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Information Systems Department
ISD 18 Month Work Plan (2021-2022)
Performance Goals
- Status of 2019 Performance Goals:
Please see Attachment 1 for a status update of the 2020 performance goals. - Top 3‐5 Proposed Performance Goals for January 2021 – June 2022:
Information Systems will focus on the following goals for the next 18‐month period.
Performance Goal 1
Description: Complete Information Technology (IT) Resiliency Risk Assessment & Business Impact Analysis and restructure the ISD Cyber Security program.
Measure: Phase I of the Board approved scope of work to be completed by the end of the 3rd quarter 2021. Complete re‐alignment of existing staff to approved organizational structure by reassigning existing staff and back filing resulting vacancies during 2nd quarter of 2021.
Background Information: Preparing for and responding to disasters and emergencies increased reliance on the County’s information technology infrastructure and is a primary consideration for all aspects of emergency management, continuity of operations, and community recovery. This has been highlighted with shift to remote/telework environments. Information Technology security is also a critical component of IT resiliency as defined in numerous standards and regulations (NIST, CJIS, HIPAA, etc.). Security is currently being covered by assigning the function to an existing Technical Services project manager, in addition to normal duties, and by identifying members of several functional teams to help address security and response activities that are deemed highest priority. This approach does not meet the needs. An initial organizational change was approved by the Board subject to fiscal and recruitment constraints. Recent retirements have changed the fiscal
outlook to allow filling a vacant Project Manager position with existing internal talent to be completed by 2nd Quarter 2021.
This goal will provide a baseline IT risk and cyber‐security assessment, business impact analysis study, and organizational recommendations. The following reports/deliverables are planned:
- Threats against County IT infrastructure and their estimated likelihood;
- Calculations of monetary and other loss impacts of physical and cybersecurity threats;
- Baseline Risk Report showing the top risks based on likelihood of the threat and impact loss;
- An analysis of technical designs developed by County staff to improve IT service resiliency; and
- A comparison of the County’s capabilities with similar organizations, including staffing.
Attachment 2 – ISD FY 19‐20 Emergency Response Highlights provides a list of activities provided for Emergency Response during FY 19‐20 for reference.
Performance Goal 2
Description: Complete implementation of new Enterprise Web Content Management System (CMS).
Measure: New system implemented and site launch 3rd Quarter 2021. Internal Intranet sites will follow public site launch and are slated for completion in 4th quarter of 2021.
Background Information: This goal will improve information access, outreach and information sharing with the public via the County websites by incorporating tools that offer ease‐of‐use, scalability, resiliency, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA). Legacy web
site outdated and lack important features including: mobile device support, strong search functions, self‐service content management, and compliance tools. These systems currently reside onsite and are vulnerable to local outage conditions which has proved challenging during disasters.
The Board authorized a contract to proceed with implementation of the new CMS in coordination with ISD’s Web Team in November 2019. The new system will utilize “software as a service which operates in the cloud. The vendor and available County resources (ISD, Communications Team and departmental PIO and technical staff) have continued to move forward on discovery, design and
implementation planning during a very challenging year. Design efforts incorporate recommendations from the Full Court Press communications assessment.
Current project plans have been updated to complete design and content migration, and implementation activities with public facing site launch in the 3rd quarter of 2021. This effort will continue to require ISD, the Communications Team, and departmental resources to ensure success.
Performance Goal 3
Description: Develop plans and priority projects to reduce costs of paper storage, increase efficiency of work flows reliant on paper‐based systems and implementation of cloud‐based productivity tools.
Measure: Finalize decision documents that propose to begin converting paper to digital images and migrating to cloud based Microsoft 365, 3rd quarter of 2021. Issue RFP for Microsoft 365 implementation 2nd quarter of 2021.
Background Information: County operations and mandated document retention periods produce and rely on a significant amount of paper and required efforts to file and store the documents. Costs for storage facilities and paper‐based retrieval are significant. Current estimates indicate
departments located just on the main campus have approximately 33 thousand boxes or roughly 82 million pages of records, stored throughout their offices. These paper records are often stored in a single location which is vulnerable to loss during a disaster. As a comparison, the County electronic system currently has only 16 million (20%) pages on line. See the chart in Attachment 4 – ISD Digitization Project List Summary.
Paper based systems limit productivity and delivery of online services as departments access and share documents as a part of normal business process, especially in a virtual world. Electronic access is essential to work process improvement, collaboration, increased mobility (field work, telework, satellite service locations, etc.), lowering carbon footprint, and increasing our resilience.
This goal was postponed in 2020 to respond to critical needs during recent fires to support emergency response and recovery. A program request was drafted for consideration during the FY 20‐21 budget process but due to the challenging nature of this budget and other priorities we are currently exploring other funding options with the CAO’s office.
Accelerating the digitization of work flows, forms online, and transition to cloud‐based Microsoft 365 productivity tools will require additional resources. Information and recommendations from the IT Resiliency Risk Assessment & Business Impact Analysis noted in Performance Goal 1 will guide development of work plans, RFP(s) for implementation services, and funding approaches.
Performance Goal 4
Description: Develop plans and priority projects to reduce costs of paper storage, increase efficiency of work flows reliant on paper‐based systems and implementation of cloud‐based productivity tools.
Description: Improve Consistency of IT across all departments: Establish operational awareness and best practice program to move toward a more consistent, stable and secure environment.
Measure: Training programs will be established and scheduled during the 18‐month work plan.
Background Information: This 2020 goal was reset to address competing priorities while progressing with the intended training program. The department provided ADA compliance training; worked with Web coordinators to frame the Web Content Management System as a tool to improve consistent practices; expanded online documentation to help support telework, virtual conferencing, and mobile device configurations in a more consistent manner; supported consolidation of the new Communications Team to align Web and social media sites; updated GIS
data sets and systems; expanded security awareness and participated in assessments, held training sessions to expand use of enterprise forms and e‐signatures.
