Assessing Readiness for Government Chief Information Officer Functions

Elsa Estevez, International Institute for Software Technology (UNU-IIST) Center for Electronic Governance

Thursday, June 16, 2011, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Location: CTG, 187 Wolf Road, Suite 301, Albany, NY 12205

Abstract

Effective Information Technology (IT) leadership is critical for achieving a good alignment between business needs and IT means of an organization. In government, IT leadership is increasingly realized through the Government Chief Information Officer (GCIO) function. The emerging and location-specific nature of such functions makes them difficult to study and transfer between contexts. To address this challenge, this talk will present a systematic approach to designing, implementing, operating and sustaining a GCIO function, called GCIO System. After explaining the nature, the application, and a common conceptual model underpinning the GCIO function, the talk will present a methodology for conducting the readiness assessment part of the GCIO System. The methodology comprises a set of inter-related assessment areas and a step-wise process for conducting assessment in these areas. The talk will also share the experience in applying this methodology in practice, and explain how the results of assessment inform the planning and execution of other activities of the GCIO System.

Elsa Estevez is an Academic Program Officer at the United Nations University – International Institute for Software Technology (UNU-IIST) in Macao where she belongs to the Center for Electronic Governance. Her research interests include information technology governance and leadership, government information sharing, and public service infrastructures and development. She has been a program committee chair at I3E 2010 in Buenos Aires and ICEGOV2011 in Tallinn, organized four editions of the ICEGOV conference, and extensively taught about technology in government to diverse audiences in many developing countries. Elsa Estevez holds PhD and MSc degrees in Computer Science from the National University of the South, Argentina, and a Licenciado Degree in Computer Science from University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.