Mapping tools boost accountability, collaboration

One of the mapping technologies has saved Maryland $276 million, Gov. Martin O'Malley testified. Roger L. Wollenberg/Landov

Performance metrics for government projects are an effective way to improve collaboration and create savings, witnesses told lawmakers Monday.

In a hearing before the Senate Budget Committee Task Force on Government Performance, Maryland state and local officials said technologies based on results from mapping tools can increase transparency and accountability; share information; set goals; and improve government performance. Tools available at the state level can help the federal government set goals and push agency leaders to collaborate on a regular basis to achieve results, they said.

StateStat, one of the technologies currently deployed in Maryland, uses geographic information systems, which map spending and other government programs so the public can view the progress on various projects. For example, the tool includes both a budget map and Recovery Act tracker , which show how state funds and recovery dollars are being spent by county. According to Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, the program has saved $276 million in the last four fiscal years due to the consolidation of jobs, facilities and programs.

The Obama administration earlier this year launched TechStat, a project evaluation system that cancels, halts or overhauls underperforming IT projects. According to federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, the tool helps agency leaders easily determine which projects are over budget or behind schedule.

O'Malley said the key to deploying these performance metrics systems is to choose a common mapping tool and a template for reporting information so all agencies have a single standard. It's a cultural shift, but necessary for organizations to collaborate effectively, he said.

"It's like trying to run a railroad on 25 different gauges of track. You've got to have one gauge of track, you've got to have one map, you've got to have one template," he said.

Another benefit of the StateStat concept is it promotes statewide goals and puts legislators on a level playing field, O'Malley said. Mapping how dollars are allocated to each neighborhood is one of the single most effective tools for demonstrating fairness in spending, he added.

Most data is not user-friendly, so as federal agencies think about improving performance metrics and adding new reporting tools, they also should consider eliminating current systems, said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. This would send the message to employees that the information will be evaluated and used. But this change won't happen instantly, he added.

"You've got to be relentless," he said. "None of this is easy, and none of this comes quickly."