HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08061996 - D3 Il '
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: Phil Batchelor
Costa
DATE: August 6, 1996 County`°s>, ua
SUBJECT:
Contra Costa County Information Technology Strategy
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)8 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. Recommended Action:
Request the Board of Supervisors approve the Contra Costa County Information
Technology Strategy plan, as approved by the County's Executive Information
Technology Steering Committee (ITSC) in June of 1996.
H. Fiscal Impact:
None at the present time. There are potential cost-savings in the future through a more
efficient application and prioritization of Countywide information technology projects on a
long-term basis.
III. Reasons for Recommendation:
The application of information technology is a complex and expensive business
proposition. There are thirty-plus different departments in the County supporting a wide
variety of business function to our constituents, many of which have significant
information technology requirements on an ongoing basis. The County cannot operate
without computer-based information systems. Basic County Services such as justice,
public protection, health and social services, public works and general administrative
services depend upon these systems. Information systems are also a fundamental part of
the County's administrative infrastructure. As such, they must be planned, managed, and
deployed with the same care and attention as are roads, buildings and staff.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: Q
4
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)-
ACTION OF BOARD ON— August 6, 1996 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: _III• IV and I I _NOES: None AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: I and V ABSTAIN: None OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: all c/o Dept. of Information Technology ATTESTED- August 6, 1996
PHI A HELOR,CLERK OF THE ARO OF
ISORS AND C UNTY A , I STRATO
M382 (10/88) Y
The attached Long Range Information Strategy document is the County's approach to
describing the strategy for using information technology (IT) in the County. The strategy
includes principles and guidelines on key management issues, and a description of and plan
for IT architecture and infrastructure. It should be helpful to your Board of Supervisors,
as well as to managers, employees and those vendors doing business with the County. As
this is the County's first information technology strategy document, it will evolve with the
changes in County business objectives, our experience in planning and managing
information technology, and the availability of new and changing technology.
IV. Background:
The County Administrator and Director of Information Technology, with the assistance of
an outside consultant and the ITSC, have been developing an information technology
strategy for the County since November of 1995. The plan is based upon the experience
and work of other large California Counties, most-notably Santa Clara County. Our
information technology strategy has been crafted by the Contra Costa County Department
Heads who represent the County on the ITSC, and was approved by the ITSC for
submission to your Board for approval in June of 1996. The attached document delineates
that strategy.
D.
County of Contra Costa
Information Technology Strategy
Submitted to the Board of Supervisors
by the Information Technology Steering Committee
August 6, 1996
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Information Technology Strategy
Purpose and Goals
The purpose of Contra Costa County government is to provide quality services to
our customers: the County's residents, businesses, and other local governments.
Information Technology offers, perhaps, the single greatest opportunity for
maintaining and improving public service in the face of increasing demands and
increasing costs.
We can apply technology to make incremental improvements in services or
operations, such as tying departmental computers together into a Countywide
network, or using voice activated response systems to answer immediate
questions for citizens. Technology can also have broader impacts, changing the
ways we do our jobs, or changing the types of services we provide and the ways
we deliver services. Obtaining full value from technology investments requires
the management of organizational change coupled with the management of
specific technologies.
This document describes a strategy for using Information Technology (IT) in the
County. The strategy includes principles and criteria for decisions on technology
investments, policy statements and guidelines on key management issues, and a
description of and plan for IT architecture and infrastructure. It should be
helpful to employees, managers, vendors and the Board of Supervisors. This
document will evolve with experience, changes in County business objectives,
and availability of new technology.
Goals
The County cannot operate without computer-based information systems. Basic
County services such as justice, public protection, health, social services, public
works and general administrative services depend on these systems. Information
systems are also a fundamental part of the County's administrative
infrastructure. They must be planned, managed, and deployed with the same
care and attention as are roads, buildings, and staff.
The County will apply Information Technology to achieve the following goals:
1. Improve the delivery of County services to our customers.
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2. Provide better service by improving internal County operations.
3. Promote cooperation among County departments, other government
agencies, and the private sector.
4. Increase the efficiency and quality of work life of County employees.
5. Increase information availability in order make more informed decisions.
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Guiding Principles
The following statements describe the principles we will use in making
investments in Information Technology. We believe these principles will help us
best meet our stated goals.
