Adapting to technology is just as important as technology itself. For every organization that celebrates technology as a means for efficiency and productivity, it is imperative to always be prepared for the continuing wave of technological advances and changes. In this regard, it remains true that technology has created great platforms for internal and external communication which have enhanced collaboration within organizations and with external stakeholders.

IOM Canberra operates in a country where it is known for adopting new technologies at a faster rate than other countries worldwide. For example, Australia entered the new millennium with one of the highest rates of internet access in the world. Scientists and   researchers from Australia have been responsible for many major breakthroughs and technological developments around the world.  

IOM Canberra, which manages six sub-offices within the Australian continent and missions across the Pacific, relies heavily on technology to provide the support needed to offices and colleagues in the region. In this article, we highlight some of the initiatives implemented that have enhanced productivity and enabled the Organization to execute its mandate in the region. 

Business Mobility and Communication Solutions

It is essential to emphasize the importance of building strong relationships with our communication and IT service providers toward fruitful business relationships. We continuously strive to ensure that we are kept up-to-date with new products and services from service providers, in the very same way that we keep them informed of operational needs. It is important that business needs are understood for better feedback and further guidance on suitable solutions. 

Just last year, IOM Canberra revamped its communication systems with state-of-the art cloud-based communication solutions. This project required many months of planning and identification of needs, procurement, and configuration before completion. The project was accomplished to our satisfaction and with no initial capital outlay. 

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The mobile handset and fixed line devices were the latest models in the market, and were procured through a “device leasing arrangement”. This arrangement did not just help conserve project working capital, but was also part of an overall strategy for managing our fleet of mobile phones, and empowering staff with the latest mobile and communication technology to help them connect with colleagues and partners anywhere at any time. 

“Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) Solutions

Bring Your Own Device solutions provided by telecommunication channels enable staff who want to use their own devices to securely access IOM data. The service provider takes a comprehensive view to assess devices and plans, including all the factors that enable enterprise mobility. This enhances productivity, innovation, and cost-saving benefits of using staff’s own devices while addressing the security, process, policy and financial challenges and considerations.

While the use of BYOD services has not yet been fully maximized and utilized by IOM Canberra, in light of ICT requirements, the areas that the telecommunication provider focuses on include:

  • Network, Security, and Compliance: offers recommendations on the required architecture and high-level design, and assistance with the business case and migration plan. For example, what level of network security, device security, application security, and data security are appropriate.
  • Device Management: determines device management policies, architecture and high-level design, and assists with the business case and migration plan. 
  • Application Management: governs application management policies, architecture and high level design, and assists with the business case and    migration plan.

Mobility Fleet Management 

This platform aims to improve the ability to track and organize mobile and telecommunication fleet.

As a single, cost-efficient solution, it ensures that fleet of mobile services operate at their peak. It also helps simplify the management of mobile devices, ordering processes and inventory management. 

This is operationalized through the following:

  • Mobility Fleet-Managed Bill Reporting: enables better management and monitoring of mobile fleet costs by generating reports that enable the Resource Management Unit to detect unusual   calling activity or abnormal usage profiles. Keeping track of expenses is also made possible with the ability to allocate expenditure to projects, in line with the projectization policy, by using the online Service Inventory Management. 
  • Streamlined Asset Tracking: provides updates on services and hardware within the fleet in order to identify the device make and model that each service is using, in addition to what plan they’re using.

Collaboration Conferencing

Collaboration conferencing enhances business inter-actions with powerful tools to enable our staff to communicate and engage with each other, with partners and with donors at a moment's notice. Collaboration is managed through one of the following platforms: 

  • Cloud Collaboration
  • On-Premise collaboration
  • Video Solutions
  • Audio & Web Conferencing

For inquiries and more information, please contact IOM Canberra Resource Management Officer David MIKHAEL, at dmikhael@iom.int; and IT Officer Wesley LIU, at wliu@iom.int.