Aretha Franklin and FITARA?

How would the Queen of Soul spell FITARA?  R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  That’s coz the new IT law is all about Federal CIOs getting some swagger – and harmonizing Federal IT efficiency on the same track.  And, according to new MeriTalk research, FITARA Future, 45 percent of Fed IT execs say IT gets no respect from mission execs.  The study says Fed IT’s a Chain of Fools – where mission owners only call IT execs in early on program planning in one out of five programs.  Little wonder that Fed IT outcomes are Rolling in the Deep.  We’re hosting OMB, GAO, Richard Spires, and a chorus of former Federal CIOs at the FITARA Forum on December 9th at the Newseum.

But let’s get back to the study – Fed IT’s confident A Change is Gonna Come.  Seventy-nine percent of Feds assert FITARA will improve the way IT is viewed at their agency.  Oh Happy Day – 70 percent believe FITARA will improve CIO communications, 52 percent say it’ll make IT more accountable, and 36 percent say FITARA will get IT a seat at the big-kids table.

But Break IT To Me Gently – how do we ensure that FITARA’s not the B side for Clinger Cohen – Here We Go Again?  Rumor has it Oversight and Government Reform’s IT Subcommittee will roll out a new FITARA Scorecard at a hearing in early November.  The focus is on Getting IT Right.  Feds in the FITARA Future study have some suggestions on what the FITARA Scorecard should measure – 73 percent want to track productivity and effectiveness of IT decisions and 60 percent want to measure waste reduction and deduplication of systems.

Again, we’re working with OMB, GAO, the Hill, and former Federal CIOs, on the FITARA Forum on December 9thYou Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman but at the same time the Son of A Preacher Man – guess that’s why FITARA’s confusing.  If you can’t join us on December 9th, I Say A Little Prayer For You.  Should we ask Aretha to join us?

Steve O'Keeffe
About Steve O'Keeffe
The most connected executive in the government technology community – O'Keeffe is an accomplished entrepreneur and tech-policy expert, with 30 years’ experience as an innovator at the crossroads of government and industry. He founded MeriTalk, O'Keeffe & Company, 300Brand, among other entities. O'Keeffe is a fixture on the Hill, in both the House and Senate, testifying on IT, budget, government workforce, and the requirement to modernize government IT to enhance outcomes for the American people and government employees. He is a champion for change, simplification, transparency, and clear communication of IT value without jargon. A committed philanthropist, O'Keeffe has served for 15 years on the USO-Metro Board of Directors – Vice Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Annual Awards Dinner. He started his career as a journalist – O'Keeffe has contributed to The Economist, Government Executive, Signal Magazine, The Washington Post, and, of course, MeriTalk.