Our Information Technology Strategy is driven by and supports County and
department service strategies and goals. A first step in new system design will
be to consider the business needs of County departments, but any opportunity to
re-engineer work processes should also be considered. Applications will be based
on functions (such as justice, health and social service programs, finance and
human resources) and will not be constrained by current organization lines and
single department needs.
Front-line, service delivery staff will have the tools to access all needed
information, and to be effective. Technology will be employed to support the
County goal of having the `highest caliber employees" who "provide quality
services to the community."
Technology will be used to improve the effectiveness and productivity of County
government. We will use technology to minimize organizational overhead and
maximize resources devoted to direct customer service. Information, regardless
of its location within the County, Bay Area, State, or Nation will be universally
available (subject to the need and right to know.) Information will be delivered
for direct client services, for management analysis and for business decisions.
We will routinely evaluate opportunities for. information to be shared by
organizations to minimize the cost of collection and maintenance, and to
maximize accuracy.
We will make the best use of IT resources: money, staff, and equipment. IT
resources will support cumulative, department and County-wide objectives. This
includes the best use of current equipment investments. Our procurement
practices will encourage vendor competition and best efforts. System
development, maintenance, operation, and project management practices will
support successful investments over the life of IT applications.
County computing will be based on industry standards that permit maximum
sharing of hardware and software resources. This will enhance competition,
provide alternative vendors, and protect investments in hardware, software, and
training. Technology will support the sharing of information and systems among
departments, and the integration of different products acquired at different times
for different purposes.
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We will encourage trials of innovative service delivery, improved business
processes, and the creative use of technology. Technology will expand public
access to government by citizens and provide services on demand at the point of
the business transaction. Proven off-the-shelf systems, production pilots, and
other small scale trials will reduce project risks.
These guiding principles lead to the following overall policy which will guide our
management, deployment, and use of Information Technology in the County.
Overall Information Technology Policy:
County departments will individually manage the use of Information Technology
in support of their mission and goals, and these goals and principles. The
County collectively will manage the use of Information Technology to support
and ensure County-wide planning and collaboration on systems for common
services and functions. The County will build and maintain a secure common,
standards-based, County-wide Information Technology infrastructure for
collaboration between work groups.
The following section describes more specific Information Technology policies and
architectural concepts that will help us fulfill our goals, principles, and overall
policy.
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Policies and Architecture
The goals and guiding principals in the previous section affirm the County's
commitment to build an information infrastructure that provides universal
access to tools, services and information to serve our customers. Management of
the County's Information Technology strategy will be on-going. The County must
continuously progress toward its strategic goals even though the ideal results
will not be immediate.
We must understand the following key subjects to realize our goals:
1. Information Technology Leadership: Technology leadership should be
driven by the Information Technology Steering Committee and its sub-
committees, and carried out as a function of the Department of Information
Technology and other County departments. This should include the development
and continued evolution of an ongoing technology strategy and the cost-effective
means for achieving this strategy. The County is in a position of needing to
improve its day-to-day business functions through the use of technology, with
diminishing resources. This will force County' management to make difficult
decisions about policy and business priorities in the cost and use of technology.
Ongoing information about present and future technologies will be required to
make these decisions.
2. Common County-wide data communication and network services:
A backbone is defined as the main information transmission path for the
County's information. This should be a basic network service available to all
County departments, that is the foundation of a County information
infrastructure that includes data, voice and video traffic. Shared services,
available and easily used by every County employee are essential for staff
collaboration and integrated client service to citizens.
3. Data management: Data management is the capability to organize and
access general information when and where it is needed throughout the County
in a shared format. Data management reduces redundancy of labor and physical
resources to capture and present information.
4. Work group productivity tools: Tools should be available at desktops,
which support individual and collective staff productivity, to increase the flow of
information at the point where a given business transaction takes place.
5 . Staff training, development, and support: The County needs an
organizational commitment to build information technology skills and
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competencies, and to provide in-depth problem solving assistance, so the value of
what is spent on information technology is enhanced.
6. Systems management: Projects, systems and organizational practices
should be developed through a System Development Life Cycle model which
continues to enhance the value of technology throughout its intended life span.
