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March 2008 Newsletter

In this months Issue:

Security Program

by Tom Murray

 Security

The state is about to launch a statewide security program which will involve several integrated components. The State Security Director and Security Policy Development Team have been working on this project for the past year and we are close to the roll out.

The first step will be a Security Awareness Training that is intended for all employees who regularly use computers. This training will inform individuals of potential impacts of security vulnerabilities within their daily activities; it will cover everything from phishing scams to viruses.

Each agency and department will also be asked to formally create a security program that will assess risks in systems, procedures and practices related to information technology and develop mitigation plans for these risks.

We will also be updating and creating statewide policies in this area, as well as an annual self assessment tool for agencies and departments to gauge progress.

This is a critical initiative for state government and we look forward to working with each of you to make it a success.

The Vermont Web Portal Project Celebrates its First Year

by Harry Bell

Web 

Photograph courtesy of Gabriella Fabbri (http://www.i-pix.it)

 

In 2007 the Vermont Web Portal Board oversaw a revolutionary change in the way the state provides services on the Internet. In October 2006 the state signed a contract with Vermont Information Consortium (VIC) to overhaul the state’s Web infrastructure. Historically, efforts within the state to communicate via the Internet have been uncoordinated resulting in wasted resources. The contract with VIC represented a real change for the state from a fragmented Web content management approach to a single, dependable system that is common for all state and quasi-state entities.

The Web Portal Project created by the contract consists of two main tracks. The first is an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) for managing Web pages. The second focuses on the development of online services (such as online vehicle registration renewal or tax filings) that allow Vermont citizens and businesses to more easily interact with their government.

The CMS was launched in the fall of 2007. This tool is currently running the new Vermont.gov portal and several other state Web sites. Many additional sites are under development and will launch in 2008. There is no additional cost to state agencies for development and hosting sites in this system. The CMS is provided as a service to state organizations as a part of the comprehensive Web Portal Contract.

Web applications or “Online Services” are developed by VIC for state agencies to streamline their internal processes and make interaction with state government easier for their constituents. Some examples of these services are the DMV Express Service, the Attorney Licensing Service, CourtPay (paying district and judicial branch violations online), and the Vermont Homestead and Property Tax Adjustment Service. Several additional services are either in development or are planned for the coming year. These services are developed without the need for an initial investment by the state.

The funding mechanism for the entire project is what is referred to as a self-funded model. This funding model was put into effect in 2006 when the legislature passed Act 203. Under this model all funding for the project comes from building online services which have a financial component, and collecting a portal share for each transaction performed using that service. VIC’s parent company, NIC, has effectively deployed a similar model in 20 states besides Vermont and it is a time tested success. Under this system the more services the state builds, the more investment can be made into development resources and infrastructure allowing further services to be developed more rapidly.

Anyone interested in more information may contact Harry Bell, the State Director of Web Services, at 828-5338 or via email at Harry.Bell@state.vt.us or Casey Faiman, General Manager of VIC, at 229-4171 x222.

Vermont’s Enterprise GIS Initiative

by Steve Sharp, VCGI

Why are Vermont State Agencies developing an Enterprise GIS Strategy?

In the past, State Agencies have been largely on their own in developing in-house GIS capabilities. Some agencies such as Transportation, Natural Resources, Agriculture, E-911, and Commerce have developed sophisticated systems. Other agencies are making less or limited use of GIS. The Vermont Center for Geographic Information (VCGI) develops GIS technical guidelines, distributes GIS data to the general public, and promotes information exchange among the agencies. However, to efficiently and effectively expand and improve the state’s use of GIS technology and to improve outreach and coordination with stakeholders outside state government it makes sense for all state agencies to define a common vision and establish a formal Enterprise agreement.

 

Who is working on the Enterprise GIS Strategy?

A consortium of State agencies convened a taskforce (Enterprise GIS Taskforce - EGT) to prepare a strategic plan. The EGT has the support of the Office of the CIO and includes the following agencies and departments:

  • VT Dept. of Information and Innovation
  • VT Agency of Natural Resources
  • VT Center for Geographic Information
  • VT Dept. of Health
  • VT Agency of Human Services
  • VT Natural Resources Board
  • VT Dept. of Public Service
  • VT Mapping Program
  • VT Dept. of Education
  • VT Agency of Transportation
  • VT Dept. of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  • VT Dept. of Labor
  • VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development
  • VT Agency of Natural Resources

What has the EGT accomplished?

  • Established an EGT organizational charter and gained support from the STC
  • Garnered participation from key agencies at monthly meetings
  • Acquired funding and support from Federal sources for strategic planning
  • Established an EGT web presence with access to all resources
  • Hired professional facilitators to assist with strategic planning
  • Completed a multi-agency GIS assessment
  • Drafted a preliminary Strategic Plan for Vermont’s Enterprise GIS

 

What’s the timetable?

