Strategic ITStrategic IT

“It’s more than just “It’s more than just fixing things”fixing things”

Tom ShewchukTom Shewchuk

IT Director, Ingham CountyIT Director, Ingham County

BackgroundBackground

• Worked as a VP of Technology and Worked as a VP of Technology and Director for an IT Systems Integrator Director for an IT Systems Integrator from 1980 to 2007from 1980 to 2007

• Worked for a Small Family Business, Worked for a Small Family Business, Private and Public CompanyPrivate and Public Company

• Managed 100+ Network EngineersManaged 100+ Network Engineers

• At Ingham County for 2+ yearsAt Ingham County for 2+ years

Traditional IT ModelTraditional IT Model

• General hardware and software supportGeneral hardware and software support• Reacting to issues and problems your Reacting to issues and problems your

customers are havingcustomers are having• Departments/Users selected software and Departments/Users selected software and

hardware before consulting the IT hardware before consulting the IT DepartmentDepartment

• IT Department has to support technology IT Department has to support technology selected by non-technical individuals & selected by non-technical individuals & departmentsdepartments

• Do things because “that is the way we did Do things because “that is the way we did it in the past”it in the past”

New IT ModelNew IT Model

• Continue to provide traditional IT Continue to provide traditional IT SupportSupport

-PLUS--PLUS-• Business Process Engineering Business Process Engineering

Services Services

• Cooperation and CollaborationCooperation and Collaboration

• Participation at the Executive Level Participation at the Executive Level

Key Strategic Planning Key Strategic Planning Development ComponentsDevelopment Components

• Develop a Mission, Vision, Values, Develop a Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, and ObjectivesGoals, and Objectives

• Information Systems ModelInformation Systems Model• Clear and Concise Job DescriptionsClear and Concise Job Descriptions• Clear and Concise Policies and Clear and Concise Policies and

ProceduresProcedures• Consistent IT Tools and ProceduresConsistent IT Tools and Procedures• Business Process EngineeringBusiness Process Engineering• Cooperation and CollaborationCooperation and Collaboration

Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, Mission, Vision, Values, Goals, and Objectives and Objectives

• Define why you existDefine why you exist• Ultimate guide to making decisionsUltimate guide to making decisions• Sets expectations with your staffSets expectations with your staff• Needs to align with the County’s goalsNeeds to align with the County’s goals• Define Guiding Principles:Define Guiding Principles:

•Dr. Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge:Dr. Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge: Appreciation for a SystemAppreciation for a System Theory of VariationTheory of Variation Theory of KnowledgeTheory of Knowledge Psychology: Individual & GroupPsychology: Individual & Group

Information Systems ModelInformation Systems Model

Information Systems Model Information Systems Model Strategic InitiativesStrategic Initiatives

• Integrated SystemsIntegrated Systems• Needs to be Scalable (Enterprise Systems)Needs to be Scalable (Enterprise Systems)• ““Do it right the first time”Do it right the first time”• Seek the optimal Solution then scale back Seek the optimal Solution then scale back

if neededif needed• Converged Network:Converged Network:

• Integrated Voice, Video, DataIntegrated Voice, Video, Data

• Common Systems:Common Systems:• Video Surveillance SystemVideo Surveillance System• Phone SystemPhone System• Imaging SystemImaging System• Enterprise Faxing SystemEnterprise Faxing System• Website TemplateWebsite Template• Virtual Servers/DesktopsVirtual Servers/Desktops

Job DescriptionsJob Descriptions

• Define Define clearclear areas of responsibility areas of responsibility• Emphasize consistencyEmphasize consistency• Structured Freedom:Structured Freedom:

•Enforce guiding principlesEnforce guiding principles•Be flexibleBe flexible•No Micro ManagementNo Micro Management•Let your people do their jobs and provide Let your people do their jobs and provide

them the needed supportthem the needed support

• Goal:Goal:• Employees understand their Job Employees understand their Job

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Clear Policies and Clear Policies and ProceduresProcedures

• Acceptable Use PolicyAcceptable Use Policy

• Security PolicySecurity Policy

• IT Department Operations GuideIT Department Operations Guide

• Union Shops – Collective Bargaining Union Shops – Collective Bargaining AgreementAgreement

• General County Policies and General County Policies and ProceduresProcedures

• Distribute and educate users on Distribute and educate users on appropriate use of IT Systemsappropriate use of IT Systems

Consistent IT Tools and Consistent IT Tools and ProceduresProcedures

• Develop standards and tools that are Develop standards and tools that are used consistently. Examples:used consistently. Examples:

•Project Information FormsProject Information Forms

•Call Tracking SystemCall Tracking System

•Desktop ImagesDesktop Images

• Don’t keep reinventing the wheelDon’t keep reinventing the wheel

• Goal:Goal:•Eliminate inconsistencyEliminate inconsistency

•Give your employees directionGive your employees direction

•Eliminate problems and issuesEliminate problems and issues

Business Process Business Process EngineeringEngineering

• Partner with your customers to utilize and Partner with your customers to utilize and integrate technology into their integrate technology into their departments effectivelydepartments effectively

• Marry Technology to:Marry Technology to:• The needs of the Customer/DepartmentThe needs of the Customer/Department

• Customer/Department Business Processes and Customer/Department Business Processes and WorkflowWorkflow

• Align with:Align with:• The County’s IT StrategyThe County’s IT Strategy

• The goals of the County’s Board of CommissionersThe goals of the County’s Board of Commissioners

• Providing these non-traditional services Providing these non-traditional services will make your department more valuablewill make your department more valuable

• Goal:Goal:• Take a holistic approach towards problem solvingTake a holistic approach towards problem solving

