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“Lack of Enterprise Architecture” cited as reason for FBI software failure

February 6, 2005 @ erp4it from alphasong

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This weblog's readers may be aware of the FBI's massive Trilogy software project failure. The audit report on this is posted here. Interestingly, it cites "Lack of an Enterprise Architecture" as a key contributing factor.

Quote:

"Lack of an Enterprise Architecture

"An Enterprise Architecture provides an organization with a blueprint to more effectively manage its current and future IT infrastructure and applications. As stated in the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report Information Technology: FBI Needs an Enterprise Architecture to Guide Its Modernization Activities, issued in September 2003, the development, maintenance, and implementation of Enterprise Architectures are recognized hallmarks of successful public and private organizations.

"The GAO reported that the FBI does not have an Enterprise Architecture, although it began developing one in early 2000. The GAO also found that the FBI lacks the management structures and processes to effectively develop, maintain, and implement an Enterprise Architecture. Additionally, the OIG’s December 2002 audit report entitled FBI’s Management of Information Technology Investments recommended that the FBI continue its efforts to establish a comprehensive Enterprise Architecture. The report also recommended that the FBI develop and implement a specific plan to integrate the ITIM and Enterprise Architecture processes.

"While the FBI agreed to develop a comprehensive Enterprise Architecture, this recommendation has not been fully implemented. The FBI has contracted for an Enterprise Architecture to be completed by September 2005. Without a complete Enterprise Architecture, the FBI’s systems are not defined. As a result, in the Trilogy project the FBI needed to conduct reverse engineering to identify existing IT capabilities before developing the infrastructure and user applications requirements."

Interesting failures in program management and system engineering were also identified. In the FBI's defense, it's all the sort of thing that pervades private sector software failures; the only difference is that the audit report on the FBI is public. One hopes it becomes required reading in computer science, software engineering, and MIS courses.

Finally, the strategy for preventing future failures points right at the core erp4it message:

"The FBI’s 2004–2009 Strategic Plan includes the objective to “ensure that all current and future information technology plans work towards a harmonized system.” This objective would be met through the creation of an Enterprise Architecture.

"The FBI is in the process of creating an Enterprise Architecture by September 2005 through its IT Portfolio Management Program. The FBI’s IT Portfolio Management Program is a phased process where the documentation of the FBI’s enterprise-wide IT portfolio is established or, in lay terms, a listing that contains all of the FBI’s current IT systems will be created, including the technical documentation of those systems.

"The first phase in creating the listing, completed in February 2004, focused on a pilot performance assessment of Information Resources Division applications. The second phase of the program, the infrastructure portfolio assessment, was initiated in March 2004. Once the data collection for this phase is completed, the next steps include workshops to begin assessing the division’s current infrastructure. Completion of the portfolio assessment was targeted for late 2004, and the FBI anticipates that the recommendations from the completed portfolio will be included in the development of the FY 2007 budget."

IT Portfolio Management through a definitive inventory of systems. Where have we heard that before?

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