Workplace Services

The Client Workplace Services are a business unit of the Government of South Australia that provides advisory, compliance and education services relating to occupational health and safety, industrial relations and public safety legislation in South Australia.

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The Challenges

To develop and manage major Intranet and Internet systems in parallel. To integrate information that had previously been captured and stored by several, disparate systems and databases. To provide Workplace Services' inspectors access to client information wherever they may be travelling. To enable Workplace Services staff a simple but flexible means of managing the content of their web site. To bring the user interface of the Workplace Services web site up to a world class standard.

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The Solution

SRA prime contracted the project, taking direct responsibility for development of the InfoNET application and sub-contracting the development of the ERIC web site and content management tool to Ignition. SRA was responsible for overall project management. This joint approach played to each company's strengths and offered the client a more complete service and skill offering.

InfoNET

The InfoNET is a 100% browser-based application accessed internally through Workplace Services' intranet. The InfoNET enables Workplace Services staff to manage:

• Client Profiles;
• Client Activities;
• Plant Registration;
• Truck, fireworks, blasting, asbestos and other generic licenses.

A key component of the InfoNET system is the ability for inspectors to operate in an off-line mode when taking laptop computers out to customer sites. This is accomplished using a Personal Oracle database on each laptop. When connected to the intranet, the inspectors use the system against the central Oracle Enterprise Edition database. When they go into off-line mode, the application and relevant data is replicated from the central database to the Personal Oracle database on their laptop. The inspectors can continue data entry on their laptop and any changes they make are replicated back up to the central Oracle database the next time they connect to the intranet.

Oracle Workflow was implemented to provide automated email notification to Workplace Services' staff when they are required to perform an activity for a customer. A follow up email is also sent automatically if the activity has not been performed in a given timeframe.

Another important aspect of the system is its link to the BizGate Payment Gateway for processing of electronic payments.

A phased implementation approach was taken with this project to enable Workplace Services to commence using functionality as it is developed. The InfoNET system has been operating successfully in its production environment since the beginning of January 2002.

Ad hoc reporting functionality was added to the system through the implementation of Oracle Discoverer. This provides users with sufficient access privileges the ability to create and/or view ad hoc reports through their web browser. This is done using a wizard driven interface so the user does not require any knowledge of SQL.

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ERIC web site

The technical environment of the site is built on Oracle application and database servers, with a Java based web interface. Management of the site is undertaken through a browser based content management tool. This tool provides for Site Administration and author accounts (to various components of the site).

This site features a sophisticated, interactive search component with a tool to assist users in finding the information they are seeking. Users can also register to the site and provide profile information such that relevant information can be "pushed out" to users rather than requiring them to search for it. This includes automatically e-mailing updates to awards as they occur.

The site was officially launched in June 2002 at http://www.eric.sa.gov.au.

The Technology

Oracle JDeveloper 3.2 (JavaServer Pages)
Oracle Reports 6i
Oracle 9i Application Server
Oracle 8.1.7 and Personal Oracle databases
Oracle Designer 6i
Oracle Discoverer
Oracle Workflow

The Services

Project Management
Infrastructure Configuration
User Interface Design and Technical Development
System Documentation
Testing
Training
Ongoing Support

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