Blockchains: Moving Digital Government Forward in the States

This brief will open the discussion about blockchains and the potential impact on state government.  We won’t delve into the mechanics of blockchains, nor the potential for proliferation of new “e-currencies.”  We want to open the door to the world of blockchains through a variety of conversations with leaders in state government and industry in order to begin discussions regarding where blockchain technology can serve the mission of state government.

 

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Unleash the New: State Governments Get Agile

Agile is changing the game for state governments. To explore the implications and opportunities, Accenture and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) are partnering on multifaceted research. Drawing from the public and private sectors, the research reveals a comprehensive perspective on the role of Agile within state government.

Findings of the first phase of research shed light on why state governments are using agile. Where and how they’re applying it within their enterprises – and the barriers to agile that they’re working to overcome. These initial findings were released and discussed at the 2017 NASCIO Midyear Conference.

Click here to download the slides (PDF)

In the next phase, Accenture and NASCIO will conduct a series of interviews aimed at identifying best practices and lessons learned around agile implementation.

Stay in touch: Full research results will be available at NASCIO’s Annual Conference, October 1-4, 2017 in Austin, Texas. 

State CIO Top Ten Policy and Technology Priorities for 2017

NASCIO conducts a survey of the state CIOs to identify and prioritize the top policy and technology issues facing state government. The CIOs top ten priorities are identified and used as input to NASCIO’s programs, planning for conference sessions, and publications.

 

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Advanced Cyber Analytics

This report examines the subject of advanced cyber analytics.  It makes the case for states to invest in such capabilities and maintain ongoing maturity in advanced analytics.  All organizations, including state government must also develop and maintain response capabilities that continuously mature in sophistication in order to keep pace with an ever changing threat landscape. State government remains in a defensive position.  With the advent of multi-vector strategies by cyber criminals, state government now more than ever needs the ability to correlate disparate data sources generated from the myriad of security tools agencies have already invested in.  Examples of advanced analytics tools are provided.  The report includes a call to action list, a checklist, key questions, and recommendations.

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Cyber Disruption Response Planning Guide

 

State government must now view cyber attacks that are more than cyber incidents.  We must prepare for larger magnitude events.  These can be termed cyber disruptions, disasters or even catastrophes.  This publication includes the following:

  • A call to action for states to develop state cyber disruption response plans that include: a governance structure that clearly designates who is in charge in a given event or phase of an event; development of a risk profile for state assets; collaboration among the various agencies that have cyber responsibility; and a communication plan to ensure the right people have the right information as early as possible so they can response effectively.
  • A checklist for states to work with in developing progress toward a cyber disruption response operating discipline.
  • A cross functional process description that can be used as a starting point for states to develop their own unique cross functional process for orchestrated planning and response at various threat levels.

 

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Data: the Lifeblood of State Government

This report presents the case for investing in data management. It presents in simple terms WHY data and information must be properly managed. The report presents basic rationale for investing in the development of a formal data management program. This report is the first in a series of reports that will deal with WHY is data management important; HOW does state government get started; Legal aspects of data management.

 

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2015 CISO Toolkit

Moving Forward: Leadership Toolkit for State CISOs includes state CISO critical leadership traits, how state CISOs and private sector CISOs differ and the tenure of state CISOs. This publication examines survey responses, gives “advice from the trenches” and details other critical success factors for state CISOs.

 

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The 2015 State CIO Survey: The Value Equation

NASCIO, Grant Thornton LLP and CompTIA have collaborated for a sixth consecutive year to survey state government IT leaders on current issues, trends and perspectives. The survey sponsors seek to provide these state government IT leaders with an opportunity to voice their thoughts and opinions on matters of high importance. Governors, legislatures and business leaders can benefit from these knowledgeable insights about essential state IT services. As highlighted in the survey results, the state IT and business landscape continues to change, reflecting both emerging approaches to delivering IT products and services, and also the faster paced, more complex environment faced by state CIOs. We asked state CIOs to share their perspective on a number of topics, with a particular focus on the emerging role of the CIO as a broker of shared services, and on the use of incremental software development approaches to accelerate the delivery of value to customers. These topics share a common theme – customer expectations continue to rise, and state CIOs must be agile enough to adapt to changing circumstances and to rapidly deliver business value. State CIOs also shared their thoughts on the leadership attributes they perceive as most valuable for a state CIO, and which dimensions of the role were most critical for success. Cybersecurity , cloud services, mobility, broadband and IT procurement represent other high priority topics covered in the survey report.

 

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Interactive e-version

 

Downloadable Survey Charts

Is State IT Working on the Right Things?

What does it mean to be working on the right things? This determination is often difficult when considering the state as both an enterprise and a collective of individual agencies. Through interviews and formal surveys, NASCIO and Infosys Public Services gained insight from state IT leaders on the fundamental processes, mechanisms and criteria necessary to ensure that state IT is working on the right things. The resulting report will help state IT decision makers understand the key factors needed to identify the right things to do, see how they and their peer states stand against these factors and what can be done to bridge the gap.

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2014 Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity Study – State Governments at Risk: Time to Move Forward

This study reports findings and analysis of a comprehensive survey of State Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) conducted by NASCIO in partnership with Deloitte. The results of the 2014 Deloitte-NASCIO Cybersecurity Study confirm the growing importance of cybersecurity for states. The following key themes emerged from our analysis:

Maturing role of the CISO: State CISO role continues to gain legitimacy in authority and reporting relationships. The responsibilities of the position are becoming more consistent across states, yet expanding.

Continuing budget-strategy disconnect: The improving economy and states’ growing commitment to cybersecurity have led to an increase – albeit small, in budgets. CISOs have also been successful at tapping supplemental resources, whether from other state agencies, federal funding, or various agency and business leaders. Nevertheless, budgets are still not sufficient to fully implement effective cybersecurity programs – it continues to be the top barrier for CISOs according to the survey results.

Cyber complexity challenge: State information systems house a wide range of sensitive citizen data, making them especially attractive targets for cyber-attacks. CISOs are concerned about the intensity, volume and complexity of cyber threats that run the gamut from malicious code to zero-day attacks.

Talent crisis: The skill sets needed for effective cybersecurity protection and monitoring are in heavy demand across all sectors. State CISOs are struggling to recruit and retain people with the right skills, and they will need to establish career growth paths and find creative ways to build their cybersecurity teams.

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