Technology Infrastructure and Support at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

What is the problem we are trying to solve?

• Supporting technology in a networked world is a two way activity connecting the inanimate system to the live user. Since all of the ‘things’ are connected at some point, the ability to recognize status, behavior, use and role within the technology framework becomes paramount to providing steady and responsive service. The users of the technology, the teams that support the technology and the vendors of the technology are bound by a common thread of technology connectedness that needs a common support paradigm and benefits from an extendable, integrated platform.
• COMiT has proven successful for MassIT, EOE, EOPSS and other Secretariats in tracking Service Requests, some Incidents and some Changes. It falls short as currently implemented when looking at the totality of the deployed, managing technology landscape and recognizing the users need and role.
• There are a plethora of point solutions deployed within the Commonwealth that work in a particular arena but duplicate support infrastructure, replicate processes and fail to integrate skills and knowledge across the Technology community. These are mainly organized on the Support Teams and not on the needs of the Requestor.

We need to re-think our approach to providing Technological Services as a Government.

• This starts with rethinking the models we use and the platforms we deploy to optimize that which is common, simplify the needful and strengthen the ability to provide service efficiently.
  • One core place to start, and to use as a model for other services, is the monitoring and support of existing technology and the deployment of new technology and services.

Principle: All of the technology developed, deployed and paid for by the citizens of the Commonwealth must be monitored and accounted for it a way that aligns across the organization.

• This is the metrics conversation: Utilization, availability, downtime, resource consumption, support effort. While much of this maybe available within specific organizations, efficient management requires that it be available across the Commonwealth in a way that highlights areas of success and identifies places where focus can lead to improvement.

Principle: Know your user and requestor.

• Make sure that any user’s approach to the system recognizes the user, the things that are primarily important to them and what has been their prior experience.
• Make sure that when support personnel approach the system they can see not only the immediate requests and events, but the context in which they are presented.