The EGT is working to finalize a draft strategic plan for Vermont’s Enterprise GIS. A draft will be released to a broad range of stakeholders in April for review and feedback.

 

What’s next?

Once the strategic plan has been finalized, the EGT will develop more detailed “business plans” to further refine strategic initiatives and identify financial and programmatic costs and benefits. To find out more:

 

FootPrints

 

FootPrints Tips

by Sue Morrison

 

'Quick Ticket' - Need a mailbox size increased?  Need your network password changed?  Need to activate your mobile device or a blackberry?  These are examples of a quick ticket you'll find in FootPrints, where fields are already populated for you.  Quick Tickets are located on the menu at the left side of your screen.

Also when you are filling out a request to submit, your contact information is populated with data.  Check it for accuracy and fill in the fields that are missing data; check the little “Update Contact” box to the right of 'Contact Information' and the system will update those fields.  If you see incorrect data you can not change, let us know & we get it corrected for you.

Project Management Mentoring Program

by Darwin Thompson

Mentoring

The DII Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) offers a Project Management Mentoring Program. We provide assistance to individuals or staff that are or will be managing information technology (IT) projects for their agencies.

Projects are becoming increasingly complex and expensive as new technologies hit the market and business demands evolve. A sound project management (PM) process will increase your chances of successfully meeting the needs of project stakeholders. Program participants are mentored by a more experienced project manager while pursuing a project within their own agency or one with statewide (enterprise) impact.

Through weekly or bi-weekly meetings, a PM process is established and implemented. The length of the mentorship varies but generally begins at the project inception and is followed until project closure.

We have limited resources with which to execute this program, so please coordinate within your chain of command. To get in the program queue, call EPMO at 828-1142.

The Art of Project Management

by Christine Hetzel, PMP

PM

Have you ever done your best job of planning a project only to have the project go off- course due to communications, teamwork, personalities or other people-related dynamics?

Let’s face it…. project management success is 80% art form!

If you want to sharpen your skills as an effective project manager, the Champlain Valley Chapter of PMI (Project Management Institute) has a training opportunity that may be perfect for you…an upcoming 4 night series called the “Art of Project Management”. I attended this training series last year and found it to be very informative.

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The “Art of Project Management” Seminar Series will cover the following key topics:

  • Team Development
  • Performance Management
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Sense-Able Project Management
  • Effective Communications
  • Meeting Facilitation
  • Leadership Skills
  • The final session will include a “Survival Situation” simulation which will tie the three previous sessions together.

WHAT: Four sessions focusing on the people side of succeeding as a project manager.

WHEN: Tuesdays: April 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2008

WHERE: The Inn at Essex, Essex Junction, Vermont

TIME: 6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM , Start time for April 1 is 6:15 for registration.

COST: $150 for Chapter members, $175 for non-members. Discounted price of $150 per person is available for companies sending 3 or more participants.

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I suspect that we will have at least 3 participants from the State of Vermont. If you wish, feel free to coordinate your registration through me to ensure that you receive the appropriate discount.

Requirements “Trawling”

by Rick Daniell

Requirements Trawling

I recently came across an article by The Atlantic Systems Guild, which I found to be very interesting.  It discussed the various approaches to gathering requirements.  Considering the variations between the sources of requirements (stakeholders) it makes sense to have a variety of techniques for discovering the requirements.  We call these “trawling techniques” because, like fishing, we run a net through the organization and trap as many requirements as we can.

There are a number of techniques that can be utilized, and I’d like to go into each technique, a little more in detail in future newsletters.  For right now I want to just set the stage and give you a little something to think about.

According to the article’s author Suzanne Roberts, there are three types of requirements, “Conscious”; “Unconscious”; and “Undreamed” requirements.

“Conscious” requirements are the ones the stakeholder is aware of and can easily articulate.  These are the ones that come up in interviews, on questionnaires or in brainstorming sessions.  These are pretty straightforward and are relatively easy to capture.

“Unconscious” requirements are a little more difficult to capture - these are the requirements that the stakeholder doesn’t articulate.  For example these may be requirements that are just “givens” in the stakeholders mind.  Perhaps the stakeholder is so close to the process that they automatically assume you know the requirements, and never mention them.  These requirements can be challenging to get out on the table and several of the trawling techniques work better than others for these types of requirements.

“Undreamed” requirements are even more challenging to get documented.  These requirements are the ones that the stakeholder doesn’t even think are possible, so they don’t talk about them.  They may think it’s just not possible within the scope or budget of the project, so they never mention them.  However once the technical specialist start to understand the possibilities, it may in fact be quite possible.

Each of the types of requirements presents a unique challenge in terms of gathering specifications.  In future newsletter articles, we will explore the various techniques and approaches to gathering these various types of requirements.