The State of KansasOffice of the Chief Information Architect
The State of Kansas
The private sector was the first to enter into a period of intense, global competition. Government, at the federal, state, and local level, is now subject to similar pressures and must get smaller, deliver services better, and cost less. Education will soon feel the same heat and will need to respond to being in a larger, more competitive market by providing research, education, and services better, faster, and cheaper. In each organization, skilled, energetic people who can work together will make it happen, and technology will be the principle tool they will employ.
Today, we in Kansas state government spend 2 to 3 cents of every dollar on computers, software, communications, services, and staff. We focus on this small area because it can leverage (speed up, reduce cost, make more effective) the other 97% or 98% of our resources. In the future, we may spend a higher percentage of our dollars on technology but we will have fewer employees who can deliver better services faster. One example is the use of electronic benefits transfer by the Social & Rehabilitation Services agency, combining technology, business, and government to deliver services faster, better, and cheaper.
We also recognize the need to integrate our programs and organizations across agencies to deliver coordinated services as an enterprise. Services from disconnected, seemingly uncoordinated organizations are frustrating, costly, and sometimes poorly serve our citizens. Furthermore, for many of the services that citizens receive, the point of delivery occurs at the local level. State agencies, whether regulatory or service providers, and local jurisdictions should both embrace each other as working partners. One technology related example of progress in this direction is the Kansas Policy Board for Geographic Information Systems. GIS data supports the Governors Water Quality Program, provides useful data and presentations of data to agricultural, business, and public sector orgainzations and other businesses and is expected to play an increasingly important role in general government and economic development. Because this information is important at all levels of government, our Board now has representation from federal, state, and local jurisdictions and two private industry associates as well.
Technology can enable organizations to communicate easily, quickly, and continually with each other; to
establish data repositories that everyone can add to and use; it can assist to reduce specialization in service
delivery to enable more “one stop” centers and services; and it can help to overcome separation over time
and distance with services like telemedicine and electronic class rooms. Let us employ it to restore faith and
trust in public service.
Fred Boesch, Chief Information Architect
State government programs with significant technology components and state government information technology resources and activities are coordinated and managed by a number of organizations. One of the principle organizations in this role and the subject of this web site is the Kansas Information Resources Council (KIRC). The Council membership includes the heads of the major state agencies, one member each from the State House of Representatives and the Senate, the Judicial Administrator, a member of the Kansas Corporation Commission, the Executive Director, Board of Regents, the Commissioner, Board of Education, the Budget Director, and executives from three private firms. The Council provides coordination and general oversight of information technology policies programs, and resources for state government. The Chief Information Architect (CIA) is also a council member and provides the principle staff support to the Council. The duties and authority of the Council and CIA are established in statute and the Department of Administration provides administrative support for both organizations.
Although they are not the subject of this website there are several other key organizations related to the oversight and coordination of state programs with technology components and information technology resources. These are the Joint [legislative] Committee for Computers and Telecommunications (JCCT), the Kansas Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Policy Board, and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). The Chief Information Architect and all of these organizations work closely on policies and programs. The Joint Committee has three house members and three senate members and the Committee Chair and another member are members of the Information Resources Council. The Criminal Justice Council membership includes, the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Social and Rehabilitation Services, the Secretary of Corrections, and the head of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.