Positive Impacts of Implementing Technology for State Government Agency North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System’s Unique Benefits Business Processes

Abstract

The organization observed for this study is a state agency located in North Dakota in the United States of America formally known as North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System or (NDPERS). This state agency handles and administers employee benefits for all state agencies, political subdivisions and universities of the state of North Dakota.
This study will focus first on the background and challenges of the agency and its unique business processes. In addition, this paper will discuss the Legacy system that NDPERS used that was built in 1980s and explains its functions and modules. Next, this study will explain the NDPERS organizational structure and gives an organizational chart. This paper will then discuss NDPERS Strategic Action plan and the successes and positive outcomes of implementing a new benefits system for the people of the state of North Dakota over the past five years. Over the past two plus years, this state agency has gone through the process of building from the ground up a new computerized system that will fit and work with its current unique business processes. This paper will then further explain the planning and development stages of PERSlink. Next, this study will focus on modules, functions and technical architecture of the new computerized system. Lastly, this study will further explain the steps that are necessary to further enhance and improve this computer system’s efficiency beyond what it is currently doing. This study will also detail the successes and failures of implementing this new computerized system along with ways of improving it so that the organizational unit can continue to grow and prosper. This paper will then focus on what lessons have been learned when going through this building and implementation process.