# Presentation: 661360

## Case Study:

- Building the Skills that Produce Success - A Case Study from the United States Treasury Department

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

## U.S. Treasury Department

- Financial Management
- Financial Industry Supervision
- Tax Collection
- Law Enforcement
- Manufacturing

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
The U.S. Treasury Department is a very diverse organization with relatively independent bureaus.  Solutions need to allow for differences in mission and function.

## U.S. Treasury Department

- 145,000 Employees
-  9,300 Information Technology  Employees
- $1.75 Billion Per Year in IT Spending
- Collects $1.7 Trillion in Annual Revenues

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
The U.S. Treasury Department is a huge organization with a major investment in information technology.  About two-thirds of its personnel work in the Internal Revenue Service.

## Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996

- Requires that the CIO:
- Assess Knowledge and Skill Needs for IRM 	Executives and Managers
- Evaluate Agency Executives
- Hire, Train and Develop Execs to Improve 	Skills
- Annually Report to Agency Head on Progress

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Treasury's original impetus for its IT Workforce Improvement program was the Information Technology Management Reform Act (aka Clinger-Cohen).  

This Act established Chief Information Officers in the 24 largest Federal Agencies.

It established roles and priorities for the CIO, including:  Capital Planning and Cost Management and Skills Development 

It also established accelerated and simplified I/T procurement practices.

## “Good Business Sense”

- Better Leadership Leads to Better Results

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

## Information Technology Workforce Improvement

- A Comprehensive Program

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
The Clinger-Cohen act has broad scope.  It is appropriate to look at a broad range of selection and development issues across a wide array of jobs.

Taking up this challenge requires establishing priorities and managing resources.

## I/T Workforce Improvement

- Identifying Needed Competencies
- Establishing Executive Training Resources
- Coordinating Staff Training Resources
- Developing Strategies for Recruitment and Retention
- Leading Government-Wide Efforts

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Our original focus was on career development and personnel assessment.

Addressing known issues need not await the conclusion of this analytical work.

Analysis and development were undertaken concurrently.

Because the Treasury CIO Co-Chaired the Federal CIO Council, it was important to be active in national forums.

## Identifying Needed Competencies

- Executive Level Competencies
- Staff Level Competencies

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Executives and managers need a different skill mix from technical staff.  Analysis of their needs was undertaken separately and concurrently.

## CIO Competency Proposal

- Taking the Lead on Improving I/T Management

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

## Step 1 -- Identify Needed Skills

- CIO Council -- Core CIO Competencies
- Treasury Subcommittee on I/T Skills Enhancement
- Commissioned University Review
- Met with top 57 IRM Managers in Treasury
- Evaluated and Modified CIO Competencies
- Approval By Treasury CIO Council

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
We began with executive skills.

We used the CIO Council Core Competencies as a baseline.

We used impartial analysts from the University of Maryland to discuss these competencies with Treasury CIO's and direct reports.

We discarded competencies that weren't needed in the job and clarified or expanded others.

On March 12, 1998, we gained formal approval from Treasury's CIO Council.

## Approved Competencies

- Policy and Organizational Competencies
- Capital Planning Competencies
- Managerial Competencies
- Technical Competencies

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
We found we could describe our core competencies in four categories. 

We developed a great deal of additional detail, but we found that top IT executives needed significant skills in each of these four areas to be effective in their jobs.

## Policy and Organizational Competencies

- Mapping I/T to Mission
- Budget Process
- Organizational Process

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
At the executive level, the IT executive must be effective beyond his or her organization.  Executives need to understand the policy and political context of the organization within which they work.

Understanding the Federal and organizational budget process and understanding the culture of the organization in which they work is important.

"A seat at the table" requires effective communication.

## Capital Planning Competencies

- Investment Assessment
- Acquisition
- Implementation and Performance Measures

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
CIO's usually chair agency  information technology investment councils
.  
This is a new role for many and requires a broad range of financial and performance management skills.

## Managerial Competencies

- Leadership
- Process Management
- People Management

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Technology managers are also managers of people and processes.  Their business is change through technology.

## Technical Competencies

- Information Systems Architectures
- Developing Technologies
- Information Delivery Technology
- Security
- Disaster Recovery
- System Life Cycle
- Software Development

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
These are the only uniquely "IT" skills needed by CIO's and their direct reports.  At the top management level, breadth, rather than depth, is critical to their assessment and understanding of technologies.

## Next Steps

- Approval of Competency Structure  3/12/98
- Award Assessment Study	                       8/10/98
- Complete Assessments                           10/1598
- Develop Improvement Strategies    11/15/98
- Report to the Secretary                             12/1/98

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Our first-year objectives are modest: 
1)  Get a baseline against which to measure improvement;
2)  Use the report to the Secretary to gain development support; and
3)  Reinforce the positive aspects of measurement and improvement. 

