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Pivotal New IT

Initiatives—
What’s Being
Said, and Not
Said?

A Resource Paper
Produced by the

Association for
Federal Information
Resources Management

July 2009
AFFIRM, the Association for Federal Information Resources Management, is a
non-profit, volunteer, educational organization founded in 1979 to advance
Federal Government Information Resources Management (IRM) and
Information Technology. AFFIRM is large and diverse — composed of federal
agency information technology, acquisition, and financial management
professionals, Congressional staff, industry representatives, and others
interested in the management of Federal Government information technology
initiatives. AFFIRM is a Washington, D.C.-based council of the American
Council for Technology (ACT).

For additional copies of this document, please visit the AFFIRM website:
www.affirm.org

Publication courtesy of L-3 Communications


Letter from the AFFIRM President

July 23, 2009

Dear Colleagues:

For the past fourteen years, the Association for Federal Information Resources Management
(AFFIRM) Emerging Issues Forum has prepared a series of issue papers on topics of importance
to the federal information technology community. On May 19, 2009, the Forum conducted a
roundtable with a focus group comprised of senior government and industry officials. This report
summarizes the opinions expressed by the participants as the focus group explored the “Pivotal
New IT Initiatives—What’s Being Said, and Not Said?”

AFFIRM hopes the report will prove useful to both government and industry executives in
identifying what could be important, in terms of information technology and solutions, across the
Federal Government over the next years. We will continue to sponsor similar studies to advance
the state of knowledge and practice in managing federal information resources. As always, we
solicit and appreciate your comments.

I want to thank the AFFIRM Emerging Issues Forum committee members for their hard work
and Chris Dorobek of WFED Federal News Radio for his excellent work in moderating the
roundtable. And, of course, our special thanks go to the focus group members for taking the time
to contribute to this important initiative.

Sincerely,

Jacquelyn Patillo
President
AFFIRM
AFFIRM EMERGING ISSUES FORUM
AFFIRM ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION MODERATOR AND
PANELISTS

Moderator
Chris Dorobek Anchor and Managing Editor WFED Federal News Radio
Panelists
Manager, Program Management
Jonathan Benett Patent and Trademark Office
Division
Sanjeev Bhagowalia Chief Information Officer Department of the Interior
Teresa Carlson General Manager Microsoft Federal
Chief Information Officer,
Linda Cureton NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
Director, Enterprise Integration,
Prashant Gaur Business Transformation Department of Defense
Agency
Vice President and Chief
Jeremy Grant Acquisition Solutions, Inc.
Development Officer
Assistant Deputy Associate
Office of the Director of
Michael Kennedy Director of National Intelligence
National Intelligence
and Chief Information Officer
Deputy Associate Chief
Peter Tseronis Information Officer for Strategy Department of Energy
and Innovation
Kathleen Turco Chief Financial Officer General Services Administration

AFFIRM EMERGING ISSUES FORUM CO-CHAIRS, REPORT


AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

Robert Golas Vision Genesis, Inc.


Stephanie Diane Akers Consultant
Deirdre Murray Qwest Government Services, Inc.
Mary Wall Lockheed Martin, Inc.

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AFFIRM SUSTAINING PARTNERS
2008 – 2009 PROGRAM YEAR

Accela Consulting, Inc. LGS Bell Labs Innovations


Accelerated Information Management Lockheed Martin Washington
Accenture Operations
Acquisition Solutions, Inc. M Squared Strategies, Inc.
ATS Corporation Management Concepts, Inc.
Bomgar Corporation McNeil Technologies
CACI, Inc. Micro Focus
Cisco Microsoft Federal
CSC National Center for Sustainability
Deloitte Nortel Government Solutions
Deque Systems, Inc. Northrup Grumman
eGlobalTech Oracle Corporation
Endeavor Systems, Inc. Palm
ESRI Perot Systems
FEAC Institute Potomac Forum, Ltd.
FedResults Project Performance Corporation
Giga Trust RCG, Inc.
GTSI Corp. Riverbed Technology
Guerra Kiviat, Inc. SAIC
Hewlett Packard SAS
Highland Technology Services, Inc. Serco, Inc.
Hosky Communications, Inc. Sun Microsystems, Inc.
IBM Three Wire Systems, LLC
Information Innovators, Inc. TKC Technology
Information Management Consultants, Inc. Toderon, LLC
Intel Unisys Corporation
Johnston McLamb Vangent, Inc.
Kearney & Company Zelinger Associates, Inc.
ZemiTek

