With Defense Enclave Services, DISA hopes to bring together all the fourth estate under one architecture. (John Kandrac / DoD)
WASHINGTON — The Defense Information Systems Agency has a plan to implement its new data strategy that includes “unravel[ing]” years-old knots in the agency’s complex architecture and rebuilding it into a “cohesive” system.
“In the same manner a network engineer would consult a wiring diagram or network topology before making a change to a critical network, DISA’s leadership should have access to an up-to-date, authoritative view of DISA’s data architecture before making any tactical or strategic decisions about how it will change or evolve,” says the Data Strategy Implementation Plan, or IPlan, released Tuesday [PDF].
The unraveling of the data architecture is one of four lines of effort within DISA, the strategy says, each aimed at transforming the way the agency deals with data over the next two years to make it more efficient and lower costs.
“The IPlan will guide how DISA will manage and exploit data as a critical asset to deliver agile digital capabilities to the nation’s warfighter and achieve information dominance,” Caroline Kuharske, acting DISA chief data officer, said in a statement.
On top of providing overarching guidance to DISA, the plan will also serve as an “essential planning document” for the agency’s office of the chief data officer (OCDO) and is a “direct response to the DoD Data Strategy and its call for component level Chief Data Officers to develop a DoD Data Strategy IPlan unique to their organizations,” according to the document.
In addition to data architecture, the strategy takes aim at leveraging advanced analytics, changing the broad data culture and “knowledge management” — essentially continually revising the way it views data “as a strategic asset.”
“Data assets require a similar level of life-cycle support as we refine DISA’s systems architecture and develop new governance standards,” Kuharske said. “As a combat support agency, we must continue to engage with industry experts, large and small businesses, academic experts and other data-centric organizations to improve future data capabilities and ensure our systems and standards match current data capabilities.”
The plan outlines specific timelines for achieving its goals, like establishing a DISA metadata standard to guide the collection of essential architecture metadata by the second quarter of FY23 and developing a self-assessment data framework tailored from industry proven models by the second quarter of FY24.
DISA must also put in place advanced analytics to aid in exploiting data, while the agency works to tear down “information silos” and “connect decision-makers in an agile and scalable manner,” according to Kuharske.
The OCDO will create an advanced analytics center of excellence by the second quarter of FY23 that will “establish, document and publish data science best practices, design patterns and standards for adoption across” the entire agency. The center of excellence will be responsible for integrating programs like Thunderdome and efforts like Joint All Domain Command and Control, according to the plan.
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When it comes to building a data-driven culture, DISA will require a “fundamental shift” in culture while it redefines its “relationship with data.” That shift begins with the IPlan, which Kuharske said sets a clear vision as DISA works to build a data-centric organization.
With the final line of effort, knowledge management, the IPlan aims to accelerate the agency’s ability to “influence intentional growth and facilitate decision making.” The next deliverable under this line of effort is in the first quarter of FY23, when DISA is directed to develop a knowledge management “share toolkit.”
“With a better data maturity, DISA will become more cost efficient, will see a higher percentage in productivity, secure data from our adversaries, and ensure accurate decisions are made,” Kuharske said.
