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2006 Information Resources Strategic Plan Instructions
Guidance for State Agencies and
Institutions of Higher Education
May 5, 2006
*Note: This document is no longer updated. It has been replaced by the IRSP Instructions & Template document.
PART 1: AGENCY ENVIRONMENT
Objectives 1 through 9 of this plan present key functions of the statewide infrastructure and collaboration layers of the Texas Model of the Enterprise. The most critical layer of the model—the agency layer—builds on this foundation of shared technology and business solutions.
Agencies will achieve their core missions by aligning their specific technology solutions with their unique business functions. Additionally, by integrating shared technologies and best practices into their processes, agencies will be empowered to take advantage of a full spectrum of resources made available through the statewide infrastructure and collaboration layers of the Texas Model. In so doing, agencies will be positioned to serve their customers more quickly, efficiently, and at a lower cost.
2005 SSP, Shared Success, p. 26.
The alignment of technology with an agency’s mission, goals, objectives, and strategies ensures that information and communications technology efforts (projects, operations, and systems) are based on a full understanding of business objectives. This level of alignment between business and technology is known as “enterprise architecture,” a comprehensive approach used to manage and coordinate an organization's business processes and information systems so that they align with the organization’s core goals and strategic direction.
The 2006 IRSP seeks to identify how agencies approach enterprise architecture from the perspective of the IRM. DIR will use information gathered to develop guidelines, policies, training, and support for improved alignment to achieve the following goals:
- Produce measurable cost savings for state agencies
- Promote service-delivery innovation and efficiency for state agencies
- Promote interoperability, collaboration, and reuse, both across agency divisions and statewide.
Aligning Technology with Agency Mission, Goals, and Objectives
Agencies should describe how information and communications technology is deployed in direct support of their agency mission, goals, and objectives, as described in their agency strategic plans (ASPs) for fiscal years 2007-2011 and/or through requests for funding through their legislative appropriations requests (LARs) for fiscal years 2008-2009, including Information Technology Detail (ITD) information.
DIR will use agency responses to understand how each agency uses technology to fulfill its mission, goals, and objectives and how it governs its enterprise strategy and impact. Such understanding will aid DIR in its efforts to promote enterprise architectures within Texas agencies in order to facilitate interoperability, reuse, and collaboration.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.1.1
Describe how technology is deployed in direct support of the agency mission, goals, and objectives. Summarize the agency mission, goals, and objectives, and address both strategic and tactical perspectives as applicable. |
Text |
| 1.1.2
Describe any best practices for aligning technology with business objectives, along with areas where technology deployments are not directly supporting agency goals and objectives. |
Text |
| 1.1.3
Has agency executive leadership from both business and technology divisions/units identified a need for improving alignment (communications and interaction) of technology with business objectives? |
Yes/No |
| 1.1.4
If an agency plan is in place for improving the alignment of business and technology in terms of communication and interaction, how is it managed? |
Select one:
- Business divisions/units (including executive leadership)
- Technology divisions/units (including IRM and technology directors)
- Collaborative Group or Committee (a combination of business and technology)
- Not Applicable
|
Information and Communications Technology Management Practices
The state strategic plan supports the development of standards, rules, guidelines, and practices that contribute to effective enterprise management of information and communications technology. The 2006 IRSP will identify current collaboration, reuse, and interoperability practices, while providing a forum for agencies to identify opportunities for improvements in these areas.
DIR will use agency responses to the following questions to scope and develop the approach to fulfilling SSP objectives and strategies that direct DIR to improve technology management, operations, and project delivery.
Information Resources Manager
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.1
Does the IRM report directly to a person with a title functionally equivalent to executive director or deputy executive director (president, chancellor or vice chancellor for institutions of higher education)? If no, describe the level of the IRM in the agency’s organizational chart and the title of the IRM’s supervisor. |
Yes/No
Text, if “No” is selected. |
| 1.2.2
Describe the IRM’s business role, including alignment of business and technology and the development of the Agency Strategic Plan (state agencies only) and/or requests for funding through the legislative appropriations request process (LAR). |
Text |
| 1.2.3
Does the agency’s IRM also serve as IRM for one or more other agencies? If yes, list agencies. |
Yes/No
Text, if “Yes” is selected. |
Project and Portfolio Management
Project management includes the methods and disciplines used to define goals, plan and monitor tasks and resources, identify and resolve issues, and control costs and budgets for a specific project.
Portfolio management is a business process in which organizations make investment decisions to determine and select the mix of active projects, along with the budget, staffing, and other resource allocations for each project.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.4
What is the status of implementing a standard project management methodology for technology projects in the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
| 1.2.5
What is the status of implementing a standard portfolio management methodology for technology projects in the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
If the agency answered Questions 1.2.4 and 1.2.5 “Not Implemented and Not Planned,” skip Questions 1.2.6 through 1.2.13 and answer 1.2.14.
