Information Systems Strategic Plan of Bloomingt… · 1800 West Old Shakopee Road . Bloomington, Minnesota 55431 . ... One of the critical success factors for the implementation of

http://www.berrydunn.com

City of Bloomington Information Systems Strategic Planning Project

Information Systems Strategic Plan

Version 1

December 19, 2016

Prepared for:

City of Bloomington 1800 West Old Shakopee Road

Bloomington, Minnesota 55431

Information Systems Strategic Plan – Version 2 Page i Last Updated: December 19, 2016

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... iii

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 4

1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 6

1.1 Project Background ............................................................................................................... 8

1.2 Report Format ....................................................................................................................... 8

1.3 Work Performed .................................................................................................................... 9

1.4 Common Terms and Abbreviations ..................................................................................... 10

2.0 Citywide and IS Department Vision, Mission, and Goals ................................................ 12

3.0 Planning Framework ......................................................................................................... 15

3.1 Citywide Strategic Issues and Opportunities ........................................................................ 15

3.2 Strategic Projects and Initiatives Development .................................................................... 18

3.3 Planned and In-Progress Projects ....................................................................................... 19

3.4 Weighted Prioritized List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives ............................................... 22

3.5 Strategic Project and Initiative Format ................................................................................. 24

4.0 Strategic Projects and Initiatives ..................................................................................... 26

I – Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee ......................................................... 26

L – Prioritize Completion of Current Projects................................................................................... 30

A – Improve the IS Project Selection and Prioritization Process ...................................................... 33

F – Improve Remote Connectivity at the City .................................................................................. 36

B – Evaluate Structure of City IT Functions ..................................................................................... 39

M – Implement a Best Practice Portfolio, Program, and Project Management Framework to Include All City Technology Projects .................................................................................................... 42

D – Conduct an Inventory of Applications and Analyze Application Relationships and Business Processes to Determine Areas of Consolidation and Efficiency ............................................... 45

N – Reassess Network Security and Vulnerabilities ........................................................................ 48

H – Re-evaluate and Improve the Helpdesk Request Process ........................................................ 51

K – Formalize IS Technology Training ............................................................................................ 54

O – Formalize End-User Technology Training ................................................................................ 57

G – Develop an Understandable and Agreed-Upon Chargeback System ....................................... 60

E – Implement a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) .................................................... 63

Information Systems Strategic Plan – Version 2 Page ii Last Updated: December 19, 2016

5.0 Implementing the Strategic Information Technology Plan ............................................. 66

5.1 Budget and Timeline ............................................................................................................ 66

5.2 IS Strategic Plan Governance ............................................................................................. 71

Appendix A: List of Strategic Issues and Opportunities .............................................................. 76

Appendix B: List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives .................................................................. 83

Appendix C: Project Participants ................................................................................................... 89

Appendix D: Data Governance Projects ........................................................................................ 92

C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols ................................................. 92

J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City .............................................................. 94

Table i: Version History of the Report

Version Delivered Date Description

Draft 1 October 21, 2016 Draft 1 of the Plan delivered to the City for review.

Version 1 December 6, 2016 Version 1 of the Plan delivered to the City based on Draft 1 feedback.

Version 2 December 19, 2016 Version 2 of the Plan delivered to the City based on Version 1 feedback.

Information Systems Strategic Plan – Version 2 Page iii Last Updated: December 19, 2016

Acknowledgements

Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker (BerryDunn) would like to thank the employees of the City of Bloomington for collaboratively working with us to develop this Information Systems Strategic Plan for the City. Special thanks go to the City Project Team members listed below, whose time and commitment were essential to the development of this Plan.

• Amy Cheney • Hal Busch • Kyle Johannes • Denis Otterness • Karl Keel

We would also like to thank the Department Heads and staff who participated in the development of the Plan. Not only did department representatives participate in the planning process, but each department valued the opportunity to participate and demonstrated an understanding that a successful Information Systems Strategic Plan is as much about participating in the process as it is about the final plan. We truly appreciate the level of cooperation, support, and feedback we received from the employees of the City of Bloomington.

Information Systems Strategic Plan – Version 2 Page 4 Last Updated: December 19, 2016

Executive Summary

In February 2016, the City of Bloomington retained Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker (BerryDunn) to assist in the assessment of the current Information Systems (IS) environment and the creation of a comprehensive plan that dictates how to most effectively allocate the City’s IS resources to a prioritized set of technology initiatives over the next five years. There were four phases to conduct the project.

The first phase of this project focused on assessing the current technology environment at the City. BerryDunn began by requesting background documentation in order to gain a better understanding of the current technology environment. In addition, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) web survey was administered to a wide variety of department users of technology.

In April 2016, BerryDunn conducted on-site fact-finding meetings with all of the City’s departments. The focus of the fact-finding meetings was to understand the technology tools currently in use and their related strengths and weaknesses. The discussions also included potential technologies the City staff was interested in to improve business processes.

BerryDunn reviewed the information collected through fact-finding efforts and developed a Preliminary List of Strategic IT Issues and Opportunities.

Each strategic IT issue was categorized to one of three areas: management and operations, applications, and technical. The list of strategic IT issues and opportunities was organized based on these categories, further defined below:

Management and Operations (M): Management and operations issues and opportunities are related to how the City manages and supports the technology tools and infrastructure in place, how technology is planned for and acquired, and how resources are positioned to support technology in the City.

Applications Issues (A): Applications issues and opportunities are related to the applications that are used to support City users in core business processes, including providing services to City providers.

Technical Issues (T): Technical issues and opportunities are related to the City’s core technologies and how they are developed and maintained.

The Preliminary List of Strategic IT Issues and Opportunities was discussed, confirmed, and prioritized as part of a Strategic IT Issue and Opportunity Prioritization Work Session facilitated by BerryDunn in June 2016. This work session included representatives from City departments in a collaborative discussion designed to build consensus in the resulting priorities assigned to each strategic IT issue and opportunity identified as part of the analysis. The Prioritized List of Issues and Opportunities is contained in Section 3.1 and Appendix A of this plan.

Following the Strategic IT Issue and Opportunity Prioritization Work Session, department representatives were asked to review the Prioritized List of Strategic IT Issues and Opportunities and complete initiative-planning worksheets to document technology projects that would address the


strategic IT issues and opportunities. Departments submitted projects to contribute to the combined list that would eventually form this IT Strategic Plan.

A Projects and Initiatives Work Session facilitated by BerryDunn in August 2016 allowed departments to discuss, confirm, and score each initiative. Collaboration and involvement of all departments was a key ingredient to this successful effort, which became the basis for this IT Strategic Plan.

Following the Strategic Projects and Initiatives Work Session, in which each of the Preliminary Projects and Initiatives were discussed, confirmed, and ranked, BerryDunn used five weighted prioritization categories to develop the prioritized list for inclusion in this IT Strategic Plan.

The tables below summarizes the prioritized initiatives developed collaboratively by the City and BerryDunn; a detailed description of each initiative is provided in Section 4.0.

Table ii: Prioritized Strategic Initiatives Budget Project and Initiative Budget and Timeline Matrix

ID Strategic Initiative Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 5 Year Total

Initiatives Starting in Year One

I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee $24,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $24,000

L Prioritize completion of current projects $24,000 - - - - $24,000

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process $65,200 $0 $0 $0 $0 $65,200

F Improve remote connectivity at the City $24,000 $16,000 - - - $40,000

Initiatives Starting in Year Two

B Evaluate structure of City IT functions - $52,000 - - - $52,000

M

Implement a best-practice portfolio, program, and project management framework to include all City technology projects

- $53,500 $0 $0 $0 $53,500

D

Conduct an inventory of applications and analyze application relationships and business processes to determine areas of consolidation and efficiency

- $60,000 $0 $0 $0 $60,000

Initiatives Starting in Year Three

N Reassess network security and vulnerabilities - - $174,000 $70,000 $70,000 $314,000

H Re-evaluate and improve the helpdesk request process - - $12,000 - - $12,000


Project and Initiative Budget and Timeline Matrix Initiatives Starting in Year Four

K Formalize IS technology training - - - $52,000 $0 $52,000

O Formalize end-user technology training - - - $48,000 $0 $48,000

Initiatives Starting in Year Five

G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system - - - - $96,000 $96,000

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB) - - - - $84,000 $84,000

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total

Total Plan Initiatives Budget $137,200 $181,500 $186,000 $170,000 $250,000 $924,700

Table iii: Prioritized Strategic Initiatives Internal Hours

Project and Initiative Internal Labor Hours and Timeline Matrix



I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee 296 200 200 200 200 1,096

L Prioritize completion of current projects 240 - - - - 240

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process 440 100 100 100 100 840

F Improve remote connectivity at the City 120 80 - - - 200


B Evaluate structure of City IT functions - 360 - - - 360

M


- 360 200 200 200 960

D


- 400 60 60 60 580


N Reassess network security and vulnerabilities - - 660 200 200 1,060



H Re-evaluate and improve the helpdesk request process - - 200 80 80 360

Initiatives Starting in Year Four K Formalize IS technology training - - - 280 100 380

O Formalize end-user technology training - - - 240 60 300


G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system - - - - 540 540

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB) - - - - 920 920


Total Plan Initiatives Budget 1,096 1,500 1,420 1,360 2,460 7,836

One of the critical success factors for the implementation of the IS Strategic Plan will be executive support for the projects in the Plan. The City should commit to undertaking the projects in this Plan, which will require executive support to allocate the appropriate City resources, as well as ensure that projects outside the scope of this Plan in current and future years are thoroughly evaluated before adjusting existing priorities.

In order to implement the projects in this Plan, it will be critical for the City to implement the recommended project management practices. Implementing the projects and initiatives in this Plan will not only take City resources and appropriate staff, but also a structured project management methodology to increase the likelihood of project success.

It is important that over the next five years the role of IS at the City continues to evolve and continually be assessing leading edge and proven technology tools to solve technology issues at the City. The role of IS should focus on problem solving while balancing other organizational needs such as security, access to data, and e-government services. Some of the initiatives in this Plan will assist IS in moving further towards a proactive focus on IS planning.


1.0 Introduction

This section describes the background of the project leading up to the Plan, the format of the Plan, and the work performed in the development of the Plan.

1.1 PROJECT BACKGROUND In February 2016, the City of Bloomington retained Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker (BerryDunn) to assist in the assessment of the current Information Systems (IS) environment and the creation of a comprehensive plan that dictates how to most effectively allocate the City’s IS resources to a prioritized set of technology initiatives over the next five years. There were four phases to conduct the project:

Figure 1.1: Project Phases

During the first phase, BerryDunn conducted initial project-planning activities and then finalized a Project Work Plan and Schedule. In Phase 2, BerryDunn conducted fact-finding activities that included a review of existing documentation, survey administration, and departmental interviews. In Phase 3, BerryDunn conducted a detailed analysis and developed preliminary documentation of Strategic IS Issues identified in BerryDunn’s analysis. An on-site meeting to review the identified Strategic IS Issues followed, which allowed BerryDunn to confirm findings and collectively prioritize the Strategic IS Issues discovered. BerryDunn also conducted a meeting with City stakeholders to discuss the City’s mission, vision, and goals. Following the prioritization of City initiatives, Phase 4 involved the development of a first draft of the IS Strategic Plan. The Plan will serve as a roadmap toward the City’s overall technology goals, and will provide the City with a repeatable methodology in order to verify progress, address new issues, and make updates as necessary.

1.2 REPORT FORMAT This report is comprised of five sections, as described below:

1. Introduction. This section describes the background of the project leading up to the Plan, the format of the Plan, and the work performed in the development of the Plan.

2. Citywide and IS Department Vision, Mission, and Goals. This section contains the Citywide and IS Department vision, mission, and goals and how they relate.

Phase 1: Project Planning

Phase 2: Fact Finding

Phase 3: Data Analysis

Phase 4: Strategy Formation


3. Planning Framework. This section contains the Citywide Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities that were prioritized, the prioritized Projects and Initiatives, the weighting of each Prioritized Project and Initiative, and the format of the Project and Initiative summaries.

4. Citywide Technology Initiatives. This section contains the detailed descriptions of each Strategic IS Project and Initiative.

5. Implementing the Strategic Technology Plan. This section contains the budget and timeline for the Weighted Prioritized Plan Initiatives, funding considerations for the plan, and describes the approach to ongoing governance of the plan.

1.3 WORK PERFORMED BerryDunn, in collaboration with City stakeholders, conducted an iterative process to develop the IS Strategic Plan, starting with initial project planning and fact-finding. Figure 2.1 provides a visual representation of the framework.

Figure 1.2: Planning Framework

IT Strategic Plan

Information Technology

Strategic Plan

Strategy Formulation

Prioritized Projects and Initiatives

Prioritized Recommendations including Estimated

Resources and Costs

Data Analysis

Prioritized Strategic IT Issues

Mission, Vision, and Goals

Identification of Projects and

Initiatives

Fact Finding

Kickoff Presentation

Departmental Interviews and

Information Gathering Sessions

Identification of Strategic IT Issues

Project Planning

Initial Project Planning Activities

User Web Survey

Documentation Review

Indicates City Stakeholder Input

The first phase of this project focused on finalizing the Project Plan and coordinating tasks to assess the current technology environment at the City. BerryDunn began by requesting background documentation in order to gain a better understanding of the current technology environment. In addition, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) web survey was administered to a wide variety of department users of technology.

In April 2016, BerryDunn conducted on-site fact-finding meetings with all City departments. The focus of the fact-finding meetings was to understand the technology tools currently in use and their related strengths and weaknesses. The discussions also included potential technologies City staff was interested in to improve business processes. Additionally while on-site, BerryDunn reviewed the City’s IS activities and met with department employees to gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the staff regarding IS and the current technology environment at the City.


BerryDunn reviewed the information collected through fact-finding efforts and developed a Preliminary List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities—strategic IS issues and opportunities identified by both BerryDunn and the City. A strategic IS issue is a challenge or problem faced by the City that relates to the use and/or management of technology. This Preliminary List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities was delivered to the City in May 2016.

The Preliminary List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities was discussed, confirmed, and prioritized as part of the Strategic IS Issue and Opportunity Prioritization Work Session facilitated by BerryDunn in June 2016. This work session included representatives from all departments in a collaborative discussion designed to build consensus in the resulting priorities assigned to each Strategic IS Issue and Opportunity identified as part of the analysis. The Prioritized List of Issues and Opportunities is contained in Section 3.1 and Appendix A of this plan.

Immediately following the Strategic IS Issue and Opportunity Prioritization Work Session, department representatives were asked to review the prioritized list of strategic IS issues and opportunities, and complete project planning worksheets to document technology projects that would address the identified strategic IS issues and opportunities. Departments submitted projects, which allowed a variety of perspectives to contribute to the combined list that would eventually form this IS Strategic Plan.

BerryDunn also developed a list, which was combined with the projects submitted by the department representatives. The Projects and Initiatives Work Session facilitated by BerryDunn in August 2016 allowed departments to discuss, confirm, and score each initiative or project. Collaboration and involvement of representative departments was a key ingredient to this successful effort, which became the basis for the IS Strategic Plan. The information gathered from City stakeholders, as well as the results of work sessions, research activities, and existing documentation, was used to create this Plan. Active involvement on the part of department representatives will be necessary to continually update and refine the Plan in the coming years.

1.4 COMMON TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS The following table contains a selection of the common terms and abbreviations used throughout this Plan, along with the related definitions and explanations.

Table 1.1: Common Terms and Abbreviations

Common Terms and Abbreviations

No. Term/Abbreviation Definition/Explanation

1 BerryDunn Berry Dunn McNeil & Parker—the consulting firm retained by the City to assist with this project

2 CAPM Certified Associate in Project Management

3 City City of Bloomington, Minnesota

4 DAMA Data Management Association

5 DMBOK Data Management Body of Knowledge

6 DMS Document Management System – application software used to track, manage, and store electronic documents and electronic images


Common Terms and Abbreviations

No. Term/Abbreviation Definition/Explanation

7 DMT Data Management Team

8 ELT Executive Leadership Team

9 ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning – integrated, multi-module application software packages designed to serve and support several business functions across an organization. Public sector ERP modules typically include core financials (general ledger, purchasing, accounts payable, etc.) human resources (payroll, personnel, time and attendance, etc.) revenue (tax billing and collections, point of sale, etc.), and community development (planning, permitting, inspections, etc.).

10 GIS Geographical Information System

11 HTML5 Hypertext Markup Language 5

12 IS Information Systems

13 IT Information Technology

14 ITSC Information Technology Steering Committee

15 Plan This Information Systems (IS) Strategic Plan

16 PMBOK Project Management Body of Knowledge

17 PMI Project Management Institute

18 PMP Project Management Professional, a certification offered for experience project managers by the Project Management Institute

19 Prioritized List of

Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities

A list of system issues and opportunities at the City, identified through staff interviews and a web survey, and prioritized by City stakeholders

20 Prioritized List of IS Projects and Initiatives

A list of system projects and initiatives for the City to implement in an effort to address the identified issues and opportunities at the City and prioritized by City stakeholders

21 SME Subject Matter Expert

22 SQL Structured Query Language

23 SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

24 VPN Virtual Private Network

25 Weighted Prioritized List of Projects and

Initiatives

A list of projects and initiatives that the City should implement over the next five years that addresses identified issues and opportunities at the City and takes into account City stakeholder’s priority of each project/initiative, and each project/initiative’s cost benefit, ease of implementation, and maturity of technology


2.0 Citywide and IS Department Vision, Mission, and Goals

This section contains the Citywide and IS Department vision, mission, and goals and how they relate.

