The Maryland Department of IT Oversight Division ensures that all MITDPs begin their existence with a clear understanding of their users; prioritized problems to solve; a clear definition of success with associated, objective success metrics; and a product strategy and implementation strategy for how to get to success. (See our System Development Life Cycle for a description of this process.)
After a project’s Launchpad is approved and the team begins delivery, the Oversight Division begins monitoring that MITDP to verify that it is making steady progress towards its definition of success, as measured by its success metrics, and issuing regular risk assessments.
These risk assessments are shared with the project team, agency leadership, and Department of IT leadership. This includes the Strategic Investments organization within DoIT — i.e., the principal investor behind these MITDPs. The Strategic Investments team can then choose how best to respond to challenges affecting MITDPs — for example, they may decide to invest in an intervention to help put an MITDP back on track towards success, or they may pause funding until the agency takes corrective action. In specific circumstances they may even cancel an MITDP to ensure appropriate use of state resources.
The Oversight Division also monitors MITDPs for compliance with financial requirements as outlined in the State Finance and Procurement Statute. The Oversight team similarly issues risk assessments based on a project’s financial performance and will escalate concerns as necessary.
If you are an employee of a state agency, and you have any questions about the oversight process, please contact [email protected]