Agenda - 11-08-2012 - 7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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34 technology solutions for the departments, investments in end user training are critical. Investments should be made in a variety of technology areas, including the basic Microsoft Office suite, the email system, the calendaring system, enterprise packages such as Munis, shared technology resources (i.e., shared network drives), and department-specific packages. All new technology deployments should include a detailed training plan that addresses the variety of learning styles within the County. Training is critical and should be adequately funded using best-of-breed training approaches. A half- day mandatory technology training session for all new employees should be required within the first week of employment, along with additional continuing education opportunities to advance the base worker knowledge of Orange County systems. Shared Accountability and Authority Model There are two major issues related to the accountability and authority of the Orange County IT Department. First, the County needs to take a shared accountability approach to all IT investments. There are no "technology projects", only "business projects with technology solutions." As such, it is critical that senior County leadership and County department heads work together to successfully implement technology solutions that improve efficiencies, effectiveness, and citizen service delivery. Within the County departments, it is imperative that specific staff are designated as "Power Users" and are given the authority to interact with that department's specific software vendor to solve problems. If those problems are outside the technical reach of the Power User, then the IT department should be involved in the communications with the vendor. However, it is not feasible to expect the IT department to interface with the various vendors without departmental involvement to describe the issues. Together, the shared accountability and authority model, supported by County leadership, will lead to more efficient and effective service delivery from the IT Department. Second, the County should implement a mechanism for ensuring adequate project and process management for all major expenditures of tax dollars. In order to ensure project success, particularly technology-related, the County needs to enforce a disciplined approach to understanding requirements, ensuring end user testing, and requiring training and use of new systems. Typically, the HR department and senior management work with the IT department to determine how to measure staff participation in these efforts and tie their participation to annual performance evaluations. By developing a disciplined process and requiring shared accountability, IT expenditures will be substantially more beneficial to the County. 32