Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The Internet in my mind... is going to be the foundation of the National Information
Infrastructure (NII). We're saying we need to carefully architect ourselves so we can deal with
that open architecture of anything to anything.
The information age is one where people are empowered by their technology, and
technology has to be considered an enabling capacity. It gives you an opportunity for a great
deal of innovation at the individual level. Everybody is not only a consumer, but [also] a
provider.
The key words from the quote above are “enabling capacity,” which suggests viewing
IT as a means of achieving something that could not be achieved without the technology,
as opposed to IT in a support capacity.
Inadequate levels of central investment in IT and training
Procuring adequate levels of funding for investment in IT is a major challenge in
government agencies, whether for strategic or support purposes. Nearly all of the interviewees
stressed this point.
We've been trying for several years to move to the IBM system exclusively. It's
very hard in a state agency to get the financial backing necessary to make such
a transition.
We don't have email, five years ago we didn't have word processing, we don't
have an HRM system. We just built a financial system. We're contractors and
project managers and we've had virtually no project management tools.
There needs to be more central investment of resources for problem solving and
coordination, data management, and networks.
One of the toughest things in the state of New York is that when budget times
are tough, and there hasn't been a year in the last ten when they were not, the
first thing to go is training and travel.
Political Issues, Controversies, and Problems
State elections and political appointments can radically change the agency
agenda
Changes in state leadership, ushered in by elections and political appointments, often
result in highly unpredictable and radical changes in leadership and agendas at the agency
level.
One of my critical success factors is whether or not I'll keep my job after the new
governor steps in. A lot of the guys and gals down the street will not, and that's not
necessarily based on past performance.
We have to address the needs of various constituents internal and external to the
agency that often have competing interests and objectives.
CIOs are often left chasing a moving target, as they adjust to the change in leadership.
Furthermore, because some of the old guard remains intact, the CIO must deal concurrently
with old habits while attempting to adapt the agency to the infusion of new ones. Managing
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