The document discusses the challenges and observations surrounding the Obama administration's 25-point plan to reform federal information technology management, emphasizing insufficient results and the power of the status quo. It highlights the need for better prioritization and management of IT initiatives, including the importance of avoiding redundant systems and focusing on shared services. The author suggests improvements like enhancing client device strategies and maintaining transparency in progress reporting to ensure effective implementation of the reform plan.

1. The Business of IT
By Paul Wohlleben
Observations Clear Priorities
Although the initiative is titled “25 Point
“The status quo is very
powerful, even if it delivers
from the Field
Implementation Plan to Reform Federal
Information Technology Management,” underwhelming results.”
it’s more appropriate to consider it a — Paul Wohlleben
statement of policy direction than an
As Vivek Kundra leaves his post and the next TechStat review nears, executable plan.
First, OMB does not execute; OMB executable projects and manage the it is clear that all points are not of equal
here is one insider’s look at the status of the 25-point IT reform plan. issues policies and strategies, and then daily tasks of implementing those proj- priority, of equal difficulty in terms
holds agencies accountable. Agen- ects. Second, there are far too many of implementation or of equal value
cies must translate the strategy into points in the plan to execute well, and in terms of how each contributes to
achieving the overall objectives.
intent to continue to promote openness The administration has signaled its
and transparency in reporting progress Do you neeD To Make soMe top priorities among the 25 items by
through the TechStat review process, course correcTIons? what it chooses to focus its attention
identifying assessment checkpoints for Strategies and plans are most effective when they are dynamic, meaning they can on and by what it chooses to discuss
six, 12 and 18 months after the Decem- adapt to change and even improve as lessons learned and new ideas emerge. publically.
ber publication. Now that the Office of In this spirit, here are a few tweaks to consider as your agency continues To date, most of the attention has
Management and Budget has issued the its IT reform efforts: focused on data center consolidation,
first progress assessment, here are a few cloud computing and the TechStat
observations. • Assure your connection to agency leadership: The White review process. These are clearly the
House’s 25-point plan focuses mainly on the federal IT community,
top priorities — in part because these
and the governance improvements seem primarily directed at the
Creating Focus CIO community.
elements are the most discussed and
Federal IT’s scope is immense in terms of Consolidation, especially where it involves moving assets under mission focused on, and because these elements
the budget, staff, infrastructure, systems program control to CIO control, can be problematic. To capture the most benefits hold the prospect of delivering more
and industry that support it. The most from cloud computing, agencies will need to move beyond e-mail and web hosting value over the near term in the form
important actions that OMB can take to services supporting mission systems. of costs saved and failures minimized.
are those that focus on communicating, The challenges in migrating such systems to the cloud will be daunting from both
educating and monitoring or enforcing software and operational perspectives. What’s more, failure to broaden the governance Measuring Progress
common strategies that result in federal process to fully include mission program executives will make it a nonstarter. The government’s IT leadership team
IT moving in the chosen direction. • Focus on avoiding redundant systems: One of the plan elements is to develop a has signaled that it understands that
Although that’s Leadership 101 — strategy for shared services to improve quality and economic effectiveness. This strategy measurement and accountability are
basic, simple and timeless — it’s not should address potential redundant systems, which for the most part will likely be critical components in making sure that
a slam-dunk. Any centrally directed common administrative applications. agencies deliver the intended results.
I
strategy must contend with individual One of the previous administration’s successes was in using enterprise architecture Progress on the reform initiatives in
f you work in federal IT and have • One is to “achieve operational efficiency.” agendas, agency priorities that con- to avoid redundant systems and to drive toward shared systems. Although the Bush the plan is being closely and publically
not spent the past six months The strategy for achieving this objec- flict with it, budget concerns, a lack administration made a good start, there remains great potential to use this approach tracked, and part of the communica-
undersea in a nuclear submarine tive chiefly hinges on data center of understanding by some key play- to force consolidation and sharing across mission program systems that perform tions strategy involves the issuing of
similar functions.
(or, worse yet, stranded on a consolidation and cloud computing ers and a lack of trust by others. The formal report cards every six months.
The federal enterprise architecture gave OMB the insight to demystify the notion that
deserted island), then you are likely aware adoption. This objective depends on status quo is very powerful, even if most federal systems are unique. It’s time to force sharing because the government
Continued commitment to reporting
of the Obama administration’s “25 Point making contracts available to move to it delivers underwhelming results. can’t afford to rewrite thousands of systems for the cloud environment. the facts — both good and bad — and
Implementation Plan to Reform Federal cloud computing and for jump-starting The departing U.S. CIO Vivek Kundra, the discipline to carry reporting forward
Information Technology Management.” some shared services. his staff and the CIO Council deserve • Focus on client devices too: The Obama administration’s efficiency strategy focuses until completion of each reform initiative
The plan does a stellar job of lay- • The other is to “effectively manage large- kudos for their efforts to craft and on data center consolidation and the provisioning of computing services through is important. As we know from experi-
cloud providers. Certainly, this approach offers the promise of billions of dollars in
ing out the administration’s priorities scale IT programs.” Here, the strategy launch the plan. It’s clear that signifi- ence in Washington, it is easy to become
recurring cost savings.
and providing a roadmap of the steps to calls for improving program managers, cant collaboration was required during distracted and move off course as each
eva serrabassa/Getty imaGes
This strategy has a glaring omission, however. It does not address the client side of
be taken to reach the stated goals. The improving IT acquisition management, the plan’s development and that much the equation, where many benefits — such as lower capital costs, reduced operational new crisis lands on your plate.
plan’s clarity has signaled to both gov- better aligning the budget process to the effort was dedicated to explaining it to costs, improved security and energy efficiency — would accrue from moving to thin
elizabeth hinshaw
ernment and industry where to focus technology cycle, improving IT gover- those affected. And it is also clear that client and zero client devices. Paul Wohlleben, a former federal CIO,
their efforts. nance and increasing engagement with as a result, the federal IT community Billions of dollars in savings would result from a go-thin-first strategy. A side benefit consults in the federal sector. E-mail him at
To briefly summarize, the adminis- industry. understands what is expected of it and is would be the accelerated adoption of cloud services, which mesh well with thin clients. paul.wohlleben@gmail.com, or visit his blog
tration has two overarching objectives: The plan signaled the administration’s focusing effort on the common strategy. at www.businessofinfotech.blogspot.com.
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