Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Integrated-Case Management Fiasco: The Curious Case Of The Suspect Software...

There'sNoCodeLike
TheWrongCodeVille


You remember the 'integrated-case management' system, right?

It's the $200 million dollar boondoggle powered by suspec software that is making it, essentially, impossible for British Columbia's social workers to do their job.

How do we know the software is suspect?

Because, this (as reported by Rob Shaw of the VSun late last week):

Five provincial governments that developed computer systems since B.C. began its project in 2008 have dismissed B.C.’s software choice as either too costly, not suitable for the job, or not the leading standard for government social-service projects...

{snip}

The Siebel software (from Oracle and bought by B.C.) is primarily used for private businesses to track sales, customer habits and other information...



The thing is, there is a competing bit of code called 'Curam', that was designed for social and human services work, that the other provinces are using successfully.

Curam bid on our ICM megaproject and it lost.


****

So.

When this ICM thing got rolling, back in the days of our Gord (i.e. 2008), who was lobbying the provincial government for Oracle?

Well....

Let's have a look at the lobbyist registry, shall we (click on the image to enlarge):




Hmmmm....

What is the good Mr. Puhallo doing now?

Is he using his awesome code powers in IT?

Doing something in the gaming business, perhaps?

How about data management?

Don't be silly.

Mr. Puhallo is now working for that awesome software company known as the 'Northside Business Improvement Association' in Kamloops:

The North Shore Business Improvement Area's new manager gained job experience early on as a parliamentary assistant in then-Liberal whip Kevin Krueger's office more than a decade ago.

Steven Puhallo is a longtime political worker with the Liberal government and party who is returning to his family's deep roots in the Thompson valley....



Long time 'worker' with the (BC) Liberal government, for the Krueginator (and more)?

Surprised?

And here is something kinda/sorta interesting as well, particularly if you think back to who really ran  the Premier's office and made things happen back in the days of our Gord...

...In addition to being a ministerial assistant in government, Puhallo worked as a regional organizer for the Liberal party. He left government and party politics to work for public relations and lobbying firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies...


Gosh.

Hill and Knowlton?

Let me see...Who was hired on to run the BC division of that Lobbe Shoppe back in the day (i.e. 2008)?

(scratches head...uses search function on own blog's archives...)

That's right!

The man (and content consultant) of many hats!

Let them eat (the wrong) software, indeed.


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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

At the end of the day...who benefited the most.not the public apparently.What do they call that.?what other areas has BC Liberals applied this business model.?is that why we are at 64 billion debt from 34 billion when liberals bc came into off 12 years ago.works out to 3 billion a year debt added.