If the agency answered Question 12.4 or 1.2.5 as “Implemented,” “Implementation in Progress,” or “Planned or Planning in Progress,” answer all questions in this section.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.6
Are any Texas Project Delivery Framework tools used as part of the agency’s project/portfolio management methodology? |
Select one:
- Yes
- No
- Partial
- Not Applicable
|
| 1.2.7
Does the project/portfolio management methodology define the sequence of activities (the project life cycle) necessary to complete the project? |
Yes/No |
| 1.2.8
Does the project/portfolio management methodology monitor and control key project activities? |
Yes/No |
| 1.2.9
Does the project/portfolio management methodology document successes and failures and determine how future projects will benefit from these findings? |
Yes/No |
| 1.2.10
Does the project/portfolio management methodology verify that project risks are identified? |
Yes/No |
| 1.2.11
Does the project/portfolio management methodology ensure that costs and benefits for the project have been identified. |
Yes/No |
| 1.2.12
List any automated tools being used for project/portfolio management. |
Text |
| 1.2.13
Describe project-level governance practices, including change management and issue resolution. |
Text |
Software Development Life Cycle Methodologies
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.14
What is the status of implementing a standard software development life cycle (SDLC) methodology in the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
| 1.2.15
Describe current SDLC practices and status. |
Text |
| 1.2.16
If the agency has implemented an SDLC methodology, does it incorporate the Texas Project Delivery Framework SDLC deliverable templates and guidelines? |
Select one:
- Yes
- No
- Partial
- Not Applicable
|
Performance Management
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.17
What is the status of implementing a standard product and/or service performance management process for use by all technology projects in the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
| 1.2.18
Describe any performance management products and/or services the agency has implemented, or is planning. Specify any “best practices” elements, including tools used or developed. |
Text, if applicable |
Requirements/Change/Configuration Management
DIR will use agency responses to the following questions to scope and develop the state’s approach to enterprise architecture standards, including requirements management, change management, and configuration management, which have been demonstrated to improve the alignment of business and technology. See the Glossary for more a detailed description.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.19
What is the status of implementing a standard requirements management process for the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
| 1.2.20
What is the status of implementing a standard project change control / change management structure and process for the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
| 1.2.21
What is the status of implementing a standard configuration management process for the agency? |
Select one:
- Implemented
- Implementation in Progress
- Planned or Planning in Progress
- Not Implemented and Not Planned
|
| 1.2.22
Describe current requirements management, change control/management and configuration management practices and status, along with future plans in these areas. List any automated tools used. |
Text |
Telecommuting
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.23
Does the agency have a policy regarding telecommuting or AWA (alternative workplace arrangements) that allows employees to work one or more days per week at home or at alternate locations? If so, describe the policy. |
Yes/No
Text, if “Yes” is selected. |
| 1.2.24
Does the agency incorporate telecommuting or alternative workplace arrangements in its disaster recovery and/or business continuity plans, related to potential scenarios which could limit the use of central facilities? If so, describe how this is addressed. |
Yes/No
Text, if “Yes” is selected. |
Intranet
| Question |
Response |
| 1.2.25
List all applications and/or applets that are hosted on an agency intranet, which may be useful to other agencies through reuse. |
Text |
Enterprise Architecture and Governance Practices
DIR will use agency responses to the following questions to scope and develop the approach to fulfilling state strategic plan objectives and strategies that direct DIR to promote enterprise architectures in state agencies; this includes business, technical, and information architectures, focusing on alignment. See Glossary for detailed definitions of business, technical, and information architectures.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.3.1
Describe the agency’s practice of Enterprise Governance. Indicate whether strategic direction, impact analysis and issue resolution for technology and business divisions/units are addressed collaboratively. |
Text |
| 1.3.2
Describe the agency’s practice of Technical Architecture modeling, including development, testing and production environments, hardware, software, DBMS, infrastructure, and other technology assets. Indicate if technical architecture modeling is managed or coordinated at an enterprise level (across business and technology divisions/units). |
Text |
| 1.3.3
Describe the agency’s practice of Business Architecture modeling, including business divisions / organizational structure, business processes and requirements, and business re-engineering efforts. Indicate if business modeling is performed at the enterprise level (across business divisions/units). |
Text |
| 1.3.4
Describe the agency’s practice of Information Architecture modeling, including data models, taxonomies and databases. Indicate if data modeling is managed or coordinated at an enterprise level (across systems/applications/business divisions/units). |
Text |
| 1.3.5
For all new applications being created at the agency, what technical platforms are being used (include hardware, software, programming languages, DBMS, tools, and COTS)? |
Text |
Agency Database and Application Portfolio
Agency responses to questions in this section will help the state facilitate agency collaboration and reuse by making information about data and applications centrally available, part of the enterprise architecture effort underway at DIR. In addition, this information will facilitate business-asset and technical-asset reuse, as well as statewide efforts to identify key taxonomy elements. Finally, DIR and other oversight agencies will use database information to support the Statewide Technology Management and Reporting Initiative (see the report, Statewide Technology Management: Opportunities for Improvement, available on the DIR Web site, for more details), which will evaluate methods to eliminate redundancies in reporting, eliminate taxonomy conflicts, and establish opportunities for virtual data warehouse capabilities across state agencies.
