Good ideas need legroom

and plenty of open sky

Silos get a bit of a bad rap. They're great for storage, after all. They keep the elements out and their contents protected. And they make for good landmarks.

But that's not the sense of "silos" when we hear of them in state government. It means isolation of knowledge, information or effort. And that comes at a cost to efficiency and positive outcomes.

A new initiative from GTA's Digital Services & Solutions (DS&S) team shows a clear preference for keeping silos out of the landscape. The GovChats series introduced by DS&S this month promotes a free exchange of great ideas about managing digital presence for best effect. And it does so across state lines, out in the open air.

DS&S has built a reputation as a champion of best practices for Georgia government websites. Now the team is organizing discussions with digital services groups from other states to pull in even more good ideas. Web administrators and others from Georgia agencies are invited to listen to the discussions and capitalize on success tactics shared by counterparts outside Georgia. Read more about GovChats below.

This is just one example of what GTA wants to be a pattern of silo-busting in our approach to government IT services. Our Digital Services team walks the talk routinely, engaging with its audience of agency web managers at every step as they partner to strengthen the state's digital presence.

You see it from our broadband team as they coordinate with stakeholders all across Georgia to promote service expansion and digital connectivity. From our portfolio management office as they work alongside agencies to keep the state's big technology projects on track. From our AI office in developing guidance and standards. And from our operations teams as they deliver IT shared services state agencies rely on.

Good ideas do best out in the open where they can be freely shared and improved on by the community. GTA is pleased to be part of that marketplace, and to collaborate with all of you to make the most of technology for Georgia.

Shawnzia Thomas

State Chief Information Officer

GTA Executive Director

Informed usage of AI can generate benefits for Georgia

State government's approach to AI in Georgia should be informed, innovative and always ethical. That commitment is at the heart of an artificial intelligence program being developed by GTA.

Program emphases include:

1. Developing AI policies and standards
2. Fostering AI research and development
3. Promoting AI literacy for government staff

Governance isn't glamorous, but it is essential for successful outcomes with a fast-evolving technology like AI. State policies and standards will help ensure ethical, innovative, transparent application of AI across government to more efficiently and equitably serve Georgians.

The program, directed by the state's Chief Digital and AI Officer Nikhil Deshpande, envisions creation of an Innovation Lab. That lab would serve as a hub of research and development, cultivating public-private partnerships that could bring innovative uses of AI to life. Successes could be shared across agencies.

Also foundational to the program, AI literacy among government staff will be advanced through planned training, self-guided study options, workshops and more. All these will be pursued to ready government's workforce for an AI-infused environment where AI enhances their work.

The state's AI program builds on themes introduced at a December 2023 GTA-hosted AI summit for public-sector employees. Drawing more than 250 participants from better than 70 organizations, the summit helped lay groundwork for a collaborative, forward-looking approach to AI for Georgia government.

GovChats bring website success strategies into plain view

Best practices aren't much use unless they're practiced. And lessons learned can quickly revert to lessons confirmed, if the learning isn't spread around.

A new series from GTA's Digital Services & Solutions (DS&S) team aims to share the wealth. The wealth of success tactics, that is, for managing government websites and other digital considerations. GovChats sessions debuted this month and present discussion between DS&S and other states' digital services teams.

The series targets an audience of agency web administrators, content managers and others with an interest in how an agency presents itself digitally. Topics anticipated initially include centralized content management, website accessibility, generative AI usage in web contexts, and government use of social media.

The first session held March 6 featured conversation between Georgia's Digital Services team and a member of the division of IT from the state of Iowa. They traded experiences with content management platforms, noting similarities and differences in approaches. Additional sessions with participants from other states will be announced.

Row after row of innovation harvested in IT Annual Report

IT capabilities don’t mature overnight. You till the ground and seed. You chop back the weeds, and sometimes have to survive a late freeze. It takes discipline for a state to cultivate reliable, resilient, secure systems. And commitment to sustain them.

Georgia has established impressive IT capabilities. Across state government, we’re harnessing technology in so many ways. Agencies and entities worked this past year to turn technology into an enabler of a wide range of services, and the Georgia Technology Authority was proud to collaborate with them.

The results are illustrated in the GTA-authored FY 2023 Annual State IT Report, newly published on GTA’s website. From cloud computing to broadband to cyber defense, technology yields last year tipped the scales.

The report details state IT expenditures. In FY 2023, agencies reported spending $742 million on IT infrastructure services, network services, application development and support, and related activities. The IT Investment section of the report explores how the state manages these technology investments.

Also featured prominently are Georgia’s efforts to safeguard state systems and data. The cybersecurity section of the report describes the fifth annual Cyber Dawg live-action exercise, among other cybersecurity measures. Hosted by GTA’s Office of Information Security, Cyber Dawg draws security professionals from Georgia agencies to the Georgia Cyber Center in Augusta to sharpen their skills in a simulated ransomware attack. GTA collaborates with the Georgia Army National Guard to put on the event.

Another section is given to the Georgia Broadband Program and how it promotes expansion and buildout of high-speed broadband to all Georgians. Over the last year, the state made meaningful strides, including designating significant funding for broadband infrastructure. This will help support deploying broadband networks to reach previously unserved locations.

See the full report for a roundup of Georgia state government IT emphases.

• As part of ongoing cloud transformation work, GTA is collaborating with the State Accounting Office to implement SAO’s PeopleSoft system in a cloud environment. The system is set to go live in the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) platform at the end of March. The migration is expected to produce improved PeopleSoft performance, access and reliability. Progress continues also toward a Microsoft Cloud (Azure) option for agencies. With these additional platforms, more agency systems and applications will have a path to modern cloud environments through the GTA-led cloud-first campaign. This builds on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud offerings already available through GTA.



• Monthly information sessions will resume this month for the GTA-led data center space optimization and upgrade project at the North Atlanta Data Center. Agency IT focals are being invited to this forum to stay informed of how infrastructure changes at the NADC will affect agency systems. A planned March 18 focal group meeting will focus on migration schedules and the future-state floorplan for the data center. As part of a new lease effective October 31, the state’s computing space at the NADC will shrink significantly. This is enabled by decreased on-premises computing needs, thanks to more use of cloud services. Accomplishing the smaller footprint will be carefully coordinated to minimize disruption of systems.

• Slated for June 11, this year's GTA-sponsored Technology Summit will focus on digital transformation, AI and cybersecurity -- each figuring prominently in the evolution of government. The full-day virtual summit will once again be directed toward IT and business leaders from Georgia's state government agencies. Industry experts will discuss anticipated developments in each area, with additional input from GTA leaders. The 2024 event will be offered at no charge for Georgia public-sector staff. Stay tuned for more details, including registration information.

• GTA thanks all state and local government entities that submitted entries in this year's GTA-sponsored Technology Innovation Showcase. The 2024 Showcase is the 13th annual, and an early review of IT projects nominated suggests innovative use of technology is alive and thriving in Georgia. A panel of reviewers will next weigh the entries, and those earning honors will be announced in the coming months. Showcase awards are presented at the Georgia Digital Government Summit in the fall each year. The showcase brings well-deserved recognition to the teams who make the projects succeed, and it promotes exchange of ideas for innovative uses of technology.