Application systems are staying in production for much longer periods of time
than anticipated, which necessitates a requirement for greater adaptability and
higher levels of integration.
7. Innovation and technology transfer: Activities and practices which
encourage the timely identification and cost-effective application of new
technology, including research and development, should be proactively applied
by all County departments through the leadership of the Department of
Information Technology.
8. Organizational roles and responsibilities: A clear definition of
individual and collective responsibilities needs to be defined and understood by
all participants in the County's information technology process in order to
achieve the County's information technology goals and objectives.
Each of these key subjects is covered in more detail on the following pages.
1. Information Technology Leadership
Information technology leadership is the responsibility of the County's
Department of Information Technology. It is important that County
management, and employees, are exposed on an ongoing basis to new ideas,
changes and breakthroughs in technology. This can be accomplished in the
following fashion:
Workshops for the Board of Supervisors, Executive and Senior
Management, which educate and provide exposure to the world of
technology.
Ongoing education for all County employees, through the Department of
Information Technology, on current applications, software and hardware
standards and tools, and emerging technologies.
Publication of a County-wide newsletter by the Department of Information
Technology, which includes discussion of current technology topics,
software use tips and hints, and information security education and
updates.
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2. Common County-wide Data Communication and Network Services
A shared, County-wide, communications infrastructure (Wide Area Network)
must provide for department-managed information communication, and common
County-wide work group interconnections. The County will select and provide
basic, common, network services which provide for the secure interchange of
information. These include electronic distribution of correspondence and
information, protection of confidential and protected client information, and the
ability for any authorized County worker to use any appropriate application in
the County.
County backbone network
The County will fund, maintain, and centrally manage a County-wide
general purpose data communication backbone. Backbone services will
be based on the concepts of:
• Secure and safe communication of only that information which should
be open to network access.
• Peer-to-peer, open, common protocol, communications technology.
• County funding of departmental connections to the backbone.
• Secure connections to departments, and support of general purpose
encryption of data packets as required.,
• Capacity and performance to meet County and department needs.
• Standards for file servers, communications lines, redundant pathways
and reliable power.
Departmental and work group "Dedicated"networks
Departments are responsible to build and maintain dedicated networks
to meet their individual work group needs. However, as appropriate,
operating departments will participate in and use the backbone for:
• Inter-departmental communication.
• Intra-department communication when appropriate.
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Gateway to networks and services
The backbone will provide shared, common gateway services to and
from networks outside County government including:
• Internet and World Wide Web Connection.
• Regional, state, city, and school networks.
• "For fee" information services, with costs allocated to users.
• Networks of authorized organizations, and other government entities
which may need access to County services.
Mail
The County will fund, build and centrally manage an industry standard,
common protocol, County-wide mail service. Mail is more than an
electronic replication of simple typewritten messages. It may include a
variety of electronic correspondence such as images, voice messages,
formatted documents, electronic conferencing, meeting schedule requests,
and exchange of data files.
• Departments' mail systems will be interconnected providing a free flow
of basic mail packets.
• Departments will maintain existing work group mail systems, and plan
and fully participate in the County mail backbone as it is developed.
• Departments without a mail system will be provided a common, basic
mail service.
• Services will also include a directory of mail participants, security of
data, access to work station functions, logging and performance
management.
File transfer
Common file transfer protocols and tools will emphasize ease of use and
minimize operating differences between systems, while maintaining
security for authorizing access.
Remote operation
Remote operation tools will provide the capability for any authorized
user, at a workstation anywhere in the County, to fully use any
department's system in a secure manner.
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Directories of organizations and employee network addresses
Centrally managed County-wide directories will support addressing and
universal transmission of electronic correspondence and data.
3. Data management
A consolidated County-wide perspective of multi=department data is needed.
Individual departments need the ability to access other departments' data that is
available for general distribution as allowable by law. County access will be
based on data held and managed by departments for their operational purposes.
Department data repositories
Departments are responsible for systems that support work group
operations. Data will be stored and maintained in computer systems
supporting work group operations. There are added (and potentially
significant) costs of coordinating and providing County-wide access to
work group data. The County will fund department equipment and
software devoted to data access gateways. ,Departments are responsible
for:
• Maintaining standards-based file servers, communications lines and
reliable power.