## I/T Staff  Competencies

- Demonstration of IRS Computer Specialist Competencies System

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Segue to brief demonstration of IRS Curriculum Information System.

Two year effort covering approximately 7,000 technical employees.

Produced over 1,400 pages of analysis, identified 12 major occupational roles, 42 specialty areas and approximately 350 learning objectives.

Structuring development needs by competencies provides a way to:  1)streamline training; 2) make training more relevant and cost effective; and 3) increases our ability to deliver training via distance learning technologies.
Major findings:  1) General competencies were as critical as technical competencies and were often neglected; 2) Baseline skills were needed by all, technical skills by fewer; and 
3) Learning objectives could be specified in concrete and incremental forms that would promote less expensive distance learning solutions. 

## Establishing Executive Training Resources

- Treasury Executive Institute --3 Programs in 1998
- Executive Tie-In to Treasury Information Technology Conference in July 1998

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Programs to date:  CyberTerrorism, IT Capital Planning, Technology Trends and "Let Me Try."

Train IT and Non-IT executives together.  Target critical skills in competency framework and market.  

Make the training relevant by changing the format to 1/2 day concept and 1/2 day Department application.

## Coordinating Staff Training Resources

- Meeting with CIO’s and Key Staff to Define I/T Training Needs and Capabilities
- Formulating a Proposal for a Treasury School of Information Technology

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Met with CIO's or representatives in each of Treasury's 13 bureaus.  Gained a technological and development profile.

Proposed IRS use its buying power to meet needs across all bureaus.  Interactive Video Teletraining and Intranet Delivered Computer Based Training provide unique and cost effective delivery mechanisms.

## Develop Strategies for Recruitment and Retention

- Promote Bureau Action
- IRS 10% Retention Incentives
- Comptroller Development Funds
- Joint Memorandum on Flexibilities
- Identification of Government-wide Changes Needed

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Treasury bureaus differ significantly and need flexibility in devising unique approaches to retention and recruitment issues.

IRS is offering 10% retention bonuses to 1,000 application development staff in the Washington, D.C. area.  The Comptroller of the Currency is earmarking $5,000 per technical employee to fund their personal development.

The Department Human Resources and CIO staffs have collaborated to identify personnel flexibilities available to the bureaus and to advocate their use. 

## Leading Government-Wide Education and Training Efforts

- Federal CIO Council Committee
- Improved CIO Competencies
- “CIO University” Concept
- End User Computer Skills
- National Forum to Focus on Issues and Solutions

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Treasury is participating in these government-wide efforts to collaborate on recruitment, retention and development programs.  These would include identifying places where laws or regulations might be changed to enhance competitiveness.

## Lessons Learned

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

## Intellectual Capital

- “Knowledge has become the most important fact of economic life. In the new economy, intellectual capital -- not natural resources, machinery, or even financial capital -- has become the one indispensable asset of corporations.”
- 	Thomas A. Stewart

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Step one is recognizing that your people and their skills are what make your organization uniquely qualified to do its work.  Investing in retaining, developing and recruiting them is at least as important as any capital investment.

## Identify a Champion

- Access to CIO
- Knowledge of the Organization
- Respect

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
In Treasury, the Program Manager for Information Technology Workforce Improvement works at the Department level, has easy access to the Department CIO and regularly briefs the CIO Council. 

Visits to bureaus to identify needs and best practices has improved recognition and support for this function.

Having a strong IT management background has improved communication between IT and development organizations.

## Start With Core Competencies

- Organization-Wide Buy-In
- Tailor to Environment

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Starting from scratch is expensive and difficult.  Using the CIO Core Competencies saved a great deal of time and complexity.  
The process is only useful if the competencies reflect:  1) how your organization is actually managed; and 2) how duties are defined and distributed.

## Sound Strategy

- Start with a Plan
- Gain the Commitment of Leadership
- Take Advantage of Successes
- Keep a Business Focus on Results
- Share Experiences Across the Organization

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

## Participate in Government-Wide Activities

- Gain the Benefit of Shared Experiences
- Identify Best Practices
- Identify Sources of Assistance
- Internal HR/Training Organizations
- Other Government Agencies
- Contract Assistance

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
The U.S. Energy Department, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and others have indicated that they are taking Treasury's approach in identifying and assessing their top executive corps.  

By participating in national forums, Treasury has been able to promote good ideas and best practices among its bureaus.

## Summary

- Good Business Sense
- Identify Champions
- Comprehensive Approach
- Establish and Agree on Baselines
- Share and Seek New Ideas

- European Public Sector Information Systems Conference -- September 30, 1998

**Notes:**
Why is Treasury being successful?  We took a good idea, established accountability for results, framed the issues broadly, gained executive involvement and stayed open to new approaches.  We are learning as we share our progress.