The department also expanded on‐line technical training to continue developing internal skills without the need for in‐person travel. Multiple departments (CRA, DHS, CDC) have utilized central resources during the period to help fill gaps in departmental technology staff which has improved working relationships and use of consistent support practices.
Pending resource availability, the target for more formal training curriculums begins in the 1st or 2nd quarter of 2021. Planned topics include: Leveraging IT Capabilities and Resources; Supporting Employees with Effective Use of Technology; Web Site and Social Media Support; Cybersecurity Overview and Standards; Relating and Communicating with Geographical Information Systems (GIS); and, Automating Work Processes with Forms and eSignatures.
Performance Goal 5
Description: Provide a leadership role to help realize success with technology improvements that have a nexus to the 5‐Year Strategic Plan (SP) Goals and Objectives.
Measures: TBD – Number of Mobile Devices (Laptops, Tablets) increased by 10% annually for essential service workers. Completion of RFP for Microsoft 365 implementation (subject to IT Resiliency Consultant recommendations in Goal 1), Establish with CAO concurrence on governance
approach for IT Project recommendations and prioritization with associated funding targets.
Background Information: This performance goal and related objectives intends to highlight numerous key areas of the Strategic Plan draft where the Information Systems Department can play an important role in helping departments move forward with success. Many of the goals and
objectives include a technology component as described in the Strategic Plan Alignment section of this memo. Several specific areas where Information Systems will take a leadership role:
Resilient Infrastructure
SP Goal 1, Objective 3 and 4, enhance the technology infrastructure by orienting current and future investment in technology solutions that improve service delivery via on‐line access. Expanding use of laptops and tablets, utilization of cloud‐based Microsoft Office and business applications and digital work flows and electronic documents will add mobility and support telework efficiencies and
enable neighborhood/regional service centers with efficient and flexible business processes. A virtual service delivery with anywhere, anytime access will lower carbon/greenhouse gas footprint and lower facility space requirements.
SP Goal 2, Objective 1 outlines the need to strengthen communication infrastructure and technology tools relied upon during disasters to ensure critical services. Information Systems will continue to take a leadership role in this important work. All Performance Goals relate to this objective including strengthening IT Resiliency and Security, Web Site accessibility, Digitizing documents and Work Flows, and improving IT consistency and employee skills.
SP Goal 4, Objective 1 and 2 are also critical to improve broadband and Internet access throughout the County. Many underserved areas and limited cost‐effective competitive offerings effect access to needed virtual services from government, healthcare, education, public safety and economic initiatives. These objectives are coordinated by the Economic Development Board and Information Systems will also take a leadership role to define solutions and provide the needed technical support hat can facilitate improvements to the County infrastructure that will help expand capabilities throughout the County, capabilities that can be leveraged through public and private partnerships.
Organizational Excellence
SP Goal 1, Objective 2 will provide a master list of prioritized technology needs can help us better support operational /service improvements consistent with fiscal strategies and constraints.Information Systems is in a position to lead this effort in coordination with the CAO.
SP Goal 2, Objective 3 is already in process as defined in Performance Goal 2 above. This objective will improve our web sites and social media efforts with consistent and easy use to use tools.
Significant Issues coming to the Board
Information Systems does not anticipate any significant issues as defined in the work plan instructions. We will be coming to the Board with reports from the IT Resiliency Risk Assessment & Business Impact Analysis noted in Performance Goal 1 which is targeted for 2nd/3rd quarter of 2021. There may be topics in these reports protected under FOIA security and hazard exemptions. Additionally, we anticipate funding requests during the budget and in the 3rd and 4th quarter 2021 for Microsoft 365 cloud transition and Digitization Forms efforts subject to consultant recommendations and CAO concurrence.
Strategic Plan Alignment
Information Systems management team has reviewed the draft 5‐Year Strategic Plan goals and objectives is several ways. First, each functional team evaluated the goals and identified work which we are already doing, work that we might be doing (proposed), and things we should anticipate doing. It is apparent that ISD services and technology can play a significant role to help lead us to success with each
of the Pillars.
Current Activity Alignment with Strategic Pillars
Attachment 3 – Information Systems – 5‐Year Strategic Plan Alignment Draft provides a summary listing of activities identified by the management team.
2021 Performance Goal Alignment and Resources
All 2021 ISD Performance Goals are directly related to IT resiliency and capabilities needed to enhance departments use of technology in serving the public online and in person. It is important to note that here is often a technology component to many of the listed Recovery and Resiliency Framework projects that are not designated with ISD being the primary department. The Strategic Pillars also introduce significant IT related activities that will require ISD funding and consume staff resources.
ISD is currently understaffed in most functional teams. To fully address these strategic needs in a timely and cost‐effective manner we recommend addressing the most critical gaps that exist in GIS, Web, and all Technical Services functional teams (Network, Security, Service Desk, Data Center, and Desktop Support). If we expand eForms, workflow, and imaging efforts additional funding for vendor resources
and staff will be needed in Records and Application areas. A continued shortfall in central staff creates back logs and/or expansion of departmental based IT staff as they address needs for each individual department priorities.
Performance Goal Funding
To fully fund ISD Performance Goals 1 (IT Resiliency), and 3 (eForms and workflows) we anticipate staff reprioritization or additional funding (increase rates, billable work through state and federal programs), or GF contribution/set aside. During the FY 2021/22 budget process we will work to identify the most critical needs and submit applicable Program Change requests for CAO and Board consideration. Performance Goal 2 (Web CMS Replacement) and 4) IT Consistency Training) has designated funding or will be started within existing appropriations.