Working collaboratively and providing Citizen Services on a whole-of-government model require intensive resources, planning a methodology, and support by senior executives. This, in turn, requires extensive electronic and mobile collaboration. The rapidity of global communications has certainly influenced the world's view of leadership toward seeing collaboration as an effective and efficient way to provide necessary services to citizens. This is also an intelligent way of looking at governments. Open-data initiatives will require a higher level of cooperation within and among government departments. The extent of changes and avoidance of various pitfalls for this implementation need to be thought through within governments and with external organisations.
TopRoadmap Planning
Get Key Stakeholders Involved or in Charge
The CEAF adoption roadmap must indicate the business value and the strategic or tactical business benefits the government departments and agencies are planning to achieve. The simple fact is that the CEAF plan requires a “business metric,” not an IT metric, for delivery of the application. The business must define the main benefits it expects from the CEAF. Key areas for improvement are information management framework processes; the technology supporting them; and the culture of the organisation. The business must evaluate the key services—integration processes—and optimise them before initiating any IT projects. The existing organisational culture within various departments must be analysed and factored into the roadmap.
Allow Ample Time for Evaluation and Planning
The CEAF will require a high-level analysis, and then a detailed analysis of current business processes, cultures, and IT-systems topology. Ample time must be allocated to building a robust roadmap. The projects should be recommended based on the roadmap, and will require a clear vision for the next three to five years, which must be included in the program of work of multiple years. This will require a change in process from the current annual program of work for two to three years, to a program of work for the foundation projects.
Have a Big Vision, but Take Small Steps
The CEAF needs the vision and its components defined before starting any technology projects. The “big picture” must include the “to-be” processes, organisation, and any cultural refinement required. Once the big picture is defined, a well-planned phased approach is required to optimise the gain from technology enhancement, and refining of processes and organisational structure.
Due to organic growth, the information distribution and complexity of each system might require many conversions of information before the new system can use it directly. This may create performance problems in accessing the data (i.e., transactional as compared to analytical data). The roadmap should consider any possible performance problems and design services, and processes to address them.