2022 Biennial Performance Report
Accelerating the Next Generation of Technology in Texas
2022-2026 State Strategic Plan
Goal 4: Proactive Approach to Emerging Technologies
As agencies face the next phase of modernizing legacy IT systems, they must plan
for emerging technologies that are collaborative, scalable, and adaptive to a rapidly
changing technology environment.
The 2022-2026 State Strategic Plan identifies four objectives to increase state
agencies’ ability to prepare for the advanced technologies of tomorrow. Desired
outcomes for agency alignment with the emerging technology objectives below
include approaches that integrate emerging technologies at the appropriate time;
strategies that improve the way agencies plan, procure, and deploy IT services
and new technologies; methodologies that identify and address legacy system
modernization; and hiring and retaining a workforce capable of implementing
advanced technologies that provide Texans greater access to government
information and services.
Objectives
- Prioritize investing in platforms and projects that support emerging technologies and help accelerate legacy modernization.
- Develop a resilient workforce that can adapt to emerging technologies and new concepts of public sector work.
- Develop flexible and adaptable approaches to procure and implement the innovative technologies needed to meet the modern demands of Texans.
- Identify opportunities to deploy emerging technologies that improve the day-to-day delivery of government services.
Assessment
Agencies reported that they are making progress on modernizing legacy systems
and applications with 22% of agencies considering themselves fully modernized;
75% of agencies said at least half of their application portfolios are modernized.
Issues associated with legacy applications include unavailable software maintenance
upgrades, the inability to adapt or enhance software, limited expertise, and insufficient
technical support and documentation.
Agencies not only understand the urgency of modernizing but are also poised to take
advantage of the benefits of artificial intelligence (AI). Over a third of state agencies
report they have already deployed some form of intelligent automated solutions. Top
AI priorities include increasing worker output and efficiency, freeing up staff work
hours from repeatable tasks, and improving the customer experience.
In addition, state agencies completing the IRDR reported progress in areas that make them well-positioned for modernization including using open-source and Software-as-a-Service as well as having a technology roadmap.
Concerns
When asked to define the agency’s maturity with intelligent automated solutions, 85% of state agencies said they are in the initial stages. This means they lack repeatable and defined processes for implementing AI. Barriers to deploying AI include competing priorities, lack of dedicated personnel, and budgetary restrictions.
Agencies have made more progress toward some emerging technologies than others.
Over a quarter of agencies are using DevOps and Application Portfolio Management while
22% have adopted low-code/no-code development; however, blockchain technology is
seeing no active use and only 1% of agencies are currently planning to implement it.
Recommendations
The 87th Legislature demonstrated its commitment to technology modernization
by passing two bills establishing committees and working groups to ensure that
modernization projects are overseen and funded. The first of these was House Bill
4018, which established a legislative oversight committee on agency technology
modernization projects and a dedicated fund for those projects. This legislation
requires state agencies to identify legacy IT infrastructure risks and be proactive in
planning for and deploying modern solutions that enable the integration of emerging
technologies. The second of these bills, House Bill 1576, established a work group
to develop a master plan for the blockchain industry’s expansion in Texas and to
recommend policies and state investments in connection with blockchain technology.
For the next biennium, DIR recommends the following action to encourage
state-agency adoption of emerging technologies.