Information Systems Master Plan

Local government information systems are becoming increasingly complex: how can you structure an information system consistent with your local government's digital strategy?
Local governments are facing an unprecedented increase in digital uses and services. The proliferation of networks, business software, applications, and platforms in use makes the daily lives of employees and citizens easier, but also creates various challenges for local governments:

• • Increased complexity of IT systems, often compounded by the coexistence of different systems (old and new, in-house and outsourced, etc.);
  • Growing needs for interoperability, for better management and exploitation of data produced at different levels;
  • Increased risks, both in terms of tool adoption and securing the IT environment.

To address these challenges and build a coherent, secure, and value-creating digital strategy for the local authority and its users, designing an information systems master plan is a key step.

What is an information systems master plan?

An information systems master plan is a strategic document, approved by elected officials and the local authority's executive management. It aims to structure the local authority's IT strategy over the medium term (3 to 5 years). The objective of such a document is to enable the organization to optimize its operations, improve its performance, and provide innovative solutions for its internal operations and its users. It is therefore part of the local authority's overall digital transformation strategy.

The master plan is structured around three elements:

• A governance structure, responsible for managing and coordinating the deployment of the roadmap;
• A technical and functional architecture of the information system;
• A project portfolio, the operational component of the plan, to be developed alongside the master plan roadmap.

How to write and implement your information systems master plan (ISMP)?

Writing the master plan is carried out in five steps:

• A first stage of diagnosis, based on proven methodologies, to draw up an initial assessment of your community's information system, the needs of the IT department and other departments, and the directions to give to your master plan.
  • • • • • • COBIT, Mareva, or ITIL analysis
            • Implementation of information technology standards (ISO 27001 for security, for example)
            • Assessment of data…

• A second step is to define the objectives to be achieved through this new strategy. Objectives should be defined that meet the “SMART” criteria, i.e., objectives:
  • • • • • • • Specific;
              • Measurable;
              • Achievable;
              • Achievable;
              • and finally, temporally defined.

    • A third step is to identify strategic priorities.This step is crucial: the strategic priorities must be aligned with the strategic and political orientations of the community and its IT department, and cover the following areas:
      • • • • • • • • The organizational field (work processes)
                    • The functional and application field (software used)
                    • The technical and infrastructure field (hardware and networks deployed)
                    • Data management (data models, data exploitation)
                    • The Development of Digital Tools for User Relations

          • A fourth step in defining aproject portfolio. To evaluate the various projects included in the SDSI, the following elements must be considered:
            • • • • • • • • The project's deployment schedule and its various phases;
                          • The resources mobilized for the project (funding, human resources, partnerships, etc.).
                          • An assessment of the risks inherent to the project and their impacts.

                • Finally, a final step of operational deployment of the strategy.
                  • • • • • • • ISDS governance and management;
                              • Support for the evaluation and updating of the plan;
                              • Project management assistance for strategic or complex projects included in the plan.

                    Tactis Support for Structuring and Implementing Your IT Services Strategy
                    Tactis offers support specifically tailored to your needs and operationally adaptable to the structuring and deployment of your strategy.

                    A team of experts is at your disposal, from a firm with 28 years of experience supporting local authorities on innovation issues. We guarantee complete independence from companies, manufacturers, and solution providers.

                    Our support is distinguished by three complementary components: a detailed understanding of your needs, mastered technical skills, and agile working methods.

                    A detailed understanding of your local authority's needs
                    We guarantee a strategy co-developed by your departments (IT, IT, HR, and Finance, etc.), which meets your needs and facilitates adoption and implementation from the design stage. To this end, we are convinced of the need to involve all stakeholders in your community in the process of developing your IT master plan, starting with the diagnostic phase.

                    We have therefore developed collaborative methods, which we apply to identify all the needs that your organization's future master plan must address.

                    Through interviews, focus groups, and participatory workshops, we utilize various facilitation principles and participatory methodology to create an environment conducive to collective and constructive dialogue.

                    Mastered and tailored technical skills

                    The skills deployed by our teams to support you are based on proven methods for structuring strategy. These include:

                    COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies). A reference framework for controlling and auditing IT governance, we use the COBIT method to link business risks, control needs, and technical issues within the local authority's IT department.

                    Mareva (Method of Analysis and Value Feedback). A method for streamlining and standardizing IT projects, Mareva assesses the strategic value and profitability of each project, focusing on the impacts on the information system, the business lines, and the expenses generated. It is a proven methodological framework for IT services in the public sector.

                    ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). The ITIL method allows for a close look at the lifecycle of an IT service, considering all of these aspects with the aim of satisfying the end user.

                    These different approaches to innovation and the methods we apply are tailored to the needs of your community. Our analyses are tailored to the type of community, its size, its strategic alignment, etc. The scope of these analyses varies depending on the governance, work processes, or business processes studied.

                    Agile working methodologies

                    Beyond the tools and skills used, we use proven agile methods to strengthen communication and close collaboration between project stakeholders.

                    For the duration of our support, we operate in short work phases (sprints), punctuated by regular interim validations with the client.

                    In addition, we provide our clients with collaborative project management monitoring tools to ensure an overview of project progress based on shared indicators (deliverables, deadlines, regularity of communication, etc.).

                    Finally, our working methods and processes are continuously evaluated and adjusted throughout the project, in collaboration with our clients.