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Resource Paper Produced by the...................................................................................................1
Association for
Federal Information
Resources Management......................................................................................................................1
July 2009...............................................................................................................................................1
Letter from the AFFIRM President...........................................................................................................................3
AFFIRM EMERGING ISSUES FORUM................................................................................................................4
AFFIRM ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION MODERATOR AND PANELISTS.....................................................4
AFFIRM EMERGING ISSUES FORUM CO-CHAIRS, REPORT
AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTORS..............................................................................................................4
AFFIRM SUSTAINING PARTNERS......................................................................................................................5
2008 – 2009 PROGRAM YEAR..............................................................................................................................5
TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................................7
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.......................................................................................................................................8
QUESTIONS...........................................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................................20

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INTRODUCTION

Can there possibly be another sequel? You mean something similar to the series of movies
about a whip-carrying adventurer? Or, the series of movies about the super “human” from the
planet Krypton? Not so fast with your answer. In this instance, we are talking about
AFFIRM’s 2008 Spring roundtable/white paper entitled, “What Could be the Suggested IT
Strategy for the Next Administration?” followed by AFFIRM’s 2009 Spring
roundtable/white paper, “Pivotal New IT Initiatives—What’s Being Said, and Not Said?”
Yes, different titles; but, the concepts are somewhat similar, and there is a nice follow on—
albeit perhaps a sequel. Surprisingly, in the 14 years of AFFIRM Spring roundtable/white
papers, this is the first time this has been done. And, not by accident.

We may not see much change during the first year (CY2009) of the new Administration since
this Administration will be working from the previous Administration’s submitted IT budget.
The current Administration’s first budget impact will be for FY2010 and will be the first time
we see where and what the Administration wants to invest in information technology—and
the given IT direction for years to come. Yet, there are some signs as to what technologies and
areas might be supported: Web 2.0 technologies; cloud computing; green technology related
areas; national health/electronic record related items; cyber security; and, greater
collaboration. These are but some of the areas that come to mind, and are showing real
potential based upon what is being written in the various journals supporting the Federal
Government sector. Who knows what other technologies and solutions will come to the
forefront during this period, further complicating, challenging, and changing the IT budget
priorities and process.

It is from this perspective that AFFIRM, with its concomitant executive roundtable, chose to
delve further into “Pivotal New IT Initiatives—What’s Being Said, and Not Said?”

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The following are some key points made during the AFFIRM 2009 Roundtable to address the
topic: “Pivotal New IT Initiatives—What’s Being Said, and Not Said?”

 The newly created position of a Federal CIO will provide leadership at the strategic level
within the context of operational issues such as defining new IT requirements, leveraging
technology, and guiding acquisitions.

 Relationship building is “where it’s at.” Everyone in a leadership role—the Federal CIO,
Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Cyber Security Coordinator (CSC), Chief Human
Capital Officer (CHCO), the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)—must come to the table to
exchange information and keep abreast of key initiatives.

 The Federal CIO will serve as an authority and a catalyst to build coalitions, to forge a
positive partnership between government and industry.

 Information germane to business needs to be coalesced, and information resources


management (IRM) standards—particularly in the area of data management—must be
developed.

 The Federal Government, working in collaboration with the state and local governments,
must continue to actively support initiatives to declassify and make information readily
available.

 Web sites such as Data.gov make business and financial data available to the citizen,
promoting the concept of a “green” government. Conducting virtual transactions on a
widespread basis, nonetheless, largely depends on trusting networks at the application
level.

