Review of Transport Canada’s Cloud Project

• Uncertain timelines, service options and costings for SSC managed service.
• TC does not have the necessary resources, skills and knowledge to manage the COM project.

• Leverage cloud information and support from the Direct General level SSC Committee to better understand the COM offerings, timings and updates.
• Leverage support and advice from the GC Cloud Funding Model Committee to improve TC Cloud funding options for COM.

• Lack of a TC Cloud Strategy to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of all parties.
• The Cloud WLM project is supposed to be dedicated to migrating applications to the cloud; however, they have assumed all other cloud related responsibilities (application portfolio management, foundation work, network/firewall, security, infrastructure, operations, architecture).
• Lack of buy-in and governance - Cloud is not a priority even though it underpins all digital transformation and innovation. There are many competing priorities.
• Incomplete analysis and rationalization of portfolio of applications to be migrated to the cloud.

• Develop a cloud strategy to clearly define the roles and opportunities of various DSD stakeholders (Enterprise Architecture (EA), Solutions, Security and Programs).
• Rebuild organizational chart – specify the positions, reporting relationships, roles and responsibilities.
• Obtain support from senior management to establish the cloud project as a priority.
• EA and Programs to complete the analysis, rationalization and prioritization of applications moving to the cloud.

• There is no permanent funding for hiring full-time employees (FTEs). Capital funding is used to hire casual and temporary staff. Consultants are often used for advanced technical work.
• Hiring DSD resources for Cloud is not prioritized; the 3 other directorates prioritized ahead of cloud.
• DSD’s HR Strategy, which outlined a need for 15 resourced positions (based on Gartner/Microsoft business case numbers), has not been achieved. Number of current staffed positions: 3 out of 6 technical resources and 2 managers.
• Flexible recruitment processes for specialist cloud skilled resources (unadvertised positions, unilingual) are not employed.

• Incorporate lessons learned from other government departments’ and agencies’ (OGDAs) Cloud journeys or how they built/ recruited for their Cloud teams.
• Formulate a flexible recruitment strategy with HR.
• If competitive processes are a requirement for certain positions, explore streamlined and flexible processes which could accelerate hiring (in alignment with internal/ external hiring requirements).

• Retention of skilled cloud FTEs is difficult without permanent funding. TC Cloud team relies on hiring and training students for a stable team.
• 4 out of the 6 technical cloud employees in WLM left over the past few months.
• Staff experienced stress in having to take on advanced cloud roles with limited knowledge or time to learn (“imposter syndrome”).
• Lack of clear career progression within DSD - and no use of internal non-advertised promotions available to retain skilled staff.

• Consider adopting a learning plan/ strategy and exploring options for allocating time for employees to learn.
• Consider creating a Cloud Developmental Program to help junior employees stay and flourish at TC.
• Conduct exit interviews to understand reasons for leaving to develop a more effective retention strategy.

• Lack of effective financial planning and tracking – significant surplus before year-end required a lot of recoding and Payables at Year-End (PAYEs).
• No clear plan of how to address the gap between the cloud project’s financial needs and the funding available.
• Staff Cloud positions based on financial affordability versus actual needs – i.e. no permanent funding for FTEs.

• Improve current financial management practices by proactively working with DSD finance and the Financial Management Advisor.
• Review financial status – what are the priority expenditures (e.g. Amazon Web Services (AWS) work?).
• Explore Cloud funding mechanics (Treasury Board submissions, output from GC Cloud funding exercise).
• Determine fundamental resource needs (i.e. staff key cloud positions), allocate sufficient salary funding.

Leverage cloud information and support from the Director General level Shared Services Canada (SSC) Committee to better understand the Cloud Operating Model (COM) offerings, timings and updates.

Leverage cloud information and support from the Director General level Shared Services Canada (SSC) Committee to better understand the Cloud Operating Model (COM) offerings, timings and updates.

Improve current financial management practices by proactively working with DSD finance and the Financial Manage Advisor.

Review financial status – what are the priority expenditures (e.g. Amazon Web Services (AWS) work?).

Explore Cloud funding mechanics (Treasury Board submissions, output from GC Cloud funding exercise).

Determine fundamental resource needs (i.e. staff key cloud positions), allocate sufficient salary funding.