Report: CIOs prioritize consolidation in 2012
Consolidation and optimization of services is the top management priority of state chief information officers (CIOs) in 2012, according to the latest annual survey from the Lexington, Ky.-based National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). The top technology priority is virtualization — the division of a server into several subsystems — according to the survey, released Wednesday.
After consolidation, state CIOs’ top 10 priority strategies, management processes and solutions for the coming year include:
2. Budget and cost control
3. Improving IT governance
4. Health care issues, such as implementing the Affordable Care Act’s health information and insurance exchanges
5. Cloud computing
6. Security
7. Broadband and strengthening statewide connectivity
8. Shared services
9. Maturing state portal and e-government accessibility
10. Mobile services and applications
The top 10 priority technologies for 2012, after virtualization, include:
2. Legacy application modernization/renovation
3. Cloud computing
4. Mobile workforce technologies
5. Networking
6. Enterprise Resource Planning
7. Identity and access management
8. Business intelligence and business analytics applications
9. Document/content/records/e-mail management
10. Public safety radio networks
This year’s survey shows a few changes in CIO priorities, including greater attention to governance, according to NASCIO. Portal and mobile services have joined the list of top strategies, reflecting an emphasis on states’ expanding online portfolio of services, and the reality of growing mobility demands among state government workers and residents. “With continued economic stress, budget reductions and 25 new CIOs, state IT governance becomes even more critical,” said NASCIO president and Oregon Chief Information Officer Dugan Petty in a statement. “Tough times require smarter decision making. Decisions for cutting as well as investing will need to be made with an ‘enterprise perspective,’ and will need to be carefully evaluated and even defended through appropriate governance and analytics.”
NASCIO uses the annual list of priorities to develop strategic areas of focus for the coming year, formulate new committees and working groups, and plan NASCIO conference sessions and publications.
Download the entire report.
