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Information Access: Ecology's Information Management Vision and Strategy

Introduction

As part of the 2001-2003 budget development process, Ecology refined its information management vision and strategy to enhance support of Ecology's mission, the watershed management and salmon recovery efforts, and the State's Digital Government initiative. The vision presented below is an update of the vision first articulated in the 1995 Information Strategy Plan and includes public access to information via the Internet. The strategy builds on the Information Integration Project (IIP) initiative and addresses in more detail business areas beyond Facility/Site Identification (F/SID), Environmental Information Management (EIM), and Natural Resources.

The IIP provided a dual focus on information access and integration. This strategy provides a greater focus on information access and treats integration and linkage as alternative means to provide information access. As Ecology addresses information management needs in business areas beyond F/SID and EIM, choices between integration and linkage will be made based on agency/program business needs and technical considerations. Greater use of linked systems is anticipated. However, systems will continue to be integrated when opportunities arise and such integration is consistent with program business needs.

This strategy does not reflect a disinvestment in the IIP; F/SID and EIM will be maintained and enhanced, and data will continue to be migrated into these systems. This strategy also does not provide for investment in a single centralized system (e.g. PA DEP's e-FACTS) to attempt to meet the agency's environmental information management needs.

Ecology's Information Management Vision

• Ecology staff electronically access needed environmental and administrative information from any location. Nimble, responsive, linked and shared systems meet business needs and can change rapidly to meet changing circumstances.
• The public (local government, citizens, businesses, and other agencies) accesses needed information and conducts business with Ecology through an easily accessible, interactive and usable Internet site with appropriate privacy protection.

Information Management Strategy - A Distributed Model

The major elements of Ecology's information management strategy to support this vision are as follows:

• Develop robust Intranet and Internet web sites that provide accurate and current information and the ability to conduct business on-line.
• Maintain a robust agency IT infrastructure (desktop computers, printers, servers, network, etc.) to fully support the vision.
• Use a common IT applications infrastructure.
• Implement data standards for "core" data elements.

Critical Success Factors

Critical success factors include strong executive support for the strategy, a strong commitment to work together and share data, and effective management of data quality.

Business Area Strategies and Projects

The Overview of Projects (PDF) presents more detailed information management strategies for each of the agency's business areas. Strategies also are presented for associated infrastructure investments. Current projects/investments, including risk / impact ratings, funding, staffing, scheduled start and end dates, project sponsors, and project managers, also are identified. (Note: The "impact" ratings correspond to DIS "severity" ratings.) This Overview is not intended to account for all information management investments, e.g. the following are not included: user/desktop support, network operations, applications maintenance, database administration/maintenance, web administration, etc.

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