Customs and Excise Department: Web-based Training Services for Case Processing System

Project Description:

Case Processing System (CAPS) is a new intranet-based system that consists of workflow, application and e-reporting functions in addition to a document management system. The system provides access for over 1,400 personnel through 1,000 workstations across the Customs and Excise Department (hereinafter refer to as “C&ED”). In view of enhancing the training on such system, the Department is going to develop a Web-based training system on the use of CAPS functions by making use of the existing network infrastructure of the Department.

The assignment was to carry out develop, test, install, pilot run and proceed to live implementation of a Web-based interactive and multi-media training program on the use of CAPS functionality. There are different modules to execute the required functions:

  1. A Flash introduction on basic concept, function and operation of CAPS
  2. Video demonstrations on major CAPS workflows and functions
  3. Hands-on practices on selected CAPS workflows and functions
  4. A bookmark feature was added to the Web-based Training Services for CAPS system such that it was able to keep track of the user's learning progress. The completed modules would be marked for easy recognition by the users.
  5. Progress/statistical reports
The major challenges of this project were:

User Friendliness on Hands-on Practice Sections

In order to make the “Hands-on Practice” more user-friendly, some additional functions such as Hints, Work-steps, etc were added to the system such that the users of C&ED can acquire the related information on real case handling.

Bandwidth Limitation on C&ED Intranet

Since remote offices of C&ED connected to the central Hub with various bandwidths ranging from 64Kbps to T1, to guarantee the quality of the Web-based Training, tremendous effort had been put into the modification of various modules e.g. “Flash Introduction” and “Video Demonstration” to fulfil the C&ED network traffic limits. Arcotect successfully tuned the system to meet the acceptance criteria of C&ED.

The following are our major competitive advantages:

  1. Arcotect has working experiences and project references in both category A and B services# of ITPSA to implement the project for C&ED with a well designed user interface on top of system design and architecture.
  2. Due to the very restricted requirement for bandwidth control, Arcotect project team has the knowledge to implement different multi-media tools to minimise the size of the video demonstration sessions.
  3. Arcotect has adopted the prototype approach in very early stage of the system design. Users' commitment and participation in working together with the project team in fine tuning the programs have been instrumental to the success of the delivery of the system.
  4. The design adopts a user friendly graphical user interface (buttons/icons & navigation bar as conventional Windows interface).
  5. The training program has simulated environment of various business workflows for users to enjoy the self-pace learning.
  6. The training program has implemented various checking logic for Hands-on Practice.
  7. Arcotect has provided a comprehensive briefing and skill maintenance transfer sessions to user for future.
  8. Arcotect is familiar with Government Standards & Methodologies.
  9. Arcotect has deployed a dedicated project team for the implementation.
# Category A:
General system development life cycle services typically including departmental information technology plan, feasibility and technical study, system analysis and design, system implementation and system integration, system maintenance and support.
# Category B:
Web publishing services.

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