An Office Seeking Improvements

“The Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) strives to impact the lives of all Coloradans to create a safer, happier and healthier state.” (Reference). OIT strives to do so through flexible technology, data analytics, and more. The OIT required aid to address goals to create what are known as “tactical quick wins”, focusing on efficiency first and foremost. Until 2016, Xentity has assisted the OIT State GIS Coordinator Division (GCPD) in various Geospatial efforts over the years with creating and supporting programs to create statewide integrated datasets (e.g., parcels), supported system architecture and portfolio efforts, transformed key lines of business (such as emergency management), improved LiDAR data management, and improved enterprise project, product and services management. 

Creating A More Efficient Organization

The OIT was trying to build trust as a service center. This can be extremely difficult to accomplish. In order to build trust, organizations must be willing to face conflict and commit to the process of building trust. They must also be willing to hold themselves accountable and then get results on their projects. In particular, the OIT needed help in establishing open data and open geospatial data portfolios. This portfolio had been meant to establish who they were as an organization. They also needed to establish a proverbial ‘line of sight’. This meant all members should be able to show how their current work is part of the organization’s larger vision. Xentity also wanted to help create more efficient tasks for the OIT to reassign “dollars” to higher value tasks.

With the majority of open data being GIS data, Xentity is assisting the OIT State GIS Coordinator Division (GCPD), which coordinates a vast amount of the State’s open data, by creating and supporting programs to create statewide integrated datasets (e.g., parcels), establish a system architecture and portfolio, transform key lines of business (such as emergency management), and improve enterprise project, product and services management. 

The Solution

In providing data consulting and management action solutions, the OIT saw several tactical wins. This included: Supporting the creation of a Statewide Parcel. In 2014-2015, Xentity supported the creation of the very first version of a statewide parcel GIS dataset using the Business Intelligence Center’s (BIC) best practices and technology tools, applications, and environment. The goal of creating this, including establishing validation rules, QA/QC tools, working with 69 counties, and aggregating from tabular and various GIS formats, was to establish a new statewide dataset to support upcoming statewide initiatives including public safety use of the data combined with address and roads data.

Also, the OIT saw the development of statewide data/geospatial transition roadmaps/blueprints for economic development. They also saw development in emergency management and multiple training sessions on geospatial and open data. Furthermore, they saw development in outreach programs, data integration and business intelligence efforts in 2015. They also supported statewide OIT GIS Coordinator and Chief Data Officer in solution architecture, enterprise architecture, dataset planning, production, analysis, and project management in 2015 and 2016. 

Efficiency, Transformation and Innovation

Through Xentity’s line of sight evaluation and the application of their methodology, the OIT was provided six tactical wins, a continuation of support for geospatial data programs, three blueprints, and training for staff on their methodology. The major benefit of these outcomes was improvements from Xentity’s three-pronged approach: efficiency, transformation and innovation. The aforementioned “tactical wins”, for example, established a new, more efficient, statewide dataset. The development of the roadmaps and blueprints will aid in economic development and emergency management. And, through the BIC’s best practices, the OIT will see an improvement in innovation.