Description of Project

The Department had been using successfully Personnel Information System along with Post Management, Payroll, Pensions and Gratuities modules since 2003. This application software had been developed and implemented by WorldLink under a previous Asian Development Bank Technical Assistance Programme for governance reform.

Successful implementation of the recordkeeping system led the Department to proactively allow other line ministries to interact with the PIS system in order to better manage HR transactions such as transfers, payroll verification and retirement notifications. These transactions originated from the line ministries. In time, during the maintenance phase, parts of the system were web-enabled to allow line ministries and other government agencies to directly participate in updating personnel records and conducting transactions on the PIS.

In order to allow full-fledged participation in the transactions on the PIS application by all line ministries, departments and constitutional bodies, the Department with a World Bank Technical Assistance programme undertook an application upgrade project. The objective of the project is to institutionalize the use of the human resource management system by the Government by transforming the client server application into a web-based platform that was readily accessible with any Internet browser through out the country.

This project primarily entailed a full platform upgrade of the applications from the client-server version and other web-enabled functions into a single unified, integrated, service oriented application platform. The objective of the software development effort was not only to meet and enhance all the functions and features of the client-server application, but also to develop an open platform that met for the following objectives :

• Intuitive, bilingual User Interface to all HR functions.
• High performance and scaling capabilities.
• Open architecture platform to securely allow building of further customization and enhancements atop the provided platform for individual line ministries without affecting other ministries.
• Lightweight design, accessible by authorized users using any Internet browser throughout the country lowering any barrier to adoption.
• Allow civil service employees to access and verify their personal and service details through a self-service portal.
  
  The project also consisted of upgrading the network and computing hardware to enable such as huge platform change.
  WorldLink brought its HR Library software development framework used for its commercial HRMS product, and used it to re-develop the entire PIS system from the ground up. This was key to meeting the Web 2.0 standard integration between the various modules, to allow the DoCPR to meet not only its needs but also to delegate and provide transaction authority to the line ministries.
  
  As a result the line ministries have now adopted the platform to maintain and manage their human resources. The DoCPR now acts largely as the facilitator and central repository of HR information on civil service employees.