1. Expanding Customer Service Delivery in a Changing World Ideas to Better Serve Customers Today and Position An Enterprise For Continued Growth Tomorrow Presenter: Rose Bossio, Project Manager Washington State Department of Retirement Systems © 2002

2. Overview BackgroundBackground Business ProblemBusiness Problem SolutionsSolutions ApproachApproach DemonstrationDemonstration Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

3. Business Background Collecting member information from state and local government employers is critical for DRS to perform its mission. –Pension Benefits –Withdrawals

4. What business problems were addressed? Increase the accuracy and timeliness of monthly retirement reportingIncrease the accuracy and timeliness of monthly retirement reporting Simplify customer reporting process considering the reporting complexities employers now face (e.g. PERS Plan 3)Simplify customer reporting process considering the reporting complexities employers now face (e.g. PERS Plan 3)

5. Specific business problem challenges VolumeVolume FormatFormat TimelinessTimeliness AccuracyAccuracy

6. What is the solution? Web-Based Employer Transmittal (WBET) to allow employer reporting of member informationWeb-Based Employer Transmittal (WBET) to allow employer reporting of member information Member Status Verification (MSV) to allow employers to conduct system/plan checks prior to reporting member informationMember Status Verification (MSV) to allow employers to conduct system/plan checks prior to reporting member information Two web-based applications directly interacting with mainframe data:

7. What factors were considered in making the decision to web- enable the legacy application? Strategic DirectionStrategic Direction Increasing WorkloadIncreasing Workload Decreasing Funding/StaffingDecreasing Funding/Staffing Cost to ImplementCost to Implement Cost AvoidanceCost Avoidance Size of Effort Number of users Security Risks Technology Customer Need Client Software

8. What technology approaches were considered and what was selected?

9. Client Interface Electronic FormElectronic Form Tool: Shana Informed product Web ApplicationWeb Application Technologies: ASP, COM+, XML, HTML

10. Electronic Form

11. Web Application

12. Reasons for Web Application No client installation requirementsNo client installation requirements Provides more flexibility for application enhancementProvides more flexibility for application enhancement Avoids vulnerability of reliance on third party softwareAvoids vulnerability of reliance on third party software Skills learned can be applied to other web development effortsSkills learned can be applied to other web development efforts

13. Middleware Entire XEntire X MQSeriesMQSeries

14. Reasons for MQSeries IT industry leader for message- oriented middlewareIT industry leader for message- oriented middleware Part of DIS strategic directionPart of DIS strategic direction Larger message capabilityLarger message capability

15. Security Digital SignatureDigital Signature ID/PasswordsID/Passwords

16. Reasons for ID/Passwords No cost to customerNo cost to customer No client installation requirementsNo client installation requirements Avoids delay waiting for issue of digital signatureAvoids delay waiting for issue of digital signature Requires additional password before customer can submit reportRequires additional password before customer can submit report

17. Web Hosting Environment Department of Information Services (DIS)Department of Information Services (DIS) InternalInternal

18. Reasons for DIS 24 X 7 availability with backup and onsite recovery24 X 7 availability with backup and onsite recovery Secure environmentSecure environment Consistent service provision with enterprise applications and dataConsistent service provision with enterprise applications and data

19. Processing/Editing MainframeMainframe Web ApplicationWeb Application

20. Reasons for Mainframe Maintenance (no process duplication)Maintenance (no process duplication) Real-time dataReal-time data Reduced development time (complex rules)Reduced development time (complex rules) Increased accuracyIncreased accuracy

21. Development Support ContractContract Internal StaffInternal Staff

22. Reasons for Decision Experience/SkillsExperience/Skills MentoringMentoring Allows for ongoing maintenanceAllows for ongoing maintenance Expands business knowledgeExpands business knowledge Efficiencies gained from mixed work groupEfficiencies gained from mixed work group

23. High Level Application Architecture Client DRS Mainframe (ADABAS, VSAM, CICS) DIS Firewall (Fortress) MQSeries Messaging IIS Server SQL Server

24. Demonstration

25. Lessons Learned and Best Practices Agree on development environment and tools prior to constructionAgree on development environment and tools prior to construction Involve future maintenance staffInvolve future maintenance staff Talk with other organizationsTalk with other organizations Involve customers/stakeholders upfront in the designInvolve customers/stakeholders upfront in the design

26. Lessons Learned and Best Practices Develop proof of conceptDevelop proof of concept Be willing to change directionBe willing to change direction Recognize there will be tradeoffs for decisions madeRecognize there will be tradeoffs for decisions made

27. Questions?

28. Supplemental Information

29. Tools Used Software: Web Application Development - Internet Information Server (IIS), Active Server Pages (ASP), COM/COM+, XML/MSXMLWeb Application Development - Internet Information Server (IIS), Active Server Pages (ASP), COM/COM+, XML/MSXML Database – SQL Server 7Database – SQL Server 7 Active PDF Electronic FormsActive PDF Electronic Forms Development Tools: Microsoft Technologies (Visual Studio, SQL Server Development Tools)

30. Challenges/Risks Environment preparationEnvironment preparation Architecture decisionsArchitecture decisions Baselines (target customer, recommended transaction limit)Baselines (target customer, recommended transaction limit) Experience with tools (e.g. MQSeries)Experience with tools (e.g. MQSeries) ScopeScope ScheduleSchedule MaintenanceMaintenance