In 2012, FRS National Information Technology was at an inflection point. In a space of increasingly mission-critical needs for stakeholders ranging from school teachers to media to macro economists, each district was seeking to innovate their real-time digital experience management capacities. The resulting fragmentation across individual web and media technology solution architecture posed increasing risk for redundant System technology costs—and national System security. After a widely publicized hacking event, a new paradigm was needed to help the System operate effectively in the public trust, but the challenges foreseen were many:
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Technology needs and resources varied across districts, each with their own business needs and business architecture
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Funding would be required from 12 districts with autonomous technology governance processes and executive leadership
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Consensus approval would be required not only from business and technology executives across 12 districts, but from System governance committees, national stakeholder groups and National IT executive leadership
A holistic solution required a system mindset and a coherent strategy for transformation: a national consensus on vision, a strategic planning methodology, a transformation roadmap, a new solution architecture and governance model, and advisory & stakeholder engagement plans including strategic technology partners.
Outcomes:
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Jan 2013: Strategic assessment concluded with proposal for a System-wide innovation program to expand experience management capabilities while streamlining technology governance
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May 2013: With six months of coaching, facilitation and advisory, a cross-functional vision, strategy & roadmap was approved with unprecedented first-round consensus from System governance groups and district leadership
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May 2014: Within one year, a new national technology suite and investment strategy was approved, and a 3-year transformation roadmap was approved by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
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2015: With help from advocacy strategies, membership was secured on advisory boards for key software partners and the transformation program achieved 96% adoption of the new solution architecture (up from 26% adoption of national services in 2012)
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2018: Within five years, the transformation program concluded. Hundreds of thousands of man-hours were required by hundreds of FRS resources whose National IT stakeholder surveys championed the program for its role in setting a new standard for System strategy and thought leadership