 Where data are concerned, there is risk attached to providing transparency, and risk
aversion is a big issue. Although one slip can lead to shut down, there must be
willingness to take a “hit.”

 As cloud computing within the context of Web 2.0 technologies moves ahead, the
Federal Government, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and
industry groups need to work together to develop data management standards.

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 A cloud typically represents a protected environment, and it will be critical to ensure
confidence that information will be protected at the correct levels. Measures must be
adopted to close holes and provide data leakage protection.

 Web 2.0 represents a set of tools that facilitates collaboration and the decision-making
process, and must be further defined in terms of how the technology can be used to
transform government.

 In terms of governance and stewardship, although email is now the information


management standard, Web 2.0 will be next. The opportunity is rife for another “killer”
application to emerge as a leading star.

 Mentoring the younger generation on the value of open and collaborative leadership will
foster innovative applications of technology (for example, the social media).

 The Federal Government must re-align IT investments to advance systems design


through development, modernization, and enhancement (DME) instead of sustaining a
steady state wherein 80% of systems are legacy based.

 Efficiency can be achieved by rapid prototyping to adopt and deploy solutions. Return on
investment (ROI) can be further enhanced by improving and adapting existing software
and hardware configurations to satisfy evolving requirements.

 The system for recruiting and retaining highly qualified personnel needs improvement. It
must be remembered that the Federal Government will be only as good as the people
who serve.

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QUESTIONS

1. With Mr. Kundra’s appointment as the first governmentwide CIO, is this a semantic
change or does it represent a more significant change? What impact will the creation
of this new position have on government IT? How will this be different from the
past? The Obama administration has also created a chief technology officer position.
What impact will that post have?

The Federal CIO is viewed as an advisor to the President on how IT can resolve business
problems and advance the mission of government. However, the relevance of this
position will be realized in how it unfolds operationally.

In this AFFIRM/WFED Federal News Radio roundtable, the consensus among the panelists is
the President mandated change. The establishment of the role of Federal CIO is
“unprecedented,” exciting, and represents that significant change. This measure is seen as a
“quantum leap” forward from the past when the CIO served more of an operational role fixing
broken systems versus one as an advisor of how information technology can resolve business
problems and advance the mission of government. The new Administration understands the
efficacy of information technology, and as such, the new Federal CIO will get more time with
the President. There is optimism the Federal CIO will really have “a seat at the table” and the
goals of Clinger-Cohen may be achieved. There also is interest in making sure all branches of
the government understand the mission and benefits of this new Federal CIO, especially as to
how technology can help.

However, the relevance of the new role of Federal CIO will be shown in how it unfolds
operationally. It must receive sufficient authority—and be positioned to look at the strategic
level far beyond the technical. For example, the Federal CIO can mandate information sharing
and direct collaboration to promote standards and information sharing. Furthermore, the
Federal CIO can use his authority to influence the level of transparency in government.
Another example of where the new Federal CIO can provide leadership to all government
CIOs is on the Recovery.gov reporting requirements. This new program-level reporting
requires strong leadership from OMB, performance metrics, and more guidance. Additionally,
the Federal CIO’s role needs to be differentiated from the new Federal Chief Technology
Officer (CTO) and the new Cyber Security Coordinator (CSC). For the CIO, “it’s all about the
information.” There is a strong desire among the panelists to see a tighter alignment among
the CIO, CTO, CSC, Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO),
and Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) so together they could support a “high-performing
government.” Their communication as a team will help build the relationships needed to
collaborate and develop the trust required for information sharing, a key goal of the Federal
Government.

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Will the new Federal CIO make a difference? While there is support for an information
technology “master chef,” it remains to be seen if the goals of Clinger-Cohen will become a
reality. Nonetheless, the government now has a strong advocate at the President’s level to lead
the charge in the government’s use of technology in furthering the mission of the Federal
Government. As one panelist stated, “It was part of the President’s campaign…..that he was
going to have a CIO, a CTO, and a cyber security advisor at the presidential level. …..just the
fact that a President is talking about that suggests real progress.”

