The Chief Data Officer: An Opportunity For a New State Data Strategy
by Thomas Lee, Hawai‘i Data Collaborative
Hawai‘i state government recently established a Chief Data Officer (CDO) and data task force to develop, implement, and manage statewide data policies, procedures and standards, and to facilitate data sharing across state agencies. If set up well and leveraged appropriately, the CDO and data task force could create a strategic approach that leverages data to improve government efficiency, services, decision making, and policy, significantly impacting not only the effectiveness of our state government, but all organizations that rely upon – or, are relied upon by – state government to serve the public interest at large.
Since Hawai‘i named its first Chief Information Officer (CIO) in 2011, people have become familiar with IT as a key consideration in state government. Around the same time, however, Colorado was naming its first Chief Data Officer. In the last decade, more states have created CDO roles along with CIO roles to manage data and technology systems, security, and strategy.
Last year, led by many legislators to include Representative Mark Nakashima and House Majority Leader Della Au Bellati, and supported by Transform Hawaii Government and other advocates, Hawai‘i joined 29 states that have a CDO when Governor David Ige signed Act 167. Although the role has yet to be filled, the creation of a Hawai‘i state CDO signals recognition that data strategy is an increasingly critical component of good governance.
CIO and CDO: Similarities and Differences
The terms ‘information’ and ‘data’ are often conflated, leading to confusion around the specific roles of CIOs and CDOs. Both deal with technology and data, and there are areas where the two roles intersect in key ways. There are, however, fundamental differences in the responsibilities and approach of each.
Chief Information Officers fall within the scope of information technology, meaning they are responsible for the information systems themselves (e.g., hardware, software, the cloud). A CIO is the chief engineer tasked with ensuring the state’s systems are secure, stable, relevant, and up-to-date.
CDOs, on the other hand, develop strategy, address governance, and coordinate data collection and sharing across agencies as well as with non-governmental organizations as appropriate. Taken together, these are the components of the data plan for which the CDO is responsible for executing. The pandemic highlighted the need for CDOs in many states that lacked coherent data systems and strategies, resulting in an urgent scramble to present timely data for decision making and keeping the public informed.
We can think of a CDO as the architect who creates the concept and map for how data should flow, and the CIO as the master builder who selects and/or builds the tools necessary to execute the plan. Successful data utilization and sharing requires a joint effort between the CDO and CIO.
CDO Implementation: Varying State Models
In some states, the CDO reports to the CIO, since CIO positions are typically established before the CDO. However, in states that have been most successful in establishing a CDO – like Connecticut – the CDO reports directly to the Secretary of the Administration, who is the chief policy advisor to the governor and part of the executive team (similar to the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness, who reports directly to Governor Green’s Chief of Staff). This allows the CDO the autonomy and authority to establish and execute on the vision of the data plan.
While not all states with a CDO publicly share their state data strategy, the strategies that are made available have some points in common. These data strategies[1]:
Provide an open data plan that is applicable to all data in the custody and control of executive branch agencies;
Establish management and data analysis standards across executive branch agencies;
Include specific, achievable goals within two years of adoption;
Provide a timeline for the review of state or federal legal concerns or obstacles to the internal sharing of data among agencies; and
Ensure data is treated as a state asset, managed consistently and appropriately across state functions.
States have also taken different approaches in orienting the CDO role, emphasizing either a strategic or operational role. Strategic CDOs focus on policymaking, education, guidance, and serve more as a consultant across state agencies, while operational CDOs tend to work more closely with the CIO in developing and implementing functional aspects of the data plan. Both approaches can be useful; what’s most important is that states clearly state the purpose and function of their CDOs (and CIOs).
Factors for CDO Success
At the highest level, the aspirational vision for a CDO is to make public data more accessible, and to ensure it is put to best and highest use across government agencies to better serve the public interest. To do so, two key factors are necessary to ensure the CDO is able to carry out this vision effectively:
Focus: Clear executive directives that are specific, whether issue/policy-oriented (e.g., increasing visibility into housing affordability) or systems-oriented (e.g., increasing efficiency, open sharing, etc.).
Legal Capacity: Clear wording, established in legislation, that empowers the CDO, task force, and/or agency staff to establish and execute on a data plan, including the power to oversee agency implementation and adherence.
Clearly, a CDO must have a sufficient technical and strategic planning background, while possessing abundant skills in diplomacy, visioning, and balancing priorities. Ideally, a CDO will operate off a deep understanding of existing data governance and protection measures, while also working to loosen overly restrictive rules and agreements within the boundaries established in the text of the law. While an empowered CDO will have a clear data strategy with the authority to implement that strategy, success will flow from gaining the buy-in and trust of agency heads and employees by addressing their needs and communicating the value of increased data access, efficiency of data processes, and meaningful analyses that support state priorities.
Governor Green has just passed his first 100 days in office, situating his administration to address complex issues – including homelessness and cost of living for households in Hawai‘i – in the years ahead. Moving on from the urgencies of the pandemic, what remains is the need for better data to inform the state’s responses to our most complex challenges – clearly, a well-placed CDO will play a vital role. With this new role established, our first CDO has the opportunity – if well supported – to elevate the role of data in the State’s responses to pressing challenges, enabling the conditions for data flows that serve the best interests of households and communities in Hawai‘i.
[1] Joy Bonaguro, 2020, “California’s Data Strategy,” Office of Data and Innovation, https://innovation.ca.gov/pdf/CalData_Californias_Data_Strategy_2020.pdf.
Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, 2020, “State Data Plan 2021-22,” State of Connecticut’s Official State Website, https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/CT-Data/Connecticut-State-Data-Plan-2020-FINAL.pdf.
Oregon Enterprise Information Services, 2022, “Oregon’s Data Strategy: Unlocking Oregon’s Potential,” State of Oregon’s Official Website. https://portal.ct.gov/datapolicy/Knowledge-Base/Articles/Why-Do-We-Need-a-State-Data-Plan?language=en_US.
