What Is a Chief Data Officer and How Can the Role Help Agencies?
In May, Federal CIO Clare Martorana indicated that the Office of Management and Budget would issue an update to the Federal Data Strategy, which offers a common set of data principles and best practices in implementing data innovations that drive more value for the public.  The Federal Data Strategy is really critical, she said during a virtual conference, according to MeriTalk, adding, we need to raise the bar for the entire government.  The strategy, she said, can drive government innovation by helping federal agencies make more effective use of data. The strategy, along with related action plans, continues to collectively raise the maturity bar for the whole of government, she said. As we look ahead, we know we need to enhance access to discoverable and usable data, and models that feed our artificial intelligence and machine learning development, she said. Much of the data we have in government is siloed in systems, and is oftentimes not accessible, even across an agency, let alone across the entire federal enterprise. We must continue to reduce these barriers, while still focusing on the privacy and security that our customers expect.  The strategy empowers chief data officers across the federal government to set priorities for managing data; improve the use of data as an asset in decision-making; determine how to better access, use and share data; and find innovative ways for agencies and the public to use the data. In our data modernization action plan, we are using driver projects that generate value for the agency, Ram Iyer, Chief Data Officer for the Food and Drug Administration, said during a webinar hosted by AFCEA Bethesda, according to Nextgov. We believe if we just focus on back-office work for months and years, we may not have the buy-in from our stakeholders, so we are starting with our key projects.  RELATED: New data analysis tools help agencies move fast amid crises. The Trump administrations Presidents Management Agenda called for the creation of a long-term Federal Data Strategy, which was finalized in December 2019. The first federal chief data officers were hired at least five years ago, but agencies were required to create and fill the position in January 2019. The Federal CDO Council brings together government chief data officers and began its first formal meetings last year. The CDO Council was established by statute in the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. As the law notes, agency chief data officers are to be designated on the basis of demonstrated training and experience in data management, governance (including creation, application, and maintenance of data standards), collection, analysis, protection, use, and dissemination, including with respect to any statistical and related techniques to protect and de-identify confidential data.  Agency chief data officers are responsible for lifecycle data management and are tasked with coordinating with any official in the agency responsible for using, protecting, disseminating, and generating data to ensure that the data needs of the agency are met.  Chief data officers are also responsible for managing data assets of the agency, ensuring that agency data conforms with data management best practices and engaging with agency employees, the public, and contractors in using public data assets to encourage collaborative approaches on improving data use.  Chief data officers are also required to review the impact of the infrastructure of the agency on data asset accessibility and coordinate with the Chief Information Officer of the agency to improve such infrastructure to reduce barriers that inhibit data asset accessibility.  Chief data officer are responsible for ensuring that, to the extent practicable, the agency maximizes the use of data in the agency, including for the production of evidence, cybersecurity and the improvement of agency operations.