As part of the planning process, BerryDunn facilitated work sessions with the City Project Team to discuss and document the City’s vision, mission, and goals related to the IS Strategic Plan. During these meetings, the City and IS Department’s existing vision, mission, and IS-related goals were discussed and confirmed. These are contained in the tables below.

Table 2.1: City Mission and Vision

City Mission and Vision

Community Vision

Our vision is the ongoing building and renewal of Bloomington as a vital community, whose strength is its diversity – 90,000 to 100,000 residents with 120,000 to 130,000 jobs situated in a robust metropolitan region.

Organization Mission

Our mission is to be a positive, professional, productive, learning organization-building community and its renewal by providing quality services at an affordable price.

Table 2.2: IS Mission, Vision, and Desired Outcomes

IS Mission, Link to Community Vision, and Desired Outcomes

IS Mission

IS collaborates in the City’s accomplishments by providing exceptional services. We are committed to: partnering with our customers and teammates, effectively communicating with our customers/teammates, providing leadership, responsibly administering policies and guidelines, providing seamless execution, utilizing timely technology, and celebrating successes.

IS Link to the Community Vision

This Plan supports the Strategic Plan of Preserving and, where appropriate, actively enhancing:

1. Our City-controlled infrastructure

2. The areas and structures which are beyond their useful life

3. Our community and City organizational information network

4. Our City services (and facilities)

IS Desired Outcomes

Desired Outcome Measurement Tool

Receive 80% favorable customer satisfaction rating for support and training services Customer Satisfaction Survey

Maintain working capital goal As reported by budget documentation

Replace aging and outdated technology equipment • Dollar amount • Number of pieces of technology equipment

Purchase, upgrade, and support software Number of applications supported


Table 2.3: IS Goals and Objectives

IS Goals and Objectives

1. Provide timely and accurate support for our users

Description Over 600 users rely on Information Systems for technology support. IS staff are skilled in understanding both the business and technology needs for our users. That is a critical factor in providing timely and accurate support.

Goals • Maintain appropriate service agreements with our vendors • Meet regularly with departments and divisions

Objectives • Respond to user requests • Communicate using common language • Communicate status of requests

Specific Initiatives and Challenges

• Use service system to log and track problems and requests • Participate in identified department initiatives and identify areas of organizational

impact • Assist users and departments with business process review

2. Prepare and manage a realistic and accurate budget

Description Information Systems plans for the maintenance and replacement of over $2.65 million of equipment. Additionally, departments make requests that may require flexibility in budgeting and scheduling of human resources. It is important to develop a realistic and accurate budget.

Goals • Plan for future needs • Maintain accurate inventories of hardware and software

Objectives • Complete work plans within context of the budget • Review expenditures on a monthly basis


• Work within context of five-year budget projections • Review maintenance contracts for possible savings • Recommend training and system enhancements for user departments

3. Proactively replace software and hardware technology

Description Old or obsolete equipment is more costly to maintain and can run the risk of unexpected failure or support end of life. IS proactively replaces software and hardware.

Goals • Ensure fiscal responsibility • Ensure a secure environment that meets the technology needs of our users

Objectives • Include users as we explore alternatives to existing software and hardware • Provide expertise in the area of technology • Consistently apply standards related to the replacement of software and hardware


• Complete the implementation of ESRI GIS by spring 2016 • Implement a new Permits and Inspections system by spring 2016 • Replace network infrastructure, (i.e., switches and servers)


IS Goals and Objectives

4. Proactively plan for staffing changes

Description Within the next three to five years, IS expects that there will be retirements. In preparation for these retirements, it is necessary to review staffing levels regarding daily activities and planned initiatives.

Goals • Ensure proper staffing levels to complete work plans and meet end users’ expectations

for service and support • Ensure employees are skilled in the areas required to complete identified initiatives

Objectives

• Evaluate existing staff in regard to skills, talents, and motivation • Evaluate existing job descriptions in regard to future needs • Be prepared to hire or promote individuals who meet the qualifications identified for open

positions


• Plan for retirement of IS employees within the next five years • Decreased need for in-house software application development • Increased need for project coordination, application support, desktop maintenance and

support, database administration, security, mobility, and SharePoint development and administration

• Gap in departmental knowledge and availability of resources • A growing concern that departments have the expectation that IS will know departments’

business practices and needs as well, if not better, than they do • An increased number of unplanned projects • The need to implement tools that allow department users and IS staff to be more

efficient • Develop a process to identify user department and IS staff capacity to assist with

determining appropriate timelines for projects


3.0 Planning Framework

This section contains the Citywide Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities that were prioritized, the prioritized Projects and Initiatives, the weighting of each Prioritized Project and Initiative, and the format of the Project and Initiative summaries.

3.1 CITYWIDE STRATEGIC ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES In the first phase of the Plan development, BerryDunn finalized the Project Plan and coordinated tasks to conduct fact-finding activities, including departmental interviews, issuing a web-based SWOT survey, and requesting and reviewing documentation. This led to an understanding of the City’s primary business processes; current technology applications, hardware, and support; and key themes identified in the SWOT analysis and requested documentation.

During the department fact-finding meetings, issues and opportunities related to technology were identified. As a result of the meetings, a Preliminary List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities was created. A strategic issue is a challenge or problem faced by the City that relates to the use and/or management of technology.

Each strategic IS issue and opportunity has been allocated to one of three functional areas: management and operations, applications, and technical. The list of strategic IS issues and opportunities is organized based on these categories, further defined on the following page.

Figure 3.1 Functional Areas

This list was reviewed and discussed as part of the Strategic IS Issue and Opportunity Work Session facilitated by BerryDunn that included representatives from the City departments. During the work session, the Preliminary List of Strategic Issues and Opportunities was discussed, confirmed, and prioritized.

Management and Operations (M):Management and operations issues and opportunities are related to how the City

manages and supports the technology tools and infrastructure in place, how technology is planned for and acquired, and how resources

are positioned to support technology in the City.

Applications Issues (A):Applications issues and opportunities are related to the applications that are

used to support City users in core business processes, including

providing services to City providers.

Technical Issues (T):Technical issues and opportunities are related to the City’s core technologies

and how they are developed and maintained.


The priorities assigned provide high-level guidance for the City to determine when each issue should be resolved during the five-year planning horizon in the IS Strategic Plan. The issues were prioritized by each representative department, using the following three categories:

Figure 3.2: Priority Key

Participants in the work session scored each issue based on the priority descriptions above, which were assigned a priority number. Critical Issues were given a score of three (3), High a score of two (2), and Medium a score of one (1). The City scoring representatives were divided into five groups and were allowed one vote in the process. Among the final scores, higher numbers represent higher-priority issues.

The resulting priorities are contained in Table 3.1. The complete List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities, with each issue’s summary statement, is included in Appendix A.

Table 3.1: Summary of Prioritized List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities

Prioritized List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities

No. Issue and Opportunity Description Score

Management and Operations

M2 Documents are being retained for too long. Critical – 16

M4 City IT personnel are not cross-trained. Critical – 16

M6 The IS project selection and prioritization process could be improved. Critical – 16

M8 The City does not have sufficient IS staff with project management experience to adequately manage all current and planned technology projects. Critical – 15

M11 The City does not have a formal Information Technology Steering Committee (ITSC). Critical - 15

M12 Ongoing training for IS staff and departmental IT support may be inadequate for the functions regularly performed. Critical - 15

M13 The City’s policies surrounding remote access to City systems is either not well-defined or not well-known. High - 14

M5 The Citywide IT organizational structure is segmented and inefficient. High - 13

M3 Citywide staff do not understand how technology budgeting, spending, and chargebacks occur at the City. High - 10

M7 IS project management is not following an industry best-practice framework. High - 10

M1 The City is performing many manual and paper-based processes. Medium - 9

M10 The City does not have a Change Control Board. Medium - 9

• should be addressed during the first year of the PlanCritical

• should be addressed during Years 2 and 3 of the PlanHigh

• should be addressed during Years 4 and 5 of the PlanMedium


Prioritized List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities


M14 Departments acquire equipment on grant funding without a guaranteed funding stream for maintenance and replacement. Medium - 9

M9 City staff are not following a structured helpdesk request process. Medium - 7

Applications

A5 GIS functionality could be improved to create efficiencies with associated data management and business processes. Critical - 17

A2 Laserfiche is not being used to its full capability. Critical - 16

A3 The use of existing applications could be expanded to additional departments. Critical - 15

A9 Report generation and querying capabilities are limited. High - 13

A6 The City’s technology architecture may be overly complex, making IT support challenging. High - 13

A1 The City has many applications that are not integrated. High - 12

A8 Agenda.NET is not meeting the City’s agenda management needs. Medium - 8

A4 Munis, the City’s financial software application, is not being used to its full capability. Medium - 8

Technical

T1 Remote connectivity/mobility at the City is limited. Critical - 18

T4 Data management at the City could be improved. Critical - 17

T8 The City’s wireless network is inadequate for the support of City operations. Critical - 16

T13 The City may have network security vulnerabilities. Critical - 16

T5 The City may have single points of technology failure. Critical - 15

T9 Available technology at the City is unknown or underutilized by City staff. High - 13

T10 Single sign-on is limited for some applications/departments. High - 12

T6 Multiple departments are experiencing business process inefficiencies due to the configuration and speed of the City’s network (i.e., firewall). High - 11

T3 The City does not have an effective configuration management database. High - 11

T2 Public Health has insufficient hardware and mobility for efficient operations. Medium - 10

T11 Conference room technology is becoming outdated. Medium - 9

T7 Software patching and updating capabilities at the City is limited. Medium - 7

T12 Large file transfers can be a manual, time-intensive process. Medium - 7


3.2 STRATEGIC PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES DEVELOPMENT Table 3.2 lists all of the initiatives developed collaboratively between BerryDunn and the City following the Strategic Issue and Opportunity Prioritization Work Session. In addition to those that were developed by BerryDunn, each representative department submitted multiple projects and initiatives.

Definition of a Project: According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) a project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. The temporary nature of projects indicates that a project has a definite beginning and end. The end is reached when the project’s objectives have been achieved or when the project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot be met, or when the need for the project no longer exists.

Initiative: Some projects identified have components that are not temporary in nature. Instead, a project could become an ongoing operation once specific tasks have been completed. In order to include the ongoing operations components of projects developed, BerryDunn often refers to Projects as Initiatives. The term Project and the term Initiative are used interchangeably throughout this document.

The Preliminary List of Projects and Initiatives was collaboratively reviewed during the Strategic Project and Initiatives Work Session facilitated by BerryDunn. Representatives from the City departments participated in the work session, during which each project or initiative was discussed.

Following a discussion of each of the Preliminary Projects and Initiatives, BerryDunn facilitated a prioritization exercise in the work session. The projects and initiatives were prioritized by each department, using the following three categories:

Figure 3.3: Priority Key

The City scoring representatives were divided into nine groups and were allowed one vote in the process. Among the final scores, higher numbers represent higher-priority projects and initiatives. Table 3.2 contains a summary list of the prioritized projects and initiatives. Appendix B contains the complete list of Prioritized List of Projects and Initiatives.

Table 3.2: Summary of Prioritized List of IS Projects and Initiatives

Prioritized List of IS Projects and Initiatives

ID Project/Initiative Name Score

I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee. Critical - 27

L Prioritize completion of current projects. Critical - 27

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process. Critical - 23

• should be addressed during the first year of the PlanCritical

• should be addressed during Years 2 and 3 of the PlanHigh

• should be addressed during Years 4 and 5 of the PlanMedium


Prioritized List of IS Projects and Initiatives

ID Project/Initiative Name Score

D Conduct an inventory of applications and analyze application relationships and business processes to determine areas of consolidation and efficiency. Critical - 21

B Evaluate structure of City IT functions. High - 20

F Improve remote connectivity at the City. High - 20

M Implement a best practice portfolio, program, and project management framework to include all City technology projects. High - 20

C Develop specific data and document management protocols. High - 18

N Improve technology security at the City. High - 17

H Improve the help-desk request process. High - 15

J Improve the data governance framework at the City. Medium - 14

K Improve IS technology training. Medium - 14

G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system. Medium - 13

O Improve end-user technology training. Medium - 11

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB). Medium - 10

3.3 PLANNED AND IN-PROGRESS PROJECTS

The City is currently undertaking multiple technology projects that were identified as projects or initiatives during the planning process. It is important that this group of projects and initiatives be considered as the City moves forward with any future projects or initiatives. Not doing so may result in fragmented projects that do not help in achieving the City’s mission, vision, and goals, as well as result in excess expenses due to a lack of coordination between these two groups of projects. The following table presents existing projects identified by the City during the development of this Strategic Plan.

Table 3.3: Planned and In-Progress Projects

Planned and In-Progress Projects

Project/Initiative Name Project/Initiative Summary

Revise 2017 Budget Revise Business Plan as needed; ensure that Working Capital goals are met

B-10 Requests Community Development – iPads (six Environmental Health, eleven B&I)

B-10 Requests B&I – computer monitors (eight)

B-10 Requests Public Works – Utility Permits Module in CityView

B-10 Requests Technical Services – JustFOIA Data Request Tracking Software

B-10 Requests Technical Services – Scanners

Copier Replacements Per replacement list




Maintenance Agreements Review existing maintenance agreements for accuracy and right-size licensing

Team Development Review and update IS Mission Statement and Commitments

COOP/Security Policy Continue with training and disaster recovery (DR) strategy implementation.

Data Management Assist with recommendation to implement new tools (i.e., Just FOIA)

Strategic Technology Plan Utilize results and recommendations from strategic plan to add, delete, or update services

Ongoing Upgrades Explore Windows 10 (pending February 12, 2016)

Ongoing Upgrades Perform vendor-mandated upgrades

Infrastructure Updates Assess current infrastructure and perform updates or enhancements as needed

Infrastructure Updates Replace PD switch with new switch

Infrastructure Updates Replace PW switch with current PD switch

VPN Implement VPN for staff and vendors

Wi-Fi Install new access points for City Hall and Public Works using AC technology

Camera System Participate in internal camera taskforce lead by Public Works; assist with implementation of enterprise control system as identified by B-10 request

VM Test Server Environment Implement test lab within VM environment to eliminate need for physical test servers

Ongoing Upgrades Identify upgrades for software; implement as needed

Ongoing Upgrades Perform vendor-mandated upgrades

Ongoing Upgrades Review internally-developed custom applications and identify possible enhancements; implement as appropriate

Ongoing Upgrades Update Access applications for consistency with MS Office upgrade

Ongoing Upgrades Address unanticipated modifications to existing applications or the development of additional applications

RecTrac Upgrade to latest version

Property Data System/CAMA Continue to work with Vision on implementation

Standardize on SQL Database Complete migration from Oracle to SQL database where appropriate; organize SQL environment

GIS Work to implement ESRI; implement components of plan as feasible

Pictometry Upgrade pictometry




EDMS Continue working with departments to develop new templates and workflows. Install additional scanners.

Code Enforcement Implement CityView module for B&I, Fire Prevention, and Environmental Health

Munis Review and determine if First report of injury, CDL drug testing, and Hearing Conservation should be done in Munis

CityView Complete implementation

Maintenance Division Work Management System

Assist with implementation of new work management system and parks asset management inventory as needed

Mobile Evaluate existing software applications and determine best practices for deploying mobile versions

WTP Camera Replacement Work with Utilities staff to ensure network is compatible and ready for new cameras

WTP Firewall Implement firewall between City and SCADA networks

Fiber Optics - MOA Hennepin County would like to connect with the City of Bloomington at the MOA location to traverse to Civic Plaza and beyond

Mobile Device Management Evaluate potential replacement for Good™

PCI Compliance - Card Readers Update Card Readers

PCI Compliance - Citywide Review credit card purchasing operations, work with partner, and work through PCI-DSS documentation

TriTech CAD Install Assistance

TriTech CAD implementation; includes Viper to TriTech integration and TriTech AD user creation (postponed to March 2017)

e911 Definitions and Rollout Assistance

e911 calls to be properly relayed through the e911 directory service; LOGIS is working to make this call-through process faster and more responsive

LPR Cameras Assistance LPR cameras installed on the north end of the MOA

MOA Transit Center Rebuild Assistance

The MOA Transit center is currently being looked at for redesign and rebuilding prior to the 2018 Super Bowl

Hennepin County Courts Build Assistance Hennepin County Courts facilities build (2017 – 2018)

Fire Station 3 Rebuild / Relocate Assistance Looking at a new facility to replace aging Fire Station 3

Traffic Light Fiber Engineering Project Assistance

Build out the fiber network for the traffic signals; also connect this new fiber to the City’s fiber


3.4 WEIGHTED PRIORITIZED LIST OF STRATEGIC PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES Following the Strategic Projects and Initiatives Work Session, in which each of the preliminary projects and initiatives were discussed, confirmed, and ranked, BerryDunn used the five weighted prioritization categories below to develop the prioritized list for inclusion in this IS Strategic Plan. The following figure depicts these five categories, as well as their respective weights.

