Transforming Information Technology at MTS

The Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) was created to align Information Technology (IT) strategy with MTS business strategy.

Successful alignment is a two-way relationship between the two and ITAC creates a forum where this alignment can occur. When business and IT alignment transpires, IT delivers greater value to the Agency. The ITAC is chaired by the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Sandy Bobek, and members of the committee include the Chief Executive Officer, Paul Jablonski, and his direct reports. Together, the committee reviews and prioritizes Transforming Information Technology at MTS existing IT projects, and also evaluates the merits of new project proposals.

“Connecting business and IT offers the agency many benefits, including improved decision-making. ITAC has transformed the way technology projects are proposed, evaluated and prioritized. In short, ITAC provides a structured approach to working on what matters most!” said Bobek.

Previously, staff submitted project proposals directly to IT (and IT tried to work on all of them). Today, project proposals can only be submitted by the department head (DH). The DH then has the responsibility to justify and defend the projects to ITAC, and promote its benefits and merits relative to other proposals. ITAC has the ability to reject, approve, prioritize and/or reprioritize all project(s). IT has 38 active projects, seven of which were projects proposed at the last ITAC. Incoming project proposals will be reviewed and discussed at the next ITAC meeting in January.

“IT is a service department where all projects are important. Having ITAC prioritize projects ensures that IT is always working based on the priorities of the agency and that business objectives are driving our efforts,” added Bobek.