Integration of IT into Day-to-Day Work

Versatility is perhaps one of the well recognised attributes of EOs. We have colleagues performing duties ranging from HR management, financial resource management, project management, licence administration to committee service. When it comes to special tasks like the handover ceremony, EOs are also frequently called in to render assistance. With the advance of desktop technology such as the implementation of Government Office Automation Phase II, office managers must be prepared to face the various challenges in the IT era. This will no doubt change the working habits of staff and offer ample opportunities for administrators to integrate the use of information technology (IT) into day-to-day business. Are EOs ready to respond to the challenge and establish themselves as professional managers in this front?

David NG's office, a typical working environment in Technical Secretariat which is full of diskettes, CDs, users' manuals as well as cords and cables.

Are We Suitable Candidates?

"Yes, EOs are suitable candidates and we can be competent IT managers too," said Mr Paul LEE, CEO of the Technical Secretariat in the Civil Service Bureau. "LAN administration, for example, is not simply the application of technical know-how. It requires management skills, foresight and imagination to enrich the system with useful applications and
information that meet the needs of both the department and the end users, and to align it with the overall corporate objectives." Don't be misled by the name Technical Secretariat; the unit led by Paul comprises only EOs and general grades staff who are responsible for departmental administration, resource management, research support on service-wide issues, development and maintenance of management information. Needless to say, computerisation projects and IT support are also the main duties of the Technical Secretariat. "In addition to LAN administration, we provide desktop publishing, presentation service, web page and related application development, internet facilities, in-house software training and help-desk service. We also have a service centre with specialised hardware and software that are available to all CSB colleagues. It is a physical meeting place for them to share experience on IT applications," supplemented Mr Arthur LEUNG, SEO, who works with Paul and has special responsibility for the IT function of CSB.

Keep Track of the Development

IT is such a vast and fast developing area that it is not easy to keep abreast of the latest development. "We adopt a matrix approach," explained Paul, "Every EO in the Technical Secretariat has his/her main stream of duties; however, they will form into functional groups when working on ad hoc IT projects and assignments. This way, we can gain wider exposure to new technology, keep track of the latest development and react promptly to changes."

Readiness to Accept New Ideas

Management experience and general knowledge in departmental operation are indeed important attributes of a LAN administrator. EOs, are therefore well placed for such tasks. "Although certain knowledge in microcomputer operation and networking is a plus, to be dynamic, open-minded and to accept new ideas readily are of equal importance. LAN administrators need not be all-round IT experts. Their role is not to introduce the most advanced gizmos to the office just for the sake of technology. More importantly, they should have close contact with colleagues, identify their needs and be able to measure the tempo of the department. The LAN links the users together and our main task is to integrate it into daily work, enhance information sharing and streamline the workflows," Paul and Arthur explained.

Close contact with the users and wide exposure have enabled the Technical Secretariat to adopt appropriate IT to meet the objectives of CSB. "CSB is the third government department/bureau to set up its homepage before the existence of the Government Information Centre. Users are no longer satisfied with a standalone computer and the IT trend is moving towards connectivity, communication, information sharing and interactivity. We envision the potential of Internet/Intranet technology in facilitating two-way communication between the Bureau and the Public. The idea was supported by top management and the web pages are well received. Two years ago, an on-line application for Common Recruitment Examination was first included in our web page. Then an electronic Civil Service Newsletter was added, much to the acclaim of overseas pensioners. We will continue to enrich the contents to meet the expectation of our clients," Paul remarked. "In the meantime, each division in CSB is provided with Internet facilities for communication outside GCN - the first in the government. Officers are widely given internet e-mail accounts to facilitate their work. Of course, our ultimate goal is internet connection at the LAN terminals or Intranet but the question of security has first to be resolved."

Client Oriented Culture

Good IT services fundamentally involve the interface between people and machine, "Adequate assistance and guidelines must be provided to the end users to enable them to make good use of the machines. We do have comprehensive software and hardware strategies to maximise resources, enhance efficiency and to streamline workflows. The very last thing we don't want to see is IT becoming an obstacle instead of a facilitator," Paul and Arthur stressed.

Pual Lee (right) and Arthur Leung (left) are discussing the design of the CSB homepage.

Are We Ready?

The setup in your department may look different from that of CSB but the basic structure and functions should not vary a lot - people, machine, work, corporate objectives etc. Their experience shows that EOs are capable of discharging IT duties with competence and commendable results. Paul explained, "Don't be threatened by new technology. IT initiatives, be it LAN, internet or intranet, have opened up new frontiers of communication and information sharing within an organisation and most important of all, access to and involvement in important departmental operations and processes. EOs, especially those involved in departmental administration, are well placed to seize such an opportunity of the 21st century. We need to be proactive in this respect."

So are you ready to face up to the challenge?

Chris LI, Herman TSE