An Invitation to Partner With the State Chief Data Officers

The State Chief Data Officer (CDO) network is currently a voluntary, self-organized, network of State Chief Data Officers or equivalent positions in state government. The CDO’s from the following States are currently participating in the network and the membership continues to grow as new CDO’s are named for other States:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Indiana
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont

As a first step in developing a more formal State CDO network, we have adopted a set of operating principles that will be used to guide our efforts and activities. Several organizations have expressed interest in supporting the work of this network in some way. If an organization is interested in partnering with us to advance the work of this network, we welcome any proposals that would align with these operating principles. The next conference call with the membership of the CDO network will take place on March 2, 2018, so if your organization is interested in working with us, please share your interest and any additional information or proposal a week in advance (February 23rd). In addition, any State CDO that’s not participating and would like to, is welcome to join. Information or questions can be sent to me via email.

STATE CHIEF DATA OFFICER NETWORK

OPERATING PRINCIPLES

1. PURPOSE

The State Chief Data Officer Network (Network) is a voluntary collaboration of the executive leadership for information and data in State government; State Chief Data Officers (SCDOs) and information professionals involved, or interested in, some aspect(s) of enterprise information management, e.g. data governance, data sharing, open data, business intelligence, and analytics, for their respective state.

SCDOs are informally bound to one another through exposure to a common class of problems and common pursuit of solutions. This voluntary Network aids in establishing relationships and provides a forum for collaboration, knowledge sharing, social capital development, idea incubation, and innovation stimulation; building a common foundation of knowledge, standards and best practices, available for all members to adopt.

2. BENEFITS AND OBJECTIVES

Primary objectives and benefits of the Network include but are not limited to:

• Facilitating sharing, collaboration, innovation and knowledge transfer among members in State government
• Facilitating interaction and collective cooperation between State, Federal, and local government entities.
• Developing and encouraging standards adoption
• Developing and supporting best practices
• Working toward solutions to issues identified as priorities of the Members or within the field
• Speaking as a Community — with one voice

Secondary objectives

• Identifying opportunities for joint application for Federal grants
• Drafting Workforce development training requirements and skills inventory for government data and information professionals
• Facilitate collaboration with State CDOs and private sector CDOs

In support of these objectives, the Network may work on shared projects, generate use cases, leading practices, policy recommendations, testimony, guiding frameworks and principles, methodologies, knowledge repositories, technical problem and solution discussions, working papers, and strategies

3. MEMBERSHIP

The Network is strictly voluntary and open to individuals who are State Chief Data Officers or Executives of equivalent enterprise responsibility within the executive branch of State government. Members may opt out of the Network at any time.

4. CONSENSUS DECISION MAKING

Consensus means overwhelming agreement; therefore, when the time comes to render a decision, all Members must be able to support the decision. It is important that consensus be the product of a good-faith effort to meet the interests of all stakeholders. The key indicator of whether or not a consensus has been reached is that everyone agrees they can live with the final proposal; that is, after every effort has been made to meet any outstanding interests. Thus, consensus requires that someone frame a proposal after listening carefully to everyone’s interests. Consensus decision making will be limited only to those actions which affect the operation of the Network and shall not infringe upon the sovereignty of each Member state.

5. PROHIBITION ON VENDOR PARTICIPATION

Most states have laws or rules that restrict the influence of, and interaction with companies or organizations that seek to do business with them. In order to ensure that Members comply with relevant and applicable state laws; vendors, consultants, and other business interests are prohibited from attending, participating in, or sponsoring Network events.