Smart Data: Enterprise Performance Optimization Strategy

4.2 CALIBRATING EXECUTIVE EXPECTATIONS

Messages to executives from this experience include the following:

• Executives must oversee technology-driven improvements to maximize benefit, since there is no auto pilot.
• The presence of data strategy can provide needed detail direction in the absence of executive hands-on involvement, but this is not a substitute as both are needed.
• Activities and projects that are narrow in focus may harbor benefits and solutions that are broadly applicable.
• Exploiting benefits from local and specific applications requires executive insight, foresight, and leadership so they do not become latent, underutilized, or lost opportunities.
• Formalize strategy to guide and direct implementation activities, as this focuses improvement behavior.
• Fund improvements commensurate with proofs-of-concept and follow-through.
• Technical data exchange can be accomplished via model-driven capability with expected and advertised benefits.
• Special contemporary skill, knowledge, and experience are essential to achieving technical solutions.
• Technology is a catalyst and complementary with executive and managerial leadership to optimize performance.

Thinking About Federal Procurement Through the Lens of Smart Data Strategy

The U.S. government “procurement problem” has caught the current president's attention as he and the administration believe more competition and accountability are needed. From the view of the president, one aspect of the problem is too much outsourcing to ...