New Zealand, June 23, 2000
We are delighted that the 'Connect 2000' project been awarded the title of the Most Successful Project Implementation of the Year at the Computerworld Excellence Award Dinner on 22nd June.
The award was the only one made to a "partnership". It was made specifically to Department of Conservation/Fujitsu, recognising the project as the most successful in the country against competition from all of the public and private sector.
Bill Beale, MD of Fujitsu, said "This award highlights the success of the partnership, as well as the success of the project. The ongoing relationship with the Department in delivering operational support via our Enterprise Management Centre team is a critical part of the success, and is key in having a happy customer and a successful partnership."
The judges explained why the 'Connect 2000' was the best, in Computerworld New Zealand :-
Most Successful Project Implementation of the Year Winner: DoC and Fujitsu New Zealand for Connect 2000.
Exceeding expectations and bringing substantial cost savings has paid off for the Department of Conservation and Fujitsu New Zealand for their Connect 2000 project.
It involved overhauling the department's IT infrastructure to simplify the diverse range of hardware and software technologies which had been accumulated over time.
Furthermore, only a third of the organisation was networked, leaving islands of information. Along with communication restrictions, this created inefficiency and led to higher costs.
To ease communication, an intranet system was needed. DOC also wanted to free managers and staff from managing the department's computer LANs so they could concentrate on their core activities.
Convening judge David Stott says: "Connect 2000 involved taking far flung pockets of incompatible data and wielding them into a coherent information system serving the whole department.
Prior to the project, DOC had 1200 different databases and 10 different word processing packages spread over only 28 of its 69 locations.
"The project provided standard business tools, running on industry standard architecture and using an intranet to provide a centralised information repository accessible by all staff, including those at locations such as Stewart Island, Arthur's Pass and the Chatham Islands.
"The project was brought in on time and to budget and has exceeded expectations, particularly in the area of staff communications where the intranet has shown its worth. Operating cost savings have already been substantial," Stott says.