LANSING – Michigan’s strategic plan for government technology is centered on six goals that take Michigan beyond the realm of consolidation and into shared services and collaboration.

�??The future is exciting and will bring greater partnerships with other state agencies as well as local government and private partners across Michigan, combining resources and transforming government service, said Ken Theis, Director of the Michigan Department of Information Technology and CIO for the State of Michigan. “We will bridge the traditional boundaries between governments, expanding services to rural areas that are currently underserved and unveiling new online services that will make it even easier for citizens to get what they need from government.”

The six goals of the plan include:

Goal 1: Access – Expanding Michigan’s services to reach citizens and businesses anytime, anywhere.

Goal 2: Service – Delivering efficient and effective technology services and shared solutions to government agencies.

Goal 3: Management and Infrastructure – Improving operations, security, and reliability through statewide solutions and universal standards.

Goal 4: Great Workplace – Supporting a high-performance workforce.

Goal 5: Cross-boundary Solutions – Fostering partnerships across and beyond state government.

Goal 6: Innovation and Transformation – Driving innovation processes and technologies to transform Michigan’s government service.

The State of Michigan consolidated all of its technology functions into one department in 2002, positioning the state as one of the few in the country with a centralized approach to technology. From 2002 to 2007, government technology in Michigan was focused heavily on the consolidation of data centers, standardizing e-mail systems, centralizing technology purchases, and creating a standardized technology environment. This plan takes technology in Michigan to greater heights.

For more information, click on Michigan.Gov/ITStrategicPlan

To listen to a News Maker Interview with Theis, click on MITechNews.MediaRica.Com

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