Advancing Texas Technology: Solutions for State Government
2010-2014 State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Management
IN-BRIEF EDITION
Department of Information Resources
November 1, 2009
From the DIR Executive Director
States across the country are striving to balance budgets in a tight economy as citizen demand for services continues on a sharp increase. Texas, however, is in a unique position to manage increased service demands while returning revenue to the state coffers and saving Texas public entities millions of dollars through strategic investment in technology infrastructure.
As a key enabler of citizen interaction with government, technology touches Texans every day. With more than 850 applications available on the state’s portal, Texans can obtain the government services they need online–from renewing driver licenses and obtaining vital records to starting a business in Texas. Behind the scenes, the infrastructure that supports these transactions has been undergoing a transformation and the benefits are already evident.
In fiscal 2009, Texas realized more than $170 million in cost savings from leveraging government buying power. Revenue from the current TexasOnline contract added $50 million to the state treasury. The new state portal, Texas.gov, is on track to realize significantly greater revenue. Data center services offer consolidation solutions to enhance efficiencies, while upgrading security and disaster recovery efforts for the state’s valuable data resources. Communications technology services provide cost-effective voice and data services for state agencies, cities, counties and the education community across the state. Planning is underway to expand these service offerings with the next generation of TEX-AN. In addition, Texas public sector organizations are leveraging their buying to acquire the technology resources they need.
Texas state agencies continue to be at the forefront in deploying innovative technology solutions that meet their business needs, increase interagency collaboration, and deliver exemplary services to Texans. Building on the direction established in the 2005 State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Management, this plan refines the technology vision, goals, and strategies that will strengthen and advance the progress made in delivering technology that matters to Texans.
We appreciate the generous contributions of the public and private sector representatives who participated in shaping this plan. It is a plan that requires the collaboration of state and local governments to be successful. The end result will be greater services to the citizens of this state.
Karen W. Robinson
Interim Executive Director
Texas Department of Information Resources.
Technology that Matters
States are struggling with increased demands for delivering services to citizens at the same time they are experiencing budget shortfalls. With continued economic strain on state budgets, and growing competition for how state dollars are spent, agencies must ensure that the business value of their technology investment is fully realized. In fiscal 2008, Texas state agencies and institutions of higher education spent slightly more than $2.4 billion, or 2.5 percent, of the total state expenditures on technology. While this amount represents a fraction of overall spending in state government, nevertheless, technology investments must be pragmatically planned and managed.
To enable agencies to focus on their core missions, the 2007 State Strategic Plan outlined the state’s approach to building a shared technology infrastructure. Managed offerings—such as data center services, communications technology services, and TexasOnline, the state’s award-winning portal—provide a resilient, reliable, and sustainable foundation that meets public demand for greater effectiveness and cost efficiencies. The shared technology infrastructure, managed at the state and agency levels, remains the foundation for this strategic plan and provides the building blocks for advancing technology that delivers solutions for government.
This plan focuses on serving Texas citizens, reducing government costs, promoting transparency and accessibility, and securing information. Advancing the technology tools and practices that matter within Texas government enables the state to more rapidly and cost effectively deliver increased value to those who live, work, and do business in Texas.
Vision and Guiding Principles
Texas government is focused on delivering services that matter to citizens. The strategic vision for this plan is to deliver technology that matters . To achieve this vision, Texas government should strive to be
- Accessible and Responsive – Technology that matters provides timely and universal access to government information and services.
- Trustworthy– Technology that matters ensures public trust by securing technology assets and maintaining privacy of sensitive data and information.
- Collaborative and Innovative– Technology that matters supports partnerships across organizational boundaries to develop and deliver innovative and responsive business solutions.
- Effective and Efficient– Technology that matters leverages the state’s technology investment through a reliable, agile, centrally managed infrastructure and shared services.
- Open and Accountable – Technology that matters supports a commitment to transparent, participatory government, fiscal responsibility, and accountability for results.
- Valued – Technology that matters promotes citizen awareness of government services and information, and the value of public sector services.
