Technology Audit Lays Groundwork for a Comprehensive Solution at Health and Human Services Agency

Client Description

The client is a health and human services agency which provides a broad array of services to communities throughout western Massachusetts and Connecticut. Available programs are grouped into the areas of Children and Families; Community Resources; Developmental Services; Juvenile Justice; Homelessness Prevention; Mental Health/Addiction; and Social Enterprise.

Challenge

The client had experienced significant, continuous growth over several years but had not developed an IT strategic plan to support the organization’s size and complexity.

Ninestone’s Approach

Ninestone was engaged to complete an IT audit to provide the baseline for an IT strategy and staffing plan. The audit consisted of a full review of the IT organization, including an analysis of the staffing composition and requirements, as well as the data center, network and telecommunications infrastructure, software applications, reporting processes and customer service.

Technology

The audit included the following technologies:  

  • IT Organizational Design
  • Technical/Architecture
    • Hardware Purchasing, Inventory and Deployment
    • Network (LAN, WAN, Bandwidth)
    • Security
    • Backups and Disaster Recovery
    • User Management
    • Telecommunications
    • Mobile Device Management
  • Applications and Reporting
    • Help Desk Software
    • Core Function Applications (Financials, HRIS, Practice Management, Document Management)
    • Reporting and Data Warehouse

Results

Ninestone provided an in-depth Information Technology audit, utilizing a rigorous approach to align the organization’s strategic plan with their current technology landscape.  As a result of the IT Audit:

  • An infrastructure plan provided guidance for short and long term IT investment decisions.
  • A Staff Management plan was designed, implemented and monitored.  Included in the plan were:
    • An abilities and resource gap analysis to identify current activities relative to current state organization hierarchy, skillsets, and priorities.
    • Design and adoption of a revised IT organizational structure. 
  • A COTS help desk system was selected.
  • A tactical plan for addressing recommendations/next steps was established to support a long term approach to analyzing, assessing, developing project planning methodologies for the continued integration of Information Technology in the organization.

Key outcomes of the IT Audit and follow up work included:

  • An infrastructure plan to provide guidance for short and long term IT investment decisions.
  • A methodology and corresponding policies and procedures to effectively manage IT staff deployment, including outsourcing field support for remote locations.

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