Transparency, Cloud Emerge As Priorities For Federal CIOs In 20th TechAmerica/Grant Thornton CIO Survey
Chief Information Officers (CIO) in departments and agencies across the federal government are embracing a new role in helping to open government to the American people while continuing to struggle with unending security, infrastructure and workforce issues, according to the 20th Annual Survey of Federal CIOs released today by TechAmerica and Grant Thornton.
"An important focus of the new administration has been to create a more open government, one is that is more transparent, participatory and collaborative," said TechAmerica President and CEO Phil Bond. "Federal CIOs are excited about playing a key role in fundamentally changing how the federal government and its constituents interact through the use of information technology."
"The CIOs think that broadening public participation and involvement in government will create greater trust in government, increase the value that citizens receive from government, and unleash innovation with respect to governing and government services," said Paul Wohlleben, a partner in the Global Public Sector practice at Grant Thornton, LLP.
In support of open, transparent government, TechAmerica has found CIOs taking actions in two distinct areas - providing access to information through projects like Data.gov, USASpending.gov, Recovery.gov, and the Federal IT Dashboard, as well as increasing collaboration and participation through social media, Web 2.0 and Government 2.0, blogs, wikis, Twitter, Facebook, public dialogue, and next generation Web applications.
Looking ahead, CIOs see the following long-term challenges, ranked in order of priority:
1. Cybersecurity
2. IT infrastructure
3. IT workforce
4. IT management
5. Efficiency and effectiveness
6. Performance management and accountability
7. Acquisition
Now in its 20th year, the CIO Survey addresses views on current efforts to overcome the challenges and make positive contributions to the strategies of the Obama administration.
About Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International, a global accounting, tax and business advisory organization. Through member firms in 113 countries, including more than 50 offices in the United States, the partners and employees of Grant Thornton member firms provide personalized attention and the highest quality service to public and private clients around the globe.
Grant Thornton's Global Public Sector, based in Alexandria, Va., is a global management consulting business with the mission of providing responsive and innovative financial, performance management and systems solutions to governments and international organizations.
About TechAmerica
TechAmerica is the leading voice for the U.S. technology industry, which is the driving force behind productivity growth and jobs creation in the United States and the foundation of the global innovation economy. Representing approximately 1,500 member companies of all sizes from the public and commercial sectors of the economy, it is the industry's largest advocacy organization and is dedicated to helping members' top and bottom lines. It is also the technology industry's only grassroots-to-global advocacy network, with offices in state capitals around the United States, Washington, D.C., Europe (Brussels) and Asia (Beijing). TechAmerica was formed by the merger of AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association), the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA), the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) and the Government Electronics & Information Technology Association (GEIA). Learn more at www.techamerica.org.
SOURCE: TechAmerica