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2. Information must be appropriately available for use in order to be of maximum value.
What approaches to data sharing and transparency, such as cloud computing and other
distributive technologies, have been tried and proven successful? And, why?

As Web 2.0 technologies like “the cloud” are deployed, it will be critical to ensure that
information will be secure, and at the correct levels.

Information technology (IT) is a business tool, an enabling vehicle, to manage and transmit
information essential to accomplishing the mission of the Federal Government. As clearly
illustrated in the work of the Intelligence Community, when distributed information is
compiled and analyzed, the whole frequently becomes greater than the sum of the parts. The
value of information in terms of achieving mission objectives depends on the capacity to
share relevant data in a timely and efficient manner. Web 2.0 technologies provide an
emerging set of sophisticated tools that facilitate data sharing and collaboration across
networks, throughout government (at the federal, state, and local levels), industry, and the
citizen population. Transparency of business operations depends on the willingness to share
information, a mindset that recognizes the power of IT to enable business and mission
success.

Distributive technologies, such as cloud computing, reflect a cultural shift along a continuum
of increasing readiness to trust networks at the application level. A cloud typically represents
a protected environment, which necessitates “guns, guards, and gates,” i.e., appropriate
measures for security. However, while information must be adequately protected on one hand,
it is vitally important that information be made readily available to those who have that “need
to know.” Since the cataclysmic events of 9/11, the Federal Government has worked
collaboratively with state and local governments to declassify and make information more
readily available to those who need it. As Web 2.0 technologies like the cloud are deployed, it
will be critical to ensure confidence that information will be secured, and at the correct levels.

Information germane to business requirements needs to be coalesced, and information


resources management (IRM) standards—particularly in the area of data management—must
be developed. As cloud computing within the context of Web 2.0 technologies moves ahead,
data management standards must be developed in tandem with the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) and industry groups. Universal or “open” standards
implemented across the infrastructure, combined with data availability, create a needed
synergy. Challenges relating to this include executing the task of re-platforming documents
and the responsibility of managing tools and services within the context of who owns a
particular “cloud.” Web 2.0 technologies provide the tools essential to collaboration and the
distribution of information. More technical solutions are emerging everyday, and innovation
will occur if data are well managed and made available.

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There are many new improvements emanating from technical developments within the realm
of cloud computing, and other distributive technologies, that are based on the principle that
collaboration and transparency are really about sharing information. The distribution of
information online (as compared with paper) delivers a substantial ROI based on time
savings. Web sites such as Data.gov promote the twin concepts of transparency and “green”
government by making business and financial data available to the citizen. However,
“Leadership 101” requires focus on more than the processes; there is a critical dimension
involving the “human factor.” Mentoring on the value of open and collaborative leadership
will foster innovative applications of technology (for example, the social media) and will
further enhance the transparency of business transactions. It must be remembered that the
Federal Government will be only as good—as efficient and effective—as the people who
serve. Serious consideration must be given to improving the system for recruiting and
retaining highly qualified personnel so as to realize these improvements.

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3. Web 2.0, blogs, Twitter, et al, seem to be the new way of conducting “business.” In
fact, “Web 2.0/Collaborative technologies” was the number one critical technology,
as voted in AFFIRM’s December 2008 Federal CIO Thirteenth Annual Top Ten
Challenges Survey. Yet, departments and agencies are using them, perhaps with
some trepidation. Will the government be openly adopting these newer technologies
outright? How can agencies address security? What are some of the pitfalls of these
new tools? What are some of the opportunities?

The key is how technology, specifically all the new tools, can be applied toward
achieving the organization’s mission—and achieving it more effectively.

The challenges of adopting the newer technologies of Web 2.0 and social media in the
conduct of business are currently being met within the federal workforce. Federal agencies
need to embrace Web 2.0 as another set of tools to be used, and to understand how these tools
can enhance the accomplishment of federal organization missions. In reality, mission
effectiveness is a federal organization’s Profit and Loss (P&L) equivalent. If these tools can
save lives by communicating via the channels used now, then agencies must continue to use
them to be successful. The opportunity these tools provide is tremendous in helping the
Federal Government to achieve openness and access. Panelists noted Web 2.0 already
provides service for web mail, wiki, ivideo, social bookmarking, and others. The key is how
technology, specifically all the new tools, can be applied to achieving an organization’s
mission—and achieving it more effectively.

