Strong project management and a phased approach will be key
to the implementation of the Scottish Prison Service's new prisoner
records system.
A six-figure contract has been awarded to services consultancy
Newell & Budge to design and develop the new system, which is
due to go live in the second quarter of next year.
Scottish Prison Service project manager Alan Gray explained that
the government's Prince 2 project management process will play a
major part.
"Under Prince 2 we have a project management structure based on
specific stages," he said.
The project will replace the existing seven-year-old system with a
new version better suited to end-users' needs, Gray said. "It is a
Windows-based interface which is a lot more intuitive and flexible
for users."
In addition to custody details on the 6,000 prisoners in Scotland,
the system also provides a record of activities carried out in
prison. Officials say the system, which covers 18 Scottish Prison
Service sites, will be accessed by about 3,500 staff.
The new system will also use XML internet technology to integrate
with other government systems, such as the Scottish Criminal
Records Office and the General Practitioners' Administration
System.