The Government relies heavily on SharePoint to share information within its agencies. Sometimes SharePoint is just a documentation or vital records repository. Often, it is a hub of knowledge sharing for mission professionals.
The days of ‘because this is the way we have always done it’ are over. Agencies face demands to be more mission-focused and customer-centric.
While ‘innovation’ is the word of the day, leaders are forgetting the power of documenting, measuring, and improving processes across Government – and the link to supporting the mission. It is time to go back to the basics of process improvement since it is common that funding is not available to improve the information technology systems that can help make more dramatic improvements.
The Federal Information Technology Reform Act (FITARA), which aims to improve the management and acquisition of Federal information technology (IT) assets, is quickly approaching its two-year anniversary this December. The November 2015 FITARA Implementation Scorecard demonstrates that FITARA should continue to generate new opportunities for change within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) moving forward.
On June 23, the United Kingdom (UK) voted in a historic national referendum to leave the European Union (EU). Although the decision has already placed stress on the economies and policies of the UK, Europe, and other parts of the world, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is not likely will not to see major effects on U.S. immigration, travel, or collaboration with the EU.
In today’s fast-paced, demanding, and challenging world of consulting, it takes a great deal of skill and strategy to stand out. Innovation is more important than ever.
Cyber-attacks are an increasingly dangerous threat to the Government. Recently, both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Personnel Management experienced attacks, losing sensitive employee information to hackers. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) increased its efforts towards hiring cybersecurity subject matter experts and acquiring cutting-edge technology to defend itself against impending attacks.
Inside any organization, Government or business, you find successful agencies and companies moving forward on the strength of a strategic plan. Unfortunately, a one-stop planning session rarely produces a sufficient and lasting strategic plan. A successful strategic plan requires a defined purpose, continuous focused assessments, and a plan to develop a repeatable process.
Analysis and innovation are critical to the Government in times of security pressure and budget austerity. Successful tools that accelerate how consultants innovate for their clients are critical.
“Why aren’t strategies implemented?” is a common question inside and outside of Government. There are many reasons for these failures, but senior leadership commitment and stakeholder involvement are particularly critical as strategic plans are developed.
With increased trade, immigration, and travel, the global security landscape is constantly shifting. To manage this wide diversity of threats, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can continue to integrate its efforts to communicate and collaborate with international partners through offices like the International Cooperative Programs Office and the Office of International Affairs.
Strategists are constantly advising clients of the need to adapt their processes and methods to meet the realities of new technologies, challenges, and evolving customer/constituent demands.
Nearly 14 years after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) brought together 22 distinct organizations and functions with different but related missions into one organization, it can reflect back at the successes and continued challenges. As each new DHS leader embarked on reviewing the progress, recognizing accomplishments, and setting priorities, DHS has become more integrated and more efficient.
As the Government battles an ever-increasing number of complex security risks, it must continuously find new ways to sift through data to adequately handle threats. Homeland security leaders can apply a multi-layered approach to enhance its data analytics process through the studies of anthropology and philosophy.
