Roads and Maritime Services set to run ‘IT like a business’

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) has opted to manage ‘IT like a business’, a move that is an ‘agency first’ for the NSW government, according to CIO Rob Putter.

Under the plan, RMS had adopted the internationally recognised best practice framework for ‘managing IT like a business’ – Technology Business Management (TBM).

“Roads and Maritime is proud to be the first NSW Government agency to apply the TBM framework to its technology portfolio,” Putter said, explaining the move will enable the agency to maximise the business value of IT investment.

The TBM framework created by the TBM Council, helps IT, finance and business unit leaders maximise the value of IT investment by providing a clear taxonomy to describe IT resources, applications and services in a shared language.

“TBM and value management are key principles in the new IT operating model and are a key priority for the organisation to increase the transparency of all technology investment, ensure alignment with government priorities and to overcome legacy technical debt challenges,” Putter said. Putter said the investment in TBM will allow the agency to optimise and retire legacy IT services, shift investment from ‘run the business to change the business’, which will enhance the agency’s ability to adopt and embrace the new technologies that will transform the sector.

Meanwhile, TBM Council founding director and board member, Chris Pick, said the adoption of the framework is a recognition by the agency that IT is a business enabler.

“We believe every organisation today is a technology company and CIOs are at the centre of this technology transformation. TBM empowers CIOs to embrace this change with data-driven decision making,” Pick said.

On the staffing front, Ben Haines, RMS associate director technology business management, will become the first person in an Australian government department to become certified as a TBM Executive (CTBME) and IT Portfolio Support Analyst.

Haines said the agency was already seeing results from its TBM program.

“The insights provided by the TBM program are now being actively used to optimise services, avoid investment in legacy services and to promote the adoption of emerging technologies such as cloud and data analytics.”