Systems integrators usually specialize in certain kinds of information solutions or in certain areas of government, so their level of experience and reliability can be high. But simply hiring a systems integrator doesn't mean the job is going to be done right. Experts and experienced government officials agree that a successful systems integration project requires significant management on the part of the government agency. The management that Sharon and others speak about includes everything from daily meetings with the systems integrator to ensure that the project stays focused on its objectives, to extensive contract management along with drafting a new kind of request for proposals to start the process. The business of systems integration is big in state and local government, and it is getting bigger.
Several factors are behind the growth in systems integration.
Control of information technology has shifted away from central data processing departments to other departments and agencies. Agencies want to control their own systems and the information inside the system, but they don't have the expertise and skills to build the systems themselves, so they have turned to integrators. This shift has occurred in part because of public demand for more services. The focus on crime is a perfect example. Local law enforcement agencies have felt little incentive to share criminal history data with other agencies, but public pressures to do something about the country's crime problems have served to highlight a number of shortcomings in law enforcement and criminal justice, including problems with data sharing among agencies and courts.