Strategic Plan V 2010-2012

InforME - The Information Resource of Maine

MISSION

The mission of the Information Resource of Maine, the e-government portal for the State of Maine, is to provide, enhance, and promote access to public information, government services, and public participation in democracy, through electronic means using current and innovative technologies.

VALUES

InforME is the primary resource for electronic access to public Maine government information and the online transaction of public business with the State of Maine. InforME will champion and facilitate e-government for state and municipal agencies. InforME will ensure that the electronic services it provides are citizen-centric, user-friendly, and accessible and will actively promote online government services to the public. InforME will be a responsible steward of electronic government information, respecting the privacy of personal information provided by citizens of Maine, within the law.

INTRODUCTION

Since 1999, InforME has been combining advanced technology with user-friendly design to meet the service needs of citizens, businesses, and government. This is the philosophy behind the many online services that are currently offered through the Maine.gov portal. InforME has developed more than 425 e-government services, a consistently award-winning Maine.gov website and a variety of enterprise solutions. InforME and Maine.gov have become an integral part of the state’s delivery of services to the public. In conjunction with Maine state and municipal agencies, InforME will continue to develop electronic services to provide an even greater impact.

The maturation of the Internet, rapidly growing public demand for electronic services, and new technologies bring new challenges and opportunities for the expansion of e-government in Maine.

The InforME Board’s Strategic Plan sets the key goals and direction for InforME, to ensure that InforME continues to achieve its vision for serving both government and the public. This most recent Strategic Plan spans 2010-2012 and defines the over-arching goals and the strategies to achieve them.

During the Strategic Planning retreat, the InforME Board, portal staff and OIT/eGovernment Services discussed the key issues facing InforME over the next three years and the direction InforME should take. As a result, the over-arching goals were updated to reflect these discussions.

The group agreed that, over the next three years, InforME should find ways to:

Diversify its revenue stream to maintain a stable, self-funded model,
Continue to maintain high standards for accessible and user-friendly design,
Expand public usage of Maine.gov and online government services,
Enhance the public user experience of Maine.gov, and
Participate in the public debate regarding public information and privacy in the electronic age.

The three over-arching goals below provide the basis for the Strategic Plan. It is imperative that the InforME staff and Board work together to:

Promote the long-term financial stability and viability of the portal.
Continue the transformation of Maine.gov into an ever more relevant and useful one-stop portal.
Provide leadership in the discussions regarding creation, administration, and delivery of public information.

GOAL # 1: Promote the long-term financial sustainability and viability of the portal.

OBJECTIVE I: Develop a firm understanding of the portal’s financial environment.

STATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Create a study group to capture and document the relevant information, including: the current revenue model (including revenue/expense history and forecasts), a portfolio of services, and description of the financial, operational, and planning challenges/risks.	June 1, 2010
2) Develop metrics to measure portal strengths and yields.	July 1, 2010
3) Report findings in a white paper.	October 1, 2010

OBJECTIVE II: Develop a plan to strengthen the portal and improve service relevance and yields.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Create a planning sub-committee to develop recommendations on: modifications to the revenue model, diversification of revenue sources, strategic management of the services portfolio (life cycle, service selection, unfunded legislative mandates, etc).	November 1, 2010
2) Propose recommendations to the Board; finalize a plan.	Feb 1, 2011
3) Implement approved plan.	May 1, 2011
4) Monitor and re-evaluate; report back to the Board annually.	Ongoing

GOAL # 2: Continue the transformation of Maine.gov into an ever more relevant and useful one-stop portal.

OBJECTIVE I: Build customer base for current services.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Measure and increase the adoption rates and usage of online services.	Ongoing
2) Report adoption and usage rates to the Board on a quarterly basis.	Ongoing	Report quarterly in GM Report to Board

OBJECTIVE II: Deliver more electronic information and services.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Increase the number of online/electronic services offered.	Ongoing	Report quarterly in GM Report to Board
2) Expand the functionality and utility of existing online services based on user needs.	Ongoing	Report quarterly in GM Report to Board
3) Maximize public impact through prioritization of services/resources.	Ongoing

OBJECTIVE III: Enhance access and utility to consumers and providers.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Explore and leverage innovative technologies and solutions to gain efficiencies and value.	Ongoing	Report quarterly in GM Report to Board
2) Facilitate cross-program and one-stop services.	Ongoing	Report quarterly in GM Report to Board
3) Support standardization of presentation, tools, practices across Maine.gov.	Ongoing	Report quarterly in GM Report to Board

GOAL #3: Provide leadership in the discussions regarding creation, administration, and delivery of public information.

Context: There are many issues related to electronic public government information that are increasingly raised and potentially conflicting. Issues to be explored may include individual privacy, concerns about identity theft or safety, email spam, transparency, freedom of access, and commercial value of bulk data.

OBJECTIVE I: Identify the key issues relevant to InforME’s purpose and the Board’s expertise.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Create a study group to research and draft a white paper documenting the issues.	July 15, 2010
2) Participate in other forums dealing with public information issues.	Ongoing

OBJECTIVE II: Propose policies, procedures, and best practices.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Consider the issue in the interests of the public, government, and InforME.	Ongoing
2) Generate a proposal documenting the recommendations.	September 1, 2010

OBJECTIVE III: Develop a communication plan and strategy.

STRATEGIES	TARGET DATE	RESULTS
1) Establish what, if any, roles InforME should have.	November 1, 2010
2) Develop plan for communications to public, legislature, and other stakeholders.	December 1, 2010

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