To advance its data strategy, Massachusetts will establish an Enterprise Data Analytics program, and is recruiting leadership. Officials recently hired an enterprise analytics program manager to lead the data program, and are seeking a director of chief enterprise analytics.
State CIO Jason Snyder emphasized the purpose and importance of these recruitments, indicating this “will most likely be a continuing expansion as needs arise.”
“We are looking at building a broad data and analytics program for Massachusetts to improve the constituent experience by allowing all the decision-makers across all the secretariats to get to their data in an accurate, timely, easily [digestible] manner so that they can continue to monitor the outcomes that we’re trying to achieve through policy updates,” Snyder said.
The new positions will be housed under the office of the Assistant Secretary and Chief Engagement Officer, and will report to Snyder and the chief data officer. Their primary objective will be to create integrated data hubs across secretariats, facilitating more centralized access to information.
“These hubs will break down organizational boundaries, enabling a collective view of data that crosses multiple agencies,” Snyder said. “All the different agency data will be accessible through a consolidated point.”
A consolidated approach to constituent needs is more important than ever, the CIO said, as certain services can spill across multiple departments at different agencies.
“In the past, someone might have asked, ‘Can you run a Medicare report?’ Now, the questions are more comprehensive, like, ‘What’s the impact of emergency sheltering?’ — which involves not just health care, but also our housing department,” he said.
In the West, Nevada is similarly in the early stages of establishing a State Data Governance Committee to further its data strategies.
Jason Benshoof, Nevada’s chief data officer, said the committee will have various responsibilities centered on centralizing data and accessibility.
“Our team’s role will be to guide the state’s data initiatives by advising on recommended practices and policies to ensure effective data governance,” Benshoof said via email. “This includes enabling data sharing, ensuring regulatory compliance, enhancing public safety through cross-agency collaboration, supporting economic growth with actionable data insights, and reinforcing accountability in state government.”
The committee will be comprised of senior leadership or designated representatives from state agencies that are deeply involved in data management.
Data security and privacy are at the forefront of Nevada’s data strategy, and will be part of the committee’s duties.
“We want to ensure that sensitive citizen data remains secure and confidential,” Benshoof said. “So, the team’s strategy is to prioritize security and protect the data entrusted to the state by its citizens, through the implementation of data governance policies that emphasize data privacy, security, and compliance with legal standards.”
The governance committee will be instrumental in regularly reviewing and updating these practices to address emerging issues and maintain data protection.
Another aspect of Nevada’s data governance work is a focus on data analytics initiatives aimed at driving innovation and informing policymaking. The committee, Benshoof said, will do a comprehensive review of the state’s data classification system, with an eye for enhancing data protection and utilization.
“The committee will review data-sharing methods to identify areas where standardizing data-sharing agreements between state agencies can promote secure and efficient data exchange,” he said. “These initiatives will help guide the state toward becoming a data-empowered government.”
In Massachusetts, Snyder said he sees data evolving for his department through the use of geographic information systems (GIS) integration, which will add a spatial dimension to data analysis.
“I see the establishment of true data hubs driving additional discussion alongside the integration of data and GIS,” he said. “Data mapping will become more and more important for Massachusetts because so often when we’re talking about things, we’re asking, ‘Where did this happen?’ so the integration with GIS becomes more critical for us.”
In Nevada, Benshoof said his team will do “a comprehensive review of the state’s data classification system to ensure that data is appropriately categorized based on its sensitivity, allowing for better protection and utilization” in coming months. The committee will then review data-sharing methods to determine where standardizing data-sharing agreements between state agencies can promote secure and efficient data exchange.
“These are the types of initiatives that can help empower the state to leverage data for informed decision-making and innovation,” Benshoof said.