Figure 3.4: Weighted Prioritization Categories

Relative Benefit25%

Ease of Implementation

15%

Maturity of Technology

10%

Strategic Issue and Opportunity

Rank25%

Department Priority

25%

BerryDunn Prioritization

City Prioritization


These five weighted prioritization categories are depicted in the following table.

Table 3.4: Weighted Prioritization Categories

Strategic Initiatives Weighted Prioritization Categories

City BerryDunn

Strategic Issue and Opportunity Rank

Department Priority Relative Benefit Ease of

Implementation Maturity of Technology

25% 25% 25% 15% 10%

Based upon the application of the five weighted prioritization categories, BerryDunn developed the Weighted Prioritized List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives. Following the development of the Weighted Prioritized List, BerryDunn worked with the City Project Team to further review and refine each project. The result of these teleconference work sessions included the following:

• A number of the initiatives were re-prioritized based on dependencies between each initiative, City resource capacity, and other factors.

• The names of the following Initiatives were updated: o Initiative N – “Improve Technology Security at the City” was changed to “Reassess

Network Security Vulnerabilities” o Initiative H – “Improve the Helpdesk Request Process” was changed to “Re-evaluate

and Improve the Helpdesk Request Process” o Initiative K – “Improve IS Technology Training was changed to “Formalize IS

Technology Training” o Initiative O – “Improve End-User Technology Training” was changed to “Formalize

End-User Technology Training

• The City Project Team determined that Initiative C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols and Initiative J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City were better suited to be performed by the City’s Data Management Team (DMT) instead of being included in this IS Strategic Plan. Appendix D: Data Governance Projects includes the work plan and estimated budget and resources for these two initiatives.


The following table contains the Weighted Prioritized List, along with an indicator of the Plan years that activity related to each Initiative will be ongoing.

Table 3.5: Weighted Prioritized List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives

Weighted Prioritized List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives

ID Initiative Plan Year Activity

I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee. Years 1-5

L Prioritize completion of current projects. Year 1

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process. Years 1-5

F Improve remote connectivity at the City. Years 1-2

B Evaluate structure of City IT functions. Year 2

M Implement a best practice portfolio, program, and project management framework to include all City technology projects. Years 2-5

D Conduct an inventory of applications and analyze application relationships and business processes to determine areas of consolidation and efficiency. Year 2-5

N Reassess network security and vulnerabilities. Years 3-5

H Re-evaluate and improve the helpdesk request process. Year 3

K Formalize IS technology training. Years 4-5

O Formalize end-user technology training. Year 5

G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system. Year 5

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB). Year 5

3.5 STRATEGIC PROJECT AND INITIATIVE FORMAT Each project or initiative in Section 3.4 has been presented utilizing a standard template. A sample template is provided on the following page that includes a description of each field in the form.


Table 3.6: Strategic Project and Initiative Template

Initiative ID – Initiative Name

Initiative Description: This section of the template will contain a description of the initiative.

Initiative Source Information

Functional Area: This section of the template will identify the functional area(s) related to this initiative.

Priority Ranking: X of XX, where X is this initiative’s ranking among the total number of initiatives.

Related Strategic Information Systems Issues and Opportunities

# This section of the template will contain a list of the strategic information systems issue(s) that this initiative is designed to address.

Prioritization Category Rankings

City Rankings BerryDunn Rankings

Strategic Issue and Opportunity Rank Department Priority Relative Benefit Ease of


Rating of Strategic Issue and

Opportunity Rank (Critical, High,

Medium)

Rating of Priority to Departments

(Critical, High, Medium)

Rating of the Relative Benefit

(High, Medium, Low)

Rating of the Ease of Implementation (Easy, Medium,

Difficult)

Rating of the Maturity of the Technology

(Established, Leading Edge, Bleeding

Edge)

Estimated Budget

Total Budget Breakdown

One-Time Recurring

Time Budget Time Budget

Budget Category Low High Low High Low High Low High

Internal Labor Internal labor hours will be developed with the idea that staff performing each task has a general knowledge of the subject matter (i.e., between an expert and a novice).

Professional Services Labor

Hardware

Software

Total Budget

Total Budget by Year

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 5-Yr Total Cost

$ $ $ $ $ $

Budget Description:

This section of the template will contain a high-level description of the budget estimate, including the methodology used to determine the budget, as well as the estimated budget over all plan years.

Action Items to Implement Project or Initiative

This section of the template will contain a list of the action items that are needed to implement the project or initiative.

Anticipated Benefits

This section of the template will contain a list of the anticipated benefits of the project or initiative.

Potential Risks

This section of the template will contain a list of the common risks the City could encounter as they implement (or do not implement) the initiative. The risks identified in this section are not meant to serve as an all-inclusive list.


4.0 Strategic Projects and Initiatives

This section contains the detailed descriptions of each Strategic IS Project and Initiative.

I – Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee

Initiative I – Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee

Initiative Description: In the current environment, technology governance is disparate and inefficient, leading to increased costs and complexity at the City. The City should implement a formal Information Technology Steering Committee to oversee technology governance. The Committee should consist of stakeholders representing a cross-section of departments and business functions with the ability to determine solutions and direction as well as enforce decisions regarding information technology. The Committee should develop a formal Charter with an established purpose and conduct meetings on a regular basis. Items within the purview of the committee should include but not be limited to information technology: budgets, planning, project management oversight, and approval. Sub-initiatives to be completed following the establishment of the Committee should include the development of a formal technology request, planning, and approval process following a best practice framework, and assessing the need for a change control board. Task 1: Establish the Committee The first task in this initiative is to establish the committee with appropriate representation from the City departments. To lead this effort, it is recommended that a temporary working group be established to lead the City through the establishment of the committee. This working group should have three to four City staff on it with varying representation appointed by the City's Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The temporary working group could consist of representatives from the City Manager's Office, Information Systems, Finance, and Public Works. The City should also consider the specific staff that will represent their departments in the committee. The working group can collaborate with department heads to identify the appropriate individual. In some cases, it may be the department head, and in others, it may be a technology “super-user” within the department. While a department head may be better positioned for Citywide decision making, the time commitment for active committee involvement may necessitate another individual representing a particular department. Regardless of who is selected to be a member of the committee, each individual should receive training so that they clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, have a general understanding of the City's current technology environment, and have the ability to effectively make decisions that are in the best interest of the City. Task 2: Document Charter With the ITSC established, the second task is to develop and document the Charter for the Committee. This effort is to be led by the working group with active involvement from the committee members and the ultimate approach to be set by City Leadership. It will be important for the City to establish a Charter for the ITSC. BerryDunn recommends that the ITSC Project Charter contain the following information/sections: Background of the ITSC, Purpose, Scope of Authority, Objectives, Team Composition, Meeting and Reporting Frequency, and Charter Responsibility and Maintenance. The charter should include certain policies and procedures that fall under the responsibilities of the ITSC including: • IT Project Selection and Prioritization: One of the most important roles of the ITSC will be in project selection and prioritization. For as long as there are limitations in funding and availability of resources, the need for project selection and prioritization from


Initiative I – Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee such a committee will exist. All departments should be allowed to submit projects for consideration to the Committee, and the Information Systems Manager should elevate items to the Committee should the need arise. It will be important that the Committee establish a single “pipeline” of technology projects and make it clear that departments are not able to undertake additional projects outside this pipeline. • IT Project Management: It is recommended that the ITSC develop a standard set of project management tools (in conjunction with Initiative M - Portfolio, Program, and Project Management Framework) to track projects, assist in planning for resource needs, and facilitate the overall project management process. With a standard set of project management tools for project tracking, resource planning, and reporting, the ITSC will be able to better plan and manage multiple projects. The Committee may consider utilizing a centralized project management tool to assist with this. As part of the first step in developing overall project management standards, it is recommended that the ITSC develop and implement standard tools to use in project management. These tools should include, but not be limited to, a standard project plan template, a project status-reporting tool, the identification of the individual project metrics that will be used to measure overall project health, a quality assurance process, a risk management process, and project closeout procedures. • Approval of IT Policies and Procedures: An additional area of decision making that the ITSC should be tasked with is general policy and procedure decisions. Examples include mobile computing, file management, remote access, and email and data retention. This is an area where the Committee should carefully consider the directives of City Leadership and local, state, and federal regulations. Task 3: Establish Communication Methods Effective buy-in and support for the ITSC will require established methods to communicate decisions made by the Committee as well as ongoing project information. It is recommended that the Committee utilize these methods with frequent updates to a broad City audience, as often as monthly. The City should leverage the City intranet as well as email to communicate with stakeholders. Task 4: Regularly Revisit the Approach to the Committee As the ITSC is first established, there will be the need for adjustments to ensure departments are appropriately represented and that the Charter, policies, procedures, and communication methods are clear.


Functional Area: Management and Operations

Priority Ranking: 1 of 13

Related Strategic Information Technology Issue and Opportunities

M6 The IS project selection and prioritization process could be improved.

M8 The City does not have sufficient IS staff with project management experience to adequately manage all current and planned technology projects.

M11 The City does not have a formal Information Technology Steering Committee.

M5 The Citywide IT organizational structure is segmented and inefficient.

M7 IS project management is not following an industry best-practice framework.

T9 Available technology at the City is unknown or underutilized by City staff.

M10 The City does not have a Change Control Board.


Initiative I – Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee






Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 168 296 - - 120 200 - -

Professional Services Labor 80 120 $16,000 $24,000 - - - -

Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 248 416 $16,000 $24,000 120 200 $0 $0



$24,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $24,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to assist with the establishment of the ITSC, development of the document charter, and establishing communication methods in Year 1. In Years 2 through 5, the City should regularly revisit the approach to the Committee.


Establish the Committee Document Charter Establish Communication Methods Regularly Revisit the Approach to the Committee


Improved IT-related project management Improved IT project resource and budget planning Coordination between IT and IS projects and the City’s goals More efficient use of IT resources


Initiative I – Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee Structured and collaborative approach for IT projects Reduced number of unplanned IT projects Improved project governance and accountability

Potential Risks

No Action: Technology governance at the City continues to have limited structure IS projects continue to have limited prioritization or strategic direction IS resources continue to have inefficiencies

During Implementation: ITSC members may have insufficient training/skills to develop and implement the Committee The City may not invest sufficient resources (internal and external hours) to properly implement the

initiative Change management procedures may be inefficient to properly implement the initiative

Post-Implementation: City stakeholders may have little buy-in, leading to an ineffective ITSC Technology project prioritization may revert to the “status quo” with projects and initiatives obtaining

approval with limited analysis Committee member turnover may lead to loss of ITSC knowledge Documentation and policies developed during implementation may become outdated or ineffective


L – Prioritize Completion of Current Projects

Initiative L – Prioritize Completion of Current Projects

Initiative Description: The IS Department, as well as other City departments, reported that the City has over 40 planned and in-progress technology improvement projects and does not have sufficient staffing to manage them all efficiently and complete them in a timely manner. Given the number and breadth of the planned and in-progress projects, the City should create a prioritized list of projects and allocate resources to the projects based on their projected future efficiency gains. This may include canceling current projects if they are found to have minimal return on investment. In order to effectively prioritize current projects and manage the prioritized projects, the City should solicit and hire an additional staff member with significant IT project management experience to assist with project management functions. Prior to commencing this initiative, the City should create an Information Technology Steering Committee (Initiative I) to manage the prioritization of current projects. Task 1: Complete the Information Technology Steering Committee Initiative By organizing an ITSC prior to initiating a prioritization of current projects, the City should create an impartial Committee that can fairly weigh the importance of each current project in reaching the City’s technology goals. The ITSC should be charged with functions, such as prioritization of City technology projects, in order to give clear organizational responsibility for completion of each project. Task 2: Document Current Projects City staff reported that there is currently a gap between available IS staff with project management experience to implement the current projects and the scope and quantity of implementation projects. Before IS staff can be allocated to projects to ensure a complete implementation, the City should have complete knowledge of the current projects. Documentation should include the business justification for the project, project scope, project statement of work, estimated time and cost, estimated return on investment (both tangible or intangible), and current status. In order to obtain the information to develop the documentation, the ITSC should include department representatives when necessary. The City could contract with a third party to assist with documenting projects if desired. Task 3: Review and Prioritize Current Projects The ITSC should evaluate each project, weighing the different components documented in Task 2. This should create a prioritized list regarding each project, and should provide IS staff with clear goals on the order of projects to complete. Cumulatively, this should reduce the burden on IS staff, and coordinate their efforts towards meeting the City’s technology goals.












Initiative L – Prioritize Completion of Current Projects

Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 160 240 - - - - - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 220 360 $12,000 $24,000 0 0 $0 $0



$24,000 - - - - $24,000

Budget Description: This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to assist with the documentation of current projects and review and prioritize the current projects in Year 1.


Complete the Information Technology Steering Committee Initiative Document Current Projects Review and Prioritize Current Projects


Improved IT-related project management Increased success of initiative implementations Increased awareness of project management and implementation best-practices for City staff Increased capacity to implement future projects Higher success for completing existing projects More efficient use of IT resources Increased buy-in for future projects

Potential Risks

No Action: IS projects continue to have limited strategic direction


Initiative L – Prioritize Completion of Current Projects IS resource continue to have limited capacity to implement all assigned projects City technology funds continue to be used ineffectively IT-related projects continue to have implementation challenges

During Implementation: ITSC prioritization of projects may not take into consideration the City as a whole Insufficient data may be collected, leading to uninformed decision making and prioritization

Post-Implementation: External factors may re-prioritize or delay the completion of current projects, leading to challenges

completing projects downstream


A – Improve the IS Project Selection and Prioritization Process

Initiative A – Improve the IS Project Selection and Prioritization Process

Initiative Description: In the current environment, it was reported that the IS project prioritization process may have limited effectiveness, which is leading to issues further downstream, such as challenges dedicating sufficient IS staff time to complete projects, limited strategic planning and prioritization of projects to obtain cost savings and efficiencies, and more. The City should improve the process by implementing a best-practice model for identifying, submitting, reviewing, selecting, prioritizing, and evaluating IS projects. Submitted projects should include business justification with sufficient information to allow the City to align each project with Citywide and technology strategy. Prior to the commencement of this initiative, the City should develop an Information Technology Steering Committee (Initiative I). This Committee should then be tasked with overseeing the successful completion of this initiative. Task 1: Create the Information Technology Steering Committee Prior to commencing this initiative, the City should implement the ITSC identified in Initiative I. The ITSC should then lead the development of the formal project selection and prioritization process. Task 2: Develop a Formal IS Project Submittal Form The ITSC should begin formalizing the project submittal and selection process by developing a form for City staff to fill out when submitting a project. The form should require staff to identify a number of different pieces of information including the business case/project justification, project scope, project statement of work, estimated time and costs, and estimated return on investment (both tangible and intangible). The ITSC should solicit feedback from City stakeholders regarding the form. This form should be easily available to all staff (i.e., on the City intranet), and staff should be required to fill out this form for all potential projects. This form, and subsequent tasks, could potentially be performed using project management software. Task 3: Develop an IS Project Review Work Flow The ITSC should task a sub-committee to develop a project review workflow that identifies the parties involved, the submittal intake process, the review process, and prioritization process. This workflow should be documented using process mapping software (such as Microsoft Visio) and reviewed by the ITSC. The ITSC should solicit feedback from City stakeholders regarding the workflow maps. The ITSC could obtain the services of a third-party consultant to assist with the workflow development and mapping. Task 4: Develop IS Project Submittal, Review, Selection, and Prioritization Policy Once the Project Submittal Form and Review Workflow has been developed, the ITSC should document the process by creating a formal policy document. This policy should provide an overview of the process, identify the roles and responsibilities, provide an explanation of the submittal, review, selection, and prioritization process, identify how to fill out the Project Submittal Form, and identify steps to review the process and review workflow on a recurring basis. The ITSC should solicit feedback from City stakeholders regarding the Policy. The ITSC could obtain the services of a third-party consultant to assist with developing the policy. Task 5: Implement the Project Selection and Prioritization Process The ITSC should roll out the process Citywide, and utilize change management and communication best practices to ensure that City stakeholder's buy into the process. Soliciting feedback from stakeholders throughout the process is a good way of keeping them engaged and obtaining buy-in. The ITSC should also provide some regular communications to stakeholders during the development of the process, identifying tasks that have been accomplished and next steps. Once the process has been rolled out, the ITSC should regularly provide communications to stakeholders reminding them of the process and steps in the process, and should solicit feedback regarding how the process is working in reality. Documentation should be posted on the City intranet so that stakeholders can easily find the Form, Workflow, and Policy.










A6 The City’s technology architecture may be overly complex, making IT support challenging.

T3 The City does not have an effective configuration management database.







Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 280 440 - - 80 100 - -

Professional Services Labor 108 176 $21,600 35,200 - - - -

Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - $0 $30,000 - - - -

Total Budget 388 616 $21,600 $65,200 80 100 $0 $0



$65,200 $0 $0 $0 $0 $65,200



Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to assist with tasks 2-4 in Year 1. Years 2-5 do not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to conduct the initiative to ensure its success.


