If not delivered return to PO Box 7820 Canberra BC ACT 2610
6 February 2017
Our reference: LEX 24847
Mr Ben Fairless
By email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx Dear Mr Fairless
Your Freedom of Information Request
I refer to your email correspondence of 20 January 2017, wherein you requested assistance
narrowing the scope of your request. Having consulted with the relevant business area of
the department, I am writing to provide you with answers to the questions you posed.
Assistive information
1. You state it will require the search of "millions of records" over "multiple datasets". Could
you provide more information on what the records are and their datasets? Do the "millions of
records" include individual customer calls or aggregate data? What datasets is the
department required to access?
Records are the individual lines of data that are used to store aggregated telephony
information. One record does not necessarily represent one single telephone call, but rather
a count of calls where a specific event occurred, such as being answered or abandoned. The
datasets referred to are the tables within the databases that hold the record. These tables
will vary depending on the queue or programme of work being captured.
2. Does the Department have a reporting suite (such as Avaya CMS Supervsior, or Cisco
Call Centre Reporting) where a majority of this reporting could be run in order to save time?
No, the department does not use reporting suites such as Avaya CMS Supervisor or Cisco
Call Centre Reporting.
3. Does the data I am seeking exist in other aggregate forms already precompiled (for
example, daily/weekly/monthly/ to contact centre managers)?
Yes, information is available at a higher level of aggregation which is used for the
department’s reporting and analysis.
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4. If I was to retain the scope, but limit the dates or the aggregate period (for example, by
only requesting specific months, or requesting the data in quarterly averages) what date
range/aggregate period would the department consider acceptable to avoid a "practical
refusal reason" under the FOI Act? For example, could the department easily provide the
data for the whole of 2016 (not averaged over months) without a practical refusal reason
applying?
Yes, the department can provide the aggregation of queues by month.
Further assistance
If you have any further questions please email
xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Legal Team
FOI and Litigation Branch | Legal Services Division
Department of Human Services
xxx.xxxxx.xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
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Department of Human Services
