State Data
Governor Deal envisioned uniting all state data from the moment a child enrolled in kindergarten to their first job after graduation from college. This system would provide real data on what was working in the state and what was not as it related to education. For example, which universities were producing the teachers who in turn were generating the highest percentage of college ready high school graduates who then went on to get the highest paying jobs. To accomplish this ambitious data system, he formed a new agency, the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and brought together representatives from seven state agencies to build the system. The new system would be the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (GA•AWARDS) system. Like all endeavors, we had to build trust over time between the state agencies and orchestrate a very complex extract, transform, and load process. We had to build a big data lake. We had to come to a common process of collaboration and service delivery. We had to build reports that supported data-driven decision-making. Once we mastered seven state agencies, we added the data from a subset of private schools and universities. Over time, the system delivered real results and new accountability.
For my last two years in Georgia, I was elected and served as chair of the executive committee for this statewide data initiative.
System Data and Brinkmanship
One of the principal reasons the previous CIO was fired and I subsequently hired was the state of the data systems and reporting. Had it not been in the depths of the recession, perhaps we would have reached a solution faster. It took almost six years. In retrospect, I doubt it. There was not alignment between myself, the new chief data officer, and the head of institutional research. I was intent on building a new system and they were intent on fixing old data endlessly and blaming IT. The later two leaders would not last long. Turbulence in the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer position led to three leaders in four years. The lack of funding made a very difficult task truly impossible. Thus, we did the best we could.
We fought the political fights until we got alignment between the principal players. The chief data officer was let go and the position not refilled. The head of institutional research and her deputy left for organizational positions better suited to them where they thrived. Turbulence in the Chief Academic Officer ended and we were fortunate to have Dr Houston Davis. We still had a funding problem with no external funding in sight.
In 2014, I would sweep all revenue accounts and assemble $1.5 million. Only time would tell if it would be enough. I engaged with one of the top four technology consulting companies to build a new data system aligned with the needs of the Chancellor and other senior leaders. The consulting company was eager for the contract. I negotiated hard befitting the legend of the Dread Pirate Roberts. For $1.5 million, they agreed to build a new data reporting system with 137 automated reports in six months.
As was common during this time, the software development cycle was linear/waterfall and thus we would not see the 137 reports until the end of the contract. After six months and many meetings, we received the system and it did not work. We had already paid $900,000. I refused to pay the remaining $600,000. A stalemate ensued. They insisted we did not provide full requirements. We proved we did and suggested an agile development cycle would have been more appropriate. A little research revealed that other state agencies had received a similar product and eventually caved paying twice for a functional system. We did not cave. Eventually, the bill escalated within the consulting company and they agreed to fix the system over a one month period. Perhaps for once I had negotiated too hard. I agreed to reduce the number of deliverable reports.
After a month, the system was better but still not functional. More reports worked but not enough. I refused again to pay the remaining $600,000. A stalemate ensued again and after a month, they came back one last time to deliver what had been promised. I agreed to reduce the number of deliverable reports. In the end, the University System of Georgia received a modern, well-designed, and functional data reporting system with about 100 automated reports.
The old data reporting system was retired. In 2015, the new system I had fought for so long and so hard to fix data reporting was utilized for the first time. Nearly a decade later, the system is still in use and has stood the test of time. Accenture built this well-designed system. I funded and fought for the system. I thought it would be my last gift for Georgia. I was wrong. I had one last gift for Georgia and higher education: Merryll’s gift.
If you are progressing through this website sequentially, the next chapter is Alesia and Merryll’s Gifts.