Create the Information Technology Steering Committee Develop a Formal IS Project Submittal Form Develop an IS Project Review Workflow Develop IS Project Submittal, Review, Selection, and Prioritization Policy Implement the Project Selection and Prioritization Process


Improved IT-related project management Improved IT project budget planning Increased success of initiative implementations Increased buy-in for future projects Increased awareness of project management and implementation best-practices for City staff Coordination between IT initiatives and the City’s IT and IS goals Increased efficiency in use of City IT resources for project implementations Decreased use and implementation of redundant systems Increased likelihood of project success as a result of better planning

Potential Risks

No Action: IS projects continue to have limited prioritization or strategic direction IS project portfolio management continues to be inefficient (i.e., projects within the portfolio are not

conducted in the most strategic manner) City IT resources continue to have limited efficiency and effectiveness

During Implementation: Workflow and documentation may be insufficient to improve processes The City may not apply sufficient resources (internal and external) to properly implement each of the

tasks in the initiative Post-Implementation:

Forms, workflow, and policies may not be sufficient to sustain the process over time Change management activities may be inefficient, leading in reduced buy-in from City stakeholders ITSC members may have limited buy-in, leading to improperly selected and prioritized projects


F – Improve Remote Connectivity at the City

Initiative F – Improve Remote Connectivity at the City

Initiative Description: It was reported that remote connectivity at the City is limited, leading to challenges using mobile devices, limited ability to work from home, and challenges recruiting and retaining top talent. The City should improve remote connectivity by completing the initiative to improve Wi-Fi in City buildings, establish policies and procedures for staff to request and use remote access functionality, and conduct research and implement improved abilities to connect to the City’s network when remote. Security considerations shall be balanced with available functionality to staff. Task 1: Complete City Wi-Fi Initiative The IS Department should complete the project to improve wireless capabilities in City buildings. Task 2: Establish and Implement Policy to Request Remote Functionality Many employees expressed a desire to be able to connect to the City network and applications when they are not in the office, in order to work remotely. To facilitate this, the City should develop policies and procedures on how to request remote functionality, who is eligible, and standards for use. Task 3: Research Potential Improvements for City’s Remote Connection After the City has established policies and procedures regarding remote access to the City’s network and applications, the City should conduct research and evaluate options for improved remote functionality. Potential remote connectivity options could be to implement a virtual private network (VPN) connection or other "network tunneling" capabilities, expand the use of web-based applications, or increase the use of mobile internet through enhanced mobile devices or MiFis.


Functional Area: Technical



T1 Remote connectivity/mobility at the City is limited.

T8 The City’s wireless network is inadequate for the support of City operations.

M13 The City’s policies surrounding remote access to City systems is either not well-defined or not well-known.


M1 The City is performing many manual and paper-based processes.








Initiative F – Improve Remote Connectivity at the City

Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 140 200 - - - - - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 280 400 $28,000 $40,000 0 0 $0 $0



$24,000 $16,000 - - - $40,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to establish and implement policy in Year 1. In Year 2, the City should work with a third-party resource to research potential improvement for the City’s remote connectivity. Implementing the results of the research is outside the scope of this initiative.


Complete City Wi-Fi Initiative Establish and Implement Policy to Request Remote Functionality Research Potential Improvements for City’s Remote Connection


Reduced security vulnerabilities/risks Improved Citywide knowledge of security policies and procedures Increased efficiency and Internet connectivity for City personnel Improved ability to recruit and retain new employees Increased ability to take advantage of current and future mobility initiatives offered by existing

enterprise applications

Potential Risks

No Action: Policy continues to be insufficient to support the City Wi-Fi initiative leading to unnecessary security

risks or potential abuse of remote connectivity functionality City’s remote connectivity continues to be outdated, leading to dissatisfied employees and potential

employees Field employees and other employees with remote connectivity needs continue to perform inefficient

processes


Initiative F – Improve Remote Connectivity at the City During Implementation:

Policies developed may not sufficiently cover all remote connectivity scenarios The City may not apply sufficient resources (internal and external) to properly implement this initiative The research conducted on remote connectivity improvements does not consider local government

best practices, or results in outdated or out of scope technology Post-Implementation:

Policies and procedures are not followed or enforced, leading to City vulnerabilities Research may be conducted, but solutions are never implemented


B – Evaluate Structure of City IT Functions

Initiative B – Evaluate Structure of City IT Functions

Initiative Description: In addition to the central City IS Department, the Police and Public Works Departments maintain their own IT staff, spreading IT functions across multiple City departments. Staff reported a potential duplication of efforts across the Departments, insufficient staffing for some functions (notably project management), and a lack of knowledge-sharing and cross-training. The City should evaluate the structure and staffing of the IS Department and satellite IT staff and evaluate approaches to improving collaboration and consolidating IT functions under one IT Department. Task 1: Update the City's Detailed Organizational Chart (If Needed) The first step for the City should be to ensure that the Citywide organization chart is up-to-date. If it is not, the City should update the chart. Task 2a: Update the Technology Job Descriptions (If Needed) The next step should be to use the up-to-date organizational chart to determine which positions are technology-related. Once identified, the City should ensure that the job descriptions for each of the positions is up-to-date, including the informal position activities that have been assumed over time. The updated organization chart and position descriptions will be the basis for the evaluation of the current IT structure. Task 2b: Identify the IT Services Provided in Each Department and Who is Providing Them At the same time that the job descriptions are being reviewed and updated (if needed), the City should identify the IT services being provided within each department, and identify who is providing them. For example, determine who is providing Level 1 helpdesk support for core department applications, who is managing technology projects for the department, etc. This task is to essentially look at IT functions from the opposite perspective of the job descriptions, to capture the IT functions that were not able to be documented in that task. The City could obtain the services of a third party to assist with identifying the service providers if desired. Task 3: Evaluate the Structure of the City IT Functions Based on the data collected in updating the organizational chart and job descriptions, and identifying the services and service providers, the City should have sufficient information to be able to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of IT services. For example, the City may find that analysts in Public Works are providing Level 1 helpdesk support, that could more efficiently be provided by IS analysts; or the City may find that functions are so unique to Police, that they should create a specific Police IT position within the department. Based on the evaluation, the City should implement improvements to the structure as needed. The City could obtain the services of a third party to provide best-practice advice if desired.





M4 City IT personnel are not cross-trained.


M12 Ongoing training for IS staff and departmental IT support may be inadequate for the functions regularly performed.






A1 The City has many applications that are not integrated.


M9 City staff are not following a structured helpdesk request process.






Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 260 360 - - - - - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 440 620 $36,000 $52,000 0 0 0 0



- $52,000 - - - $52,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to update the technology job descriptions, identify the IT services provided, and evaluate the structure of City IT functions in Year 2. It is anticipated that the City would update the City’s detailed organizational chart in Year 2 if needed.




Update the City's Detailed Organizational Chart (If Needed) Update the Technology Job Descriptions (If Needed) Identify the IT Services Provided in Each Department and Who is Providing Them Evaluate the Structure of the City IT Functions


More efficient use of City IT resources Decreased duplication of implementation and maintenance of systems Increased use of project management and implementation best practices for IT-related projects Increased Citywide communication Increased cross-training for City IT personnel Increased IT support for City personnel Increased ability to meet the IS Mission and Vision statement Potential increase in IS agility and ability to respond to changing IT landscape in the future

Potential Risks

No Action: City IT resources continue to be inefficient due to potential duplication of effort City IT personnel continues to have limited cross-training, leading to support vulnerabilities

During Implementation: City stakeholders may develop concerns regarding job security, leading to insufficient information to

properly evaluate the structure of City IT functions Political issues may arise, leading to an inefficient or ineffective initiative Change management activities may be insufficient, leading to limited buy-in or results

Post-Implementation: The results of the evaluation may not be implemented properly, leading to continued inefficiencies Improvements to City IT functions may not resolve all the issues identified during the evaluation


M – Implement a Best Practice Portfolio, Program, and Project Management Framework to Include All City Technology Projects

Initiative M – Implement a Best Practice Portfolio, Program, and Project Management Framework to Include All City Technology Projects

Initiative Description: In the current environment, the City has not had sufficient time to implement a best practice, and repeatable, approach to project management leading to challenges successfully completing projects on time and on budget. The City should implement a framework such as Project Management Institute/Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMI/PMBOK) in order to follow best practices for the management of all City technology projects and activities to ensure that a project leader, effort estimates, project timelines, resources, and dependencies are identified for each project. This approach should also result in a higher level of collaboration between the IT Department and other City departments, more structured implementation approaches, and identification of when projects end and thus enter the support and maintenance phase. Prior to commencing this initiative, the City should create an Information Technology Steering Committee (Initiative I) to oversee the implementation of this initiative, and ongoing oversight of projects. Task 1: Develop Project Management Policies and Procedures The City should develop policies and procedures related to technology project management. Policies and procedures should reflect the desire to manage like programs as a portfolio and interconnected projects as programs avoiding gaps, overlaps, and misunderstandings across departments and projects. The policies and procedures should provide a framework that can be applied to all technology projects, and have the ability to be modified based on the specific nature of each project. For example, policies and procedures could state that each project should be required to have a written business justification, statement of work, project schedule, estimated costs, estimated return on investment, and monthly status reports. The detail of each can be adjusted based on the complexity of each project. Task 2: Implement Standard Project Management Tools and Tracking Mechanisms To increase the likelihood of successful projects, and management of programs and portfolios, it is important that all projects are properly planned, tracked, and reported on to measure progress against key project milestones and metrics. The City (either the ITSC or IS Department) should develop and implement a standard set of project management tools for project tracking; resource planning; monitoring and managing issues and risks; and reporting. These tools will help ensure projects are better planned and managed and could include project management document templates that align with the policies and procedures, or project management software that aids in tracking and reporting on key project indicators. Task 3: Establish Communication Platforms Regular meetings should be held to support communication with direct discussion between stakeholders. Difficulties with projects can be a reflection of poor communication and planning across the organization. Building on the monitoring tools, project progress, risks, and issues should be addressed to foster successes and mitigating difficulties. By maintaining open dialogues, problems can be solved prior to becoming the cause for project failures. Task 4: Develop a Training Plan The City should develop a training plan, in conjunction with Initiative K: Formalize IS Technology Training, to help ensure a successful rollout of the framework. Training should include roles and responsibilities, governance, standard templates, tools, policies, and procedures. Staff training needs will vary across the organization and should be developed for all staff impacted by this initiative based on their roles and project activities. Training should be customized for project managers, project team members, and those who manage portfolios and programs. As part of the training plan, the City could encourage staff to obtain project



management certifications such as the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certifications.













Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 260 360 - - 100 200 - -


Certification Cost - - $600 $1,500 - - - -

Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 440 620 $36,600 $53,500 100 200 $0 $0



- $53,500 $0 $0 $0 $53,500

Budget Description: This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to develop project management policies and



procedures, implement standard project management tools and tracking mechanisms, establish communication platforms, and develop a training plan in Year 2. Years 3-5 do not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to conduct communication activities on a regular basis.


Develop Project Management Policies and Procedures Implement Standard Project Management Tools and Tracking Mechanisms Establish Communication Platforms Develop a Training Plan


Repeatable methodology for managing technology projects at the City Defined benefits and success criteria for each project Improved Citywide communication Defined guidelines and overall direction for IT-related activities Increased success of initiative implementations Improved efficiencies in use of technology Increased awareness of technology best practices for City staff

Potential Risks

No Action: City technology projects continue to have limited best-practice documentation and processes, which

could continue to result in projects with challenges or delays City resources with limited project management experience may be required to manage projects with

limited knowledge or guidance on how to proceed effectively During Implementation:

The implemented framework may not be right-sized for the City or common projects, leading to either unnecessary project management documents or processes, or an insufficient framework to manage City projects

Post-Implementation: The framework may not be followed for each project, limiting the effectiveness of the repeatable

documents and processes Ongoing training may be insufficient to properly manage technology projects


D – Conduct an Inventory of Applications and Analyze Application Relationships and Business Processes to Determine Areas of Consolidation and Efficiency

Initiative D – Conduct an Inventory of Applications and Analyze Application Relationships and Business Processes to Determine Areas of Consolidation and Efficiency

Initiative Description: It was reported that many applications are in use across City departments that duplicate the functionality of other technology applications. The reasons for this appear to be twofold: technology initiatives have not been fully integrated across the City and departments have acquired new software without evaluating the potential use of existing software throughout the City. To resolve these issues, the City should review each application and develop a catalog listing every software application used by the City. The catalog should be used as the first-line resource for finding software solutions for departmental processes. The catalog should include basic information about the software solution as well as details about common applications of the solution and the software’s capabilities and limitations. Following the inventory of applications in use, the City should conduct a gap analysis and business process study to identify inefficiencies of systems, and opportunities for improved training, integrations, and cost savings. Process mapping could be used to facilitate this task. Task 1: Develop a Complete Inventory of City Applications The ITSC should task the IS Department with developing a complete inventory of applications at the City. This inventory should be compiled into a catalog and include a number of pieces of information about each application such as the name and version of the application, purpose of the application, the departments and specific users of the application, the application's technology (i.e., HTML5, SQL database), a summary of how the application is being used and sharing data, and the owner(s) of the application. The ITSC could obtain the services of a third-party consultant to assist with the catalog. Task 2: Prioritize Inventory for Gap Analysis After the IS Department has developed a complete inventory of applications, the ITSC should prioritize which applications to focus on for the gap analysis and business process study. The final number of applications to be considered in the gap analysis should be no more than 15% of the total number of applications. Task 3: Conduct a Gap Analysis and Current Business Process Study The ITSC should evaluate each of the applications identified in the prioritization process and conduct a gap analysis to identify gaps in functionality leading to inefficient processes. As part of this gap analysis, the ITSC should leverage the development of business process maps (using a tool such as MS Visio) to identify high-level areas of inefficiencies, and areas of duplication between departments, paying particular attention to how the City's applications are being used. The ITSC could obtain the services of a third-party consultant to assist with the analysis. Task 4: Develop Approach to Remediating Gaps and Improving Business Processes Based on the results of the Gap Analysis in Task 3, the ITSC should develop an approach to remediating the gaps and improving on inefficient business processes. Potential remediation and improvement activities could include expanding the use of applications to other departments, obtaining new applications following the Project Selection and Prioritization Process developed in Initiative A, soliciting third-party resources to develop interfaces between applications, retiring unused applications, and training end users. The approach should identify estimated timeline and costs, and utilize best-practice project management procedures. Task 5: Review and Update Applications Catalog on a Regular Basis After the initial catalog is assembled, the IS Department should continue to update this inventory of applications in order for the ITSC to reference it when hearing proposals for potential IS projects.


Functional Area: Applications, Technical





A5 GIS functionality could be improved to create efficiencies with associated data management and business processes.

A2 Laserfiche is not being used to its full capability.

A3 The use of existing applications could be expanded to additional departments.






A8 Agenda.NET is not meeting the City’s agenda management needs.

A4 Munis, the City’s financial software application, is not being used to its full capability.






Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 300 400 - - 40 60 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 520 700 $44,000 $60,000 40 60 $0 $0





- $60,000 $0 $0 $0 $60,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to develop an inventory of City applications, prioritize the inventory of applications for the gap analysis, conduct the gap analysis, and develop and approach to remediating gaps in Year 2. Years 3-5 do not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to review and update the applications catalog on a regular basis.


Develop a Complete Inventory of City Applications Prioritize Inventory for Gap Analysis Conduct a Gap Analysis and Current Business Process Study Develop Approach to Remediating Gaps and Improving Business Processes Review and Update Applications Catalog on a Regular Basis


Decreased duplication of systems to support within the City Improved efficiencies in the procurement of technology Increased integration within the City Improved Citywide communication Improved Citywide knowledge of technology best practices Increased knowledgebase of existing systems

Potential Risks

No Action: The City continues to use applications that are duplicating efforts, or are not being used to their fullest The City continues to procure new technology without first evaluating the current technology already

in place, leading to inefficient use of City funds Integrations continue to be limited between enterprise applications

During Implementation: The gap analysis may not identify all the necessary applications or areas for improvement The gap analysis and business process study may not be detailed enough to identify root causes The approach to remediating gaps may not be feasible due to resource constraints

Post-Implementation: The catalog may not be updated on a regular basis, or used by City staff, leading to similar

challenges if this initiative was not implemented


N – Reassess Network Security and Vulnerabilities

Initiative N – Reassess Network Security and Vulnerabilities

Initiative Description: It was reported that the City does not regularly conduct vulnerability, penetration testing, or security risk assessments. Despite this, the City is aware of some vulnerabilities in the current environment. The City should audit current systems and develop a list of known vulnerabilities of current software, hardware, and physical security; then prioritize a remediation list tackling the most critical vulnerabilities first. Because security is an evolving topic that is constantly changing, the City should also implement a plan to conduct policy review, security testing, and remediation on a recurring basis. Task 1: Audit Current Systems and List Vulnerabilities The City should conduct a security audit of all of its current software, hardware, and physical security mechanisms. The audit should include penetration testing of City firewalls, network devices, servers, and through its external-facing services, (i.e., the City’s website). Task 2: List and Prioritize Existing Threats The City should then list and prioritize existing security threats based on potential risk posed by each one, weighted with the likelihood of exposure to a threat from the vulnerability. By considering both the overall risk from the vulnerability, as well as how likely the vulnerability is to be exploited, the City should be able to strengthen its technology security efforts and methodology. The City should begin to remediate these security vulnerabilities after the prioritized list has been finalized, following the recommended project selection and prioritization process (Initiative A) and the project management framework (Initiative M). Task 3: Implement Policy Review, Security Testing, and Remediation Framework Due to the changing nature of technology, accompanied by the City's efforts to modernize current IS systems, the City should proactively evaluate its security methods and technology policy for security threats. The audit should occur, at a minimum, annually to evaluate the impact of updated software systems and potential changes in the City's system use. Additionally, the City should use this event to update the Prioritized Vulnerabilities and Threats List to ensure that its efforts address the most pressing issues the City faces moving forward. Policy review should be incorporated to ensure that expanded City practices do not threaten current security (e.g., expanded remote access), and that policy is updated with security risks in mind.





