Texas agencies are in varying stages of their digital transformation.  In the spring of 2020, 49% of state-agency respondents to the Information Deployment Review (IRDR) reported they have no digital transformation practices or are in the initial stages, while 48% have developing or defined practices. Only three percent of state agencies describe their status as managed or optimized.

The initial stages of digital transformation may be reactive, IT-centric, and government-focused.  Organizations may not recognize these initial steps as part of the digital journey, but they include important initiatives toward government efficiency such as providing paperless or paper-on-request processes.  As shown in Figure 1, most Texas agencies are at least partially paperless.

As organizations progress toward more developed and defined digital transformations, their efforts become increasingly transparent and customer-centric. As shown in Figure 2, there is still work needed to provide services that meet Texans’ expectations.  Only 25% of agencies reported that their processes for mobile application development are at repeatable, defined, optimized, or innovating levels.

Because of the rapid pace of change brought on by COVID-19, it is likely that digital transformation has matured since this snapshot was taken in the spring of 2020.  In October 2020, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) reported that, “… 2020 is proving to be the year that pushes Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the mainstream of government operations.[1]”  Yet, a recent survey[2] of state CIOs suggests more growth is needed to reduce risk as states rely on emerging technologies to do more with less in times of revenue shortfalls.

Now is the time for agencies to begin planning, assessing risk, and developing digital strategies to formulate their transformation efforts and design their digital roadmap.