The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released its State CIO Top Ten Priorities for 2017 on Nov. 17. The list enumerates what chief information officers (CIO) at the state level should focus on in the coming year.

The following is a summarization of their points on the Top Ten Strategies, Management Processes and Solutions.

  1. Security and Risk Management: Focus on establishing security frameworks and protecting data, which includes constituents’ health records and legal files. Train employees on best security methods and consider third-party security practices.
  2. Consolidation/Optimization: Centralize services, resources, and data centers. Identify barriers while consolidating.
  3. Cloud Services: Select the right service and deployment model for one’s own state. NASCIO recommends “scalable and elastic IT-enabled capabilities provided ‘as a service’ using Internet technologies.”
  4. Budget, Cost Control, and Fiscal Management: Manage budget reduction, as well as strategies for savings and avoiding certain costs altogether.
  5. Legacy Modernization: Like the Federal government, many state agencies still run on outdated technology. These platforms need to be renovated.
  6. Enterprise IT Governance: Partner with inter-jurisdictional entities and advisory boards to improve IT policy and planning for the entire state.
  7. Data Management and Analytics: Divide roles and responsibilities within agencies to study and structure big data.
  8. Enterprise Vision and Roadmap for IT: Create a plan for the state’s IT future that aligns with the governor’s policy agenda.
  9. Agile and Incremental Software Delivery: Develop software in increments, adding new capabilities along the way.
  10. Broadband/Wireless Connectivity: Implement broadband technology opportunities to boost connectivity across the state.
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