ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA–With all the promise that new technology brings, its combination with business processes to both innovate and improve programs takes careful consideration and strong leadership from chief information officers.
However, it’s not easy to get an inside look at how the best companies run their tech operations. That’s why state CIOs–who have the same budgets, supervision and problems as private sector organizations with none of the “private”–are a great resource for tech executives.
Four state-level tech executives spoke here Tuesday at the midyear conference for the National Association of State Chief Information Officers about the challenges they face in trying to institute new tech for their constituents.
Bill Oates, Commonwealth of Massachusetts CIO, described an insularity surrounding IT, from both within and without, that halts progress. It’s on the CIO, he said, to create a consolidated technology vision for not only his department but his whole organization’s operations. Regarding an onsite NASCIO survey that showed 40 percent of CIOs reported to the state’s CFO rather than the governor, Oates had a message for those still looking for a seat at the table.
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“Act like you’re in the boardroom anyway,” Oates said. “Get them used to it … Repositioning IT is so critical to all of these issues we talk about. So even if you’re not there, make them think you are.”
The same can be said for private sector CIOs who don’t think they have the ear of the CEO or the board, which should be unheard of in this business climate.
What a state CIO’s job really boils down to is making sure innovative technologies are accessible for both internal and external processes. Oates and the rest of the panel–Chris Estes, CIO of North Carolina; Eric Ellis, chief technology officer of environment and natural resources for North Carolina; and David Fletcher, CTO of Utah–provided a laundry list of new and not-so-distant tech that they plan on implementing, including 3D printing and viewing, wearables, beacons and cryptocurrency.
However, Ellis said when it comes to actually promoting new tech to users, there can be some pain points.
“Historically, new technology has not been adopted very well in our state,” Ellis said. “I’ve been in the state government for 10 years, and, in the past, pushing new technology is like beating your head up against the wall. Fortunately, I have a thick skull.”
One way North Carolina is tackling the adoption problem is through the creation of an innovation center where Ellis’ team can work out use cases and train users. And though he said his 10,000-square-foot state-of-the-art campus is a “blessing,” it’s more about creating a virtual culture of innovation and cementing belief in tech progress among state cabinet members, cultural factors that businesses should take note of.
For state technologies, procurement always brings up budgetary questions. Fletcher said that when it comes to funding concerns, CIOs should not be afraid to get flexible, and there are all types of pilot programs and proofs of concepts that allow for thorough examination.
“We don’t always have to start out with a full-blown procurement,” Fletcher said. “But start with something that will grab the attention and demonstrate the value of these technologies on a wider scale.”
Oates said that above all, state technology teams must give motivated groups the funding, space and time to innovatively tackle the problems facing states. He highlighted his own state’s use of outreach–to civic volunteers, private sector start-ups, municipalities, academia and anyone else–and how it has led to more open lines of communications and real benefits for constituents.
Private companies have those same lines of communications available, but they need to tap into them. Hackathons, competitions with startups in lieu of contract bidding, and internal pitching from employees are just a few of the ways organizations can use existing processes to encourage innovation.
Date: May 1, 2015