Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC)

Project name: MARS Development Project

BLC provided a complete development team of five resources for this project. The team was responsible for developing a three-tier Client/Server (C/S) system for LABOUR disputes. This system was initiated to support the bargaining processes of Union Collective Agreements. The application was created in Visual Basic 6.0 with a Sybase database.

The activities which BLC's resource team undertook in conducting the MARS Development Project included:

	designing a working environment for the conversion of a number of projects to Visual Basic 6.0 that would run on Microsoft Transaction Server using back-ends such as SQL server 6.5,
	designing and implementing a three-tier Solution,
	developing and implementing the system architecture,
	defining components,
	undertaking system program assignments,
	leading technical design sessions in three-tier architecture,
	training and mentoring LABOUR Systems Staff,
	developing several reports using Crystal Report 7, for LABOUR System,
	training and assisting developers in using and developing reports,
	training and mentoring staff during Web enabling phase,
	identifying, documenting, and implementing standards to be used,
	setting-up the required infrastructure including security, firewall, and server requirements,
	designing and writing the online manual for Employment Equity Information System,
	translating into French the application and the online manual,
	preparing a training program in both official languages, and
	designing and writing the online Help manual for the Negotech application, a service created for uses who require access to statistics in the Collective Bargaining.

The MARS Development Project proceeded on time and was successfully completed within budget. The client, Human Resources and Development Canada, and users continue to be satisfied with the results. BLC is proud of the role it played in this project.