EIS-Modernization

EIS Modernization Project Technical Strategy

Goals, vision and strategies described herein were derived from Technical Strategy workshops conducted by 18F with the EIS modernization product and technical teams.

Action	Date
Committed to GitHub	December 2018
Reviewed	June 2019
Updated	August 2021
Updated	July 2022

Challenge: We will move the programs currently in EIS off the mainframe within 5 years. This item identified by the team as a strategy is in fact a goal of the EIS modernization project.

Vision Statements

• IT staff are stable and empowered. We use commonly-supported technologies that we understand well. We clearly identify, describe, and prioritize our work, document our code and open APIs, and work on clean codebases. We deliver value to our users quickly and regularly.
• Our DevSecOps approach allows us to rapidly develop and deploy improvements to our systems. Our project, code, build, and release process is transparent and accessible. Our simplified operating environment allows us to interact with developers and vendors effortlessly and supports a healthy rotation of vendor contributors. Our data flows between systems through existing or homegrown APIs.
• Our systems are modern. We have incrementally replaced mainframe and poorly supported legacy systems with new, modular, cloud-based solutions built on commonly-supported technologies. We utilize a service-oriented architecture and aligned data architecture.
• We look to the future. Our systems are secure and open source. We embrace and anticipate a mobile user base, and seek opportunities to employ emerging technologies when they’d benefit our users and beneficiaries.

Strategies

Strategies have been organized in themes. The themes are a synthesis of specific cards produced and voted on in the sessions. Strategies that apply across themes are represented in each of the themes they apply.

Create and maintain a simplified operating environment

1. We will simplify the operating environment, progressively adopting technologies we are well suited to support and reuse and sun-setting costly, outdated, or non-standard technologies.
2. We will replace legacy functionality incrementally, building new functionality alongside the old, connecting systems.
3. We will embrace a service-oriented architecture model, moving towards many experiences built using many distinct components that effortlessly interact through APIs and building new functionality modularly, using technologies we can effectively support and modify, rather than investing further resources in systems we cannot.
4. We will improve our cloud posture by progressively shifting newly developed applications and related data to the cloud.

Develop and use Agile and DevSecOps methodologies, tools and architectures that support full-lifecycle (vision => acquisition => operations and maintenance => continuous improvement), and decreased time to value.

1. We will support DevOps, infrastructure- and configuration-as-code, and CI/CD.
2. We will continually work with the DSO to integrate security compliance into the development process, creating a true DevSecOps model.
3. We will embrace architecture and processes that support rapid development and deployment using technical prototyping to evaluate feasibility, direction, and assumptions, and do what’s needed to establish a culture of experimentation.
4. We will improve dev cycle time, outcomes, strategic alignment through innovation using prototyping and fail-fast strategies.
5. We will explore and experiment with emerging technologies to support business needs.
6. We will ensure that our systems meet our definition of done so that new AK developers and new vendors can easily work to modify and extend those systems.

Promote seamless user-experiences through training on and use of enabling technologies

1. We will integrate internal and external DPA systems across the eligibility process.
2. We will embrace a service-oriented architecture model, moving towards many experiences built using many distinct components that effortlessly interact through APIs.
3. We will embrace mobility of our workforce and clients and ensure our systems work anywhere.

Leverage and enhance DOH, State of Alaska and federal partner technology standards and processes

1. We will leverage and enhance DOH IT standards and OIT guidance (does not imply complete adherence).
2. We will move to a service-oriented architecture, consistent with MITA and CMS Seven Conditions and Standards.
3. We will maximize use of department Health Information Technology (HIT) expenditures through reuse of shared technology and business services.

Support open and transparent government at the system acquisition and information system implementation level

1. We will work in the open to the greatest extent possible and share our work as open source software.

Develop and embrace a cloud first approach to technology design and implementation

1. We will develop a draft department-wide cloud strategy, circulate it within the department, and operationalize it for our project.
2. We consider compliance, security, and other empirical (cost, support, availability, latency, resiliency, long term supportability, etc.) requirements for systems and applications to guide appropriate cloud technology.
3. We will explore and experiment with emerging technologies to support business needs.
4. We will improve our cloud posture by progressively shifting newly developed applications and related data to the cloud.

This site is open source. Improve this page.