If use of social media tools has to be mandated, then the battle may have been lost. The key is
to make the new tools available and let the organizations create rapid prototypes.
Organizations almost always adapt these tools for their community/areas of interest. The last
resort is “to code,” now seemingly unpopular words. The most beneficial tools are the ones
already being used by young workers because they know how to use them. Nonetheless, lots
of training is still needed to make sure the job is done efficiently and securely. The real
bottom line is that federal organizations and their employees need to get over their fears of
using something new. It is the effective application of these new tools that will ultimately
enable the transformation of government.

In terms of human capital, requirements are clear—new staff skills are needed leading into the
21st century and the Web 2.0 era. Some panelists believe the current government “brain drain”
is not so bad; new entrants bring energy and ideas. However, the hiring process is broken, and
once hired, new employees need to be mentored. This puts further pressure on staff that may
or may not have the right skills to use Web 2.0 et al to transform their organizations. A key to
success in implementing Web 2.0 is early engagement of the Chief Executive Officers
(CEOs), Inspectors General (IGs), and legal staff—get them to the table and use them to help
drive improvements.

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What are the challenges? Security is the primary one. The consensus is security concerns need
to be overcome, just as they were when credit cards began to be used for online transactions
or when, on Flag Day, June 14, 1996, GSA became the first agency to give email addresses
and Internet access to all employees. Pertaining to Web 2.0 and cloud computing, documents
need to be re-platformed because there can be security holes in the cloud. Standards for cloud
computing need to be developed in tandem with NIST and industry groups, while federal
organizations need to use a protected environment, meet the gate of system certification, AND
provide confidence the information to be shared is protected at the right level. By 2010, there
should be lots of examples of how well the cloud concept is working.

Records management is another challenge. Federal organizations need to address their


policies and governance, the same as when email became a system of record. Other challenge
areas mentioned by the panelists were data encryption and 508 compliance as it pertains to
delaying implementation of Web 2.0 applications. From this array of challenges stem many
opportunities within the Web 2.0 and social networking environment. While these tools are
here to stay—(authors’ note: at least for this round)—some federal organizations will rise to
meet the challenges and embrace them with vigor—some won’t. Time will tell.

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4. The mandate of fiscal responsibility permeates the new Administration’s agenda as a
whole. From an IT perspective, how do you assess the significance of initiatives to:
a) reduce software development time; b) increase the development capability of the
government; and, c) modernize software in place?

Proactive measures to reduce costly software development time and finding new
methods to streamline modernization of software in place will save substantial dollars.

In terms of software applications, it is necessary to promote an environment that embraces


rapid prototyping so that the software development life cycle (SDLC) moves quickly to adopt
and deploy solutions. Software and hardware have a shelf life; there is no silver bullet where
one size fits all, so ways must be found to save resources across the life of IT investments.
Proactive measures to reduce costly software development time and finding new methods to
streamline modernization of software in place will promote smooth migration and substantial
conservation of dollars. Return on investment (ROI) can be maximized by increasing the
development capability of the government to adapt and upgrade existing systems and
applications to better suit current requirements. In this scenario, staff would have the added
advantage of being already familiar with the software/hardware configuration and be able to
determine an optimal approach. Look to the resourcefulness and diversity of the Web 2.0
generation for new and innovative ideas in the software development arena.

As contrasted with government, the profit and loss (P&L) currency within the private sector is
measured in terms of hard dollars. Industry must comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), and
where applicable, regulations for pursuing business on an international or global scale. Within
the Federal Government, P&L currency is mission effectiveness—to save lives. A dollar
value cannot be placed on ensuring and securing the preservation of life. The business of the
Federal Government is mission excellence, and performance is mission based. The real
bottom line for government, then, can be measured in terms of improved performance.
Factors that impact government performance include numerous laws, rules, and regulations.
The point is that valuable lessons can be learned from both sides of the table.