Statewide Goals
The plan lays out the statewide technology initiatives that will sustain and transform government technology in Texas for the next five years. These initiatives stem from the four statewide technology goals of the plan:
- Strengthen and expand the use of enterprise services and infrastructure
- Secure and safeguard technology assets and information
- Serve citizens anytime, anywhere
- Pursue excellence and foster innovation across the enterprise
Key Drivers and Trends of Change
The business of government varies widely across state agencies. The challenges and opportunities faced by these organizations also vary, however, certain key drivers and current or emerging trends impact planning at all levels. These drivers include the need to
- Improve agency performance to better meet citizen needs
- Manage within regulatory frameworks in order to achieve compliance with, as well as influence development of, policy
- Maintain a competitive edge that is consistent with prevailing business trends
- Mitigate economic impacts to long-term sustainability
- Evaluate technology trends and adopt models that are consistent with business needs
- Invest in the future by understanding and adapting to public and private sector IT workforce trends
Roadmap to the Plan
This plan encompasses a five-year planning horizon with key strategies and initiatives highlighted below. Initiatives are either in progress or planned. Each initiative presents either (1) next steps that delineate specific actions that DIR or state agencies will employ or (2) planning factors state agencies should consider in developing their individual strategic plans.
Goal 1 – Strengthen and Expand the Use of Enterprise Services and Infrastructure
- Strategy 1.1 – Enhance Capabilities of the Shared Infrastructure
- Initiative – Data Center Services Infrastructure
Working with the state’s 27 data center services (DCS) agencies, DIR and the DCS service provider will continue to transform and consolidate data center services as well as enhance current services.
- Initiative – Communications Technology Services Infrastructure
DIR continues to work on refining requirements and capabilities essential to next generation communications technology services for the state.
- Initiative – Statewide Portal Infrastructure
Working with key stakeholders, DIR will oversee the state’s portal service provider in implementing a new governance model for the state’s portal that will strengthen accountability and agility in the delivery of next generation services. This structure will define a project approval process that will evaluate and prioritize proposed projects, such as web hosting, Web 2.0 technologies, and workplace productivity collaboration tools.
- Strategy 1.2 – Leverage Shared Applications
- Initiative – Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
The Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) will select the ERP vendor and finalize a project plan and timeline to implement an ERP solution.
- Initiative – Email Messaging
DIR will establish an enterprise email messaging architecture to facilitate a shared infrastructure approach for hosted email services that state agencies and other entities can acquire through the Information and Communications Technology Cooperative Contracts program.
- Strategy 1.3 – Leverage the State’s Purchasing Power
- Initiative – Product and Services Portfolio Expansion
State agencies and other eligible entities will work with DIR to continue to identify customer needs and satisfy them by developing new contracts for technology commodities and services
Goal 2 – Secure and Safeguard Technology Assets and Information
- Strategy 2.1 – Align the State’s Approach to Enterprise Security with other State and National Strategies
- Initiative – State Enterprise Security Plan
State agencies will work with DIR to continue to advance the plan goals through security awareness and education, and the development and promotion of best practices across all levels of government. DIR and state agencies will review and update the plan to conform to and align with state and federal plans and to address emerging threats and new best practices.
- Initiative – Vulnerability to Cyber Attacks
State agencies will work with DIR to identify security risks and vulnerabilities, increase awareness and information sharing, and identify and facilitate best practices.
- Initiative – Response and Recovery Capabilities
Through the Network and Security Operations Center, DIR will bolster the state's ability to respond to and recover from computer security incidents while promoting awareness and accountability requirements.
- Strategy 2.2 – Integrate Identity Management, Credentialing, and Access Privileges
- Initiative – Identity Management Services
The state will explore the federal government’s and other states’ methods of implementing identity management. DIR will work with state agencies to analyze common or shared identity management in determining requirements for Texas.
Goal 3 – Serve Citizens Anytime, Anywhere
- Strategy 3.1 – Expand and Enhance Access to Agency Services
- Initiative – Multi-Channel Access
State agencies will continue to review, evaluate, and adopt emerging technologies to expand and enhance access to their services. DIR will review and evaluate emerging social media technologies so that agencies can assess the impact on their security, privacy, and electronic and information resources accessibility policies. Agencies should examine tools and services provided through the state portal as a means to effectively deliver e‑government services and engage citizens.
- Initiative – Rural Broadband Expansion
The state will oversee mapping of existing broadband infrastructure in Texas, identifying unserved and underserved regions, and deliver the results to the federal government to assist in the development of a National Broadband Plan.