• Data collection, maintenance and accuracy. This is a product of
normal department operations.
• Data definition, accessibility, and security, by use of industry standard
("SQL" based), data management technology. Consideration of County-
wide data access and governance practices must be included in
department systems.
• Consideration of opportunities, particularly as new systems are
developed, to share information between departments and to avoid
redundant data management.
4. Work Group Productivity Tools
General purpose workstation, work group, and application development tools
must support department staff, and also the County-wide portability, and
collaboration of staff and systems.
Preferred County-wide tools
The County will develop a list of preferred; general purpose workstation,
work group, and application development tools which:
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• Support routine portability and collaboration of staff and systems.
• Ensure easy and rapid exchange of data objects, such as formatted
documents.
• Lay the ground work for effective staff workstation training and
support.
• Recognize the individual, specialized needs of departments.
Specialized department tools
Departments:
• Will select and implement specialized tools that serve individual
professions and functions.
• Are encouraged to demonstrate innovations of potential County-wide
value that can add value to basic County-wide services at reasonable
cost.
5. Staff Training, Development, and Support
County staff need readily available, in-depth, training and technical support to
obtain the full benefits from the significant investment at each workstation.
County provided support
The County will centrally provide staff training and technical support.
Support will be limited to selected, preferred tools, and will take place at
three levels:
• Personal skills development for employees, even though it may not be
immediately required on the job.
• Competency development to build in depth on-the-job capability.
• Consulting, technical support and problem resolution at the work site.
Department-based support and training
Departments are responsible for:
• Support of unique and specialized tools.
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• Training staff in security responsibilities, based on the County's 1996
Security Memorandum of Understanding and "Employee/Contractor
Responsibility Statement." Access to system facilities will not be
permitted without this training.
6. Systems Management
I
Information systems are a vital part of the County service delivery
infrastructure. Realizing the full value from;these major capital investments
requires a basic set of project and system management practices and
organization disciplines.
County function based systems
Planning for new systems will involve all County programs that
provide services in the functions addressed by the proposed system.
Business and work process re-engineering
Departments are responsible to build the basic steps of business
process redesign into the initial stages of system planning and
development. The methodology will provide for an "early out" if process
redesign is not feasible.
Project proposal and measurable benefits
The County will develop a project proposal guide line, including an
emphasis on measurable improvements in services and costs.
Project Management
The County will develop a project management guideline which will
include:
• Accountability for completion within outcome measurements.
• Senior department management sponsorship and continuing, fully
involved, project commitment in partnership with the project
managers.
• Fully staffed systems project management with appropriate
responsibility and authority.
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• Encourage the use of flexible communications systems that include
various technologies and that stress compatibility.
Procurement
The County has prepared procurement guidelines and a Countywide
Technology Acquisition Contract, which include vendor and County
responsibilities, and emphasize the County's Information Technology
Strategy. These are available in the Department of General Services
Purchasing Division, and the Department of Information Technology.
System life-cycle management
Departments will identify the proposed phases of a system's
development, and deliverables for each phase. At the end of each
development phase the following will be updated:
• Project plan and budget
• Cost/benefit analysis
• Operation and maintenance plans
The County Information Technology Department has examples and
models of the above elements.
Quality assurance
• Each department will include quality assurance reviews in its
project plans, which will include a post implementation review that
evaluates planned versus actual functional capabilities, measurable
benefits, and documents innovations and lessons learned.
Planning
The County will update its technology strategy on an ongoing basis,
and each department will prepare a systems plan in January of each
year.
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7. Innovation and Technology Transfer
The County must support the rapid and effective deployment of new
technology for customer service and organization improvements. A key part
of the County's technology strategy must be activities to increase
understanding of opportunities and innovations. Organizational incentives
that support development and transfer of successful applications include
practical funding options and simplified project approval processes.
Annual Technology Vision Conference
The Department of Information Technology, with the participation of
the ITSC, will organize and host an annual technology vision
conference for County Department Heads. This conference will be
aimed at introducing new technologies and applications at the
executive level of the County. The Department of Information
Technology will also work with County departments and industry to
put on an annual technology fair, aimed at demonstrating technical
aspects of new technologies and applications among all County
departments.
