providing marine navigational information, monitoring vessel movement, and supporting marine communication. Operators involved in monitoring traffic movements integrate information from a number of sources such as radar screens, radio communications with ships, navigational charts, ship transit data, and other sources. The Canadian Coast Guard has been working towards a better means of integrating these various sources of information.

Development of two integrated information systems

In August 1995, the Laurentian Region, now the Quebec Region, obtained authority from Coast Guard headquarters to begin the development of the Information System on Marine Navigation (INNAV). The first stage of the project was planned for completion in 1998 at an estimated direct cost of $7.3 million. This stage was the delivery of a fully integrated real-time information system that would be installed in six centres in eastern Canada.

The Region encountered several project management problems that resulted in cost overruns and delays in project completion. In 1999 the project became the responsibility of the Integrated Technical Services unit at headquarters. It reduced the scope of the project to activities that directly supported marine communications and traffic services and that could be completed by May 2001.

In April 2002, the first stage of INNAV was installed in eight centres in eastern Canada. The total estimated direct cost of the project increased to $13 million. The Department has informed us that INNAV is meeting user needs even though some of the original system capability was not delivered.

Over the last fifteen years, the Pacific Region has been developing systems to maintain historical records of vessel movements. Its various incrementally developed systems have evolved into its own integrated information system called the Vessel Traffic Operational Support System (VTOSS). The Pacific Region did not seek national approval for the development of VTOSS and funded it out of regional operating budgets. The Region indicates that the system meets its needs; however, a formal systems development approach was not used, resulting in an almost total lack of systems documentation. In addition, VTOSS is dependent on the employee who developed it for maintenance.

VTOSS and INNAV are not linked; therefore, information cannot be transferred between the two systems. The Marine Communications and Traffic Services headquarters must combine information from the two systems to prepare statistical reports on national program activity. The Department is now confronted with the cost of operating and maintaining two systems that are designed to serve the same purpose.

Our concern

This case study illustrates the consequences of a lack of national leadership in developing important information systems. Both regions used poor project management practices and, in the end, the Department has paid for two systems where only one national system is required.