Overview of Data Know-how Venture Proposals

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The 2023-24 Funds

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Introduction

This put up supplies an summary of the knowledge know-how (IT) initiatives within the Governor’s proposed 2023-24 funds. We first present related background info on the California Division of Know-how (CDT) and the phases of an IT venture. We then determine every of the funds proposals to plan, develop, and implement IT initiatives. We offer our evaluation of subjects widespread to a number of IT project-related proposals and supply choices for legislative consideration. (We don’t present in-depth evaluation of any particular person funds request within the put up, however hyperlink to different IT project-related analyses in different publications organized by funds space.)

Background

Position of CDT. CDT is an entity inside the Authorities Operations Company with broad authority over all elements of know-how in state authorities. This put up focuses on two of the division’s tasks: (1) to overview and approve IT initiatives proposed by state entities, and (2) to supervise growth and implementation of accepted initiatives till accomplished.

Phases of an IT Venture. A state IT venture goes via three distinct phases: (1) planning, (2) growth and implementation (D&I), and (3) upkeep and operations (M&O). Most state IT initiatives within the planning part (known as proposed initiatives) are required to finish CDT’s Venture Approval Lifecycle (PAL)—the state’s IT venture approval course of. Some proposed initiatives, equivalent to low value and/or low threat initiatives, are delegated again to entities to plan, develop, and implement with out direct approval and oversight by CDT. Different proposed initiatives are decided to be exempt from PAL, for instance, minor upgrades to current IT programs. As soon as accepted via PAL (known as accepted initiatives), state IT initiatives start D&I. As soon as D&I is accomplished, state entities start M&O of the IT system. We describe every part in additional element under:

• Planning (PAL). The PAL course of divides state IT venture approval into 4 phases: (1) enterprise evaluation, (2) options evaluation, (3) resolution evaluation, and (4) venture readiness and approval. Every stage within the PAL course of requires entities to submit an related planning doc to CDT for its approval. Collectively, the planning paperwork from the 4 phases present a whole venture plan together with the price, schedule, and scope of the venture. Determine 1 supplies a graphical depiction of the PAL course of.
• D&I. As soon as CDT approves a proposed IT venture, state entities can begin venture D&I. Initiatives can strategy D&I in a number of methods: (1) the standard “waterfall” strategy, (2) the “agile strategy,” or (3) some mixture of conventional and agile approaches. Utilizing the standard strategy, entities develop all the scope of the venture earlier than it’s carried out. Utilizing the agile strategy, in contrast, entities develop a number of the venture scope (typically known as modules) and implement it whereas the remainder of the scope is being developed. A mixture of the standard and agile approaches would possibly develop venture scope as modules, however mix the modules into just a few discrete releases for implementation to cut back the frequency of person testing and coaching.
• M&O. As soon as IT venture D&I is accomplished, a venture turns into an IT system and enters M&O. M&O contains actions and prices related to a state entity’s ongoing repairs and persevering with use of a system.

Related Modifications to IT Venture Procurement and Oversight. Two latest adjustments to state IT venture procurement and oversight are related to this put up.

• Problem-Based mostly Procurements. In January 2019, Governor Newsom signed an govt order (EO N-04-19) directing CDT and the Division of Basic Companies to develop new procurement approaches that outlined an issue for bidders to unravel and requested them to reveal their potential to unravel it via demonstrations, proofs of idea, and prototypes. We usually refer to those new approaches as challenge-based procurements within the put up. The aim of challenge-based procurements is to permit extra bidders to supply options to the state’s advanced issues, moderately than requiring the state to pre-define options with detailed requirements-based solicitations.
• Enterprise Modernization Efforts. Massive state entities such because the Division of Well being Care Companies (DHCS) and the Employment Growth Division (EDD) are utilizing an enterprise venture administration strategy (that’s, managing numerous concurrent and sometimes associated IT efforts and initiatives) to modernize their packages and/or providers. As particular person IT initiatives progress via totally different phases, CDT tries to supply oversight not solely of the person IT venture but in addition of all the enterprise portfolio of IT efforts and initiatives. Key examples of this strategy are DHCS’ Medi-Cal Enterprise Methods (MES) Modernization and EDD’s EDDNext modernization effort.

Governor’s 2023-24 Funds

Governor’s IT Venture Proposals Complete $641 Million ($432 Million Basic Fund) and 275.2 Positions. In line with CDT and the Division of Finance (DOF), 40 funds proposals within the Governor’s 2023-24 funds are associated to IT venture proposals (Determine 2). These proposals request a complete of $641 million ($432 million Basic Fund) and 275.2 positions. A few of these proposals include non-IT project-related funding and/or positions, as we’re unable to separate IT project-related and non-IT project-related prices in every proposal.

