A New Legacy System: Using Technology to Drive Performance
Full Report
Executive Summary
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2008
For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125
Commission Calls on State to Redefine the Future of Information Technology in Government
The Little Hoover Commission on Thursday urged the governor and the Legislature to empower the state chief information officer with the tools and resources necessary to enhance accountability and improve government performance using information technology.
In its report, A New Legacy System: Using Technology to Drive Performance, the Commission recommends consolidation of the state’s technology assets and personnel under the Office of the State Chief Information Officer.
During its study, the Commission found that the state’s severe fiscal crisis demands new ways to eliminate inefficiencies. The state, however, lacks the ability to harness data from its programs in a way that allows it to measure how effectively it uses its resources.
The Commission found that a strategy of data-driven decision-making requires a new way of deploying information technology. Despite the recent promotion of the state chief information officer to the governor’s cabinet, the Commission found that California’s technology governance structure remains outdated – developed in reaction to a fear of failure and past scandals, with oversight dispersed across the executive branch. To build confidence and accountability, the Commission recommends that California further empower a technology leader to oversee the on-going multibilliondollar upgrade of the state’s legacy systems.
The Commission found that a strong state chief information officer, given the appropriate authority, can ensure that the state does not simply replace aging data systems with new ones, but transforms the use of technology and data across state government – with the goal of improving government performance.
“It is time for the state to get past the Oracle scandal and focus on what technology can do to improve government,” Little Hoover Commission Chairman Daniel Hancock said.
In A New Legacy System: Using Technology to Drive Performance, the Commission recommends that the state:
- Empower the state chief information officer with tools and resources to oversee a generational transformation of information technology in state government. The state must consolidate resources under the Office of the State Chief Information Officer, including the Department of Technology Services, the Office of Systems Integration, geospatial information functions and the information security functions of the Office of Information Security and Privacy Protection.
- Use public money for technology projects responsibly and with transparency. To rebuild the confidence of the Legislature and the public, the process through which California’s technology projects are governed must be open and transparent. The Information Technology Council should expand to include legislative members as well as members from existing technology councils, and it should be empowered to prioritize overall technology projects for the state and aggressively monitor their implementation. The state chief information officer should regularly report on the progress of the state’s information technology projects through a more robust Web site.
- Use technology to track, measure and improve performance. The state should encourage and foster the burgeoning development of performance measurement projects throughout state departments and agencies by re-establishing the technology innovation fund and creating opportunities to regularly integrate performance data into the state’s management and budgeting strategy. The governor should hold regular public meetings with agency heads to evaluate performance data.
The Little Hoover Commission is a bipartisan and independent state agency charged with recommending ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs. The Commission’s recommendations are sent to the governor and the Legislature. To obtain a copy of the report, A New Legacy System: Using Technology to Drive Performance, contact the Commission or visit its Web site: www.lhc.ca.gov.
Fact Sheet
Study Description
For this study, the Commission reviewed California’s information technology system. With the Office of State Chief Information Officer established, the Commission had the opportunity to provide input and guidance as efforts to improve statewide IT policy and services took shape.
The focus of the Commission’s review was on the opportunities and challenges to using technology to drive informed decisions by policy-makers. As part of its review, the Commission explored how information technology can better collect data that can be used to measure and improve performance of state programs.
Previous Studies
- Reconstructing Government: A Review of the Governor's Reorganzation Plan to Create a Department of Technology Services
(Report #180, May 2005)
- Historic Opportunities: Transforming California State Government
(Report #176, December 2004)
- Better.Gov: Engineering Technology-Enhanced Government
(Report #156, November 2000)
Agenda
Overview
In this report, the Commission calls on the state to redefine the future of information technology in government. The Commission makes the case that challenges in state government require more than simply upgrading old “legacy” computer systems. The times demand new approaches and traditions to delivering public services and programs by leveraging technology to improve outcomes.
During its review, the Commission found that California’s technology governance structure was outdated, developed in reaction to a fear of failure and past scandals, with oversight dispersed across the executive branch. The Commission found that empowering the state chief information officer to coordinate technology activities across agencies will improve the ability to collect and report performance data about state programs in order to improve decision making and outcomes.
The Commission recommends consolidation of the state's technology assets and personnel under the Office of the State Chief Information Officer. The Commission also recommends state agencies use public money for technology projects responsibly and with transparency in order to rebuild the confidence of the Legislature and the public. Additionally, the Commission recommends the state use technology to track, measure and improve performance.

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August 272008Data and Information Technology2:00 - 4:00 p.m., Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room, Lower LeveAdvisory Committee MeetingPublic Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meetings
On Thursday, August 28, 2008, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on public health. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.
The purpose of this hearing is to provide the Commission with an update on the status of California’s public health system following the Commission’s report, To Protect and Prevent: Rebuilding California’s Public Health System (April, 2003), and follow-up review in 2005 that prioritized specific recommendations from the 2003 report. The Commission will assess the progress that has been made in recent years and the impact of the new California Department of Public Health (CDPH) since it was established on July 1, 2007. The Commission will hear testimony from the CDPH director and state public health officer, local health officers and public health associations.
