Oklahoma charts course for modern, secure government with new IT Strategic Plan
By Destiny Washington
Oklahoma is taking a strategic leap forward with the release of its new Information Technology Strategic Plan spanning fiscal year 2024-2026. This roadmap, developed by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, outlines a clear path for modernizing state government IT infrastructure, bolstering cybersecurity, and ultimately, empowering agencies to deliver efficient and secure services to Oklahomans.
“In the pursuit of innovation and excellent service, we are strategically directing our efforts, removing barriers and enhancing capabilities to succeed,” said Joe McIntosh, state chief information officer.
The updated IT Strategic Plan meets Gov. Kevin Stitt’s four goals of driving hope for all Oklahomans, protecting citizens, becoming a Top Ten state for business and delivering taxpayers more for their money.
Current IT priorities for FY 2024 align into five core areas:
Driving efficiency across government: Citizen interaction with government services should be seamless. The plan prioritizes enhancing the delivery of IT services, aiming to improve user experience for Oklahomans and boost efficiency for state agencies.
Employee empowerment: A skilled workforce is essential for success. We recognize this by focusing on investments in the skills and training of Oklahoma's IT professionals, ensuring the state has the expertise it needs to navigate the ever-changing technological landscape.
Digital transformation: This involves evaluating how work is done and how services are provided to deliver better user experiences. It also means making sure that new technologies like robotic process automation and artificial intelligence are used effectively.
Technology management: Outdated IT infrastructure can hold back progress. The state is focused on upgrading core systems to ensure they are reliable, scalable and cost-effective, allowing for more efficient operations and future growth.
Data enablement: The state is prioritizing a strong security system and a reliable platform for handling all state and citizen information by using data management and analytics to help make better decisions and increase transparency. The state is also working on improving its financial system and making sure everything is set up for smooth cloud migration.
The IT Strategic Plan goes beyond outlining priorities – it sets specific goals and objectives within each area of focus. Additionally, it establishes measurable outcomes to track progress toward achieving these goals. This ensures accountability and transparency as the plan is implemented.
Working toward these goals requires collaboration. The State of Oklahoma works with various strategic technology partners to advance its strategy and discover new possibilities for innovation. If your company is interested in learning how to do business with the state, we invite you to participate in the fourth-annual State Suppliers Expo on Sept. 25-26 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center.
"We will continue to follow our mission to serve those who serve Oklahomans and get stuff done,” said McIntosh.
Read more about the OMES Information Services team in the Oklahoma FY 24-26 IT Strategic Plan.