The Federal CIO needs to be strategic, innovative, and bring a holistic perspective to
managing and funding the business of the Federal Government. Ultimately, leadership in each
operational area and a well-integrated strategic plan are absolutely essential to achieving
mission effectiveness. Leaders need to meet at the table on an everyday basis, including the
CIO, CTO, CSC, CHCO, CFO, and CAO. By establishing a working forum, it will be
possible to exchange information, keep abreast of key initiatives, relay functional
requirements, and create transparency throughout the operational leadership. As a result of
this transparency, the determination of optimal funding levels for designated program goals
and objectives can be made based on a clear definition and solid understanding of operational
requirements.

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Management and mitigation of risk factors is a major issue, particularly with respect to
ensuring the security of classified information. Transparency of data and operations always
carries an inherent level of risk that must be bridged. Circular A-123, “Management
Accountability and Control,” stipulates that as federal employees develop and implement
strategies for reengineering agency programs and operations, it is essential to design
management structures to ensure accountability for results that include appropriate, cost-
effective controls. This directive provides guidance on improving the accountability and
effectiveness of federal programs and operations by establishing, assessing, correcting, and
reporting on management controls designed to mitigate risk.

The focus must be on the bottom-line business mission, the outcome, the results; technology
is an enabler. Great things are happening in terms of internal and external transparency, and
there are numerous success stories that substantiate the value of sharing information. There is
a far-reaching litany of positive outcomes to report, ranging from providing expanded services
to citizens to delivering tangible (and vital) supplies essential to support warfighters abroad. A
good example of the benefits associated with information sharing and transparency can be
found in the Department of the Interior “Report to Citizens.” This publication offers
considerable insight to the function of this Department, and answers the question: “What do
we do for the citizens?” Reference may also be made to the efforts of the DoD community to
work with state and local governments to declassify and disseminate information. Obviously,
data management standards are of key importance. While federal managers are responsible for
governance and stewardship, the programs are the owners of the information essential to
achieving the business mission.

Web 2.0 technologies provide an expansive array of tools for attaining target performance
results with maximum efficiency. It will be necessary to migrate to new systems architecture,
new data bases, new technologies, and new strategies like cloud computing. At the present
time, there is a steady state to surmount given that 80% of federal systems are legacy based.
This fact alone suggests that there needs to be a new approach to the Exhibits 300 and overall
resource allocation to effectively address this issue. It is crucial to align acquisitions to more
substantially support system design modernization, instead of maintaining steady state, and
the federal workforce is steering in that direction. The application of Web 2.0 on a daily basis
enables the Federal Government to “work smarter” with virtualization. Thus the challenges of
Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and software development, combined with fiscal
pressures, offer new opportunities. Leadership and innovation will return hard dollar savings
in the long run by enabling government to do more (and do it better) with less (fewer
resources).

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5. Summary Comments
As the roundtable discussion concluded, the panelists offered summary comments regarding
what’s being said or not said pertaining to new federal IT initiatives.

We must never be comfortable where we are…We must always seek to be more efficient
and more effective because this is how our return on investment (ROI) is measured.

 The Federal CIO will have an audience with the President and be in a position to bring
an overarching perspective to the table. The Federal CIO must be courageous, vigilant,
visionary, meet challenges head-on, and deliver results according to the stated mission.

 The Federal CIO can provide a new dimension of leadership and the necessary impetus
to propel decision making and innovation essential for optimal ROI. Within the Federal
Government, ROI is measured by efficiency and effectiveness in fulfilling the mission of
securing the Homeland and protecting life.

 There needs to be a line of sight to the mission stemming from the Federal CIO as
contrasted with a perceived present-day disconnect between the work of the CIO and the
agency mission. Ideally, there would also be more interaction, partnering, and
harmonizing throughout the CIO community. We must work toward sustaining a
“Federal Government,” not a “federated government.”

