Components of an Information Systems Strategy for Public Financial Management

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Components of an Information Systems Strategy for Public Financial Management

Using the above methodology, the following elements of the PFM systems framework were produced:

(i) PFM Functional Processes and their Information Requirements The ISP methodology requires an understanding of the functional processes of an organization and the information requirements of these processes. To complement our own experience in the PFM area, we referred to a number of Bank and IMF publications where these processes have been discussed3 and compiled a list of the processes and their information requirements. This list is attached as Annex I. Organizational responsibility for these processes is shown by the table in Annex II. This list was validated by interviews with Bank staff who have worked in this area and are familiar with these processes. It is recognized that PFM functional processes do vary to a degree from one country to another when viewed in detail. They are, nevertheless, sufficiently similar across countries to enable formulation of a framework. This framework may, however, need to be adjusted to account for country-specific differences.

(ii) Information, Systems and Technology Architectures The ISP methodology uses information or functional processes and their information requirements to derive three key products which together constitute the framework for PFM. These are the information the systems, and the technology architectures.

(a) The information architecture establishes an overview of the inherent data structure and functional processes associated with an enterprise. It identifies the interaction between the functional processes and their information requirements and provides a basis for defining the databases and information systems for the enterprise.

(b) The systems architecture is a model of the information systems major databases and information flows required to support the information architecture. It provides the basis for planning See Lacey, 1989; Bird and Stevens, 1991; Premchand, 1983; Antonaya, 1988; De Zoysa, 1988; Allan and Woolley, 1992; Tazi 1988.

To derive an information architecture, first, an analysis of the affinities and information coupling between functional processes is carried out. Those processes most closely related in terms of their information requirements are grouped together. The data classes generated by these processes are similarly grouped. This causes all the data generated or used by the PFM functional process to be divided into discrete groupings called information areas. The information architecture leads naturally to the systems architecture which identifies the major component modules of the system network required to support PFM functional processes. The type of information contained in each information area, together with the nature of its functional processes, determines the nature of the systems support that will be required for that area. The information flows between the various areas of the information architecture and with the external environment define the nature of the interfaces between the component systems modules required to support PFM.

development and ensuring integration between the component elements. The information architecture and the systems architectures, taken together, provide a framework for the entire information systems network required to support PFM and serve as a road map for implementation purposes.

(c) The technology architecture an identification of the major functional characteristics of the component modules of the systems architecture helps determine technology choices for the hardware and software that would be appropriate to set up the various modules. This is the technology architecture

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