IT Dashboard

Aligned to goals:

• 1.5: Maintain up-to-date information on the Department's website about Department offices and key programs.
• 3.1: Enhance collaboration with other federal and non-federal agencies, the public, and non-profit and private entities.
• 4.1: Encourage openness and communication about effectiveness within the Department.

The IT Dashboard was launched in 2009, with a goal of showing the public how federal information technology (IT) investments are performing. At this point, the information in the dashboard provides a portion of the information necessary to support decisions regarding the Department's IT portfolio. As the amount of information in the dashboard grows and the public forms connections between IT investments and results, we foresee a time when public review and comment will be one of the evaluation criteria used for decisions regarding how we spend IT dollars.

Internally, the visual presentation of information in the dashboard is valuable as a tool to allow senior executives in the Department to quickly recognize key characteristics of the overall portfolio. As additional views are developed, we can have effective discussions about the impact and results of investment decisions.

We have added steps in our operational IT management processes to ensure the dashboard is populated with current information. Going forward, we will seek ways to incorporate comments, suggestions, risks, and issues received from the public into our governance and capital planning processes.

We will continue to respond timely, thoroughly, and transparently to any feedback received through the IT Dashboard. As appropriate, we will modify our agency processes to address weaknesses that may be identified. We will route specific suggestions for improvement or ideas that affect the portfolio through our Enterprise Architecture processes.

OMB is currently using the IT Dashboard as a way for federal agencies to submit their IT investment data. Agencies will update their IT investment data monthly and submit their complete data for every budget year, beginning in 2011. OMB plans to expand the amount of data and extend the analytical capabilities of the IT Dashboard over time.

The IT Dashboard is available at USAspending.gov.