T13 The City may have network security vulnerabilities.

T1 Remote connectivity/mobility at the City is limited.

T7 Software patching and updating capabilities at the City is limited.







Initiative N – Reassess Network Security and Vulnerabilities

Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 370 660 - - 100 200 - -

Professional Services Labor 580 870 $116,000 $174,000 250 350 $50,000 $70,000

Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 950 1,530 $116,000 $174,000 350 550 $50,000 $70,000



- - $174,000 $70,000 $70,000 $314,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to audit current systems, identify vulnerabilities, list and prioritize external threats, and implement a policy review, security testing, and remediation framework in Year 3. Costs in Years 4-5 are for the City to work with a third-party resource to conduct a security audit on an annual basis.


List and Prioritize Existing Threats Implement Policy Review, Security Testing, and Remediation Framework


Reduced security vulnerabilities/risks More efficient use of City IT resources Increased use of technology best practices within the City Increased ability to proactively address security threats

Potential Risks

No Action: Continued security vulnerabilities/risks Unknown vulnerabilities or risks may continue to develop over time Known threats may go unresolved

During Implementation: Some vulnerabilities or risks may be missed


Initiative N – Reassess Network Security and Vulnerabilities The policy review, security testing, and remediation framework may not be right-sized for the City,

leading to unnecessary testing and/or insufficient testing Post-Implementation:

The City may not keep up with recurring security audits, leading to unknown or increased vulnerabilities or risks


H – Re-evaluate and Improve the Helpdesk Request Process

Initiative H – Re-evaluate and Improve the Helpdesk Request Process

Initiative Description: The current helpdesk request process at the City is inefficient and has led to challenges tracking and reporting on helpdesk activities. The City is currently implementing new helpdesk ticketing software to improve this process. The City should continue to implement this software following a best-practice implementation approach, and develop an improved process to receive helpdesk requests. This improved process should triage all requests through the system before distributing to the appropriate support staff member. Task 1: Complete Helpdesk Ticketing Software Implementation The City's current initiative to implement a helpdesk ticketing system is the first step to improving the helpdesk request process currently in use by the City. The City should ensure that best practices for implementation projects is adopted to ensure universal acceptance and knowledge of how to utilize this system in the future. Task 2: Establish Workflow and Priority Settings for Helpdesk Requests The City is currently creating an opportunity for itself to improve the efficiency of its helpdesk and effectiveness at addressing help requests. However, there are significant risks to this implementation project, not least of which is the potential to not fully utilize the system in processing requests. By requiring a request classification and creating a request bucket for individual IT staff members to draw from to address the request as part of this ticketing system, the City should improve the efficiency, reduce the chance of duplicative efforts, and set clear priorities for addressing issues. Task 3: Provide End-User Training and Change Management The primary challenge in the current environment regarding helpdesk requests is that end users have become accustomed to calling their go-to support staff, even if they are not the best suited to resolve the issue. To successfully implement the helpdesk request process, the City needs to train end users on the new way of submitting a ticket, and then successfully changing the culture by using change management best practices. Some best practices include regular communication (reminders) to staff as to the new process, training helpdesk staff to direct end users to the appropriate process, explaining to stakeholders the benefits of the new process, and making it easier for staff to go through the helpdesk system, than calling their contacts in support.
















Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 140 200 - - 60 80 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 180 260 $8,000 $12,000 60 80 $0 $0



- - $12,000 - - $12,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City complete the helpdesk ticketing software implementation and establish work and priority settings in Year 3. Year 3 also includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to provide end-user training and change management.


Complete Helpdesk Ticketing Software Implementation Establish Workflow and Priority Settings for Helpdesk Requests Provide End-User Training and Change Management


More efficient use of City IT resources Improved efficiencies in use of technology Defined guidelines and overall direction for IT-related activities Improved IT training within the City More efficient workflow based on City IT goals and priorities Improved IT issue tracking Ability to identify IT staffing needs Ability to identify training needs Ability to identify application issues



Potential Risks

No Action: IS resources continue to perform inefficient processes to resolve helpdesk issues Problems or trends continue to go untracked

During Implementation: Workflow or priority settings may not be properly set up, leading to continued inefficiencies End-user training and change management may not obtain the appropriate buy-in and process

changes from IS resources or City stakeholders Post-Implementation:

Improved processes may not be used by City stakeholders, leading to continued inefficient IS helpdesk processes

Ongoing end-user training and change management activities may be insufficient to effectively implement the changes


K – Formalize IS Technology Training

Initiative K – Formalize IS Technology Training

Initiative Description: Staff reported a number of areas where technology training could improve operations in the IS Department, including cross-training in the IS Department and technology resources throughout the City, training on document retention, project management, use of recently implemented software applications, security, and more. The IS Department should evaluate the approach to orientation and training of new staff, and encourage continuing education and competency evaluations of existing staff. Associated activities should include assessing the current training capabilities at the City including resources and technology, expanding the use of the City intranet to develop and post training manuals and materials, and assessing the feasibility of increased use of online training. The City could also explore the use of a Learning Management System to facilitate training scheduling and delivery. Activities performed during this initiative could be leveraged when conducting Initiative O: Formalize End-User Technology Training. Task 1: Assess Current IS Training Capabilities The IS Department should first evaluate its current training methods for IS staff, including onboarding and recurring training. This assessment should review various factors, including the current onboarding processes and materials, resources available for recurring and specialization training, availability of IS staff to obtain training, and technology and other opportunities available to obtain training. This assessment should assist the City in creating objective metrics to evaluate both the quality of the program and benefit to IS staff. Task 2: Explore Learning Management Systems for Training Scheduling and Training The IS Department should work with other City departments to explore the cost-benefits of centralizing its training methodology under a Learning Management System (Initiative O: Formalize End-User Technology Training, Task 2). The Citywide Learning Management System could be leveraged by the IS Department to manage and provide training specific to IS staff. Task 3: Develop and Implement IS Technology Training Program Once the IS Department has assessed current training capabilities and the cost-benefit of a Learning Management System, the IS Department should develop a plan to improve training in the department, that will lead to a technology training program. This plan could include increasing funds available for training; providing additional time to staff to seek training; bringing third-party resources into the City to provide group training; developing policies, procedures, and training materials; or developing an incentive program relating to training. Materials could be documentation such as process maps, software user guides, or policies on when, where and how to obtain training. Materials could also include videos, courses in the Learning Management System, or online training web portals. The improvement plan should be realistic, and the program should be repeatable, and make it easy for staff to obtain relevant training. Implementation of the plan should be conducted following a best-practice project management framework and focus on change management and communication with IS stakeholders. Task 4: Manage and Evaluate IS Technology Training Program Upon successful implementation of the improvement plan and establishment of a training program, the IS Department should manage the program to ensure its effectiveness and cost-benefit. As part of this, the IS Department should regularly evaluate the program using the metrics established during the assessment in Task 1. Should deficiencies be identified, the IS Department should work with IS staff to improve the program.











T4 Data management at the City could be improved.

M13 The City’s policies surrounding remote access to City systems is either not well-defined or not well-known.








Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 180 280 - - 60 100 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 360 540 $36,000 $52,000 60 100 $0 $0



- - - $52,000 $0 $52,000



Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to conduct this initiative in Year 4. Year 5 does not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to manage and evaluate the training program.


Assess Current IS Training Capabilities Explore Learning Management Systems for Training Scheduling and Training Develop and Implement IS Technology Training Program Manage and Evaluate IS Technology Training Program


Increased awareness of technology best practices for City staff Improved IT-related training Improved Citywide communication Increased success of initiative implementations Improved retention of training and learning-related data Increased knowledgebase of existing systems

Potential Risks

No Action: IT-related training continues to be inefficient to support City processes and City growth City IT resources continue to have limited cross-training, leading to support vulnerabilities Limited awareness of technology best practices at the City

During Implementation: Buy-in from IT resources may be limited, leading to decreased initiative effectiveness City IT-resources may not have sufficient time to dedicate towards training activities The IS Technology Training Program may not be right-sized for the City, leading to unnecessary

training activities, or too few training opportunities Post-Implementation:

The Training Program may not be followed, leading to insufficient training at the City Funds may not be sufficiently allocated to provide the appropriate amount of training City IT resources may not have sufficient time, or may not prioritize training


O – Formalize End-User Technology Training

Initiative O – Formalize End-User Technology Training

Initiative Description: In the current environment, end-user technology training (i.e., application, workstation, device, remote access, document retention, and security training for department staff) is mostly decentralized but is available in a central training environment. It was reported that although some departments are providing technology training to their staff, the level and quality of training may not be consistent throughout the City. The City should improve end-user technology training by first evaluating each department’s training approach (including onboarding and recurring training) and then look to remediate any deficiencies identified in the evaluation. Associated activities could include expanding the use of the City intranet to develop and post training manuals and materials, and assessing the feasibility of increased use of online training. The City could also explore the use of a Learning Management System to facilitate training scheduling and delivery. Activities in Initiative K: Formalize IS Technology Training could be leveraged for this initiative. Task 1: Assess Current Training Capabilities The City should first evaluate its current training methods within each department, including onboarding and recurring training. This evaluation should account for various factors, such as time spent utilizing hands-on training for end users, follow-up resources, and frequency of training refreshment. This assessment should assist the City in creating objective metrics to evaluate both the quality of the program, and how well the information is retained by City staff. Task 2: Explore Learning Management Systems for Training Scheduling and Training The City should explore the cost-benefits of centralizing its training methodology under a Learning Management System. The benefits of such a system include the possibility of training session schedule maintenance under an integrated schedule, a central repository for post-training manuals and materials, and the possibility of expanding Human Resources annual training courses online. Such a system should allow City employees to access training at a time that is convenient for them, allow Human Resources to track the amount of training employees have received over user-defined periods of time, and improve Human Resources’ ability to regularly track the training options that a department provides. Task 3: Implement Training Plan for City Departments Once the City has evaluated the methodology and quality of the training offered by its departments, the City should look to benchmark these standards by its best performing departments, and leverage their operations to implement Citywide standards and minimums for training. This task should address the unequal quality of the training programs, while addressing potential resistance from department leaders by allowing department autonomy in meeting these standards. These standards should require a minimum frequency of training opportunities for employees to attend each year and the accessibility of the post-training manuals and materials. By allowing the departments more autonomy in terms of training methodology, timing of the training, and other particular issues that are better addressed by those managing the day-to-day activities of the department, the City will establish minimum standards for training while reducing resistance from City staff.





M2 Documents are being retained for too long.







T13 The City may have network security vulnerabilities.




A4 Munis, the City’s financial software application, is not being used to its full capability.






Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 180 240 - - 40 60 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 360 480 $36,000 $48,000 40 60 $0 $0



- - - - $48,000 $48,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to conduct this initiative in Year 5. Subsequent years do not include any cost; however, the City should continue to manage and evaluate the training program.




Assess Current Training Capabilities Explore Learning Management Systems for Training Scheduling and Training Implement Training Plan for City Departments


Improved technology training at the City More informed and educated staff Increased IT policy and procedures documentation Increased use of Citywide and department-level technology Improved use of technology best-practices at the City More efficient use of City IT resources Reduction in manual and paper-based processes Ability to use Training as a recruiting tool

Potential Risks

No Action: End-user technology training continues to be inefficient to support City processes and City growth Limited awareness of technology best-practices at the City Continued inefficient use of technology at the City Continued manual and paper-based processes

During Implementation: Buy-in from end users may be limited, leading to decreased initiative effectiveness End users may not have sufficient time to dedicate towards training activities The End-User Technology Training Program may not be right-sized for the City, leading to

unnecessary training activities, or too few training opportunities Post-Implementation:

The Training Program may not be followed, leading to insufficient training at the City Funds may not be sufficiently allocated to provide the appropriate amount of training End users may not have sufficient time, or may not prioritize training


G – Develop an Understandable and Agreed-Upon Chargeback System

Initiative G – Develop an Understandable and Agreed-Upon Chargeback System

Initiative Description: Multiple City departments reported not fully understanding how IS services are charged. Additionally, different departments reported paying different prices and not understanding why the fees for their services might differ from another department’s fees. The City should develop a comprehensible system for chargebacks based on one of two models: a fee-for-service model in which every piece of hardware and software and the services associated with it have a clear, published, universally applicable price; or a service-level agreement (SLA) model in which departments choose the services they want to receive from a well-defined, universally applicable “menu” of services. Any system would have to receive input and approval by the departments. Upon the adoption of a new or modified system, the City should provide information and training to all relevant staff to ensure that there is a shared understanding of the chargeback system. This initiative should be driven by executive level leadership (i.e., the ELT). Task 1: Evaluate the Current Chargeback System The first step to improving the chargeback system to evaluate what is working well, and what is not working in the current environment. The City's ELT should assign a work group to conduct this evaluation. Some strengths and weaknesses have already been identified, and in this case should be formally documented. Evaluation techniques could include surveying stakeholders, conducting follow-up interviews, and analyze current and historical documentation relating to chargebacks. A third-party resource could assist in the evaluation process. Task 2: Conduct Research to Identify Peer Chargeback Approaches Once the current environment evaluation is conducted, or potentially at the same time, the work group should conduct research to identify best practice approaches to chargebacks. Research could include formal or informal communications with peer communities in the State as well as nationally, obtaining the services of a consultant experienced in IT management and chargebacks, and reviewing information available online. Common models for chargebacks include the fee-for-service model in which every piece of hardware and software and the services associated with it have a clear, published, universally applicable price; and the SLA model in which departments choose the services they want to receive from a well-defined, universally applicable "menu" of services. Research should also include implementation approaches. Task 3: Implement Improved Chargeback System Based on the results of the evaluation of the current system and research conducted, the ELT work group should develop an approach to implementing the improved chargeback system. The implementation approach should clearly define the tasks to be accomplished, estimated timeline, communication and change management approach, and approach to training stakeholders and making adjustments based on feedback. Potential tasks to be accomplished during implementation could include, but are not limited to, the development of a service catalog (identifying all technology services provided at the City); identification of costs associated with each service; development of improved reporting templates (e.g., memo, tables, etc.); and development of a formal workflow for reviewing, approving, and charging departments in a fair and consistent manner. A third-party consultant could assist in the implementation. Task 4: Test, Train, and Configure Improved Chargeback System Improving the chargeback system is a Citywide activity that will require the input and buy-in from a number of stakeholders. In order to include and inform all necessary stakeholders, the ELT work group should test the chargeback approach, train users on how it will work, and solicit feedback from the stakeholders to improve the process. Inevitably, not all stakeholders will be happy with the improved approach, however much of the feedback should be taken into consideration. Based on the feedback provided, the work group should improve the system to ensure its effectiveness. The third-party consultant could assist with the testing, training, and configurations as well.


Initiative G – Develop an Understandable and Agreed-Upon Chargeback System






M3 Citywide staff do not understand how technology budgeting, spending, and chargebacks occur at the City.

M14 Departments acquire equipment on grant funding without a guaranteed funding stream for maintenance and replacement.

T2 Public Health has insufficient hardware and mobility for efficient operations.






Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 400 540 - - - - - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 760 1,020 $72,000 $96,000 0 0 $0 $0



- - - - $96,000 $96,000

Budget Description: This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to conduct this initiative in Year 5.


