Utilizing agency data resources to drive mission outcomes has become a high priority across the Federal government sector. Developing a Federal Data Strategy to leverage data as a strategic asset is one of the three Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) goals in the President's Management Agenda. The government is looking to adopt private sector best practices for leveraging data and analytics, and recent Federal Government-wide IT modernization efforts, including the new Cloud Smart strategy recently released by the OMB, increases the pressure on agency leaders to implement advanced analytics and big data solutions to improve mission outcomes, reduce operational costs, and increase enterprise agility.
Although nearly all CFO Act agencies prioritize data/analytic related opportunities in their 2018-22 strategic plan, the actual implementation of OMB’s data strategy guidance will be hard and fraught with execution risk. Agencies are at widely different points on the data maturity curve and the sheer volume of ideas and recommendations from the Federal Data Strategy team makes it difficult to know where to start.
Agency leaders face several significant challenges including defining an end-state vision for data strategy that is consistent with their mission objectives, prioritizing these practices, identifying the right first steps for implementation, and managing the cultural change necessary for a successful transformation.
We utilized our data-driven project with ACT-IAC to create a set of actionable tools and tactics that agency leaders can implement to rapidly assess their organizational maturity at managing data and using it to significantly strengthen their data-driven decision making within their organizations.
Defining your "End-State" Vision: The First Step to Success
Knowing where to start in the implementation of the OMB's Federal Data Action plan can be the most difficult part of the process since there is no "one size fits all" approach to execution. Understanding where you are on the maturity curve and what your "end-points" are based on your agency's mission and goals will help you to navigate implementing the recommendations. Utilizing diagnostic tools to first understand your maturity and actionable tactics to define your "end-state" vision will ensure your continued success. (lead-in to our expertise and diagnostic tool).
Strengthen your Data-Driven Decision Making Today
Take this diagnostic to help you rapidly assess your organizational maturity at managing data and using it to drive decisions. In addition, your non-attributional responses will give agency leaders a better understanding of where the federal government as a whole stands with respect to data-driven decision-making maturity
The four key steps to defining your "end-state" vision include:
1
Prioritize outcomes to be enabled by data-driven decision making to determine foundation enablers to strengthen within their organizations to drive these objectives
2
Plan a series of "agile" data/analytics pilot projects to build your organization's commitment to change. Start small and execute rapidly to build momentum within your organization by demonstrating how data and analytics can drive better mission outcomes.
3
Execute pilots quickly by scoping your organizational priorities down to a meaningful level where data and analytics can be brought to bear rapidly and outcomes can be measured.
4
Publicize pilot learnings and successes to build support for broader data strategy. Leaders should use every opportunity to remind the organization of the benefits of broader data and analytics transformation.
The Key Benefits of Our Approach Are:
Proven Diagnostic Tools
Section highlights diagnostic survey and how it identifies maturity
Actionable Tactics
Section highlights actionable, quick tactics
High-Value Resources
Section highlights our white papers if published