The city of Mesa, Arizona, USA, is utilizing information technology (IT) governance strategies to achieve full citywide participation in decisions related to IT. To realize this goal, Mesa's IT steering team began prioritizing IT projects for all city departments. The team relies on a combination of project scoring, portfolio management and alignment to determine and budget for financial and human resource availability. The IT governance program focuses on improving communications and building teamwork between the IT department and its internal city department customers. In addition, it allows interdisciplinary teams to align IT projects with the city's overall strategic plan.
Mesa, Arizona, USA, provides municipal government services for a population of 396,375. Mesa is the 43rd largest city in the United States, with revenue in excess of US $647 million. The city employs approximately 4,000 people.
Prior to implementing an IT governance program, Mesa's myriad departments competed for IT resources in a process that was loosely structured and controlled. After initiating a proactive IT governance program, the city further encouraged communication and teamwork. This has resulted in improved productivity and service for the public.
Mesa's Information Services Division (ISD) launched an IT governance program in 1998 when strategic planning efforts revealed a need and benefit for city staff to become more involved in IT decision-making.
To ensure it was targeting the most meaningful IT initiatives, Mesa looked at all IT projects as part of an entire portfolio. Although designing an IT portfolio can be overwhelming, Mesa found success in first sorting IT work into the following categories:
The ISD also dedicated three management positions to improve communication between the ISD and its customers (internal city departments) and enhance customer service. The three managers are designated as technology liaisons and concentrate on improving IT through effective governance.
Responsibilities of the liaisons include:
The Mesa ISD customer involvement process is based on a variety of linked teams responsible for directing decisions on IT-related issues such as strategy, technical direction, projects, resource allocation, budget and policies. Facilitated by the three technology liaisons, these teams bring together an appropriate mix of IT staff and internal customer representatives and include:
Citywide IT Strategies Council - formulates enterprise-wide IT strategies, policies and standards
E-Mesa - Formulates e-government strategies, policies and standards
GIS Steering Team - Formulates GIS (geographic information systems) strategies, policies and standards
Desktop Connection - Formulates desktop related strategies, policies and standards
The teams focus on developing strategic IT plans and the corresponding tactical plans, all while ensuring that IT projects are aligned with the city of Mesa's overall strategic plan. To accomplish this, Mesa has been prioritizing IT projects on a citywide basis. They implemented a combination of project scoring, portfolio management and alignment to budget for financial and human resource availability.
Mesa's project prioritization process involves:
Prior to implementing the participative IT governance strategy, city departments frequently vied for IT resources. The customer/IT liaison teams provide a forum to observe Mesa's operation in terms of the public as the ultimate customer. Mesa can now manage IT initiatives in the way that provides maximum benefit to the public. Departments now collaborate to achieve IT projects that could not be supported by one department alone.
This innovative approach elevates the ISD to the role of technical leadership and places the city's departments in the role of driving the business benefits of the IT initiatives. Members of the IT council, technical forums and steering teams continue to develop a city leadership viewpoint in addition to leading and promoting the individual interests of the departments they represent. This, in turn, allows and encourages them to further educate their departments.
The ISD conducts regular formal surveys and focus groups to measure internal satisfaction. Future actions in the IT strategic plan involve measuring IT value and benchmarking to other organizations, which will further measure the program's results.
The IT governance processes implemented are providing for better use of Mesa's IT resources. They help avoid duplication of projects and minimize the number of initiatives that are started but not completed due to lack of management support, funding or other reasons. Initiatives that directly benefit the public, such as e-government, are being successfully coordinated through this program.
After the ISD designated three technology liaisons, these managers have been able to provide research, strategy and communication links among diverse departments and, as a result, improved IT processes and deliverables.
City employees and management are much better educated about the complexity of IT projects. The project prioritization process has helped managers better articulate and measure the business benefits of IT projects. In addition, overall awareness of the choices the city faces has increased. Workers have found that to obtain resources to work on priority projects, they must become efficient in other areas.
While there has been extensive advancement in IT implementation over the past years, additional improvements always can be applied to the way the city manages IT. Plans are underway to refine the project prioritization processes. Also, discussions continue about what constitutes operations and maintenance, since much of the city's IT staff is devoted to keeping existing systems running.
The policies, procedures and standards of IT governance can be modified and used by nearly all government organizations. Some of Mesa's processes are modeled on those of organizations including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Massachusetts and the State of Iowa. In addition, the IT Governance Institute is an excellent resource for the latest research and thought on the topic.
| 1.a Is the project required to comply with a legal mandate by a higher governing body or a contractual obligation, and no other viable alternative exists, other than doing this IT project, to meet the obligation? | ||
| Required by Law | Yes or No | |
| 1.b How significant are the benefits that will be realized by carrying out the project? | ||
| Project provides a significant benefit to internal and/or external customers. | 10 | |
| Project provides some benefit to internal and/or external customers or benefits are not well defined. | 5 | |
| 1.c What is the risk of not doing or stopping the project? | ||
| Project is necessary to maintain current business functions AND delays or stopping the project will have significant adverse impacts that may compromise core business functions. | 20 | |
| Project is necessary to maintain current business functions OR delays or stopping the project will have adverse impacts. | 10 | |
| 2. Is the project connected to the City Strategic Plan? | ||
| Aligns to one of QMST's highest priority deliverables in the City's strategic plan | 10 | |
| Aligns to an objective in the Department/Division strategic plan | 5 | |
| 3.a. Will the project generate tangible savings or income within 5 years after deducting project costs? | ||
| More than $50,000 per year | 3 | |
| More than $25,000 per year | 2 | |
| Identified, but not quantified | 1 | |
| 3.b. Will the project generate quantifiable productivity improvements or avoid costs within 5 years after deducting project costs? | ||
| More than $50,000 per year | 3 | |
| More than $25,000 per year | 2 | |
| Identified, but not quantified | 1 | |
| 3.c. How are Project's benefits going to be measured? | ||
| Performance measures are clearly identified and are closely linked to the project goals and objectives | 5 | |
| 4. Is a collaborative partnership approach being used? (both can be selected, for 16 total) | ||
| Project identifies partnerships with external organizations to reduce government redundancy. | 8 | |
| Project identifies internal partnerships among Mesa Departments/Divisions to reduce City redundancy or improve processes | 8 | |
| 5. Is the target technology consistent with Mesa's technical environment and standards? | ||
| Totally consistent | 14 | |
| Partially consistent | 7 | |