Welcome to ITSD
Building a Foundation for IT Excellence
Our lives have been forever changed due to information technology advances. We have computers in our homes, schools, businesses and in government. Cellular telephones, pagers and personal digital assistants are everyday tools we use to manage our businesses and our personal lives.
As with any large organization, information technology plays a major role in the operation of state government in Montana. We connect people and systems across this great state with network technology that makes distances disappear and allows the distribution of services to local communities. Information technology professionals from the Information Technology Services Division and other state agencies collectively manage thousands of computers, network connections and miles of network to ensure services are delivered to our citizens and businesses in a reliable and timely manner.
As technology has expanded, so have the expectations of our citizens and businesses. Through the Internet, we can buy goods in minutes from electronic stores anywhere in the world. We can recieve news, weather, financial information and e-mail anytime and almost anywhere. The public often expects the same type of immediate access to the resources of state government. Building that access is a complex undertaking. We must ensure that care is taken to protect the privacy of citizens and the security of information. In spite of the challenges, we are committed to bringing more services to our citizens through the Internet to help better improve their contact with state government.
Information technology and the business processes it supports can provide many challenges and opportunities. Realizing the true value of investing in information technology requires disciplined methodologies and effective management. In 2001, the Montana Legislature established guiding principles for the future implementation of information technology in Montana State Government, including establishing a Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the state.
The Legislature and our Governor also recognized the need for a single vision for information technology in Montana State Government. The Montana Information Technology Act (Senate Bill 131) set the stage for developing the necessary tools to accomplish the well-managed deployment and use of information technology in our state government. To fulfill that vision, we have developed a second State of Montana Strategic Plan for Information Technology. We believe this plan lays the foundation for information technology excellence in state government.
My primary goal as CIO is to lead the implementation of best practices and recognition of excellence in our information technology people and systems. We will accomplish this by continually measuring ourselves against a balanced scorecard of customer service, innovation and growth, financial stewardship and organizational mission.
Montana state government will:
- Be customer-focused in providing electronic and traditional access to government services and information
- Meet customer expectations regarding their right to participate and their right to know, while protecting their right to individual privacy
- Promote and use information technology to enable its customers to prosper in the global economy
- Enter into strategic relationships and encourage collaboration at all levels of government to effectively use information technology
- Meet customers’ expectations for the reliable and timely delivery of quality services and information
- Manage and use IT resources efficiently
- Establish statewide direction for information technology through fiscally responsible and active stewardship
