VicRoads: Connect Self Service (CSS)

The Connect Self Service (CSS) project was to develop and implement an intuitive and customer friendly interface (utilising WebServices) to the existing VicRoads ERP system. The application would enable VicRoads employees and contractors to perform a range of HR related tasks. A sophisticated process workflow, incorporating a complex hierarchy of permissions and security constraints, was a key component of the application thus maintaining the privacy provisions required of the system.

The major HR related tasks included:

  • leave scheduling and tracking.
  • payroll enquiries.
  • temporary transfers to other roles (including manager approvals).
  • updating personal contact details.
  • other HR related activities.

The system also allowed individual users to customise their user experience to their own personal preferences via the MyPreferences functionality.

Relevance of work:

This project exhibited significant complexity because of the need for tight integration with multiple legacy systems. The application architecture needed to take into account the need to keep the back-end system “in sync” with the new front end (by being the prime data repository) while also needing to provide reasonable response times and implement functionality not supported by the back end. The application architecture made effective use of caching strategies and innovative use of web services and a dedicated database to allow these project objectives to be achieved.