Evaluate the Current Chargeback System


Initiative G – Develop an Understandable and Agreed-Upon Chargeback System Conduct Research to Identify Peer Chargeback Approaches Implement Improved Chargeback System Test, Train, and Configure Improved Chargeback System


Improved Citywide communication Increased awareness and use of chargeback best practices for City staff More efficient use of IT resources More informed and educated staff

Potential Risks

No Action: The chargeback process continues to be challenging to develop and understand The chargeback process continues to have real or perceived imbalances between departments The City continues to have challenges with departments implementing systems and performing

technology-related projects with misunderstandings of budget significances During Implementation:

The chargeback system may become more convoluted once all factors have been considered The City may be unable to find peer chargeback approaches to base an improved approach Some stakeholders may disagree with the new approach leading to challenges with buy-in and

initiative success Post-Implementation:

The new/improved chargeback approach may not resolve all the current issues with the process The new/improved chargeback approach may not be configured, and training may not be provided,

leading to limited buy-in or continued use


E – Implement a Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

Initiative E – Implement a Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

Initiative Description: A CMDB is a database that contains information about the various components of an organization’s information systems in order to manage the relationships of those various components. Currently, the City does not have an effective CMDB that can be used to conduct analysis when developing IT strategy and evaluating the effects of change to the technology environment. The City should examine the configuration management program, including the CMDB and its Configuration files, Group Policy settings, least functionality, and baseline image files for operating systems to ensure best practices are applied. As part of the initiative, the City should ensure change management, restriction to change, and workflow protocols are in place and are meeting the needs of the City, and verify that all of these details are captured in policy and procedure. Task 1: Evaluate the Current Configuration Management Program The IS Department should first evaluate the current configuration management capabilities at the City and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. As part of this assessment, the IS Department should determine the goals and objectives for an improved CMDB. An IS working group could be useful in leading and implementing the initiative. Task 2: Develop an Approach to Expanding Database Capability Based on the evaluation of the current configuration management capabilities, the IS working group should develop an approach to improving upon the current program, based on the identified goals, and identify who will develop and then maintain the CMDB. Potential steps could include identifying the approach to short-term improvements, defining the content within the database, populating the database with content, and then maintaining the database. Formal documentation (i.e., policies and procedures) should be developed as needed. Task 3: Implement the Short-Term Improvements and Define the CMDB Content Using the approach developed in Task 2, the IS working group should begin implementing the CMDB by first implementing any short-term improvements identified. These could include obtaining, upgrading, or configuring software to manage the future CMDB, or consolidating current databases. Next, the IS working group should solicit the input of all necessary stakeholders and define the content that will populate the CMDB. Definition should include configuration items (CIs) (i.e., hardware, software, network items, documentation), components of the CIs, attributes of each CI and component, and relationships between CIs and to services. An inventory discovery solution could aid in the identification and definition of CIs. Task 4: Populate and Maintain the Database Once the CIs and definitions have been identified and developed, the IS working group can begin populating the CMDB. This will more than likely include a combination of manual data entry and importing data from other systems and databases. Populating the database is not a one-time occurrence. As the City's IT environment continues to change, staff should be tasked with monitoring and maintaining the database on a regular basis. Maintenance could include assessing the current database for completeness, adding or removing CIs, components, or attributes; or adjusting relationships. Ideally, any change to the City IT environment, and subsequently the CMDB, should go through a formal change control process prior to initiating the change; which should include reviewing the relationships between the affected CIs.













Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 580 920 - - 960 1,920 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 900 1,340 $64,000 $84,000 960 1,920 $0 $0



- - - - $84,000 $84,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to conduct this initiative in Year 5. Subsequent years do not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to populate and maintain the database on a regular basis.


Evaluate the Current Configuration Management Program Develop an Approach to Expanding Database Capability Implement the Short-Term Improvements and Define the CMDB Content Populate and Maintain the Database


Increased cross-training among City IT staff More efficient use of City IT resources Decreased use of redundant systems Increased alignment of City IS implementations with City IS strategic goals Increased utilization of Citywide data



Potential Risks

No Action: Continued use of potentially redundant systems Continued inefficient use of City IT resources Limited understanding of relationships between technology configuration items at the City Limited Citywide reporting capabilities

During Implementation: The City may not have sufficient resources to develop and maintain a CMDB City stakeholder’s may not understand the purpose or benefits of a robust CMDB The City may find that during implementation, a CMDB may not be feasible with current technology in

place Post-Implementation:

The CMDB may not be maintained on a regular basis, leading to an outdated and underutilized database


5.0 Implementing the Strategic Information Technology Plan

This section contains the budget and timeline for the Weighted Prioritized Plan Initiatives, funding considerations for the plan, and describes the approach to ongoing governance of the plan.

5.1 BUDGET AND TIMELINE Section 4.0 of the IS Strategic Plan provided detailed descriptions for each initiative and what each entails, identified which strategic issues and opportunities are addressed by the initiative, estimated budgets and timing for the initiative, identified action items to implement the initiative, and listed anticipated benefits of the initiative.

The tables on the following pages summarizes the budget and internal hour estimates for the recommended initiatives that have been presented in this Plan. The timeline provides a framework for budgeting project costs and for planning implementation timeframes over a five-year planning horizon. The timeframes, costs, and hours presented are estimates and will vary based on the City budget, competing technologies, the availability of support resources, and the specific technical approach used to undertake an initiative.

Each initiative in the table can be started and/or completed within a given fiscal year. Rather than attempting to determine exactly when a particular project would be undertaken, this table is intended to identify the fiscal year(s) that a project should be initiated. If a fiscal year has a zero presented for the initiative cost, this signifies no budget amount is expected and existing internal resources will be utilized to complete the initiative. A dash symbol indicates that there are no planned activities for the initiative during the respective fiscal year.


Table 5.1: Project and Initiative Budget and Timeline Matrix

Project and Initiative Budget and Timeline Matrix



I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee $24,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $24,000

L Prioritize completion of current projects $24,000 - - - - $24,000

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process $65,200 $0 $0 $0 $0 $65,200

F Improve remote connectivity at the City $24,000 $16,000 - - - $40,000


B Evaluate structure of City IT functions - $52,000 - - - $52,000

M


- $53,500 $0 $0 $0 $53,500

D


- $60,000 $0 $0 $0 $60,000


N Reassess network security and vulnerabilities - - $174,000 $70,000 $70,000 $314,000

H Re-evaluate and improve the helpdesk request process - - $12,000 - - $12,000

Initiatives Starting in Year Four K Formalize IS technology training - - - $52,000 $0 $52,000

O Formalize end-user technology training - - - $48,000 $0 $48,000


G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system - - - - $96,000 $96,000

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB) - - - - $84,000 $84,000


Total Plan Initiatives Budget $137,200 $181,500 $186,000 $170,000 $250,000 $924,700


The following figure depicts the five-year trend of the combined budget amounts for the Strategic Initiatives in each of the Plan years.

Figure 5.1: Five-Year Spending Levels

Table 5.2: Project and Initiative Internal Labor Hours and Timeline Matrix




I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee 296 200 200 200 200 1,096

L Prioritize completion of current projects 240 - - - - 240

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process 440 100 100 100 100 840

F Improve remote connectivity at the City 120 80 - - - 200


B Evaluate structure of City IT functions - 360 - - - 360

M


- 360 200 200 200 960

D

Conduct an inventory of applications and analyze application relationships and business processes to determine

- 400 60 60 60 580

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$300,000

1 2 3 4 5

Budg

et

Year


Project and Initiative Internal Labor Hours and Timeline Matrix areas of consolidation and efficiency


N Reassess network security and vulnerabilities - - 660 200 200 1,060

H Re-evaluate and improve the helpdesk request process - - 200 80 80 360

Initiatives Starting in Year Four K Formalize IS technology training - - - 280 100 380

O Formalize end-user technology training - - - 240 60 300


G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system - - - - 540 540

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB) - - - - 920 920


Total Plan Initiatives Budget 1,096 1,500 1,420 1,360 2,460 7,836

The following figure depicts the five-year trend of the combined internal labor hours for the Strategic Initiatives in each of the Plan years.

Figure 5.2: Five-Year Internal Labor Hours Levels

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1 2 3 4 5

Inte

rnal

Lab

or H

ours

Year


As the nature of this Plan consists primarily of management and operations initiatives, a high level of third-party resources may be required to assist the City with implementation. The first few years of the Plan involve the development of the “building blocks” towards technology management efficiencies, allowing subsequent years to build off those initiatives. Over time, the third-party resources needed to sustain ongoing operations reduces as projects are completed; however, additional third-party resources may be required to assist with projects in later years. This leads to a steady growth of spending levels over five years.

In addition to new funding that may be needed to support new Strategic Initiatives that are identified, additional operational funding will need to be secured in cases where new application or technologies are implemented as part of the Plan.


5.2 IS STRATEGIC PLAN GOVERNANCE The City should begin the implementation of the projects and initiatives contained in this Plan during the current fiscal year. Planning, selecting, deploying, and management of improved systems,

technology, and service delivery mechanisms will require strong leadership, clear strategic and tactical plans, and, where reasonable, comprehensive needs assessments to help identify the technologies that best address City challenges.

Once new technologies and initiatives are implemented, the City will need to actively communicate the new functionality and/or

services, and their benefits, to both internal and external stakeholders. For example, the City should not expect that a technology training program will be widely adopted, unless the benefits of the program are effectively communicated, and the training is easy to attend and/or obtain.

New technologies create significant opportunities to change how the City manages daily operations. The City must plan for significant business process changes that streamline operations and focus on using technology to improve customer service. The City should consider the following requirements that a plan of this magnitude necessitates:

Figure 5.3: Requirements to Consider when Implementing the Plan

Active executive management involvement and sponsorshipwill be critical to the successful adoption and continued support

of the Plan.

Implementing a successful IS Strategic Plan will require

significant planning, increased capital investment, and human

resources in order to successfully implement the Plan Initiatives.

Project goals and objectives should be clearly communicated

to stakeholders and progress proactively monitored.

Business processes should be evaluated, and, where necessary, redesigned to take advantage of

new technologies in order to meet the City’s desired objectives.

Many changes will be non-technical. Rather, they will be cultural shifts, process changes facilitated by change management, and policy and

procedure adjustments.

Departments must work cooperatively and

collaboratively to facilitate effective change that is in

the best interest of the City.

Technical support staff will be critical to the success of the IS Strategic Plan’s implementation.

Internal stakeholders must be ready, willing, and able to use new

technology and embrace effective change.

“The City should begin the implementation of the projects and initiatives

contained in this Plan during the current fiscal year.”


Updating the Plan

BerryDunn recommends that the City review and update the Plan twice a year. The review process should be managed by the ITSC. The review meetings should address the following:

a. The first update of the year should be to track the progress made against initiatives.

b. The second update during the year should focus on reassessing upcoming projects and reprioritizing the order of projects for the upcoming fiscal year. While individual department input is important, the overall decision to reprioritize initiatives should be made by the ITSC. As

part of this update, the ITSC should meet with department representatives to obtain their input and communicate plans for the upcoming year.

It is anticipated that new projects will be identified throughout the year. Some of these projects may be the result of new State mandates or other unexpected events that create the need for an IS

project. The ITSC should be responsible for assessing new projects as they are identified, and determine how they can be incorporated into the IS Strategic Plan.

Incorporating New Projects into the Plan The Plan is not intended to be a static document and does not include support and maintenance activities associated with projects or systems not specifically identified in this document. As new projects are identified, BerryDunn recommends that projects be selected and prioritized based on the following:

Figure 5.4: Recommended Project Prioritization Criteria

The City can use the methodology and tools provided during the development of this IS Strategic Plan by identifying and prioritizing critical issues impacting the City’s needs and select new projects to be added to the Plan based on the number of issues the project addresses, in addition to the factors identified previously.

Overall return on investment to the City

Funding and resource needs

Overall benefit to the City

Other projects in progress

The ability for the City to dedicate appropriate resources to the project to increase the likelihood of success

“BerryDunn recommends that the

City review and update the Plan twice a year.”


Assessing Current Projects As important as selecting and prioritizing projects to be added to the Plan in the future, will be the process of assessing the overall status of “in progress projects.” BerryDunn recommends that the City develop project status reports to track and report on the status for all projects.

Many organizations assess the overall “health” of a project by analyzing the following factors, known as the “Triple Constraints”:

Figure 5.5: Tripe Constraints

Indicators can be assigned to each of these project factors and a project that is failing to perform in one of these critical areas can be further analyzed to develop a corrective action plan to address project performance issues.

Many of the projects contained in this Plan span enterprise-wide. For enterprise-wide projects, the City can identify specific areas to assess as part of reviewing an in-progress project to determine the overall likelihood of a success. BerryDunn recommends that the City consider analyzing the areas summarized in Table 5.2 below when assessing an enterprise-wide in-progress project.

Table 5.3: Project Assessment Areas

Project Assessment Areas

No. Assessment Areas Description

1 Project Management

Project planning has occurred (business case and scope developed), roles and responsibilities have been identified, and a project management plan that addresses the management of project scope, project schedule, risks and issues, and quality has been developed. The triple constraints (scope, schedule, and costs) are being managed appropriately.

2 Implementation Approach

An approach to implementing the project has been developed based on best practices, and is being followed.

3 Change Management

An approach to change management has been developed and implemented. Stakeholders understand the scope of project and how they will be affected.

Budget

Schedule

Scope

“BerryDunn recommends that the City develop project status reports to track and report in the status for all projects.”

“BerryDunn recommends that the City consider analyzing the areas summarized

in Table 5.2 below when assessing an enterprise-wide in-progress project.”


Project Assessment Areas

No. Assessment Areas Description

4 Governance Appropriate project governance has been established to ensure that participants are accountable and responsible as appropriate. A framework (policies and procedures) is being followed to ensure project success.

5 Quality Management

Steps are being taken to ensure that quality is being managed appropriately, including quality planning (project quality standards and metrics are defined), quality assurance (tasks and deliverables are reviewed and accepted by the governing body), and quality control (tasks and deliverables that do not pass quality assurance standards are remediated).

6 Capability Maturity Capabilities implemented as a result of the completion of tasks and deliverables are evaluated to establish and track maturity (e.g., maturity of the project selection and prioritization process, or the maturity of IS technology training).

7 Cost-Benefit The costs of the project are regularly evaluated to ensure that the anticipated and realized benefits of the project are worthwhile.

The indicators in the table below can be used to categorize the status of the assessment areas.

Table 5.4: Project Assessment Indicators

Project Assessment Indicators

Status

IS Department Role on Projects

It will be important that the IS Department has an active role in the projects contained in the IS Strategic Plan. However, the IS Department’s involvement will vary depending on the project. The table below summarizes involvement depending on the particular project. The IS Department will either Lead (have ultimate responsibility for the entire life cycle of a project from initiation to completion) or Participate (be an active advisor and participant in a project and serve in an advisory role to departments that are identified as the Lead for a project) on the projects in the Plan.

“In order to implement the projects in this plan, it will be

critical for the City to implement the recommended project management practices.”


Table 5.5: IS Project Roles

IS Project Roles

ID Project Description IS Department Role (Lead or Participate)

I Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee Lead

L Prioritize completion of current projects Participate

A Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process Participate

F Improve remote connectivity at the City Lead

B Evaluate structure of City IT functions. Participate

M Implement a best-practice portfolio, program, and project management framework to include all City technology projects Participate

D Conduct an inventory of applications and analyze application relationships and business processes to determine areas of consolidation and efficiency

Lead

N Reassess network security and vulnerabilities Lead

H Re-evaluate and improve the helpdesk request process Lead

K Formalize IS technology training Lead

O Formalize end-user technology training Participate

G Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system Lead

E Implement a configuration management database (CMDB) Lead

Success Factors for the Plan One of the critical success factors for the implementation of the IS Strategic Plan will be executive support for the projects in the Plan. The City should commit to undertaking the projects in this Plan, which will require executive support to allocate the appropriate City resources, as well as ensure that projects outside the scope of this Plan in current and future years are thoroughly evaluated before adjusting existing priorities.

As described in preceding sections, the City can improve the process of selecting, prioritizing, tracking, monitoring and reporting on IS projects. In order to implement the projects in this Plan, it will be critical for the City to implement the recommended project management practices. Implementing the projects and initiatives in this Plan will not only take City resources and appropriate staff, but also a structured project management methodology to increase the likelihood of project success.

It is important that over the next five years the role of IS at the City continues to evolve and continually be assessing leading edge and proven technology tools to solve technology issues at the City. The role of IS should focus on problem solving while balancing other organizational needs such as security, access to data, and e-government services. Some of the initiatives in this Plan will assist IS in moving further towards a proactive focus on IS planning.


Appendix A: List of Strategic Issues and Opportunities

This appendix contains the List of Strategic Issues and Opportunities confirmed as a result of the Strategic Issue and Opportunity Work Session.

Prioritized List of Strategic IS Issues and Opportunities - Detailed


Management and Operations

M2

Documents are being retained for too long. It was reported that departments and/or specific users may not be following written retention schedules/policies. Inconsistent document retention practices have led to documents being retained for longer than needed and additional research being conducted for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

16

M4

City IT personnel are not cross-trained. The IS Department personnel, as well as departmental IT resources, in their various roles, support a wide variety of functions and systems. This necessitates an effort to cross train for efficiency and knowledge sharing to expand the support capabilities of each individual. A lack of cross-trained staff could create risks related to a lack of knowledge sharing and limited backup/support available should a key individual(s) be unavailable for a short period of time (sickness, vacation, etc.) or indefinitely (retired, fired, etc.). Specific examples of identified risks include the Police Department IT resource’s knowledge of Police-specific hardware and software, and the IS Department project managers’ knowledge of interoperability expectations between the various enterprise applications currently being implemented.

16

M6

The IS project selection and prioritization process could be improved. It was reported that technology projects are first submitted to IS, then brought to executive management for review and approval. Staff reported that because, generally, all projects are approved, the planning and prioritization process does not work as intended. This has led to an inefficient and expensive technology environment at the City, and a lack of enforcement of the overall technology strategy identified in the Information Systems Business Plan 2016 document.

