The RAA newsletter

[DWF]

Jumping the gun again!

 

This announcement should not have been made until the new web site actually goes live.

 

 

[SDQDI]

Jumping the gun again!

This announcement should not have been made until the new web site actually goes live.

Now now DWF, we have all been whining that we don't get told about anything until after it happens and now you say you don't want to know about it until after it happens?

I think good on them for letting us know beforehand, imagine the shambles if it just got rolled out with no notice and everyone was wondering why some members had usernames and access while they didn't. I think they have done a reasonable job of informing us in a timely manner this time and certainly don't want to discourage them from keeping up the proactive comms.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

The board was given a thorough run through on the new website during the recent board meeting, by the staff members involved. I again sat through it at the initial CFI conference day following.

 

The website upgrade is something I have been pushing for since I became a board member ( and possibly before).

 

It certainly looks very modern and efficient, however no doubt there will be some hicups getting 10,ooo members squared away with it. However it is what we needed two years ago, and is something that can easily be upgraded as required. I am personally excited about seeing its introduction finally and I take my hat off to those who have put it together for us.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

so what did the new website cost?

 

 

[Roundsounds]

Hmmm, there proof reeder misseded this won in the E-male....

 

"If there are errors or omissions, simply update the details. You will be able to update most details.

 

Where there are errors or omissions please use the contact form on the website to let us know so we can fix any errors or omissions for you."

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Badly worded ... but I think I know what they meant. At the AGM, where they ran through the new website, the membership & aircraft rego area was demonstrated. They explained that you can change most things, but there are some (eg change of name) that requires some backup proof, so a contact form will allow the staff to do the necessary checking and changes for you.

 

 

 

Perhaps they should have said "However, for fields that you can't edit, please use the contact form ..."

 

 

[Roundsounds]

It sounds like it's going to greatly improve things!

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

The upgrade from business systems perspective were:-

 

1) make as much as we can member driven....stupid to pay staff to do boring repetitive things, and due low worker satisfaction get them wrong and fail audits etc

 

2) make the underlying DataBase hold data that is actually useful and can be reported on....as an example if my aircraft has 300hrs then best I get that by adding all the individual past year records than by adding the past years total during an annual registration to a single previous total and replacing it with a new total...and thereafter having no clue as to how the 300 was arrived at....

 

3) use automated workflow so that staff only get involved when they need to...

 

4) transition away from paper....have all the documents that make up your pilot history and or aircraft history available and o line for your and staff access from anywhere....

 

5) understanding the DB makeup make future reporting as flexible as possible, you shouldn't need to be a brain surgeon to get useful different reports out of the system.

 

Staff can now focus on value add rather than crap...even though the crap stuff is the stuff that keeps us flying.......

 

Once this new system goes live, and has settled in then you should watch RAAus for improvements....up until now staff had to do the day stuff and implement a new system......now their desks have been almost cleared....watch out!! I personally am expecting big things!

 

Andy

 

 

[fly_tornado]

6) independent security audit so that the RAA doesn't get comprimised

 

 

[kasper]

so what did the new website cost?

Its part of the modernisation project and that project had spent in capital costs up to 30 June $66k ... whilst that covers the entire modernisation project (three streams according to the email) and only spend up to 30 June I imagine that the total costs are going to be well North of $100k ... but I am sure the board will tell us what we spent after the event ... cant seem to recall any before the event detail or overview of what we were aiming for in terms of outcomes and how much was planned to be spent.

And FYI - I actually think that for what is being described as the outcomes it probably is money well spent ... would have been nice to tell the MEMBERS of the MEMBER association before or even during not just after spending the money.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Corporate software developers always prices projects based on the labor saving, at $100K they must be expecting 1 maybe 2 jobs gone.

 

 

[rhysmcc]

Members were made aware months and months ago when the board announced the project and approved spending of $200k to update RAA systems

 

 

[kasper]

Members were made aware months and months ago when the board announced the project and approved spending of $200k to update RAA systems

Hmmm. Public documents:

Magazine

 

Dec/Jan - M Monk announces intention to modernise pg7

 

Feb - Strategic direction includes reference to it pg 14

 

Apr - M Monke announces board approval pg 7 - no mention of costs

 

Jun - J Tatlock - moving spend from P&L to BS for moderisation - per audited accounts just under $67k to 30 June

 

Jun - T King - outlines moderisation plan outline requested from CEO Oct 14, approved board Mar 15

 

Oct - M Linke - RAAus invested over $250k in moderisation

 

looking back through the enewsletters and special updates nothing on the approved cost of $200k ... and the CEO in Oct announcing in excess of $250k would seem to indicate at least a 25% cost blowout ...

 

May still be good value BUT announced outcomes, approved budget, control of spend and overspend?

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Have a look at the board resolutions (search once logged into the members area of the website) there was a published resolution that was, from a timeframe perspective, completely IAW the constitutional requirements.

 

These changes weren't nice to have they are absolutely essential. Our ability to meet the CASA deed obligations and pass audits is no better today, from a systems perspective, than it was when we were being progressively grounded. To be clear our complete process is better, but it has to today, compensate for a useless backend system

 

WRT FTs comment re labour saving. Yep, spot on, today's headcount is already reduced by 2 over what it was at the top of the problems....in anticipation of go live.....that is, today's headcount in a longer term sense is not sustainable, but enough to get us to go live..... With CEO to monitor and manage as you would expect

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

so what did the new website cost?

The website upgrade is just one part of the overall modernisation package approved by the board earlier this year, and is backed by a new Pulse 2 data storage system that will also handle all office related data.

