The Queensland Government Enterprise Architecture (QGEA) is the collection of ICT policies and associated documents that guides agency ICT initiatives and investments to improve the compatibility and cost-effectiveness of ICT across the government.

Developed by the former Queensland Government Chief Information Office (now ICT Policy and Coordination Office (IPCO)), located within the Department of Public Works, the Queensland Government Enterprise Architecture framework 2.0 (known as QGEA 2.0) is the new version of the policy framework.

For the first time the framework unites ICT strategy, ICT policy, Information Standards and enterprise architecture across the Queensland Government.

The QGEA 2.0 framework:

• defines classification framework covering business processes and services, the information they use, and the applications, technology and information security elements that support them
• formalises the types and structure of ICT policy documents, their usage and relationships to other types of QGEA 2.0 documents
• describes the current state of the government's investment in information and ICT
• provides processes for development, management, approval and compliance of strategy, policy and related documents.

The QGEA 2.0 is the key source of advice to assist agencies to optimise their ICT investments and better manage information and ICT. It guides agencies by identifying preferred processes, solutions or configurations that agencies can or must adopt.

By complying with agreed policies and advice, agencies will make improved decisions around ICT in the Queensland Government. This clearly results in gains at the agency level and for the entire government.

IPCO encourages people who influence ICT initiatives to be aware of QGEA 2.0 publications and comply with the relevant requirements. It is expected that policies may need to be interpreted locally to suit individual agency needs.

QGEA compliance and reporting requirements

The Director-General Department of Public Works, in the capacity of the Queensland Government Chief Information Officer, mandates the implementation of the mandatory principles of Information Standards as key whole-of-Government ICT planning requirements. Specifics Acts and regulations are provided within each Information Standard. For more information please see the QGEA guideline to the authority and applicability of the QGEA.

Agency compliance with the QGEA is demostrated by meeting criteria relating to the implementation of Information Standards, policies, requirements and targets. Evidence of compliance is presented through reporting processes. The QGEA 2.0 compliance and reporting requirements spreadsheet provides full details of the policy requirements, targets and information standard mandatory principles of all issued QGEA documents, and allows agencies to create specialised views of compliance requirements (e.g. by compliance target date, artefact or domain).

QGEA foundation principles

The QGEA is based on principles that are intended to be enduring and that provide a foundation for the development and implementation of Queensland Government policies, information standards and positions.

The QGEA foundation principles (PDF, 175kB) represent a statement of the fundamental beliefs underpinning the QGEA, and the values or behaviours with which government agencies are expected to comply. The foundation principles provide high-level guidance for the management of information and for investment decision making for information and communications technology across government. They should not require frequent change or amendment.

It was imperative to IPCO when developing this new version that agency needs were considered. A key objective was to create a framework that was simple for agencies to use and contribute to. Input from the QGEA Reference Group and feedback from agencies has enabled IPCO to develop this framework into a useful product for all parties.

Additional information is available on the GEA FAQs page.

Key contacts

All enquiries about the QGEA 2.0 should be directed to:

ICT Policy and Coordination Office
Department of Public Works
GPO Box 2457
Brisbane
Queensland 4001
Phone: +61 7 3404 3409
Fax: +61 7 3406 2134
Email: ICTpolicy@qld.gov.au