EMIS

The E-MIS is an integrated management information system that will be used by ESCOM to undertake the management of information in core and supporting organizational activities. It will provide ESCOM with a modern and computer based state of the art tool to manage the Divisional activities once implementation of E-MIS is completed. The MIS will integrate all the business processes into a single point of reference and management and ensure that the organization’s business processes and information systems are well-aligned to industry best practices. The E-MIS will integrate reports and data across Divisions, Regions and Districts. All ESCOM offices will have remote access to the centralised system to process their centralised transactions.

The main objective of the EMIS is to integrate multiple non-integrated computerized systems and manual processes with an integrated and comprehensive MIS to improve the quality of its business processes to be more efficient and effective, and in line with standard best practices and customer needs.

Running ESCOM requires processing and managing volumes of information efficiently and effectively to support decision-making and customer service. Currently, ESCOM’s operations are severely constrained due to the lack of an integrated Management Information System (MIS). Only a few business functions are automated (using computerized systems) however, the majority are not. This is inefficient and poses several risks to the quality of information available, processed results, and ultimately decisions made. As a result of these challenges and risks, a lot of time at ESCOM is spent executing repetitive operations and recompiling data for management reporting, rather than managing/improving customer delivery processes and overall performance of the business. As a result, ESCOM faces the following systemic challenges:

• Unstandardized and highly differentiated regional business processes and disintegrated data which make it difficult to consolidate and easily access or retrieve institutional data and customer information which is currently stored in three different regional databases.
• Manual, repetitive data analysis and reconciliation processes which are prone to human error, manipulation risks and operational inefficiencies in decision-making.
• Discordant data produced in some operational reports using current data from live systems of the same report with same parameters on the same day.
• Difficulty in managing and controlling manual processes which are difficult to validate resulting in a set of operations that are potentially open to fraud.
• Difficulty in implementing ESCOMs performance management system as it is difficult to track the implementation and outcomes of regional planned activities.

The above challenges are time consuming and increase ESCOMs operational inefficiencies. The EMIS will therefore replace the business systems, implement new systems in areas where there are no computer systems in place, integrate all the business processes into a single convergence environment for reference and management, and ensure that the organization’s business processes and information systems are well-aligned to industry best practice.

The MIS will replace the business systems currently being used by ESCOM; implement new systems in areas where there are no computer systems in place, integrate all the business processes into a single point of reference and management, and ensure that the organization’s business processes and information systems are well-aligned to industry best practice. After a successful implementation of the MIS, ESCOM expects the following benefits:

• Business processes optimization and efficiency improvement in according with current process needs and operations of the company and industry best practice.
• Enhanced data integration, reliability and accessibility needs of both historical and real-time data used to facilitate decision-making in key institutional processes.
• Improved monitoring, performance measurability and control, and reduction of operational cost and process optimization which will increase company profitability.
• Enhanced corporate image resulting from increased transparency in operations.
• Improved and more sophisticated internal system controls and reduced fraud risk following the ease of audit trails and interfacing to audit data analytical systems.
• Optimal into more efficient internal systems e.g. billing and collection cycle, leading to improved customer service interface and cash flows.
• Improved performance and risk management of ESCOM Business processes.

Implementation of the EMIS has been conducted in a phased manner thereby allowing for the growth of the system and the users across the company / organization. So far, the project has accomplished the EMIS design and specification development activities. Currently, steps are in their final stage to procure a high Level Vendor for the actual implementation and installation of the system with technical assistance from a consultant. The vendor will supply, install, implement and commission the E-MIS, and shall be required to prepare a detailed implementation work plan for the supply, installation, implementation and commissioning, which shall thereafter be integrated into ESCOM’s work plan.

The first phase comprising the Systems design and Specifications was completed in 2015. It was followed by procurement activities of a vendor to undertake the implementation activities. It is estimated that the implementation EMIS project will be completed within 18 months from the start of vendor implementation activities.

i) The EMIS Project manager will be responsible for the day-to-day coordination of all project activities within ESCOM.

ii) Technical Steering committee and working Groups. Steering Committee, a Project Management Team, Implementation Workgroups and design teams comprising of Regional change agents and a Central Implementation Team. The Steering Committee will be responsible for:

• Providing overall policy guidelines for the E-MIS project;
•  Overseeing the E-MIS project;
•  Articulating a high-level description of the E-MIS project scope;
•  Setting overall priorities;
•  Confirming E-MIS project goals and objectives;
•  Committing and monitoring resources and budget;
• Providing Reviewing E-MIS project progress;
•  Endorsing milestone achievements;
•  Providing resolution of escalated issues;
• Endorsing organizational, policy and strategic changes decisions; and
•  Leading/championing any business changes that may be required in as a result of the E-MIS implementation.

iii. Project Sponsor (CEO): The Project Sponsor shall be the CEO of ESCOM. His responsibility shall be to provide overall guidance for the implementation and to take responsibility of the project implementation as the CEO of ESCOM. In addition, he will ensure the Board is kept fully informed of the current and projected state of the project across ESCOM. In addition, the Project Sponsor is also the Chairman of the E-MIS Project Steering Committee and will provide overall sponsorship of the E-MIS project. Financing of the project activities will be dependent on his approval they will also closely supervise the progress of the project, to make sure that it is realised in time and within the agreed budget.

iv Business owner: The ultimate business usage and ownership of the E-MIS rests with the Director of Finance (Mrs. Betty Mahuka) who is tasked with the overall business ownership of the E-MIS implementation project on behalf of all other Divisional Directors because more than half of the ESCOM systems belong to Finance. The Business Owner will be responsible for utilising the E-MIS project outputs and verifying the agreed project outcomes in the User Requirements. The Business Owner is ultimately responsible for providing the project team with the technical knowledge relating to the business processes, and for the final technical acceptance of the systems.

v Project Management Team Members e.g. The E-MIS Project Management Team is charged with the coordination of the E-MIS implementation activities to enable the introduction of the E-MIS within the time frames specified. The Project Management Team (PMT) will:

• Lead the implementation of all planned tasks under the ESCOM MIS project;
•  Determine and advise the Business Owner on the project resource requirements;
•  Identify the project risks and develop a strategy to manage those risks;
•  Determine project scheduling and ensure all planned activities are undertaken in a coordinated manner;
•  Manage stakeholder expectations and information needs;
•  Develop and implement appropriate communication strategies;
• Build capacity within ESCOM to support the effective operation of the E-MIS (training and change management);
•  Ensure procurement and management of contracted resources in accordance with ESCOM standards;
•  Provide liaison with E-MIS consultants and vendors engaged to undertake the implementation of the E-MIS;
•  Meet all Quality Assurance standards for project management; and
• Minimize disruption to the ESCOM’s clients, both internal and external during implementation of the E-MIS.