IT Venture-Particular Work Merchandise

We don’t present in-depth evaluation of any particular person funds request on this put up, however we’ve got coated the California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) BIS Migration to S/4 HANA venture in a earlier publication The 2023-24 Funds: The California Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation—Migration of Enterprise Data System to Up to date Software program Platform (2/16/2023).

Evaluation

Elevated Use of Problem-Based mostly Procurements With out Analysis. Numerous the IT venture proposals within the Governor’s 2023-24 funds used challenge-based procurements (such because the State Water Sources Management Board’s Water Rights Modernization Continuation proposal) or are planning to make use of stated procurements. Some procurements could require upfront funding from the state for demonstrations, proofs of idea, and prototypes (such because the Division of Meals and Agriculture’s Rising Threats Data Administration System proposal). Nonetheless, we’ve got seen no analysis carried out by the administration of challenge-based procurements to find out whether or not, for instance, further planning prices for these demonstrations, proofs of idea, and prototypes led to improved venture D&I outcomes.

Massive Enterprise Modernization Efforts Make Legislative Oversight Extra Difficult. Two IT venture proposals within the Governor’s 2023-24 funds—DHCS’s MES Modernization proposal and EDD’s EDDNext Modernization proposal—are enterprise modernization efforts that include numerous IT initiatives in several phases of PAL, D&I, and M&O. For each of the efforts, the Legislature accepted quarterly reporting necessities and, for MES Modernization, CDT began portfolio-level impartial venture oversight reviews to trace IT efforts and initiatives which are a part of the bigger modernization effort. In each circumstances, we discover these oversight instruments to be inadequate to observe advanced and dear modernization efforts with important programmatic results. For instance, whereas particular person efforts and initiatives are tracked inside the portfolio, what efforts or initiatives are most crucial to the success of the modernization effort and/or pose essentially the most threat if they don’t seem to be profitable usually is unclear. Additionally, programmatic results aren’t all the time evident, as particular person efforts and initiatives is likely to be centered on modernization of technical capabilities inside IT programs (equivalent to claims processing or drawing down federal funds) moderately than sure packages and/or providers. Figuring out how a lot a fancy, giant modernization effort will value and over what timeframe is also tough for the Legislature to supervise because the scope of the trouble shouldn’t be all the time identified on the outset.

Initiatives More and more Use Mixed Agile and Conventional D&I Approaches With Combined Outcomes. We discover that extra IT venture administration employees are acquainted with the agile strategy to venture D&I. We additionally discover that extra initiatives acknowledge the realities each of the annual legislative funds course of and of state entities’ continued programmatic tasks that necessitate some components of the standard strategy to venture D&I. Mixtures of agile and conventional approaches to venture D&I, subsequently, have gotten extra widespread. For instance, for the Division of Social Companies’ Little one Welfare Companies – California Automated Response and Engagement System venture, the venture D&I strategy modified to a mixture of agile and conventional approaches as a result of county eligibility employees wanted to restrict the quantity of person testing and coaching required. Discrete releases of latest functionalities, moderately than steady implementation of latest functionalities, permits employees to proceed to deal with their major workload. Nonetheless, we discover that new oversight instruments from CDT for agile or mixed agile and conventional initiatives are inadequate. For instance, CDT launched an annual iterative venture report (IPR) for accepted IT initiatives utilizing an agile or mixed agile and conventional strategy to permit, for instance, reprioritization of modules and not using a Particular Venture Report (SPR). (An SPR is a report required for initiatives that deviate from their baseline value, schedule, and scope by roughly 10 p.c.) Nonetheless, the IPR as launched could compromise legislative oversight if the venture value, schedule, and scope change on an annual foundation with out clear measures of success.

Choices for Legislative Consideration

Direct CDT and DOF to Lead Analysis of Problem-Based mostly Procurement Modifications. We advocate the Legislature undertake supplemental report language (SRL) that directs each CDT and DOF to judge, at a minimal, whether or not further planning prices requested by state entities for challenge-based procurements have led to improved venture D&I outcomes. DOF may use quarterly venture planning expenditure reviews for proposed IT initiatives to tell their evaluation. We additionally advocate the Legislature request this report no later than April 1, 2024 to tell the 2024-25 funds course of.

Direct CDT and DOF to Work With Legislature on Oversight of Enterprise Modernization Efforts and Initiatives Utilizing Agile Method. We advocate the Legislature undertake SRL that directs CDT and DOF to work with legislative employees on choices to enhance oversight of enterprise modernization efforts and initiatives utilizing an agile strategy or mixed agile and conventional approaches to venture D&I. The report may think about, for instance, whether or not new standardized reviews for these efforts and initiatives, each to CDT and the Legislature, are warranted. The report additionally may think about whether or not adjustments in CDT’s PAL course of are wanted to persistently plan these efforts and initiatives. We additionally advocate the Legislature request this report no later than April 1, 2024 to tell the 2024-25 funds course of.

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