There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.
An advisory group to the Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, August 27, 2008, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The group will discuss opportunities and challenges to implementing a statewide performance measurement system.
In addition, the California’s Water Boards Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Thursday, August, 28, 2008, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The subcommittee will discuss potential reforms to the state and regional water boards system.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, August 21, 2008.
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August 122008Data and Information Technology1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room, Lower LeveSubcommittee MeetingPublic Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meeting
The Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Tuesday, August 12, 2008, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The subcommittee will examine the governance of information technology in California state government.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Tuesday, August 5, 2008.
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June 262008Data and Information Technology9:00 a.m., Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd floor Cal EPA building, 1001 IPublic HearingAgenda
AGENDA
Public Hearing on Data and Information Technology
Thursday, June 26, 2008, at 9:00 a.m.
Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd floor Cal EPA building
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA
Opening RemarksTransforming Government through Performance Measurement
- Kenneth W. Kizer, former Undersecretary for Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and former Director, California Department of Health Services (Written Testimony)
Leveraging Technology to Measure and Report Performance
- Aneesh Paul Chopra, Secretary of Technology, Commonwealth of Virginia (Written Testimony, Attachment)
Improving Decision-Making Through Data
- Joseph Archuleta, Government Management Accountability and Performance Analyst, State of Washington (Written Testimony)
Building a Measurement Framework
- J. Clark Kelso, California Prison Health Care Receiver and former Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony, Attachment)
Public CommentsPublic NoticePUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meeting - Room Change
On Thursday, June 26, 2008, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on data and technology. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m., in the Sierra Hearing Room on the second floor of the California Environmental Protection Agency building located at 1001 I Street in Sacramento.
An agenda and other documents related to this study can be viewed and downloaded from the Commission’s Web site at www.lhc.ca.gov. Cal/EPA will broadcast the hearing live on their Web site, www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/SierraVideo.asx.
The California Channel plans to archive the hearing on their Web site, www.calchannel.com.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov.
- Kenneth W. Kizer, former Undersecretary for Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and former Director, California Department of Health Services (Written Testimony)
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May 222008Data and Information Technology9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 2040, Sacramento, CAPublic HearingAgenda
AGENDA
Public Hearing on Data and Information Technology
Thursday, May 22, 2008, at 9:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 2040
Sacramento, CA
Opening RemarksSetting the Stage
- John Thomas Flynn, former Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony)
Evaluating California's Progress
- Paul W. Taylor, Chief Strategy Officer, Center for Digital Government (Written Testimony)
Streamlining the IT Approval Process
- Martin McGartland, President and Chief Executive Officer, Natoma Technologies, Inc. (Written Testimony)
Balancing the State's Risks- Andrew J. Chang, former Chief Deputy Director, California Department of General Services (Written Testimony, PowerPoint Presentation)
Taking the Next Steps
- Teresa (Teri) M. Takai, Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony)
Public Comments
Public NoticePUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meetings
On Thursday, May 22, 2008, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on data and technology. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 2040 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.
This is the first of two planned hearings as part of the Commission’s review of the administration of California’s information technology systems. The focus of the Commission’s review will be on the opportunities and challenges of using technology to improve government operations and public outcomes. A complete agenda is on the reverse.
At this hearing, the Commission will discuss the progress California has made in developing an IT governance structure and the barriers that still exist. The Commission will hear testimony from the current state CIO, a former state CIO, a national expert on state IT practices and policies, a member of the state’s IT vendor community and the former chief deputy director of the Department of General Services.
There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.
In addition, the California Water Boards Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The subcommittee will discuss the roles and relationships of the state and regional water boards and how they can be changed to improve water quality regulation.
The Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission also will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. Staff from the Department of Finance will brief the subcommittee on the state’s FI$Cal, Financial Information System for California, project.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, May 15, 2008.
- John Thomas Flynn, former Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony)
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May 212008Data and Information Technology3:45 - 4:45 p.m., Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room, Lower LeveSubcommittee MeetingPublic Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Revised Notice of Meeting
The Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA.
Staff from the Department of Finance will brief the subcommittee on the state’s FI$Cal, Financial Information System for California, project. This meeting was originally scheduled to take place from 4 to 5 p.m.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov

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August 272008Data and Information Technology2:00 - 4:00 p.m., Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room, Lower LeveAdvisory Committee MeetingPublic Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 14, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meetings
On Thursday, August 28, 2008, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on public health. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 437 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.
The purpose of this hearing is to provide the Commission with an update on the status of California’s public health system following the Commission’s report, To Protect and Prevent: Rebuilding California’s Public Health System (April, 2003), and follow-up review in 2005 that prioritized specific recommendations from the 2003 report. The Commission will assess the progress that has been made in recent years and the impact of the new California Department of Public Health (CDPH) since it was established on July 1, 2007. The Commission will hear testimony from the CDPH director and state public health officer, local health officers and public health associations.