Databases
DIR will use agency responses to the following questions to identify and evaluate requirements and opportunities to streamline reporting, including redundant reporting, eliminate taxonomy conflicts, and establish opportunities for shared virtual data warehouse capabilities. All agencies must complete questions 1.4.1 through 1.4.8 for EACH existing database that holds “of record” information. “Of record” information includes any data or information that is official, may be reported to oversight agencies, or is required to meet the mission, goals, and objectives of the agency. Databases that hold copies or replications of data used for analysis or reporting do NOT need to be listed.
Institutions of higher education may limit reporting to those databases typically managed by the institution’s chief information officer, IRM, or equivalent position.
Answer the following questions (1.4.1 through 1.4.8) individually for EACH existing database that holds “of record” information.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.4.1
Database Name - List primary application name and acronym if used. |
Text |
| 1.4.2
DBMS and Version - Identify the database management system and version (e.g. Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase, Access, Excel Spreadsheet, etc.). |
Text |
| 1.4.3
Description of Purpose - Brief description of the purpose of the application. |
Text |
| 1.4.4
Data Model - Indicate if an up-to-date data model for this database, and if an up-to-date data dictionary or taxonomy exists for this database. |
Text |
| 1.4.5
Associated Applications - List all applications which are associated with this database. |
Text |
| 1.4.6
Analysis and Reporting Tools and versions - List all analysis and/or reporting tool(s) being used with this data. Include version information. |
Text |
| 1.4.7
Data Sharing / Data Exchange - Describe any current data sharing data exchange practices. |
Text |
| 1.4.8
Age of Database - Describe the age of the database, and indicate if sunset, rewrite or replacement projects are planned or underway. |
Text |
Applications
After answering question 1.4.9, institutions of higher education and the 27 agencies prioritized to participate in the data center consolidation project may skip the questions in this section because DIR has already collected this data through other processes. All other agencies must complete questions 1.4.10 through 1.4.16 for EACH existing application of the types listed before 1.4.10.
DIR will use agency responses to the following questions to identify and evaluate collaboration, reuse, and interoperability standards, and to facilitate development of statewide business-asset and technical-asset reuse inventories and repositories. They will also be used to identify opportunities for collaboration across agencies. However, responses to this section will not establish a comprehensive statewide applications inventory. Based on analysis of the data received, DIR will evaluate the need to request complete application inventories in the future.
| Question |
Response |
| 1.4.9
Is the agency one of the 27 agencies prioritized to participate in the data center consolidation or an institution of higher education? |
Yes/No
If YES, skip questions 1.4.10 through 1.4.16 (these agencies and institutions have already provided this information through other data collection processes).
If NO, answer questions 1.4.10 through 1.4.16. |
Answer the following questions (1.4.10 through 1.4.16) individually for EACH existing application which is used for one or more of the following:
- ERP/Financial
- ERP/HR
- HelpDesk
- CRM
- Data Warehousing/Business Intelligence
- Citizen-Facing Core Business Application
| Question |
Response |
| 1.4.10
Application Name - Primary application name and acronym if used. |
Text |
| 1.4.11
Application Type(s)
|
Select all that apply:
- ERP/Financial
- ERP/HR
- HelpDesk
- CRM
- Data Warehousing / Business Intelligence
- Citizen-Facing Core Business Application
|
| 1.4.12
Purpose - Brief description of the purpose of the application; specify business outcomes supported by this application. |
Text |
| 1.4.13
Platform - Brief but clear description of application platform, including hardware, OS and COTS version information as applicable. |
Text |
| 1.4.14
Programming Language - Primary and secondary programming languages. |
Text |
| 1.4.15
Age of System - Age of the system, and indicate if sunset, rewrite or replacement projects are planned or underway. |
Text |
| 1.4.16
Interoperability - Brief description of interoperability requirements or constraints involving other applications or major databases within the agency or with external entities. |
Text |
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