Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency - Activities

Activities

CCTA was the sponsor of a number of methodologies, including:

  • Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM)
  • PRojects IN Controlled Environments (PRINCE, PRINCE2), which is an evolution of PROMPT, a project management method created by Simpact Systems Ltd in 1975 that was adopted by CCTA in 1979 for Government information system projects
  • Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), which has largely evolved through BS15000 into the ISO20000 series
  • The CCTA Risk Analysis and Management Method (CRAMM), developed at the request of the Cabinet Office in 1985

CCTA also promoted the use of emerging IT standards in UK government and in the EU, such as OSI and BS5750 (Quality Management) which led to the publishing of the Quality Management Library and the inception of the TICKIT assessment scheme with DTI, MOD and participation of software development companies.

In addition to the development of methodologies, CCTA produced a comprehensive set of managerial guidance covering the development of Information Systems under 5 major headings: A. - Management and Planning of IS; B. - Systems Development; C. - Service Management; D - Office Usrs; E. - IS Srvices Industry. The guidance consisted of 27 individual guides and were published commercially as "The Information Systems Guides" (ISBN 0-471-92556-X) by John Wiley and Sons. The publication is no longer available. This guidance was developed from the practical experience and lessons learned from many UK Government Departments in planning, designing, implementing and monitoring Information Systems and was highly regarded as "best practice". Some parts were translated into other European languages and adopted as national standards.

It also was involved in technical developments, for instance as the sponsor of Project Spaceman in the mid 1980s. Under Project Spaceman, the ICL Defence Technology Centre (DTC), working closely with technical staff from CCTA and key security-intensive projects in the Ministry of Defence (such as OPCON CCIS) and in other sensitive departments, developed an enhanced security variant of VME.

It managed (ran the servers) of UK national government websites, including those such as the Royal Family's and www.open.gov.uk.

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