Definition
The Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015 is a framework developed by the U.S. government to guide its agencies in the use and management of information technology. The plan is focused on reducing costs, increasing security, improving service delivery and expanding transparency. It also emphasizes the importance of making government data accessible to the public, promoting innovation, and using IT to support shared services among government agencies.
Phonetic
The phonetics of the keyword “Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015” are as follows:Federal – /ˈfɛd.ər.əl/Information – /ˌɪn.fɚˈmeɪ.ʃən/Technology – /tɛkˈnɑː.lə.dʒi/Strategic – /strəˈti:dʒɪk/Plan – /plæn/of – /ʌv/ or /ɒv/2011 – /ˌtuː θaʊˈzænd əˈlɛv.ən/2015 – /ˌtuː θaʊˈzænd faɪfˈti:n/
Key Takeaways
- Innovation: The strategic plan emphasized a need for a shift toward innovative, efficient technologies. The government intended to leverage modern technology to streamline services and operations, cut costs and increase productivity.
- Shared Services: The 2011-2015 plan highlighted the importance of shared services across all government departments. This aimed at reducing duplicate IT services and systems, which would, in turn, enable cost saving and a more efficient use of resources.
- Security and Transparency: One of the main objectives of the strategic plan was to improve security and privacy. The objective aimed at ensuring trustworthiness and credibility of digital services while also making government operations more transparent to U.S. citizens.
Importance
The Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015 is significant as it provided a comprehensive roadmap for modernizing the federal information technology ecosystem. As the first comprehensive federal IT plan, it outlined ambitious goals for federal agencies to increase efficiency, enhance service delivery, and improve IT investments. The plan aimed to harness the power of technology to propel government innovation, streamline services, and reduce wasteful spending, thereby increasing the economic prosperity and global competitiveness of the U.S. Importantly, this plan laid a foundation for increased transparency, data accessibility, and citizen-centered services, which underpinned the digital government movement in the following years.
Explanation
The Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan was a comprehensive plan proposed by the United States government for the period of 2011 to 2015. It aimed at streamlining the processes within the federal government with the prudent use of technology, thereby increasing efficiency, cost-effectiveness and security. The overall purpose of this plan was to articulate a five-year vision to leverage technology in transforming and improving the government’s performance and service delivery to the public, private sectors, employees and other stakeholders.Under this strategic plan, the federal government sought to increase the value of IT investments, reduce duplication and waste, improve the efficiency of operations, enhance cyber security, ensure privacy, and promote innovation. The ultimate goal was to make the federal government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative. The plan was formed around breakthrough strategies like ‘Cloud First’ which expedited the adoption of cloud computing, shared services, and consolidation to significantly cut costs. It was also designed to enhance the governance and management of federal IT, thereby making the government more accountable to the citizens.
Examples
1. Consolidation of Data Centers: One of the key aspects of the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015 was to consolidate the numerous data centers operated by federal agencies in order to increase efficiency and reduce costs. An example of this was the U.S. Department of Agriculture which consolidated 21 data centers into 3 paving way for greater coordination and resource distribution.2. Cloud First Policy: Another example can be seen in the way the federal government began to adopt its “Cloud First” policy, which originated from this strategic plan. The policy required that all agencies consider cloud-based solutions first whenever they were considering a new IT project. An instance for this policy was the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), a unified risk assessment process that sped up the adoption of cloud computing among federal agencies.3. Cybersecurity Improvements: The Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan also included measures for the improvement of cybersecurity. The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC) was used as an example of implementing this strategy. Its mission was to reduce the likelihood and severity of incidents that may significantly compromise the security and resilience of the nation’s critical information technology and communications networks.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
Q: What is the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015? A: The Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015 is a comprehensive outline created for the federal government that provides direction for utilizing information technology in a way that provides maximum benefit to the public, while also improving how the government operates.Q: Who developed the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015?A: The strategic plan was developed by the federal government, with guidance and inputs from various federal agencies that use and rely on information technology systems.Q: What are the key goals of the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan of 2011-2015?A: The strategic plan emphasizes enhancing online government services, improving government operations, ensuring national security, and motivating advancements in technology to allow for a more effective, productive, and secure nation.Q: What does the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan mean for public services?A: The goal is to drive efficiency and effectiveness in government operations, providing better public services and creating a more accessible government that’s easier for citizens to interact with.Q: How is the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan connected to cybersecurity?A: Part of the plan’s strategic goals includes ensuring the nation’s cybersecurity by advancing technology and system configurations that improve resilience against cyber threats and protect citizens’ privacy.Q: How often is the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan updated?A: The plan is typically updated every few years to ensure that governmental information technology strategies stay in line with the ever-evolving technological landscape.Q: How does the Federal Information Technology Strategic Plan affect other federal agencies?A: The strategic plan provides a roadmap for IT adoption and use, which all federal agencies can follow to leverage technology in their operations, thereby driving inter-agency efficiency, productivity and collaboration.
Related Finance Terms
- Federal Cloud Computing Strategy
- Shared Services Strategy
- Cybersecurity Goals
- IT Dashboard
- Privacy Impact Assessment
