Using Human Centric Design to Create a State’s Enterprise Architecture

OVERVIEW:
The Chief Information Officer of one of the most populated states in the US was facing a challenge.  He was entrusted with creating transformational change, but he felt that the organization had lost its way.  Prior to his tenure, the state’s technology agency had become very bureaucratic and almost restrictive in nature.  The culture was focused on eliminating risk versus serving its customers and constituents.  The CIO asked Stonehill to provide a strategy on how to move from a restrictive organization to a customer centric and agile partner. 

APPROACH:
Stonehill approached the engagement by evaluating what the constituents, employees, and legislature wanted.  It spent time interviewing representatives of each of the customer bases.  Stonehill also performed significant analysis to understand past projects, potential issues, and legislative rules and statutes.  The cumulation of the efforts came together in the creation of a new Enterprise Architecture for all state technology.  The architecture included 12 core principles that included multiple values including Constituent First, Transparency, Accountability, and Scalability. It addressed multiple domains including strategy, planning, purchasing, architecture, security, and testing.  The architecture was to serve as a framework for the purchasing, management, and measurement of the success of technology platforms statewide.

RESULTS:
The Enterprise Architecture was developed in less than 3 months.  This was monumental in that other EA efforts across other states have taken years to accomplish.  The EA created a framework for the entire technology management cycle including strategy, purchasing, testing, and project oversight.  No effort had been so encompassing and easy to understand in the agency’s history.  The EA was created to be focused on the customer including employees, constituents, and legislators.  No effort in the state’s history had been so grounded in what the individuals needed to be successful.  The efforts are in process of becoming incorporated into the administrative rule and becoming law. 

“The best thing I have ever done was hire Stonehill.  Their work is nothing less than transformative for one of the largest states in the country,” State CIO.