As the federal government and the United States as a whole continue to navigate through these uncertain times, one thing has become painstakingly clear – data management is king.
In recent years, agencies have started to prioritize data management solutions in order to truly unlock the benefit of their growing data. The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act was established to modernize enterprise wide federal data management practices. In accordance with the policy, agencies were mandated to appoint a Chief Data Officer to oversee these data management activities by summer 2019. However, many agencies were still in the process of doing so when the pandemic began, leaving some agencies without the proper leadership and guidance for successful data management.
Among the various benefits of data management, the ability to share data across agencies and collaborate on solutions has been paramount to the swift pandemic response. Here are some of the innovative ways data management and data sharing have aided in the government’s response to the pandemic:
The United States Agency for International Development
USAID has been utilizing internal data to share critical telework and remote work insights with agency decision makers to better inform the out-of-office work transition. The agency has also been collecting various data points to track the overall success of their telework program so they can improve upon existing practices.
The Department of State
The State Department has since built and maintained a central repository for the Repatriation Task Force to aggregate, analyze, and track real-time data to support the repatriation of more than 100,000 Americans from 135 countries and territories when the pandemic hit.
The Defense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency rapidly shifted priorities towards pandemic-related solutions. The agency developed a reporting and visualization stream for decision makers and senior leaders. This project gave invaluable insight into the inventory and issuing of personal protective equipment and identified potential gaps in the government supply chain.
While many agencies have seen great success with the implementation of data-driven initiatives during the pandemic, there is still room for improvement. For example, data silos have disrupted the government’s ability to turn their existing data into actionable solutions that accelerate mission success.
In the meantime, agencies must start investing in technology that allows for the accessibility of mission critical data and real-time reporting so they can fully reap the benefit of their data. All eyes will be on the agencies to see how they continue to grow and improve their data practices post-pandemic.
RSDC: Delivering Data Management Solutions to Support Mission Success in Washington DC
Interested in learning more about how your agency or business can benefit from data management solutions? RSDC is here to help – ranging from large scale data overhauls to isolated fine tuning, we deliver solutions that drive unparalleled accuracy in your data. Our team will work alongside your existing data environment to help you mitigate your data barriers and silos so you can make sense of your data and leverage it to make informed, data-driven decisions that benefit your organization.
Contact our team at 1 (866) 305-7352 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation.