Building on CDT’s “Vision 2020” strategic plan, issued in 2017, the new report recaps the three overall themes of that road map: Create one digital government; ensure successful delivery; and build a dynamic workforce.
The new report is an extension of that blueprint, quantifying through metrics and colorful infographics the progress the state IT operation has made in four key areas:
- Improving public safety and security of sensitive information assets
- Enabling successful project establishment and delivery
- Fostering a dynamic and unified workforce
- Providing efficient and effective government services through innovation
Also under the heading of public safety, the report cites the Automatic Vehicle Location technology being advanced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), which “greatly improves the ability to track vehicle assets in near real time under harsh environmental conditions where vehicles can be isolated from standard information technology.”
In addition, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) stood up a Forensic Analysis and Support Team (FAST) lab, which is “capable of forensically analyzing desktops and laptops, hard-drives, mobile devices, and network security events. If the OIA FAST team flags a potential alert, the staff will prioritize the case and determine if an official ... investigation should be initiated.”
The report addresses the “project establishment and delivery” topic by citing the value of the year-old “Request for Innovative Ideas” procurement model instituted by Gov. Gavin Newsom as a way to speed up the development and evolution of IT projects.
“The iterative approach offers vendors the opportunity to conduct prototypes, or working models, and conduct demonstrations rather than relying solely on narrative responses. The state benefits by getting a better understanding of the solution’s capabilities, functionalities and efficiencies prior to awarding a full contract.”
That section also touts the Department of Motor Vehicles’ focus on seeking ways to shorten office visits, move more functions online, and accept multiple payment methods, all of which were also addressed under the RFI2 philosophy.
In the section addressing the workforce, the report says, CDT and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) are playing an active role in co-chairing the Governor’s Cybersecurity Task Force. CDT is also active in the Workforce Development and Education Subcommittee, chaired by Dr. Keith Clement of California State University, Fresno. The ongoing objective of the subcommittee is “to develop and implement a California Cybersecurity Career Education Pipeline and Pathway Project.”
The state’s workforce development efforts are intended to address the growing number of state IT worker retirements — including of technologists who know how to work with mainframes, which are dwindling in use as more computing and storage functions move to the cloud. But the state has noted that mainframes do have a place in government technology, and as a result, it’s initiated the zSystems Apprenticeship Pilot Program, which aims to fill the mainframe jobs pipeline with more skilled workers who will receive on-the-job training, mentoring and classes — all while earning a paycheck in an “earn while you learn” model.
“The unique apprenticeship program is a collaboration among several partners, including the California Government Operations Agency, Employment Development Department, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, California Department of Technology, Franchise Tax Board, California Department of Industrial Relations, Department of Motor Vehicles, and SEIU Local 1000,” the report notes.
In the report’s final section, improving services through innovation, the report cites several gains:
- The adoption of OCRBot, which uses a combination of Artificial Intelligence and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to make online documents text-searchable, accessible and readable to assistive technologies such as screen readers for those with visual impairment.
- Improving the cannabis licensing process boosted the efficiency and transparency of California’s cannabis licensing and enforcement processes “for the benefit of consumers, the cannabis industry and state staff that support these programs.”
- The Statewide Geoportal was developed in under two months and launched on Dec. 23. The Geoportal, a key part of the state’s data strategy, “provides greater access and utility to the state’s data portfolio,” the report notes. “The Statewide Geoportal connects geographic data from multiple sources to a single, consolidated portal, allowing users to search, discover and articulate the state’s vast mapping data points from a central location. The Geoportal also provides guidance, training and support for the state’s GIS community.”
- And, related to the Geoportal, the state issued its Open Data Policy (Technology Letter 19-01), which requires state entities “to manage data as an asset to increase operational efficiencies, enhance performance planning, improve services, support mission needs, inform policy decisions, safeguard personal information and increase public access to valuable government information.”
Techwire will have more detailed reporting on the annual report in the coming days.
