Analysis of Fbi's Virtual Case File
Table of Contents
1 Project Background 3
2 Project Review 4
3 Reasons for failure 5
4 Alternatives to prevent failure 8
5 Lessons for Management 10
6 References 11 1 Project Background
Virtual Case File (VCF) was a software application developed for the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) between 2000 and 2005. It was built to replace the FBI’s old case management system named Automated Case Support (ACS) system. VCF was a third component of FBI’s Trilogy Project. The first component of the Trilogy project was upgrading of software and hardware (computer terminals, servers, printers and servers). The second component part was upgrading of FBI’s network infrastructure. The third component was modernizing the FBI's investigative software applications by creating VCF. Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) was contracted to design, develop and implement VCF system in 2001. The Trilogy project was originally budgeted for $379.80 million and scheduled to be deployed in 2004 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005).
The main aim of VCF was to automate the FBI's paper-based systems and processes, allow FBI agents and analysts to obtain important information about cases anywhere in the United States, and to eventually replace the antiquated ACS system (Goldstein, 2005). VCF would also include an evidence management module, a case management module and a records management module. There was no commercial software package available that could meet FBI’s needs in 2001 when the project started, so a custom-developed system solution was required (Marchewka, 2010).
The VCF project failed to meet its initial deadline and was never deployed. It was officially cancelled by the FBI in April 2005 after 4 years of project activity and costing $581 million (Goldstein, 2005; U.S. Department of Justice, 2005).
2 Project Review
The FBI Trilogy project was delayed by almost one year. The two components were successfully completed but
1 Project Background 3
2 Project Review 4
3 Reasons for failure 5
4 Alternatives to prevent failure 8
5 Lessons for Management 10
6 References 11 1 Project Background
Virtual Case File (VCF) was a software application developed for the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) between 2000 and 2005. It was built to replace the FBI’s old case management system named Automated Case Support (ACS) system. VCF was a third component of FBI’s Trilogy Project. The first component of the Trilogy project was upgrading of software and hardware (computer terminals, servers, printers and servers). The second component part was upgrading of FBI’s network infrastructure. The third component was modernizing the FBI's investigative software applications by creating VCF. Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) was contracted to design, develop and implement VCF system in 2001. The Trilogy project was originally budgeted for $379.80 million and scheduled to be deployed in 2004 (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005).
The main aim of VCF was to automate the FBI's paper-based systems and processes, allow FBI agents and analysts to obtain important information about cases anywhere in the United States, and to eventually replace the antiquated ACS system (Goldstein, 2005). VCF would also include an evidence management module, a case management module and a records management module. There was no commercial software package available that could meet FBI’s needs in 2001 when the project started, so a custom-developed system solution was required (Marchewka, 2010).
The VCF project failed to meet its initial deadline and was never deployed. It was officially cancelled by the FBI in April 2005 after 4 years of project activity and costing $581 million (Goldstein, 2005; U.S. Department of Justice, 2005).
2 Project Review
The FBI Trilogy project was delayed by almost one year. The two components were successfully completed but
References: Goldstein, H. (2005). Who killed the virtual case file? Spectrum, IEEE, 42(9), 24-35. doi: 10.1109/MSPEC.2005.1502526 Marchewka, J. T. (2010). The FBI Virtual Case File: A Case Study. Communications of the IIMA, 10(2). Mueller, R. S. (2005, 03 February). Testimony. Retrieved 25 May, 2013, from http://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/fbis-virtual-case-file-system Standish Group. (2009). CHAOS Report: The Standish Group. U.S. Department of Justice. (2005). The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Management of the Trilogy Information Technology Modernization Project. Office of the Inspector General Audit Division.