Business Process Business Process EngineeringEngineering

• All new Projects use this concept and the All new Projects use this concept and the following are defined using a Project following are defined using a Project Initiation Form:Initiation Form:

• Scope of WorkScope of Work

• Statement of NeedsStatement of Needs

• Examine the current environmentExamine the current environment

• Design of the new solutionDesign of the new solution

• Implementation of the new solutionImplementation of the new solution

• ClosureClosure

• Examples:Examples:• ImagingImaging

• Faxing from the DesktopFaxing from the Desktop

• Website Website

• Database Integration at our Health DepartmentDatabase Integration at our Health Department

Cooperation and Cooperation and CollaborationCollaboration

• Old Model:Old Model:•Everyone has their own systemsEveryone has their own systems

•No sharingNo sharing

•Lack of TrustLack of Trust

• New Model Goals:New Model Goals:•Share systemsShare systems

•Eliminate duplicate systemsEliminate duplicate systems

•Reduce costsReduce costs

•EfficiencyEfficiency

•““It just makes sense”It just makes sense”

•Feed off each otherFeed off each other

•Partner – Both Agencies have accountabilityPartner – Both Agencies have accountability

Cooperation and Collaboration Cooperation and Collaboration ModelModel

• Ingham County IT Department:Ingham County IT Department:• Maintains and supports the shared systemsMaintains and supports the shared systems

• Works with the partners IT staff, not their end usersWorks with the partners IT staff, not their end users

• Charges the partner a maintenance feeCharges the partner a maintenance fee

• The Partner:The Partner:• Buys or shares in the cost of all hardwareBuys or shares in the cost of all hardware

• Continues to support their end-usersContinues to support their end-users

• Has full Admin access to their portion of the systemHas full Admin access to their portion of the system

• Both Parties:Both Parties:• Establish a legal binding agreement or MSAEstablish a legal binding agreement or MSA

• The Agreement or MSA states it is a The Agreement or MSA states it is a partnership with shared responsibilities and partnership with shared responsibilities and accountabilityaccountability

Cooperation and CollaborationCooperation and CollaborationExamplesExamples

• Common Records Management and Computer Common Records Management and Computer Aided Dispatch System for all Police and Fire in Aided Dispatch System for all Police and Fire in Ingham County (except 1 agency)Ingham County (except 1 agency)

• Power School Application is hosted in the Ingham Power School Application is hosted in the Ingham County Data Center for the Ingham Intermediate County Data Center for the Ingham Intermediate School District (IISD)School District (IISD)

• Ingham County MIS provides network support for Ingham County MIS provides network support for the Tri-County Office on Agingthe Tri-County Office on Aging

• In the process of consolidating the two Ingham In the process of consolidating the two Ingham County 911 centers to one 911 centerCounty 911 centers to one 911 center

• Collaborating with Livingston, Clinton and Eaton Collaborating with Livingston, Clinton and Eaton County on the purchase of a new 911 phone County on the purchase of a new 911 phone systemsystem

Cooperation and CollaborationCooperation and CollaborationExamplesExamples

• Currently collaborating with the IISD on:Currently collaborating with the IISD on:• GW to Exchange MigrationGW to Exchange Migration

• Enterprise back up solutionEnterprise back up solution

• Video SurveillanceVideo Surveillance

• IP TelephonyIP Telephony

• Region 1 Cyber Security TeamRegion 1 Cyber Security Team

• Common Jail System for Ingham CountyCommon Jail System for Ingham County

• Wireless access for D55, 54A, and 54B Wireless access for D55, 54A, and 54B courts so our Prosecuting Attorney’s can courts so our Prosecuting Attorney’s can access our Imaging System in any access our Imaging System in any courtroomcourtroom

ChallengesChallenges

• Rogue departmentsRogue departments

• Lack of TrustLack of Trust

• PoliticsPolitics

• You will run into resistanceYou will run into resistance

Keys to a Successful Keys to a Successful StrategyStrategy

• A well defined planA well defined plan• Involve staff in your strategic planning Involve staff in your strategic planning • Educate and communicate with your staff:Educate and communicate with your staff:

• Regular meetingsRegular meetings• Review all projectsReview all projects• Review successes and failuresReview successes and failures

• Hold regular meetings with key stakeholders:Hold regular meetings with key stakeholders:• Information Systems Advisory CommitteeInformation Systems Advisory Committee• Get on the Agenda for Board meetingsGet on the Agenda for Board meetings

• Educate your departments:Educate your departments:• Technology Road ShowTechnology Road Show• Get invited to department meetingsGet invited to department meetings

• Integrate Business Process Engineering into the IT Integrate Business Process Engineering into the IT Departments jobDepartments job

• Sometimes you have to say “No” , but be flexible Sometimes you have to say “No” , but be flexible and open-minded at the same timeand open-minded at the same time

• Market your strategy, accomplishments and cost Market your strategy, accomplishments and cost savingssavings

• Document your accomplishments and cost savings Document your accomplishments and cost savings

Keys to a Successful Keys to a Successful StrategyStrategy

• Be Proactive and persistentBe Proactive and persistent• You earn Trust, just don’t expect itYou earn Trust, just don’t expect it• Don’t give up, you will run into resistanceDon’t give up, you will run into resistance• ““If there is a will there’s a way”If there is a will there’s a way”• Be patient, this is a cultural change and it will Be patient, this is a cultural change and it will

take timetake time• Think out of the boxThink out of the box• Get buy in from your supervisor and your Get buy in from your supervisor and your

BoardBoard• Communicate, communicate, communicateCommunicate, communicate, communicate• Keep your eye on the targetKeep your eye on the target• Don’t do things just because that is the way Don’t do things just because that is the way

you always did themyou always did them• Don’t be shy about using VendorsDon’t be shy about using Vendors

QuestionsQuestions