The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRMA) for example, seeks to eliminate redundancies across agencies and improve communications between agencies – a worthy pursuit. However, to be compliant with the GPRMA, agencies are required to develop strategic plans, which include long term goals, and prepare performance plans with established annual goals and measures. Where do agencies find the most accurate information and data needed to create these plans? The information required for these projects is frequently difficult to find.
Four years later, the 2014 Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act requires US federal agencies to provide the Office of Management and Budget with a data center inventory, a data center consolidation and optimization strategy, and quarterly progress reports. Again, an act that has a worthy purpose to improve IT structures, but agencies are left without the means necessary to gather the required information to produce these plans and reports.
And more recently, the Modernize Government Technology Act of 2017 establishes guidelines for agencies to prioritize and fund IT modernization projects such as transitioning legacy systems to the cloud or improving existing systems to enhance cybersecurity and improve efficiency. However, if agencies don’t have a clear, easily accessible view of their IT portfolio, how can decisions be made about which systems to improve, retire or replace? How can an organization even attempt to build cross-agency capabilities that address evolving threats to information security without accurate, easily accessible information?
As difficult as these projects sound, there is a proven solution: enterprise architecture.
Enterprise architecture benefit #1: increased transparency and visibility
Enterprise architecture (EA) can support the federal IT world by increasing the ability for smooth, seamless operations and flexibility. Integrated IT systems that offer a collaborative platform and a single, shared repository increase transparency and visibility. EA solutions that ensure technology systems are resilient, agile, and effective across a range of uses can help agencies modernize and comply with the numerous acts and regulations they need to meet. The best way to face the growing number of requirements, and protect against constant IT threats, is a fully developed and robust EA solution.
Enterprise architecture is about getting an in-depth, “under the hood” peek at an organization and how to sustain, enhance, repair or transform it. The visibility that enterprise architecture provides can serve as the catalyst that spurs agencies to consolidate systems and reduce costs by modernizing redundant and obsolete technologies. Enterprise architecture also has the power to strengthen organizational and partner integrations with comprehensive operational views and modeling abilities, making it essential to any agency’s modernization.
Enterprise architecture benefit #2: support planning and decision-making
EA solutions can help in planning, decision-making, and management across agencies to ensure improved communication and increased collaboration and transparency. Enterprise architecture can support planning and decision-making efforts so that the organization’s structures are better aligned with core goals and strategic direction. EA programs can help agencies eliminate waste and duplication, increase connectivity and teamwork, breakdown silos, and reduce risk.
Enterprise architecture benefit #3: access accurate data in a centralized repository
Many agencies struggle with being able to quickly access accurate data. An enterprise architecture solution can help by serving as the “single source of truth” that accesses all authoritative data sources and presents them in one centralized location for increased transparency, communication, and collaboration. Enterprise architecture can help government agencies accelerate transformation and meet today’s challenging operational demands.
In an effort to create a coherent model that provides visualization infrastructure enabling effective decision-making, the United States Department of Defense developed the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF). DODAF enables agencies to efficiently coordinate and execute enterprise architecture initiatives to facilitate IT projects, ensure full traceability of their activities, and contribute to defense IT modernization and security initiatives. By leveraging enterprise information within a single shared repository, managed by a consistent communication framework, agencies have the power to ensure defense networks are adaptive and effective across a range of uses and threats.
MEGA’s enterprise architecture solutions can help all government entities measure, manage, and improve mission agility and performance through the development of and visibility into robust, integrated, business and IT architectures. Read our latest white paper 3 Steps to Tackling IT Modernization in the Government and learn how to architect for interoperability and openness.
