Report 2014-602 Recommendation 12 Responses

Report 2014-602: High Risk Update—California Department of Technology: Lack of Guidance, Potentially Conflicting Roles, and Staffing Issues Continue to Make Oversight of State Information Technology Projects High Risk (Release Date: March 2015)

Recommendation #12 To: Technology, California Department of

Using the workload assessment that we recommended CalTech complete by December 2015, CalTech should make decisions to assign staffing to oversee each IT project. This staffing could include contracted IPO consultants in those situations when CalTech staff either are unavailable or lack the expertise needed.

1-Year Agency Response

ITPOD has established three processes to capture and evaluate workload information:

a) Stage Gate Tracking Spreadsheet (attached) - this provides the status and expectations for completing the work in each stage of the Project Approval Lifecycle. It will also provide earlier insight as to what level and when oversight work will be needed when the project is approved.

b) ITPOD established a monthly report of work activity by activity type, by manager and by branch (attached). This provides Branch managers and the Deputy Director with information about current capacity of individuals and groups within the Division. It will also facilitate better planning for future staff augmentation needs.

c) Effective April 1, every IPO manager will develop a work plan with their supervisor. (attached) This plan will cover a period to be determined by the supervisor depending on the experience and performance of the IPO manager. The work plan will include all anticipated work and relative priorities and, at the end of the period, will document accomplishments and explain any variances to the plan.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

Activity is progressing in developing the workload assessment.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

Once Caltech has completed the workload assessment, and receives a decision for its staffing resource request, it will be in a better position to make decisions to assign the appropriate staffing resources.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: No Action Taken

All Recommendations in 2014-602

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.