There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.
An advisory group to the Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, August 27, 2008, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The group will discuss opportunities and challenges to implementing a statewide performance measurement system.
In addition, the California’s Water Boards Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Thursday, August, 28, 2008, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The subcommittee will discuss potential reforms to the state and regional water boards system.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, August 21, 2008.
-
August 122008Data and Information Technology1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room, Lower LeveSubcommittee MeetingPublic Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meeting
The Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Tuesday, August 12, 2008, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The subcommittee will examine the governance of information technology in California state government.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Tuesday, August 5, 2008.
-
June 262008Data and Information Technology9:00 a.m., Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd floor Cal EPA building, 1001 IPublic HearingAgenda
AGENDA
Public Hearing on Data and Information Technology
Thursday, June 26, 2008, at 9:00 a.m.
Sierra Hearing Room, 2nd floor Cal EPA building
1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA
Opening RemarksTransforming Government through Performance Measurement
- Kenneth W. Kizer, former Undersecretary for Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and former Director, California Department of Health Services (Written Testimony)
Leveraging Technology to Measure and Report Performance
- Aneesh Paul Chopra, Secretary of Technology, Commonwealth of Virginia (Written Testimony, Attachment)
Improving Decision-Making Through Data
- Joseph Archuleta, Government Management Accountability and Performance Analyst, State of Washington (Written Testimony)
Building a Measurement Framework
- J. Clark Kelso, California Prison Health Care Receiver and former Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony, Attachment)
Public CommentsPublic NoticePUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meeting - Room Change
On Thursday, June 26, 2008, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on data and technology. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m., in the Sierra Hearing Room on the second floor of the California Environmental Protection Agency building located at 1001 I Street in Sacramento.
An agenda and other documents related to this study can be viewed and downloaded from the Commission’s Web site at www.lhc.ca.gov. Cal/EPA will broadcast the hearing live on their Web site, www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/SierraVideo.asx.
The California Channel plans to archive the hearing on their Web site, www.calchannel.com.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov.
- Kenneth W. Kizer, former Undersecretary for Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and former Director, California Department of Health Services (Written Testimony)
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May 222008Data and Information Technology9:00 a.m., State Capitol, Room 2040, Sacramento, CAPublic HearingAgenda
AGENDA
Public Hearing on Data and Information Technology
Thursday, May 22, 2008, at 9:00 a.m.
State Capitol, Room 2040
Sacramento, CA
Opening RemarksSetting the Stage
- John Thomas Flynn, former Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony)
Evaluating California's Progress
- Paul W. Taylor, Chief Strategy Officer, Center for Digital Government (Written Testimony)
Streamlining the IT Approval Process
- Martin McGartland, President and Chief Executive Officer, Natoma Technologies, Inc. (Written Testimony)
Balancing the State's Risks- Andrew J. Chang, former Chief Deputy Director, California Department of General Services (Written Testimony, PowerPoint Presentation)
Taking the Next Steps
- Teresa (Teri) M. Takai, Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony)
Public Comments
Public NoticePUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Notice of Meetings
On Thursday, May 22, 2008, the Little Hoover Commission will conduct a public hearing on data and technology. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in Room 2040 of the State Capitol in Sacramento.
This is the first of two planned hearings as part of the Commission’s review of the administration of California’s information technology systems. The focus of the Commission’s review will be on the opportunities and challenges of using technology to improve government operations and public outcomes. A complete agenda is on the reverse.
At this hearing, the Commission will discuss the progress California has made in developing an IT governance structure and the barriers that still exist. The Commission will hear testimony from the current state CIO, a former state CIO, a national expert on state IT practices and policies, a member of the state’s IT vendor community and the former chief deputy director of the Department of General Services.
There will be an opportunity for public comment at the end of the hearing. The Commission also encourages written comments.
In addition, the California Water Boards Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. The subcommittee will discuss the roles and relationships of the state and regional water boards and how they can be changed to improve water quality regulation.
The Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission also will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA. Staff from the Department of Finance will brief the subcommittee on the state’s FI$Cal, Financial Information System for California, project.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability, please contact Stuart Drown at (916) 445-2125 or littlehoover@lhc.ca.gov by Thursday, May 15, 2008.
- John Thomas Flynn, former Chief Information Officer, State of California (Written Testimony)
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May 212008Data and Information Technology3:45 - 4:45 p.m., Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room, Lower LeveSubcommittee MeetingPublic Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2008For Additional Information Contact:
Stuart Drown, Executive Director
(916) 445-2125Revised Notice of Meeting
The Data and Technology Subcommittee of the Little Hoover Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 21, 2008, from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. in the Legislative Counsel’s Conference Room located on the lower level of 925 L Street, Sacramento, CA.
Staff from the Department of Finance will brief the subcommittee on the state’s FI$Cal, Financial Information System for California, project. This meeting was originally scheduled to take place from 4 to 5 p.m.
All public notices for meetings are on the Commission’s Web site, www.lhc.ca.gov