Post implementation "Open House"
Departments will publicize and host an open house demonstrating
features, benefits, and lessons learned from a completed systems
development effort.
Technology resource library
The Information Technology Department will maintain an open
reference library of product and system management literature for use
by County systems staff.
Funding incentives
The County will develop a budget policy which creates incentives to
fund high payoff systems development, and commit to obtaining the
current, most reliable and proven technology available at the time of
purchase.
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Simplified project review and approval
The project proposal and decision process will support timely and
creative initiatives. Each year the process will be evaluated with
recent project managers, to ensure that the County's objectives for
innovation and rapid, quality results are achieved.
8. Roles and Responsibilities
This strategy depends on several key organizations and constituencies.
Board of Supervisors
• Approve the County's Information Technology Strategy as approved
and presented by the Information Technology Steering Committee.
• Approve systems and application expenditures related to
the County's strategic direction based on availability of funding.
Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC)
• Promote the use of Information Technology
• Lead IT development
• Periodically review IT Strategy in light of changing technology,
requirements and available funding.
• Recommend to the Board specific projects and investments.
• Establish and recommend to the County Administrator, and Board
of Supervisors, IT priorities consistent with County business
priorities.
• Recommend to the County Administrator, and Board of Supervisors,
policies consistent with County business priorities.
County Administrator/
Department of Information Technology
• Organize and chair the Information Technology Steering Committee
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• Introduce and recommend new technologies to the Information
Technology Steering Committee and County Departments
• Seek out and encourage public/private partnerships that utilize
innovative technologies.
• Recommend County IT Strategy to the Board of Supervisors.
• Recommend related departmental systems plans to the Board of
Supervisors.
• Carry out the County's Information Technology strategy under the
leadership of the Information Technology Steering Committee.
County-Wide LAN/WAN Committee
• Provide for County-Wide input into County's technology direction and
wide area infrastructure design.
• Provide a forum for technology peer exchange.
• Assist the ITSC in reviewing Departmental Security Plans and
Departmental Disaster Recovery Plans as required by the County's
Security Policy.
County departments
• Define departmental needs and manage the use of departmental IT.
• Use IT to serve departmental customers and the public.
• Make IT project proposals to the management.
County employees
• Understand and effectively use provided IT tools.
• Use training and support to provide high quality County services.
• Identify opportunities to apply technology and business
process improvements.
• Assist the ITSC and County in the evaluation of services and systems.
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Clients and customers
• Take full advantage of available County services and technology
• Help evaluate County services and support systems.
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Implementation of the Strategy
Migration of the County to the policies and architecture described above will
occur in stages. All new and re-engineered systems will adapt to the County
backbone standards. The County will set priorities for investments in County-
wide capabilities. Investments and adaptation of existing systems will be
planned on a case-by-case basis. The rate of implementation of County-wide
infrastructure capabilities in each department will include consideration of
existing County investments in department computing technology and the need
for rapid, full, County-wide participation.
Criteria for IT Investment Decisions
The criteria for staffing and funding projects will reflect the Guiding Principles.
It is vital that funding and approval be perceived by all to be open, equitable,
and rational.
• County government's resources are limited, and we have the responsibility to
make the best use of the money, staff, and equipment available. To make
appropriate decisions on allocating these resources, including investments in
Information Technology, decision-makers should have a clear understanding
of what we can expect to receive for any investment.
The County can best make investment decisions when the choices among
priorities are quantified. For example, it is more helpful to know that an
imaging system will reduce processing time for a customer's request by 30
minutes than to know that it will simply "save processing time." Thus, project
managers should quantify the expectations for investments as much as possible.
We also recognize that some benefits (and costs), such as improved employee
satisfaction, are difficult to quantify. Project managers should describe such
benefits and costs qualitatively, and be able to provide documentation.
On-Going IT Strategy Development and Maintenance
Maintaining our IT Strategy and the supporting architecture is a continuing
responsibility. County business changes, the pace of technical change, and the
results of past projects will all present a series of challenges and opportunities.
We must develop organizational habits and traditions which make IT strategic
planning a regular and fully participative part of executive management
responsibilities.
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