- Strategy 3.2 – Facilitate Open and Transparent Government
- Initiative – Best Practices for Information Access
The state will explore methods for expanding access to public information and address policy and technology considerations of compiling, disclosing, and publishing real-time public data online. Agencies should consider utilizing a common infrastructure to facilitate the sharing of public information in a transparent fashion.
Goal 4 – Pursue Excellence and Foster Innovation across the Enterprise
- Strategy 4.1 – Link Technology Solutions to Workplace Innovations
- Initiative – Workplace Productivity and Collaboration
State agencies should develop strategies that promote flexible and adaptable workplace productivity options, including mobile computing platforms, collaboration tools, and other workplace technology solutions. State agencies should also examine existing internship options and promote best practices for internship programs. Working with state agencies, DIR will award and execute contracts for a suite of technology-based conferencing products and services; and offer enterprise collaboration and content management tools through the state portal.
- Strategy 4.2 – Pursue Leading-Edge Strategies for Application Deployment
- Initiative – Cloud Computing
State agencies should evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using enterprise cloud computing options.
- Initiative – Specifications, Toolkits, and the Application Marketplace
State agencies, in planning and developing their application portfolio suite, should review and evaluate the products and services offered through the state’s portal as reusable solutions or components for electronic service delivery.
- Initiative – Legacy Systems Modernization
State agencies should evaluate the status of legacy systems and determine whether they are candidates for modernization. DIR will evaluate agency responses on their legacy system modernization efforts in the Information Resources Deployment Review and report the results.
- Strategy 4.3 – Optimize Information Asset Management
- Initiative – Best Practices for Managing Digital Information
The Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council (RMICC) will identify common practices for managing data and information. RMICC will make recommendations to the 82nd Texas Legislature based on best practices for managing electronic data and information. DIR will develop an electronic information and records management extension for the Texas Project Delivery Framework to provide guidance for identifying requirements in the earliest stages of technology projects.
- Strategy 4.4 – Promote the Use and Sharing of Information
- Initiative – Health Information Exchange
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is forming an Office of E-Health Coordination to implement standards and promote statewide health IT practices, including the use of electronic health records. HHSC will evaluate federal funding opportunities and apply for appropriate funding.
- Initiative – Statewide Communications Interoperability
The Texas Radio Coalition (TxRC), in coordination with key stakeholders, will propose legislation to secure consistent funding for timely, sustainable, cost-efficient, interoperable emergency communications development. The TxRC and state agencies will assist regions in migrating to shared standards-based systems and procedures and in leveraging public and private investments to implement statewide interoperable communications.
- Initiative – Justice Information System Integration
The Texas Path to NIEM project, a joint effort between the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Office of Court Administration, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and the Texas Integrated Justice System will continue its outreach to publicize the benefits of National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) compliance and identify resources that will provide guidance in adopting NIEM standards.
- Initiative – Enterprise Geospatial Services
DIR, in conjunction with the Texas Water Development Board, and other stakeholders, will evaluate the state’s geospatial inventory and develop a registry of state government geospatial web services; evaluate with the service provider the feasibility of a geospatial component on the state’s portal; coordinate with DCS agencies to develop a strong shared infrastructure for geospatial technology in the state data center; and recommend updates to the state’s geospatial standards and technical specifications.
Moving Forward
In the coming biennium Texas will continue to advance the technology needed to drive business solutions. Ongoing collaboration and partnerships, innovative solutions, and increased citizen involvement will be facilitated through the innovative use of technology.
This plan will be used by Texas government agencies to develop the information resources sections of their 2010 strategic plans. The plan provides guidance on proven technology strategies, innovations, and best practices that agencies may use to develop or enhance strategies to best serve the public. Through the 2010 Biennial Performance Report (November 2010), the state will describe enterprise and agency progress on the government technology goals presented in this plan.
The development of this plan incorporated an unprecedented level of stakeholder input on the opportunities and challenges in government technology that confront the state. Strategies from this plan will be implemented that support the continuation of stakeholder input on the future direction of Texas’ enterprise technology strategies and solutions. At every level of Texas government, the commitment is ongoing to enhance information and service delivery to citizens through technology that matters.