 The appointment of a Federal CIO offers a window of opportunity to validate the value
of IT in terms of improving performance and achieving cost savings across the board. It
is crucial to seek a positive return on performance management relative to attainment of
the respective business mission.

 The Federal CIO must be empowered to assist the Federal Government in the effort to
move beyond the current steady state of legacy systems to a “Beta Government.” In the
present IT environment, approximately 80% of resources are committed to managing and
maintaining legacy systems while only the remaining 20% are allocated to development,
modernization, and enhancement (“DME”).

 Business Process Reengineering (BPR) will be necessary to streamline operations so that


the business mission can be effectively accomplished. Governance and stewardship are
essential supporting disciplines. In the final analysis, budget, technology, and leadership
have to stand together.

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 Industry seeks to work side-by-side with government, particularly in the arena of
standards development for data quality and management. In terms of achieving optimal
levels of transparency and information sharing, the number one challenge is ensuring
data quality. It is clear that effective cloud computing within a collaborative environment
will be based on adherence to data standards.

 Technology enables collaboration, breaking down of silos, transparency, sharing of


information, and the rapid prototyping of innovative solutions that promote green
government. It is an exciting time—there are many ways to do business within the
stakeholder community. There will, however, be a filtering phase as not all media are
suitable or effective in the workplace (for instance, not everyone in their 30s uses
Facebook).

 Team building establishes a foundation for optimal performance throughout the Federal
Government, and it starts with the leadership: the CIO, CTO, CSC, CHCO, CFO, and
CAO. Diversity found within the team enhances and reinforces our capabilities. The
important point is to make the best use of the unique talents and individual perspectives
that each member offers.

 It is tremendously important that we revitalize current employee recruiting methods,


candidate selection processes, and the hiring system for federal personnel. Attracting and
retaining well-qualified professionals and supporting staff are critical elements of
effective human capital management. We must always remember that we are only as
good as our people.

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CONCLUSION

In last year’s AFFIRM hot topic paper, “What Could be the Suggested IT Strategy for the
Next Administration?,” we asked if the role of the CIO should be elevated. It has been. We
also talked about the influx of younger, more IT-savvy staff with higher expectations of what
IT could do for the Administration, departments/agencies, and the citizenry, with one panelist
summarizing, “The real key is to focus on results: service not technology; and, quality data
and information and not infrastructure.” This similar theme/result, along with the positive
influence of the Federal Government’s younger IT generation, was also brought forth in this
year’s AFFIRM panel discussion of “Pivotal New IT Initiatives—What’s Being Said, and
Not Said?”

One of the topics panelists discussed within this AFFIRM 2009 roundtable/white paper was
“mentoring the younger Federal Government IT generation.” But, are they not (the younger
generation) upward IT mentoring “the establishment,” as well? A few years ago, one of the
authors was visiting a daughter who had, at that time, four-year-old twin boys. When entering
the house, the author asked, “Where are the boys?” “Back in the computer room,” the
daughter responded. When entering the computer room, the author saw the four-year-old twin
grandsons sitting on a soft bench with their faces and necks stretched upward so that their
little foreheads, eyes and noses could barely clear the top of the table to see the computer
monitor, as one was feverishly working an application with the mouse. Noticing their
grandparent, one of the twins scooted his little bottom off the bench and slapping the bench
said, “Sit here. You do it; you do it.” While the author/grandparent was somewhat tech savvy,
the grandparent “graciously” opted out. Why? Because the grandparent was now being
technically “threatened” by two four-year-old tykes who did not view what they were doing
as computer technology, but, rather, viewed it only as a part of their “life.” With each passing
year, Federal Government IT support services get better and better—through education and
training of the establishment, and through the addition of the younger, more tech-savvy (and
perhaps adaptable) workforce generation.

The panel concluded with the comment/thought that while “cheaper, better, faster” are
important, “cheaper, better, and agile” are now more important. Challenges and changes are
now happening at a much faster rate, and agility is needed to handle these pivotal new
initiatives in making information technology truly supportive of the mission. And, in the final
analysis, it is the mission that really counts.

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