16

M8

The City does not have sufficient IS staff with project management experience to adequately manage all current and planned technology projects. With over 40 planned and in-progress projects, and only a handful of IS staff with the ability to manage and participate in technology projects throughout the City, IS may not have sufficient project management resources to dedicate the necessary attention to each project. It was reported that, in several instances, software implementations were/are delayed or unfinished. Some examples are Vision, PHDoc, and Esri ArcGIS. To further complicate project management activities, it was reported that there are a number of projects not on the work plan, such as B-10 requests, informal project requests, as well as projects where IS staff are involved as subject matter experts. The general sense in the City is that the IS Department, and project management in particular, is stretched too thin.

15




M11

The City does not have a formal Information Technology Steering Committee. It was reported that technology projects are sent before the City Management Team for review and approval. Although similar, this Management Team does not appear to be a formal Information Technology Steering Committee, with a formal Charter authorizing the ITSC and procedures in place to guide the management of the ITSC and decision-making authorities. A formalized ITSC provides structure to the committee and processes, allowing for more strategic analysis and decision making.

15

M12

Ongoing training for IS staff and departmental IT support may be inadequate for the functions regularly performed. In order for IS staff to stay current on industry best practices regarding technology and obtain/maintain skills and certifications, and for the City to be able to hire and retain top IT talent, the IS Department may need to place a greater emphasis on a culture of training and professional improvement. It was reported that, although there are sufficient training funds available, because there has been a limited emphasis on training, IS staff are not building training opportunities into their busy schedules.

15

M13

The City’s policies surrounding remote access to City systems is either not well-defined or not well-known. Some managers in City departments reported having remote access to City systems from mobile devices or home devices. However, many staff members reported that they are not informed as to what the policies surrounding remote access to City systems entail. There is widespread confusion as to who can request and utilize remote access. Additionally, managers and other staff alike reported a lack of knowledge as to the specific ramifications of the policy. Some staff members with remote access reported knowledge of a form that must be completed for access to remote applications, such as Good™, and those who knew it existed varied in their acknowledgment of actually signing the form. Some managers reported trepidation about a more widespread granting of remote access without significant revisions to policies surrounding remote access and related topics, such as remote work.

14

M5

The Citywide IT organizational structure is segmented and inefficient. The various IT management and support groups at the City (IS Department, Utilities IT, and Police IT) have limited communication and transparency, and are potentially duplicating work effort. For example, the Fire Department administers its own wireless networks in its stations, the Planning Department does the maintenance on its plotter (although it would prefer that professionals do it), and Utilities and Police have their own IT staff that handle most of their department’s IT functions. In some cases, the departments who have in-house IT functions report a desire to not have to use their own staff hours on IT functions. In others, it was indicated that a centralization of functions could result in the creation of efficiencies. It was reported that the lack of communication and integration between IS and the satellite IT support groups has led to inefficiencies, as well as potential collaboration challenges in the City. It was also reported by City staff that, because they only interact with one or two IS staff on a periodic basis, they are unaware of how the IS Department is structured and the role of each staff member.

13




M3

Citywide staff do not understand how technology budgeting, spending, and chargebacks occur at the City. It was reported that, although efforts have been made by the IS Department to be transparent and explain the reasoning behind technology spending and chargebacks at the City, employees in multiple departments reported that it is still unclear to them how technology spending and chargebacks work. This has led to issues regarding decision making during the budgeting process.

10

M7

IS project management is not following an industry best-practice framework. It was reported that most projects involving IS resources have limited project management best practices in place, including, but not limited to, project planning documentation (business case, project charter, project work plan, project schedule, etc.), change management procedures, deliverable and project acceptance criteria and documentation, and clear organizational and decision-making structures. A lack of best-practice project management framework components, such as a clearly defined project plan, schedule, and expectations of deliverables, can lead to increased project risks, including, but not limited to, scope creep (uncontrolled changes to project scope), unengaged staff, missed budgets and milestones, and, ultimately, could lead to failed projects.

10

M1

The City is performing many manual and paper-based processes. A number of processes at the City are being performed manually, primarily due to a lack of integrations between enterprise applications and numerous “large- and medium-scope” point solutions throughout the City. For example, it was reported that cashiering in the Motor Vehicle/Deputy Registrar Office is a manual process and that transactions are sent to Finance for entry into the general ledger, using an MS Excel spreadsheet.

9

M10

The City does not have a Change Control Board. The City does have some policy in place for technology infrastructure changes; however, there is not a Change Control Board or other similar mechanism with a Citywide view to evaluate how changes to technology will impact the City. A lack of a single body reviewing and approving changes that could have impacts Citywide can lead to deviations from the City’s strategic plan, inconsistencies in how important information is shared with staff, overspending on initiatives or technology, and potentially failed projects.

9

M14

Departments acquire equipment on grant funding without a guaranteed funding stream for maintenance and replacement. As an example, the license plate readers and other cameras used by Police were purchased on a grant, and there is no room in the department’s budget for their upkeep and replacement. This could eventually lead to the decay of the efficacy of departmental capabilities without the funding to mitigate the effects of aging or damaged equipment.

9

M9

City staff are not following a structured helpdesk request process. It was reported by City staff that a structured helpdesk request process exists; however, it is not enforced. This leads to many support requests not being entered into the helpdesk ticketing system. It was also reported by staff that they are unsure of who, when, and how to contact IS. Staff reported that the most common approach to requesting help is to contact the person in IS that they have built the best relationship with, regardless of whether that person is the most appropriate person to contact for

7



No. Issue and Opportunity Description Score the need. Contact is reported to be anything from a phone call, email, walking into IS, or stopping someone in the hall. The current approach is most likely causing inadequate triaging, load balancing, problem identification, incident tracking, performance/metric tracking, and reporting by IS.

Applications

A5

GIS functionality could be improved to create efficiencies with associated data management and business processes. The City is currently in the process of replacing the Small World GIS application with Esri ArcGIS. It was reported that the legacy application (Small World) provides basic functionality required, but does not provide the enhanced functionality to take advantage of local government GIS best practices (i.e., a GIS-centric environment with integration with enterprise applications, mobile functionality, etc.). It was reported that the implementation of Esri should move the City towards best practice; however, there have been challenges with the implementation and integration with City enterprise applications.

17

A2

Laserfiche is not being used to its full capability. It was reported that some applications use their own DMS functionality rather than leveraging Laserfiche. Furthermore, it was reported that some document repository functionality that should be applied to other applications is not being used at all, resulting in a reliance on paper document storage. Multiple departments reported concerns about the volume of public records requests that are anticipated, and Laserfiche could offer a public-facing portal on which documents could be stored, reducing the staff time taken fulfilling document requests from the public.

16

A3

The use of existing applications could be expanded to additional departments. It was reported that departments are using different applications for the same functionality across the city. For instance, partly due to the fact that the implementation is incomplete, not all departments are using Esri, and are instead using Small World, the legacy GIS system. Some departments are wholly dependent on Small World, such as Environmental Health. It was also reported that InVision is being used for code enforcement functions, while similar functionality exists in CityView. Human Resources is currently the primary user of NeoGov, with some use by department leadership when creating job requisitions. It was reported that additional departments could benefit from using NeoGov for requisition creation and applicant-tracking activities.

15

A9

Report generation and querying capabilities are limited. It was reported that, due to a number of factors, including disparate databases and limited functionality in legacy systems, obtaining data in order to be able to generate meaningful reports has been challenging. This has led to manual workarounds and time-consuming activities to obtain requested information.

13

A6

The City’s technology architecture may be overly complex, making IT support challenging. With many disparate applications and point solutions, the current technology architecture may be unnecessarily complex and could be improved to capture efficiencies. Potential inefficiencies include a lack of standardization of technology platforms (i.e., web-based vs. installed applications; iOS, Android, or Windows operating systems; differing programming languages; etc.), a lack of

13



No. Issue and Opportunity Description Score standardized workstations (i.e., some laptops, some tablets, but mostly desktops), limited consolidation of databases, as well as limited single sign-on capabilities.

A1

The City has many applications that are not integrated. The City has over 180 applications, of which about 60% of them have a user scope of “Very Small” to “Small,” about 20% have a “Medium” user scope, and the remaining 20% are considered enterprise applications or have a “Large” user scope. Of these various applications, many of them do not integrate with other City applications, leading to manual activities to obtain information and share data between the applications. Further, staff reported that there is a general lack of data sharing across departments. The City plans to develop integrations where there is a business case; however, most identified integrations have yet to be developed.

12

A8 Agenda.NET is not meeting the City’s agenda management needs. The City currently uses Agenda.NET for council and committee agendas. Staff reported that the application is not very intuitive to use, and provides limited functionality.

8

A4

Munis, the City’s financial software application, is not being used to its full capability. It was reported that some departments with finance functions, in particular cashiering, are not leveraging Munis. For example, the Motor Vehicle Department (under the City Clerk) uses its own cashiering system, despite reported challenges with the current application and processes.

8

Technical

T1

Remote connectivity/mobility at the City is limited. It was reported that the IS Department has secured funding to improve the City’s remote access capabilities; however, in the current environment, staff reported a number of challenges with a lack of mobility (i.e., ability to work remotely, in the field, or away from ones desk). HR staff reported issues with hiring and retaining quality staff due to the inability to provide a flexible work environment. Areas for improvement could include the implementation of laptops for all staff with desktops, desktop virtualization, improved VPN for remote activities, mobile-device optimized applications, 3g devices or hotspots for field workers, improved City Wi-Fi/network capabilities, and a cultural emphasis on mobility and a flexible work environment.

18

T4

Data management at the City could be improved. The City is not currently following any best-practice frameworks for data management, and, due to the lack of structure, the City may be performing inefficient activities regarding components such as data classification, data retention, data warehousing, integrations, interface and glue applications, and reporting abilities.

17

T8

The City’s wireless network is inadequate for the support of City operations. As employees begin to use wireless devices (such as iPads) for work functions more frequently, the City’s Wi-Fi was reported to be inadequate to support City operations. Although all workstations in City Hall have wired internet connections, and are thus unaffected by the quality of the Wi-Fi, employees, especially those who conduct a large amount of field work, utilize the City Wi-Fi to complete work while on premises.

16




T13

The City may have network security vulnerabilities. It was reported that, in some instances, the City network may have security vulnerabilities. For example, it was reported that public safety cameras and traffic signals may be insecure. It was also identified that the City is utilizing Remote Desktop Protocol port 3389, which is a known default port for remote desktop, which can be exploited by hackers.

16

T5

The City may have single points of technology failure. The City may be vulnerable to single points of failure primarily due to silo’d technology knowledge (i.e., lack of cross-training), non-integrated applications, and network infrastructure, including internet redundancy, firewall configuration, internet router placement, and power supply redundancy.

15

T9

Available technology at the City is unknown or underutilized by City staff. It was reported that some implemented technology at the City, which could aid in productivity, is being underutilized or unknown by City staff. The primary example provided is Jabber, the City’s instant messaging application, which is a component of the recently implemented phone system.

13

T10

Single sign-on is limited for some applications/departments. It was reported that for some departments, such as Police, staff must maintain a number of different usernames and passwords for applications and web portals due to a lack of single-sign-on functionality. In some cases, staff indicated that they currently have over 40 passwords in use.

12

T6

Multiple departments are experiencing business process inefficiencies due to the configuration and speed of the City’s network (i.e., firewall). It was reported by multiple departments that the configuration of the City’s firewall(s) are causing inefficient business processes and leading to time-consuming and potentially risk prone workarounds. Staff reported a desire for the City to find ways to enable increased network access, while still maintaining appropriate levels of security. It was reported that in some City locations, such as the firehouses, network speeds are hindering productivity.

11

T3

The City does not have an effective configuration management database. A configuration management database (CMDB) is a database that contains information about the various components of an organization’s information systems in order to manage the relationships of those various components. Currently, the City does not have an effective CMDB that can be used to conduct analysis when developing IT strategy and evaluating the effects of change to the technology environment.

11

T2

Public Health has insufficient hardware and mobility for efficient operations. Due to funding challenges and the nature of how the department is funded (approximately 85% grant funded), as well as limited mobility at the City, the Public Health Department is experiencing inefficient operations. It was reported that staff must share computers because the department does not have enough for everyone, and that staff using PHDocs must drive to the City offices in order to chart, which takes considerable time out of each employee’s day. Staff reported that, due to the lack of needed tools to be productive, Public Health has struggled to hire and retain qualified employees.

10




T11

Conference room technology is becoming outdated. It was reported by some staff that the technology in conference rooms could be improved, including the elimination of cords (VGA, HDMI, etc.) and the implementation of smartboards or flat screen televisions.

9

T7

Software patching and updating capabilities at the City is limited. It was reported that the IS Department is in the process of improving helpdesk functionality at the City; however, staff reported that, in the current environment, the lack of automated support functionality may be hindering performance. Examples provided include the need to manually request updates such as Adobe and Java, and the inability to have roaming user profiles.

7

T12

Large file transfers can be a manual, time-intensive process. It was reported that, in some departments, such as Communications, the transfer of media and other large files is a manual and time-intensive process, using USB drives due to limited functionality in place to share large files electronically. Similarly, it was reported by some departments that they are currently sharing sensitive data over email and other insecure methods due to a lack of secure information-sharing functionality. A specific example provided includes the emailing of crime scene photos between necessary staff in the Police Department.

7


Appendix B: List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives

This appendix contains the List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives confirmed as a result of the Projects and Initiatives Work Session.

Prioritized List of IS Projects and Initiatives - Detailed

ID Project/Initiative Description Priority

I

Establish an Information Technology Steering Committee. In the current environment, technology governance is disparate and inefficient, leading to increased costs and complexity at the City. The City should implement a formal Information Technology Steering Committee to oversee technology governance. The Committee should consist of stakeholders representing a cross-section of departments and business functions with the ability to determine solutions and direction as well as enforce decisions regarding information technology. The Committee should develop a formal Charter with an established purpose and conduct meetings on a regular basis. Items within the purview of the committee should include but not be limited to information technology: budgets, planning, project management oversight, and approval. Sub-initiatives to be completed following the establishment of the Committee should include the development of a formal technology request, planning, and approval process following a best practice framework, and assessing the need for a change control board.

Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Utilities, Community Services, City Manager’s Office, Legal

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M6, M8, M11 High: M5, M7, T9 Medium: M10

L

Prioritize completion of current projects. The IS Department as well as other City departments reported that the City has over 40 planned and in-progress technology improvement projects and does not have sufficient staffing to manage them all efficiently and complete them in a timely manner. Given the number and breadth of the planned and in-progress projects, the City should create a prioritized list of projects and allocate resources to the projects based on their projected future efficiency gains. This may include canceling current projects if they are found to have minimal return on investment. In order to effectively prioritize current projects and manage the prioritized projects, the City should solicit and hire a staff member with significant IT project management experience to assist with project management functions. Prior to commencing this initiative, the City should create an Information Technology Steering Committee (Initiative I) to manage the prioritization of current projects.

Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Fire

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M8




A

Improve the IS project selection and prioritization process. In the current environment, it was reported that the IS project prioritization process may have limited effectiveness, which is leading to issues further downstream, such as challenges dedicating sufficient IS staff time to complete projects, limited strategic planning and prioritization of projects to obtain cost savings and efficiencies, and more. The City should improve the process by implementing a best-practice model for identifying, submitting, reviewing, selecting, prioritizing, and evaluating IS projects. Submitted projects should include business justification with sufficient information to allow the City to align each project with Citywide and technology strategy. Prior to the commencement of this initiative, the City should develop an Information Technology Steering Committee (Initiative I). This Committee should then be tasked with overseeing the successful completion of this initiative.

Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Utilities, Community Services, City Manager’s Office

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M6, M8, M11 High: A6, T3 Medium: M10

D

Conduct an inventory of applications and analyze application relationships and business processes to determine areas of consolidation and efficiency. It was reported that many applications are in use across City departments that duplicate the functionality of other technology applications. The reasons for this appear to be twofold: technology initiatives have not been fully integrated across the City and departments have acquired new software without evaluating the potential use of existing software throughout the City. To resolve these issues, the City should review each application and develop a catalog listing every software application used by the City. The catalog should be used as the first-line resource for finding software solutions for departmental processes. The catalog should include basic information about the software solution as well as details about common applications of the solution and the software’s capabilities and limitations. Following the inventory of applications in use, the City should conduct a gap analysis and business process study to identify inefficiencies of systems, and opportunities for improved training, integrations, and cost savings. Process mapping could be used to facilitate this task.

Department Referencing Initiative: Training Group, Information Systems

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: A5, A2, A3 High: A6, A1, T9, T3 Medium: M1, A8, A4

B

Evaluate Structure of City IT functions. In addition to the central City IS Department, the Police and Public Works Departments maintain their own IT staff, spreading IT functions across multiple City departments. Staff reported a potential duplication of efforts across the Departments, insufficient staffing for some functions (notably project management), and a lack of knowledge-sharing and cross-training. The City should evaluate the structure and staffing of the IS Department and satellite IT staff and evaluate approaches to improving collaboration and consolidating IT functions under one IT Department.





Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M4, M8, M12 High: M5, M7, A6, A1 Medium: M10, M9

F

Improve remote connectivity at the City. It was reported that remote connectivity at the City is limited, leading to challenges using mobile devices, limited ability to work from home, and challenges recruiting and retaining top talent. The City should improve remote connectivity by completing the initiative to improve Wi-Fi in City buildings, establish policies and procedures for staff to request and use remote access functionality, and conduct research and implement improved abilities to connect to the City’s network when remote. Security considerations shall be balanced with available functionality to staff.

Department Referencing Initiative: Remote Access Team

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: T1, T8 High: M13, T9 Medium: M1, T11

M

Implement a best practice portfolio, program, and project management framework to include all City technology projects. In the current environment the City has not had sufficient time to implement a best-practice, and repeatable, approach to project management leading to challenges successfully completing projects on time and on budget. The City should implement a framework such as Project Management Institute/Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMI/PMBOK) in order to follow best practices for the management of all City technology projects and activities to ensure that a project leader, effort estimates, project timelines, resources, and dependencies are identified for each project. This approach should also result in a higher level of collaboration between the IT Department and other City departments, more structured implementation approaches, and identification of when projects end and thus enter the support and maintenance phase. Prior to commencing this initiative, the City should create an Information Technology Steering Committee (Initiative I) to oversee the implementation of this initiative, and ongoing oversight of projects.


Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M8 High: M5, M7

C

Develop specific data and document management protocols. It was reported that there is not a universal understanding of or agreement on document and data management protocols throughout the City, especially with respect to document retention protocols. The City should develop a catalog of document and data classifications and assign a document retention period to each document type in accordance with local, State, and federal laws as well as any City-specific policies. Additionally, the City should evaluate extending electronic document management functionality in areas where it is not being used in order to ensure that there is a central repository of information and logical and effective document management.




Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Utilities, Finance, City Clerk, Legal

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M2, A2, T4 High: A6, A1, T9, T3 Medium: M1

N

Improve technology security at the City. It was reported that the City does not regularly conduct vulnerability, penetration testing, or security risk assessments. Despite this, the City is aware of some vulnerabilities in the current environment. The City should audit current systems and develop a list of known vulnerabilities of current software, hardware, and physical security; then prioritize a remediation list tackling the most critical vulnerabilities first. Because security is an evolving topic that is constantly changing, the City should also implement a plan to conduct policy review, security testing, and remediation on a recurring basis.

Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Fire

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: T13, T1 Medium: T7

H

Improve the help-desk request process. The current helpdesk request process at the City is inefficient and has led to challenges tracking and reporting on helpdesk activities. The City is currently implementing new helpdesk ticketing software to improve this process. The City should continue to implement this software following a best-practice implementation approach, and develop an improved process to receive helpdesk requests. This improved process should triage all requests through the system before distributing to the appropriate support staff member.

Department Referencing Initiative: BerryDunn

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M4, M12 High: M5 Medium: M9

J

Improve the data governance framework at the City. A data governance framework is a consistent approach to collecting, managing, and sharing data in order to improve business processes and provide transparency for citizens. In the current environment the City may be performing inefficient activities regarding data management, such as data classification, data retention, data warehousing, system integrations, interface and applications, and reporting abilities. The City should implement a best-practice framework for data governance to improve the City’s business intelligence, document and records management, collaboration between departments, and interactions with citizens. To start, the City should conduct an analysis of the data being collected in the current environment. Gaps in information should be identified, and steps should be implemented to remediate deficiencies. Improvement steps could include developing and promoting document retention policies, implementing or removing required fields from software applications, developing integrations between software applications to reduce duplication of data, consolidating databases, and providing training on good data management techniques.




Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Utilities, Finance, Legal, City Clerk

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M2, A5, A2, T4 High: A9, A6, A1 Medium: M1

K

Improve IS technology training. Staff reported a number of areas where technology training could improve operations in the IS Department, including cross-training in the IS Department and technology resources throughout the City, training on document retention, project management, use of recently implemented software applications, security, and more. The IS Department should evaluate the approach to orientation and training of new staff, and encourage continuing education and competency evaluations of existing staff. Associated activities should include assessing the current training capabilities at the City including resources and technology, expanding the use of the City intranet to develop and post training manuals and materials, and assessing the feasibility of increased use of online training. The City could also explore the use of a learning management system to facilitate training scheduling and delivery. Activities performed during this initiative could be leveraged when conducting Initiative O: Formalize End-User Technology Training.

Department Referencing Initiative: Information Systems, Utilities, Finance, City Clerk, Legal, Fire, Training Group

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M4, M12, A2, A3, T4 High: M13, M7 Medium: M9

G

Develop an understandable and agreed-upon chargeback system. Multiple City departments reported not fully understanding how IS services are charged. Additionally, different departments reported paying different prices and not understanding why the fees for their services might differ from another department’s fees. The City should develop a comprehensible system for chargebacks based on one of two models: a fee-for-service model in which every piece of hardware and software and the services associated with it have a clear, published, universally applicable price; or a service-level agreement (SLA) model in which departments choose the services they want to receive from a well-defined, universally applicable “menu” of services. Any system would have to receive input and approval by the departments. Upon the adoption of a new or modified system, the City should provide information and training to all relevant staff to ensure that there is a shared understanding of the chargeback system. This initiative should be driven by executive level leadership (i.e., the ELT).

Department Referencing Initiative: BerryDunn

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M6 High: M3 Medium: M14, T2

O

Improve End-User Technology Training. In the current environment, end-user technology training (i.e., application, workstation, device, remote access, document retention, and security training for department staff) is decentralized. It was reported that although some departments are providing technology training to their staff, the level and



ID Project/Initiative Description Priority quality of training may not be consistent throughout the City. The City should improve end-user technology training by first evaluating each department’s training approach (including onboarding and recurring training) and then look to remediate any deficiencies identified in the evaluation. Associated activities could include expanding the use of the City intranet to develop and post training manuals and materials, and assessing the feasibility of increased use of online training. The City could also explore the use of a Learning Management System to facilitate training scheduling and delivery. Activities in Initiative K: Formalize IS Technology Training could be leveraged for this initiative.

Department Referencing Initiative: City Leadership Team

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: Critical: M2, A5, A2, A3, T4, T13 High: T9 Medium: M1, M9, A4

E

Implement a configuration management database (CMDB). A CMDB is a database that contains information about the various components of an organization’s information systems in order to manage the relationships of those various components. Currently, the City does not have an effective CMDB that can be used to conduct analysis when developing IT strategy and evaluating the effects of change to the technology environment. The City should examine the configuration management program, including the CMDB and its Configuration files, Group Policy settings, least functionality, and baseline image files for operating systems to ensure best practices are applied. As part of the initiative, the City should ensure change management, restriction to change, and workflow protocols are in place and are meeting the needs of the city, and verify that all of these details are captured in policy and procedure.

Department Referencing Initiative: Training Group, Information Systems, Fire

Strategic IS Issues Addressed: High: T3


Appendix C: Project Participants

This appendix contains the list of City staff, sorted by department that participated in the project.

City Project Participants

No. Name Department/Division

1 Daniel Blonigen Assessing

2 Jen Blumers Assessing

3 Matt Gersemehl Assessing

4 Brian Kohorst Assessing

5 Kent Smith Assessing

6 Vanessa Thompson Assessing

7 Doug Junker City Clerk

8 Janet Lewis City Clerk

9 Marla Oakland City Clerk

10 Denise Dargan City Manager’s Office

11 Deb Smith City Manager’s Office

12 Elizabeth Tolzmann City Manager’s Office

13 Jamie Verbrugge City Manager’s Office

14 Janine Hill Communications

15 Erik Juhl Communications

16 Dan Marfield Communications

17 Tim Sasse Communications

18 Gina Simmons Communications

19 Jody Willard Communications

20 Larry Lee Community Development

21 Glen Markegard Community Development/Planning

22 Deb Heile Community Development/Environmental Health

23 Jessica Jutz Community Development/Environmental Health

24 Lynn Moore Community Development/Environmental Health

25 Erik Solie Community Development/Environmental Health

26 Karen Olson Community Development/Environmental Health

27 Shannon Rohr Community Development/Environmental Health

28 Mark Stangenes Community Development/Environmental Health

29 Diann Kirby Community Services

30 Randy Quale Community Services

31 Sharon Williams Community Services




32 Tom Bowlin Engineering

33 Derek Cable Engineering

34 Beau Duits Engineering

35 Kris Olk Engineering

36 Shelly Hanson Engineering

37 Jan Almquist Finance

38 Heather Boettcher Finance

39 Kari Carlson Finance

40 Lori Economy-Scholler Finance

41 Brenda Greenwaldt Finance

42 Amy Larson Finance

43 Cindy Rollins Finance

44 Amy Sevig Finance

45 Julie Vogel Finance

46 Jay Forster Fire Department

47 Laura McCarthy Fire Department

48 Ulie Seal Fire Department

49 Doug Grout Housing and Redevelopment Authority

50 Wendy Haugen Housing and Redevelopment Authority

51 Kris Wilson Human Resources

52 Sandra Goldsby Human Services

53 Lorinda Pearson Human Services

54 Maggie Sasse Human Services

55 Tracy Smith Human Services

56 Melissa Wurst-Persaud Human Services

57 Jerry Adkins IS

58 Michael Arvidson IS

59 Hal Busch IS

60 Amy Cheney IS

61 John Clark IS

62 Judy Fradenburgh IS

63 Mario Jara IS

64 Kyle Johannes IS

65 Mat Kvidera IS

66 Brian Lee IS




67 Bob O’Neill IS

68 Steven White IS

69 Kris Graves Legal

70 Ann Kaul Legal

71 Anna Sullivan Legal

72 Andy Baltgalvis Parks and Recreation

73 Scott Breuer Parks and Recreation

74 Rick Sitek Parks and Recreation

75 Jim Urie Parks and Recreation

76 Alison Warren Parks and Recreation

77 Butch Gillum Police Department

78 Chris O’Donnell Police Department

79 Denis Otterness Police Department

80 Anne Marie Schuetski Police Department

81 Mark Stehlik Police Department

82 Schane Rudlang Port Authority

83 Deb Finnegan Public Health

84 Linda Riski-Lundeen Public Health

85 Molly Snuggerud Public Health

86 Jeff Aldinger Utilities

87 Scott Anderson Utilities

88 Jim Eiler Utilities

89 Bob Cockriel Utilities

90 Carol Kaszynski Utilities

91 Karl Keel Utilities

92 Brent Massmann Utilities

93 David Mattson Utilities

94 Joe Starks Utilities

95 Charles Wild Utilities

96 Deb Williams Utilities

97 Clint Wilson Utilities

98 Shane Wurst Utilities


Appendix D: Data Governance Projects

While working with the City Project Team to review and refine the Weighted Prioritized List of Strategic Projects and Initiatives, it was determined that Initiative C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols and Initiative J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City were better suited to be performed by the City’s Data Management Team (DMT) instead of being included in this IS Strategic Plan. This appendix includes the work plan and estimated budget and resources for these two initiatives.

C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols

Initiative C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols

Initiative Description: It was reported that there is not a universal understanding of or agreement on document and data management protocols throughout the City, especially with respect to document retention protocols. The City should develop a catalog of document and data classifications and assign a document retention period to each document type in accordance with local, State, and federal laws as well as any City-specific policies. Additionally, the City should evaluate extending electronic document management functionality in areas where it is not being used in order to ensure that there is a central repository of information and logical and effective document management. Task 1: Document and Categorize Current Data and Documents In order to ensure that the City meets its legal obligations to store records under local, State, and federal laws, as well as any City-specific policies, the City should have an understanding of the types of records that it currently holds. To do this, the City should evaluate the current document and data retention policies and procedures and determine gaps in policies, and areas for improvement. Gaps could include missing data elements, or documents that have not been assigned retention schedules. Task 2: Research Local, State, and Federal Laws on Record Retention and Record City-Specific Policies After the City has successfully documented and categorized the types of data and documents that it currently receives and stores, the City should conduct research to compare the City's current retention schedule, to those mandated by regulation. Potential findings could indicate that the City is retaining specific documents for too long, or that data elements are not being managed properly. Task 3: Establish Data and Document Management Protocols The City should then proceed to establish data and document management protocols and educate staff, in conjunction with Initiative O: Formalize End-User Technology Training, as to the requirements for data and document types that they encounter in their respective roles. These policies should include the retention length, data purging policies, and data repository locations. The City should consider taking advantage of this opportunity by creating a central repository for their data and documents. A central repository, along with the established policy, should reduce confusion among City staff as to their responsibilities, and increase the City’s ability to retain pertinent records.


Functional Area: Management and Operations, Applications





Initiative C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols











Department Priority Cost Benefit Ease of


Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring



Internal Labor 140 200 - - 60 100 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 260 380 $24,000 $36,000 60 100 $0 $0



$36,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $36,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to conduct the initiative in Year 1. Years 2-5 do not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to monitor data and document management practices on an ongoing basis.


Document and Categorize Current Data and Documents Research Local, State, and Federal Laws on Record Retention and Record City-Specific Policies


Initiative C – Develop Specific Data and Document Management Protocols Establish Data and Document Management Protocols


Improved data retention and purging policies Improved communication between City departments Increased use of technology best practices by City staff More efficient use of City IT resources

Potential Risks

No Action: Data retention and purging policies continue to be insufficient to meet record retention requirements

During Implementation: Some required policies, procedures, or retention schedules may not be identified during the

documentation and categorization process Current City technology may not be adequate to support the development and enforcement of data

and document management protocols Post-Implementation:

Developed data and document management protocols may not obtain the necessary buy-in, leading to continued challenges with managing data and documents

J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City

Initiative J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City

Initiative Description: A data governance framework is a consistent approach to collecting, managing, and sharing data in order to improve business processes and provide transparency for citizens. In the current environment, the City may be performing inefficient activities regarding data management, such as data classification, data retention, data warehousing, system integrations, interface and applications, and reporting abilities. The City should implement a best-practice framework for data governance to improve the City’s business intelligence, document and records management, collaboration between departments, and interactions with citizens. To start, the City should conduct an analysis of the data being collected in the current environment. Gaps in information should be identified, and steps should be implemented to remediate deficiencies. Improvement steps could include developing and promoting document retention policies, implementing or removing required fields from software applications, developing integrations between software applications to reduce duplication of data, consolidating databases, and providing training on good data management techniques. Task 1: Evaluate Current Data Governance at the City The City should begin by evaluating the current data governance in place at the City. This should be conducted by the City's Data Management Team (DMT). The evaluation should primarily be a comparison of the current framework in place against a best-practice approach. Numerous organizations offer best-practice information including the Data Management Association (DAMA), which has published the Data Management Body of Knowledge (DMBOK). The DMT should pay particular attention to the maturity of the current framework and capabilities, and metrics that can be used to evaluate effectiveness. Task 2: Develop the Roadmap for Implementing a Data Governance Framework Once the DMT has evaluated current data governance and identified strengths and weaknesses, they should develop a roadmap for implementing improved data governance. This roadmap should include the scope of


Initiative J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City data governance; goals, objectives, and business drivers of data governance; policies, and procedures, and documentation; roles and responsibilities; and communication and training approach. Task 3: Implement the Data Governance Framework Following the development of the roadmap, the DMT should implement the framework. This should include the development of policies and procedures to formalize the framework, as well as the development of documents to manage the processes. Policies and procedures could identify the stakeholders involved and their authority, the processes involved with appropriately managing and handling data, and relevant rules and regulations that govern the processes. Documents could include metrics and scorecards and a data dictionary. Task 4: Monitor and Improve the Data Governance Framework A component of the roadmap developed in Task 2 should include the approach to monitoring and reviewing the framework, as well as any relevant rules and relations regarding the governance and management of data. The City's DMT should review the framework and components on a regular basis and make adjustments as needed.


Functional Area: Management and Operations, Applications







A9 Report generation and querying capabilities are limited.







Department Priority Cost Benefit Ease of


Estimated Budget


One-Time Recurring


Initiative J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City



Internal Labor 340 560 - - 60 100 - -


Hardware - - - - - - - -

Software - - - - - - - -

Total Budget 680 1,080 $68,000 $104,000 60 100 $0 $0



$104,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $104,000

Budget Description:

This initiative includes an estimated budget for the City to work with a third-party resource to assist with Tasks 1-3 in Year 1. Years 2-5 do not have any associated costs; however, the City should continue to monitor data and document management practices on an ongoing basis.


Evaluate Current Data Governance at the City Develop the Roadmap for Implementing a Data Governance Framework Implement the Data Governance Framework Monitor and Improve the Data Governance Framework


Improved Citywide communication and sharing of data Improved data retention and purging practices Increased querying and reporting capabilities Increased use of technology best practices More efficient use of City IT resources

Potential Risks

No Action: Data management continues to be incomplete and inefficient Reporting and business intelligence capabilities to continue to be limited Citizen transparency continues to be limited

During Implementation: The evaluation of current data governance practices at the City may be limited or incomplete, leading

to unknown or inefficient processes continuing to be performed, and gaps in the roadmap Technology at the City may not provide sufficient functionality to implement an adequate data

governance framework Limited stakeholder buy-in may limit the effectiveness of the framework The City may not provide sufficient resources (internal or external) to properly implement a data

governance framework


Initiative J – Implement a Data Governance Framework at the City Post-Implementation:

The framework may not be monitored or improved upon, leading to outdated or incomplete data governance activities