MXA was engaged as an independent strategic partner to assist the Department in developing an end-to-end operating model that described the intended future state of airport arrivals processing. We were subsequently re-engaged to assist the Traveller Sub-Program and the closely-related RAPID implementation project, both to ensure that these initiatives were positioned to deliver on-time and to ensure that the important business and technology objectives would be realised.

The Traveller Program (developing an end-to-end operating model for airport arrivals processing) and RAPID (a staff allocation project) are vital for Home Affairs’ future. The Department needed assistance in establishing an agreed upon, and achievable way forward for the Program. The current state of the program at the time was struggling to resolve key business and technology architecture decisions. They also required support to ‘return the RAPID project to green’ where ongoing difficulties in agreeing on a nationally consistent approach to staffing had led to delivery delays.

The success of these key initiatives required more than just a series of well-produced artefacts. MXA:

• worked closely with senior executive to ensure their needs and direction were fully understood;
• engaged with senior business and IT stakeholders through workshops and interviews to ensure that they were on the same page and working to the same outcome;
• facilitated urgent resolution of prioritised business and technical decisions;
• collaborated with and achieved buy-in from regional airport stakeholders;
• supported the initiatives in demonstrating the value proposition and benefits of the proposed changes to the Program;
• developed useable Enterprise Architecture models that helped guide senior executive in making critical decisions on our airports of the future.

Along the way, MXA produced easily understandable and consumable deliverables that were well received at all levels.

For the Traveller program, MXA delivered an: End State Business Model for our airports, Architectural Transition States, Capability Delivery Roadmap, Operating model to support the new capability, and new Governance arrangements which included a Design Authority.

For the RAPID staff allocation project, MXA delivered an agreed National Operating Model, translated the agreed Model into a new set of business and design requirements for implementation, reviewed the current technology offering to confirm fit and developed a high-level transition Roadmap for implementation. For both projects, MXA constantly provided senior executive with honest and transparent architecture advice, ensuring that the reasons behind key design decisions were clearly understood.

We worked with band 2 and 1 executive throughout the engagement, meeting regularly to discuss the core issues and forming a relationship that allowed for open discussions. Our work helping Home Affairs’ executive find a pathway through the complex architecture of our airports will be influential on Australia’s airports of the future and has been well received by the executive.