View the latest Financial report on the website if you are interested in actually monies spent.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

not that interested. looking forward to seeing those fees drop

 

 

[kasper]

Have a look at the board resolutions (search once logged into the members area of the website) there was a published resolution that was, from a timeframe perspective, completely IAW the constitutional requirements.These changes weren't nice to have they are absolutely essential. Our ability to meet the CASA deed obligations and pass audits is no better today, from a systems perspective, than it was when we were being progressively grounded. To be clear our complete process is better, but it has to today, compensate for a useless backend system

 

WRT FTs comment re labour saving. Yep, spot on, today's headcount is already reduced by 2 over what it was at the top of the problems....in anticipation of go live.....that is, today's headcount in a longer term sense is not sustainable, but enough to get us to go live..... With CEO to monitor and manage as you would expect

Ok - so yes, if I look for a motion to the board I find $300k approved ... but in ANY of the actual member communications channels - the board and management are keen to say are much more effective - not a dickie bird on $$ and even within the motion nothing on what the content of the modernization program is and what the benefits explicit and quantifiable are expected to be for the expenditure.

OK so the RAA board have followed the letter of the law around a motion and resolution - but once again I give them a fail on effective communication to members - three direct channels - two email forms and the magazine PLUS a members web portal ... not well structured though it may be its been there for years ... and its not regularly up to date eg posting of magazines is often weeks behind the Issuu site

 

And please do not get me started once again on 'savings' on personnel - You point out that staff are already down 2 on the high point when the problems occurred ... yet the last audited accounts had a year-on-year staff remuneration increase of over 3.5% ... staff numbers down yet total costs up by more than inflation - generous employer are we? granting well over inflation to everyone OR was that just senior management?

 

The RAA MAY well be ticking a lot more boxes with CASA on process BUT its ticking off members by not telling them whats coming or what the changes are expected to deliver to the members.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

I am a member very happy and not at all ticked off about how RAA is being managed.

 

 

[Roscoe]

I am a member very happy and not at all ticked off about how RAA is being managed.

me too

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Jasper

 

You are correct, however the constitution requires us to publish in effect the decision, not all the material presented to the board to make that decision.

 

All I can say is that when I was on the board, at the time there was a document provided to the whole board that quantified why we should proceed and covered all aspects you have mentioned, and more, and for some of the board who had IT life exposure in terms of business systems ( I was one, based on previous oracle ERP implementation, among others) there was a full requirements document that was agreed by all appropriate staff/managers.

 

Their was also realistic contingency/risk funds above budgeted costs

 

Andy

 

 

[DrZoos]

This new CEO is a mover.... whilst i think if they spent much north of $40 k on the website they probably spent too much (and i can speak as someone who currently designs and maintains many web sites for similar organisations), I can certainly see why anyone doing the job would want to charge a lot... Its often harder to redesign and move sites like this than it is to build new ones from scratch... Stupid little pieces of corrupt code in databases or poorly designed issues from the past can cost you days , sometimes weeks when it comes to integrating functionality in the backend. Organisations like this are notoriously difficult to get decisions out of and often require a ridiculous amount of revisions and refinements becasue they are usually overworked and lack vision about exactly what they want, until they see something they don't want.

 

Right now 90%plus of everything that is happening is extremely positive and effective, or at least convincingly moving in the right direction. I hated the orange vest stunt, but since CASA paid, I can swallow that ..Id rather see the money spent significantly more effectively, but bygones.

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Just remember that only the public facing website is close to static...the member website will be your window into the organisations business systems....that makes life more complicated and costly as compared to a relatively static content....both are covered by a CMS.

 

with regard the point about decisions, revisions and refinement.....that's why the board, through those with appropriate business/IT experience mandated that not $1 beyond the initial scoping budget, was to be spent until a full and detailed requirements/technical specifications document was produced and signed off by ALL RAAus managers and the CEO.

 

Been there done that seen the budget carnage that can result and the fact that if everyone has a different view of what complete looks like then the chances of achieving common complete is as likely as winning lotto.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Have they done the external security audit yet?

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

FT I've been out of it for a while......can't answer......if you need to know give the CEO a ring or perhaps Tony King, however I'd be pretty sure he'll point you at the CEO

 

Andy

 

 

[DonRamsay]

I for one am sick to death of all this bull*8it drum beating, constant flow of personnel, managers, board members etc through RAA's doors, people saying that things will now get better. Yet, still, unable to process aircraft rego in a timely fashion without having unregistered aircraft grounded for extended periods. Flying schools and private owners still having to pay hangerage, insurance etc and loss of income as a result.As one of the primary income streams to RAA, WTF is really going on? The average person affected by all this must be dumdfounded. Then a new CEO shows up beating his own drum.

WTF........??

Right about now you will be able to log on to the NEW RAAus website and re-register your aircraft as easily as it is to renew your care rego. This is just the tip of all the good things going on in the background that will not be apparent to members until they are implemented and debugged. It is all good stuff even if it is 5 to 10 years late. Being late is not the fault of the current management who have turned themselves inside out to get a massive amount of work done in the last 12 months under the aspirational leadership of Michael Linke. If you follow the newsletters you will get all the info you need as to how and when you'll be able to manage your own records on the RAAus database. This is an info revolution happening before your eyes. It was a long time getting underway with some previous CEOs back in the dinosaur days of info technology and having no interest in such progress. It also has not come for free but the money has been well spent and on the right things. The expenditure was tightly controlled through good project management.

When you think of the grief the Staff have been through between 2010 and 2014 with nothing to show for their hard work except abuse from some members and now they are in the position of being able to unveil the new systems that will make working with (and for) RAAus a totally different proposition.